Recharging Lipo Batteries of DIY-Board

[treloid]

Hi people

Yes i've already use the search but didn't find anything what helps me... :|

I wonder if you guys know a possibility to recharge the batteries of your DIY-board without disconnecting them everytime from the ESC and all the other stuff ??

My current setup is:

2x 3s 5000 mah Turnigy LIPO

ESC is a Castle Creations Mamba Pro 2. This ESC has his own On/Off Switch. So id like to leave everything connected and charge the batteries like this.

Has anybody an idea how to do this ? =)


Keep rolling..

 

[Nobuo]

just add an "Y" type connector to keep one connector to the ESC and the another one ready to charge.

 

[treloid]

just add an "Y" type connector to keep one connector to the ESC and the another one ready to charge.

But is this not affecting the ESC then ??

 

[Nobuo]

affect the same as your battery connected to it . If ESC is OFF, or standby it doesn't happen anything

 

[bandaro]

I use a switch between the charge plug and the ESC, that will sort you out if you're worried.

I have a relay there, so while power is always going to the relay, it is switched off unless I am riding, so no problems. The charge does not affect the relay because it is on the battery side, so no different to a battery being plugged into it (as it always is anyway).

So in graphics:

BATTERY=====CHARGE PLUG ON Y HARNESS (with balance next to)========RELAY SWITCH (with a control switch next to)========ESC====== MOTOR

 

[cmatson]

Ok so quick question: lets say we have two batteries in series, then going to the esc.

If there was a Y harness coming off each battery, how would one battery affect the other when charging because of the series connector?

I haven't actually done this, but I drew up a little diagram of what (I think) it would be-

so essentially would this work, or would you need to have two switches: one for each battery, after the Y harness, and before the series connection?

 

[sl33py]

Ok so quick question: lets say we have two batteries in series, then going to the esc.

If there was a Y harness coming off each battery, how would one battery affect the other when charging because of the series connector?

I haven't actually done this, but I drew up a little diagram of what (I think) it would be-

so essentially would this work, or would you need to have two switches: one for each battery, after the Y harness, and before the series connection?

unless you disconnected the middle leg of your series between batteries - that's a BAD IDEA! (Sparks, fire, the usual mayhem)

A single power plug before the esc would work. I think you would also need to combine the balance plugs into the larger (2x3s or 2x4s - 6/8s plug) so that your charger doesn't read it as over voltage. Probably ways around this, but i know my iCharger wouldn't like it. Perhaps ways to disable in settings. In case that's unclear, let's assume 2x4s - the charger will read 8s voltage, but the balance plugs will be 4s - so it thinks you've overcharged your 4s pack! No coffee yet, so that's as much sense as i make until more java.

HTH - GL!

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

I'd rather set things up so I could charge without disconnecting the main battery leads from the esc too but have concerns and confusion.

are the switches on these escs adequate? Doesn't using the switch negate the benefit of having an antispark connector?

Bandaro or anyone do you have picture you could show of how you set it up? I appreciate your "graphics" but I'm not familiar with the electronic parts your talking about.

thanks for the info.

 

[spinningmagnets]

before the dynamo was invented, the lead-acid battery was proven to be rechargable by hooking up a drained battery to a new one (that had a full charge). So...the needs to be something to resist the sudden and dramatic flow of current between the full battery and the low battery. I am not an electrician, but...smarter men than me should be able to figure out how to configure a harness so that the two batteries don't create heat/smoke/fire (diodes? switchable resistor loop? "X"?)

 

[sl33py]

OK, not an expert but both of these should work. I think it's still best to disconnect your power to the ESC (i like the xt-90 anti-spark for that connection).

I'm pretty visual too, so here's my horrible drawing skills to try and help.

I see two options - modified your original for option A:

Just like your original, but adding a "loop key" disconnect to the series leg between batteries to disconnect them to charge. Advantage is simple 3s charging (assuming they are 3s packs of course). Two balance plugs (might use some balance extensions to locate them more to your liking to simplify charging).

Option B: (connectors not to scale...)

Only one connector for charging (simple), but you need a 3s-->6s adapter to charge as 6s (or 4s-->8s, etc.). Single plug to charge, single plug to balance.

Make more sense?

HTH - GL!

 

[cmatson]

Thanks for the help sl33py!

I really like the idea of a loop key disconnect- easy and simple to make, plus, it acts like a key that must be in place before you can turn the board on

 

[Hummina Shadeeba]

So leaving the batteries connected to the esc is ok as long as a complete circuit is not made right? That's what both of ur examples Are showing I'm pretty sure
Thinking ultimately it's not really simpler to set it up either of the ways u drew: have to add the loop and this and that vs simply disconnecting the main leads and charging there.
A bms would make things simpler though.

Thanks for the pics it makes a huge difference

I'm a fan of simply connecting (2) 3s packs in series (or whatever in series) to xt90 antispark connector on a watt meter, and the watt meter permenantly wired to the esc. Just plug the one plug in or take it out to charge. Can still charge batteries on the board