How to Fix LiPo Battery Low Voltage?

There is no secret that LiPo battery has become a popular option for consumer electronic devices, for instance, smartphones, laptops and other portable devices. They are gaining huge popularity in the industry of radio control over the last few years and are now a preferred choice for those seeking high power and long run times.

LiPo batteries are also known as lithium polymer battery or lithium-ion polymer battery. They are a rechargeable type of batteries based on lithium-ion technology utilizing a polymer electrolyte. All thanks go to their higher specific energy for their huge popularity on the market. There are several advantages of LiPo batteries over other batteries based on the same lithium technology. When it comes to battery world, there are certain things you need to fully understand to make the best use of your battery, for instance, voltage. In other words, there are specific requirements for the voltage of the battery that you need to fulfill.

So, if you are looking for a way to fix your LiPo battery low voltage, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll first get to know about what is the low voltage for the LiPo battery, whether it is really possible to restore a LiPo battery and if yes, then how.

What Is The Low Voltage For LiPo Battery?

LiPo batteries have a nominal voltage of 3.7V. For the battery of 7.4V or above, it means that there are a total of two cells connected in series. Considering this, it further means that the voltage is added together. That’s the reason why you may hear the “2S” battery pack, which means that there are two cells connected in series.  A two-cell pack is 7.4V, a three-cell pack is 11.1 V and it continues.

Before you know the low voltage of the LiPo battery, it is important to understand the nominal voltage. Well, it is the default and resting voltage of your battery pack.

LiPo battery is fully charged when they reach the voltage of 4.2v/cell. When it comes to the battery’s minimum safe charge, it is 3.0v/cell. And 3.7v is quite much in the mind, which is the nominal voltage of the battery or cell.

That’s why it is recommended to charge a LiPo battery within the range of safe voltage from 3v to 4.2v. And if you discharge the battery below 3V, then it could cause irreparable performance lost or even damage to your battery.

In fact, many chargers don’t let you charge your LiPo batteries below 2.5v/cell that could be low voltage. However, if  you unintentionally run your vehicle too long, or you don’t have low voltage cut offset or your left off the power button on, etc, etc, then you may get into a scenario where you have discharged your LiPo battery down 3.0v/cell, which is the low voltage for LiPo battery.

Can You Revive A LiPo Battery?

Now, the main concern is how to fix LiPo battery low voltage? Can you jump start the LiPo battery so that it starts taking a usual charge? Can you rescue your over-discharged LiPo battery? Well, the simple answer to the question is YES. You can revive or restore your LiPo battery.

When it comes to over-discharged LiPo batteries, many people throw them into the trash. But, you can restore them, instead to bring back them to use for again. When your charger fails to detect the battery, don’t assume that your battery is damaged permanently. You can fix the problem by simply bring back to the proper charge for your charge to detect it.

But, wondering how to do? Well, you will be glad to know that it’s easy and all you have to do is to-

· Get a reliable NiMH charger from a reputable and trusted manufacturer.

· Once getting it the charger, you need to set it to the estimated voltage to your LiPo pack, for instance, 7.2V for a 7.4V pack.

· After that, simply plug-in your LiPo, set the charge current for “~1/3-1/2C charge rate” and begin with the charging.

You only have to change your LiPo for several minutes to restore it to the proper voltage for the LiPo charger to detect it and then, charge again. It is recommended to keep a constant eye on the LiPo when you are charging it with an NIMH charger. If your LiPo battery is still not detected by your charge, then you can try to charge it a little bit more on the NiMH charger.

Some LiPo batteries last for several more cycles and on the other hand, some may last a few more cycles before they die. Therefore, results can differ for you. Keep in mind that purchasing the batter in good quality is also crucial.

How Low Should A LiPo Battery Be Discharged?

Taking care of your LiPo batteries mean that you need to prevent over-discharge. It further means that you should not allow the voltage of the battery drops below about 3.5V/per cell. Otherwise, it could result in over-discharged.

There are several disadvantages of over-discharging the battery, be it LiPo or any other battery technology. You should not ever intentionally over-discharge your battery. Otherwise, it could impact the performance of your battery extremely negatively. Above all, it affects the lifespan and shell life of the battery. In fact, it could be challenging to restore it back to use it again. So, if you don’t want to damage your battery forever, then you should start to take caring and use them gently.