How To Charge A Lipo Battery For The First Time

For all first timers, we understand the jitters when it comes to utilizing or charging your Lipo battery for the first time. This is actually understandable, given that I myself have been in the situation some years ago when I was trying to charge my lipo battery for my Traxxas Rustler VXL. This guide serves as a general guideline towards charging your Lipo battery for the first time and the things that you will need to keep a lookout for.

What You Need To Know When Charging Lipo For The First Time

Lipo is the shorter form of lithium polymer batteries. They have been the de-facto power source for RC vehicles, and this is due to the amount of charge that they can store as well as the power discharge that they have. As they can be considered as a relatively new type of battery when compared to the conventional ones, there are some stuff that you will need to understand and take note of.

Charging Tips

One of them is that when you purchase a new Lipo battery, you have to know that there are certain chemicals inside the new battery pack that enables it to have a longer shelf life. As such, they are usually dormant until activated via an electric current.

As per most equipment, there is usually a break-in procedure that you will need to do. Generally, you should charge is slowly for the very first time at just 1C. You should then go about discharging it to 50% of its capacity before charging it up again. Do it for 5 cycles, and it will be good to go.

Tips On Safe Charging

Here are the tips when it comes to charging your lipo safely.

• Ensure that there are no exposed wires and that both the battery and charger are in good working condition
• Find out the charge rate that is safe for your lipo
• Check the settings before charging the lipo battery
• Charge the lipo in an area that is void of flammable materials
• Do not expose lipo battery to heat when it is in the charging process
• Always have the charger in view when it is in the charging process

Discharging Procedure

When it comes to discharging Lipo, you should always be mindful of the heat as well as the load when it is at the minimum voltage. You should always monitor your lipo for excessive heat, especially after utilizing it for long periods of time. Usually, the battery charger will have a discharge function that you can use to help you discharge the lipo safely. Set the current to below 1A and discharge it, and it will be safe for you.