2 Cell LiPo Charger-Charging Hour

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are among the most advanced battery chemistries in the world today. They are now used in many consumer devices. Because of their high energy and capacity, they have been gaining a lot of popularity.

If you are looking for long run times and high power, these are the batteries to go for. In a nutshell, LiPos come with several benefits and drawbacks. It is upon the user to decide through their experience which outweighs the other.

Maintenance is one of the things that make this chemistry seem hard to manage. Just like any other batteries, charging them might be trickier than you thought.

In this article, we are going to focus on giving you what you need to know about charging a two-cell LiPo battery. But before that;

What is a 2 cell LiPo battery?

This is a very easy concept to understand. Normally, a LiPo cell contains a nominal voltage of 3.7V. This is the voltage manufacturers use to compare with others in the same category. Many people think this is common knowledge, but there are a lot of individuals who don’t understand what nominal voltage is.

This is voltage defined as the default resting voltage of a battery pack. It should not be confused with the full charge of a battery pack. For LiPo, a full charge is achieved at 4.2V, while the safe charge is at 3.0V. Thus, 3.7 is in the middle, hence the nominal voltage.

If you, therefore, find a battery pack with a nominal voltage of 7.4V, it means there are two cells arranged in series. The voltage is simply added together, making a pack with a double voltage.

You will, therefore, hear people talk about a “2S” battery pack. These are two cells arranged in Series. This, therefore, becomes a 2 Cell LiPo battery with 7.4V.

When LiPo batteries were still new on the market, it was easy to find battery packs described as “2S2P”. In this case, there were four cells in the pack, two arranged in series and 2 in parallel. But this is a term you will easily hear today. Since a single cell can now hold more power than it was a few years ago, it is easier to connect two cells in series.

Before you charge the pack:

· Consider its state. This means, do not charge batteries that are damaged, bloated, expanded, or punctured. Do not, as well, if the battery voltage is below 3.3V.

· Always ensure the batteries are attended during charging. If there are any abnormalities, like hissing, smoke, sparks, or fire, it will be easy to take action.

· Ensure there are no flammable materials nearby. If possible, charge them in a fire proof container. The good news is, most of the modern chemistries are made with better safety features.

How do you charge a two-cell LiPo battery?

Before you start, understand that LiPo battery packs are designed with two connectors. One is the T-connector and the second is the banana connector-cable and the balance connector. Here are steps for charging the packs:

1.Connect the T-connector to the banana connector-plug cable. You will find red and black banana connector cables with should be connected to the LiPo charger.

2.Find the 2-cell port in the LiPo charger and plug in the balance connector.

3.Now plug in the power supply. Ensure it is 12v 5A and use a 2.1/5.5mm jack.

4.Choose the battery type. This should be displayed on the charger, simply select LiPo and press enter.

5.Monitor the charge current. You will the current begin to flash. This depends on the battery. Consider the recommended charge current. Find the Dec. and Inc buttons if you wish to change the value of the flashing current. Press enter once the current is set as desired.

6.You will notice the numbers have stopped flashing. Press the start button and hold on. There will appear a flash message on the screen with the “wait” command and then change to “confirm” shortly. Press on the start button one more time, and this will prompt the charging process to continue.

7.Now you can watch as your battery charges. Follow the charging rules mentioned above.

Charge troubleshooting

· “Connection Break.” Sometimes you may find a message like this one. In this case, it is no longer charging. Start by checking that your T-connector and balance connector are properly set. If you notice everything is ok, then your battery may be having a bad connection or has dropped under the safe voltage. Therefore, consider disposing of the batteries.

· Puffy or deformed batteries. Due to bad charging, storage or usage habits, LiPo batteries may puff out. Do not attempt to charge such a battery. It will better to dispose of them as soon as possible.

· Always store your batteries in a cool place. Avoid areas that may otherwise cause fires.

How long do two-cell LiPo batteries last?

The truth is, it depends on how you use the batteries. One of the biggest threats to the lifespan of your batteries is charging and discharging. Keep the batteries charged at 3.6V to 3.8V. You can charge it fully, only that you need to discharge within 2 to 3 days.

Ensure they are used at a moderate temperature. With that, you can get longer runs, unless they explode.

The batteries should give you more than 150 charging times. This means you can use the batteries for more than two years, and they will still be running strong. As mentioned above, just keep them in the right conditions.

What kind of charger do you use for two cell LiPo battery?

The best charge to use can be bought online, specifically made of LiPo batteries. There are many types of LiPo chargers, though. The most basic ones are simple chargers made for 2S batteries. They are specialized devices made for the batteries.

It is recommended you use Smart LiPo charger. Even though the simple ones are cheap and make charging easy, they cannot balance your pack as good as smart chargers would. These are chargers with built-in computers, which can give your batteries the best charge.