Discharging the batteryUpdated 5 months ago
LiPo batteries also don't develop memory or voltage depression characteristics like NiCd/NiHm batteries, and do not need to be discharged before being charged.
The best way to discharge your LiPo battery is to use it!
The charger that ships with your SwiftPaws kit does not have a discharge feature - you may purchase a compatible LiPo charger with this feature - find an expert to help you determine what you need and how to use it. See this article about the 10 mistakes to avoid: https://support.swiftpaws.com/en-US/10-mistakes-you-want-to-avoid---lipo-battery-364210
Over discharging the battery is not recommended - this may:
- cause charging to take much longer
- decrease the life expectancy of the battery
- permanently damage the battery
- cause it to explode and/or catch fire
- When discharging, the voltage of a single cell must not be lower than 3.2v per cell.
Discharging LiPo batteries to ultra-low voltages can be dangerous. Deep, fast discharges may cause expansion, combustion or even explosion.
- Home original 11.1v battery voltage should not be allowed to drop below 9.6
- fully charged battery voltage is 12.6
The 14.8v Home Plus battery:
- Home Plus 14.8v battery voltage should not be allowed to drop below 12.8v
- fully charged battery voltage is 16.8v
Always use a fireproof container such as a battery charging bag to charge the LiPo battery.
We recommend monitoring your battery voltage as the maximum capacity (and thus run time) will decline over time.
A good rule of thumb is to stop using the Home Original 11.1v battery after about 10 minutes of motor runtime which is about five 90 second play sessions.
For the Home Plus 14.8v battery, we recommend stopping after 30 minutes to recharge.
The HotRC upgraded charger works with both the 11.1v and the 14.8v batteries and will allow you to see the battery's voltage readout when it's plugged into the charger.
- Do not leave the LiPo battery plugged into the charger once it's reached a full charge.
- Leaving the LiPo battery plugged into the main drive unit when not in use is not recommended. The switch may get accidentally turned on and the battery will continue to drain - and if the voltage drops below the minimum voltage. This will permanently damage the battery. Protect your investment - ALWAYS disconnect the battery plug from the drive when not in use.
You may interrupt the charging cycle if necessary (for overnight when it cannot be supervised, etc.) Just be sure to charge to FULL before using it!
CAUTION: The battery should always be allowed to come to room-temperature before using or charging. Charging a hot or cold battery might delay charging or damage the battery. For best results, charge the battery at temperatures between 50º and 80ºF (10º-30ºC).
Disclaimer
The advice given above is general in nature and you are responsible for the safety of your batteries. SwiftPaws is not responsible for any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages and personal injuries, including that to life, and health, resulting from the customer’s application and use of batteries sold by SwiftPaws.com.