5s Lipo help!

[Urgeoner]

I just got a new hyperion 5s, and when I charge it, 3 cells read 4.2v, and the last two read around 3.8v. I use a Hyperion charger, and TCS stays at 86%...Is this battery ok? Do I need to just keep it on the charger longer or what?

[What's_nitro?]

Run a balance only cycle then check again. During the balance cycle you can change screens and see the voltages of each cell, too.

[lincpimp]

Yeah, the charger is dropping the charge current and maxing out the balance load in order to get the cells in balance. It may take a while, since those 2 cells are so far off. Like hours, and hours. If you can leave it close to you during the day just let it roll. As long as you have the charger setup correctly (factory settings) you should be fine.

I am not sure if that charger has a stand alone balance function.

Also, you may want to send the battery back, if a new battery is that far off it will have issues, generally.

[Urgeoner]

Originally Posted by lincpimp

Yeah, the charger is dropping the charge current and maxing out the balance load in order to get the cells in balance. It may take a while, since those 2 cells are so far off. Like hours, and hours. If you can leave it close to you during the day just let it roll. As long as you have the charger setup correctly (factory settings) you should be fine.

I am not sure if that charger has a stand alone balance function.

Also, you may want to send the battery back, if a new battery is that far off it will have issues, generally.

Thanks, but I bought it from ebay...seller said it was brand new minus having soldered on the dean plug...I bet he noticed the same thing and so he sold it on ebay, saying that he never once charged or ran it

[simplechamp]

Hopefully you can get it to balance back up. Lesson learned I guess. I always make a point to ask the cell voltages when purchasing a used lipo (or in this case not used, but pre-owned)

Your other option is to charge each of the low cells individually, but you'd need to make an adapter to connect to the balance plug.

[BrianG]

Yeah, I would either let the charger do what it needs to do to equalize those cells, or individually charge the low cells like simplechamp said.

You can make a quick adapter by taking a really high resistor (like 100k ohms or more), and insert the leads into the balance tap for the cell in question. Then, clamp alligator clips to those resistor leads and charge that one cell. I like using the resistor because it helps keep the leads from touching by accident. The high value is needed so you aren't discharging while charging (100k ohms on 3.8v is only 38uA).

By the way, I like your "Lords of Death" avatar. One of my favorite movies of all time.

[hoober]

A pack that is far out of balance is suspect and to me the charger is too.
I would check each cell with (the same voltmeter) to verify the charger's individual readings. If they are correct then trust it.

I'm very alarmed because the chances of a pack reading 3 cells exactly 4.2 and 2 cells exactly 3.8 are very nil. It may also be pertinent that the 2 3.8 are adjacent.

I guess another way to put it is: Ask the question Why did this happen? before the fix.

[Urgeoner]

Thanks Brian it's one of my fave movies too because I was born and raised in SF...
Hoober, I know that my charger is good, because I did check all cells individually and they all read the same as before...
Can you please explain this 'adjacent' theory, I'm a little lost thanks.

[hoober]

Alright, it seems that you are sure that the volt readings are true. Maybe I can state the chances of this happening (by chance) another way.

Of all the possible volt readings between 3 and 4.2 you have found 3 in a row at 4.2 and then 2 in a row at 3.8

There's no chance to get this "full house" pack by chance. I'm saying that something had top happen to it and I would find out what.

I know this is a silly analogy , but hope it works.

ooh, I see this is a brand new pack. My mistake , the chances just went sky high.

Maybe it really is ok just to "fix" it by charging cell 4 and 5 to 4.2 volts and it may be good to go.

[Urgeoner]

Hoober, my mistake on post#1 because I wrote about them like they are in consecutive order. Actually, cells 1 and 3 are the bad ones, cells 2,4 and 5 are ok...
In any case, I wrote the guy who I bought from hoping to get my 125 back. It was a steal at 125 though, and this tells me why. Sucks that guy was trying to pass it off as a brand new pack...heres the link:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...K%3AMEWNX%3AIT

If you can't get your money back slow cycle it slow down to 50% and slow up - say .5 to 1 amps - it just gives the balancer more time