Alpha 4 Charger Question

You're probably using a lessor discharge rate while cycling. If, for example, you use a discharge rate of only 250ma (all 4 ports of the Alpha4 programmed) for a 2000ma battery pack, that pack would probably cycle a bit higher than it's rating. Also, you may have a really fresh and brand new pack which might also cycle more than it's rating even with a C5 (or more) discharge. That's what typically happens to me. However, what you're seeing really doesn't matter anyway because the best way to monitor the condition of your batteries in the long run is to KEEP TRACK of it's discharge times from a fresh charge over time and watch for a CHANGE in discharge capacity (be sure to always discharge at the SAME rate each time or the results will be skewed). What you're looking for is when the battery begins to show a repeated

10% to 15% decrease in discharge capacity from when it was new. That's when you might consider replacing the pack. As an aid to keep track of time in service, be sure to always write the date when the pack was bought right on the pack itself.

MJC

"Paul Sutphen" wrote in message news:9U9Jc.9106$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

This can happen if the battery total capacity is large enough that the A4 cannot discharge at the C rate. For instance if you have a 3000 mah battery the highest rate the A4 can discharge is 1/3 C since it can only discharge at 1 amp (1000ma) max, so you are discharging at 1/3 of the rate that should be used to check capacity, this results in numbers that can be significantly higher than rated cause the slower you discharge below 1C the more capacity the battery will indicate.

Also it is not uncommon to have a battery show 10 to 20% more than rated capacity even if discharged at C rate, this is normal as the battery manufacturers usually rate their batteries conservatively so the battery is sure to have at least rated capacity.

flierbk

Are you saying that the Alpha 4 indicates more capacity than is rated. Not unusual to see it as much as 15% or so more than rated. The rating is MINIMUM capacity.

-- Red S. Red's R/C Battery Clinic

us out for "revolting" information.

Hello Paul,

I get this if I try to cycle my "big" batteries. i.e. 7000mah or

9000mah. I do not know what the problem is. Basically in this case the charger never seems to get to the end of the discharge part of the cycle and the "numbers" are huge.

Douglas Kaip

You may be able to answer this but I usually don't cycle big packs along with other packs when I do I only program one port and it seems to work out to closer MAH rate. My only guess is that just like charging. It splits the 1 AH it's output is capable of charging at and does the same thing for the diacharge so if you have a big battery to cycle only program one port so that it puts all the load to that one port. Sparky

Right, you have it figured out.

Red S.