Lipo Battery Voltage Monitor – Tool Introduction

Introduction

Lipo battery, its full name is lithium polymer battery. Lipo battery is a rechargeable battery of lithium-ion technology using polymer electrolyte rather than the liquid one. The electrolyte of this battery is formed by high conductivity semisolid. Lipo batteries offer higher energy than other lithium-battery types. This lithium-based battery is actually a newer type of battery technology that is now used in numerous consumer electronics devices across the globe. Their popularity started growing in the radio control industry over the last few years and have become the most popular choice for those looking for long run times and high power. Lipo batteries offer many benefits, however, if you are looking to use them you must decide if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. For most people, the benefits always outweigh the drawbacks. One thing you should note is that it is safe to use these batteries so long as you follow the rules and take care of the batteries as they should be.

In this article, we will focus on the Lipo batteries, but mainly on the lipo battery voltage monitor. You will learn about what this monitor really is, its functions and its dos and don’ts.

Guide of lipo battery voltage monitor?

Before we even start learning about the lipo battery voltage monitor, let’s first learn about the lipo battery cell configuration. The battery is comprised of rectangular cells which are connected together to form the battery. A cell can be considered the battery in itself and holds a nominal voltage of 3.7V. When several of these cells are connected in series, the voltage can increase to 7.4V for a 2 cell battery, 14.8V for a 4 cell battery and so on. When more batteries are connected in parallel the capacity can be increased. Most of the times you will see certain numbers like 3S2P, which mean the batter has 4 cells (4S) connected in series, and there are 2 cells sets connected in parallel (2P). This gives a total number of 6 individual cells in the battery. Therefore, you can see that the number of cells is what defines the voltage of the battery. If a battery has a higher voltage then it means that the battery can provide more power to drive bigger motors, but note that more power does not necessarily mean the battery will provide energy for longer, that is actually defined by the battery capacity.

Now let’s back to the lipo battery voltage monitor. The monitor is actually a device that is capable of monitoring each cell in your battery and sounding an alarm when the battery gets too low. It is actually recommended to use your lipo battery with a battery voltage monitor because it is essential for the care of your battery. You do not want the battery to get too low as this can cause some damage. If you let your battery to fall too low in voltage, the battery will become permanently damaged and you will have to dispose of it.

In order to use your battery voltage monitor or tester, you need to attach it to your battery by first finding the ground wire on the balance connector. This wire is usually farthest away from the red wire. The ground wire should be matched to the minus symbol on the back of the tester or monitor. The red wire should match up to the 3s pin. Once your battery is connected, the monitor will make a noise. Then it will cycle through various measurements.

The measurements include the voltage across the entire battery which maybe 11.1 nominal voltage, but this may vary when fully charged or after discharge; there’s the voltage across the first cell of the battery which is approximately 3.7 nominal voltage which also may vary when fully charged or after discharge; there’s the voltage across the second cell of the battery and the voltage across the third cell.

If for instance, you’re using a lipo battery to power a robot, it is recommended to attach your battery voltage monitor whenever you are using your robot. When you’re done using your robot, remove the battery monitor. You should not store your lipo battery with the monitor attached, as the monitor will slowly drain the battery.

Functions of lipo battery voltage monitor?

As you have just discovered above the primary function of a lipo battery voltage monitor is to monitor the voltage of each cell that makes up the battery. The monitor simply is part of the essential care for your battery whereby it sounds an alarm whenever the battery voltage goes to low.

The battery voltage monitor measures the voltage across the entire battery. If you hear an alarm sound, then you will know that the battery voltage is getting too low and thus you should stop using the battery and recharge it immediately to prevent permanent damage.

The monitor helps you extend the lifespan of your lipo battery. This is because you will always be aware of the voltage of each cell in the battery as well as the voltage across the entire battery thus reducing the risk of using the battery until the voltage is too low. Every time the voltage tends to move down to the minimum voltage you will always be aware and hence recharge it immediately. The battery will, therefore, give you more years of service.

The do’s and don’ts of lipo battery voltage monitor

There are a few dos and don’ts of the lipo battery voltage monitor. It helps to know about them to avoid doing what should not be done when handling the battery voltage monitor.

The first do is that the ground wire should be matched up with the minus symbol (-).

The second do is that for a 3-cell battery the red wire should be matched to 3S on the monitor.

Another do is that you should always connect your battery to the battery voltage monitor every time you’re using your battery.

When it comes to the don’ts you always remove the monitor when you are done using your battery as the monitor can drain the battery slowly.

Conclusion?

If you have ever had lipo battery failures in the past, you know just how painful they can be. If a single cell’s voltage goes too low it can greatly affect the entire battery if you don’t catch it early. The entire battery could stop working properly or become permanently damaged. Therefore, managing your lipo battery is a must. If you let your battery get too low you can diminish the capacity of your battery or even get it permanently damaged and unusable. That’s where the lipo battery voltage monitor comes in.