14-11-2011, 04:31 PM
I have been using Rhino batteries from Hobby King for years and they are the oldest lipos I have. In 2009, I crashed my HK450 in the back yard and somehow managed to sever the balance lead off the battery yet didn't crack the canopy. Arcing and sparking, I managed to separate the severed balance wires from shorting out against each other (it was late in afternoon and quite dark so I could see the fireworks!). The main blades, main shaft, blade grips and feathering shaft were stuffed completely so I am miffed as to how the blades sliced off the balance plug.
Over the years, I had no choice but to charge the lipo without using the balance lead so a direct charge if you will. Far from ideal but no real choice. Recently I obtained a dead lipo from another 3S user and salvaged the balance lead. I soldered it on to that old 2009 battery today and balanced charged it for the first time in 2 years and after say 100+ cycles on charging without a balance lead. To my amazement, all cells were within 0.01V. I'm impressed!!
Over the years, I had no choice but to charge the lipo without using the balance lead so a direct charge if you will. Far from ideal but no real choice. Recently I obtained a dead lipo from another 3S user and salvaged the balance lead. I soldered it on to that old 2009 battery today and balanced charged it for the first time in 2 years and after say 100+ cycles on charging without a balance lead. To my amazement, all cells were within 0.01V. I'm impressed!!