How To Look After Batteries?

[Stu74]

For long periods of time is a NiCd Battery better left flat or fully charged?

I never leave my NiCd batteries flat for long.Is this correct or is it better to charge them closer to the time when i am going to use them?

Also i was given a discharger.What is the reason for this device.I always run the battery flat in the car anyway until it stutters and can barely move.

[NJhopper]

For long periods of time is a NiCd Battery better left flat or fully charged?

I never leave my NiCd batteries flat for long.Is this correct or is it better to charge them closer to the time when i am going to use them?

Also i was given a discharger.What is the reason for this device.I always run the battery flat in the car anyway until it stutters and can barely move.

I always leave mine with whatever charge they have when im done... Although i tend to try and discharge them as much as i can before recharge. Recently recieved an old Sanyo 2000 mah nicd with a lot I bought. Took it discharged it to 0v,recharged,discharged and recharged using a proper charger. It came back to life no problem. Powers my Brushless pumpkin quite good for being so old.

If you run your car till it stops, thats what you did, you discharged the battery. The reason for a discharger is to do what you do with the car. Use battery power. If you run till it stops you really don't need the discharger but taking it to 0v is good for it. Hope this all holds water with everyone else as well. Correct me if Im wrong brothers!

[Stu74]

Thanks for your reply.

My NiMh batteries seem to run out of charge in a differnt way to the 1 Nicad battery i have.

Once the car starts going slow with my NiMh Batteries i know it will only be a minute or 2 before its flat.The nicad battery seems to go on and on with me driving the car round slowly for ages to flatten the battery.

I think from now on i will probably stop driving the car to flatten the battery and use the discharger on my nicad battery before charging it.

[94eg!]

Thanks for your reply.

My NiMh batteries seem to run out of charge in a differnt way to the 1 Nicad battery i have.

Once the car starts going slow with my NiMh Batteries i know it will only be a minute or 2 before its flat.The nicad battery seems to go on and on with me driving the car round slowly for ages to flatten the battery.

I think from now on i will probably stop driving the car to flatten the battery and use the discharger on my nicad battery before charging it.

How they flatten depends on the state of "match" between the individual cells. If the cells are in good condition and well matched, all 6 will "dump" at the same time. This will result in your car suddenly slowing and crawling to a stop. This is best for top performance.

When your packs fall off, but continue running for a long time, it means a single cell in the pack has dumped while the rest are still going strong. Short of weeding out the bad cell or cells through timed discharge tests (while voltage monitoring) and replacing it/them, there is nothing you can do about it.

Go lipo and you will never look back!