Batteries for FT-817

Equipment Radios & Power
61

In reply to G3CWI:
Thanks for the advice, Richard
These little miracles do come with difficulties. My new intelligent battery charger did its first job - a balancing charge cycle [rather than an all out charge] on my 4Ah Hong Kong LiPo then refused to charge the two new LiPo’s. Break Down it squawked or failed connection if it got a few seconds into the charge cycle. The £5 “Mystery” brand balanced charger, complete with flame decals, got on with charging each of these batteries in turn drawing 1 amp peak as shown on my AVO meter which I left in the circuit to see what was happening. The little £3 battery meters off Ebay are very good and I use one of these to check progress a lot.

I have written to the shop Giant Cod RC in Cornwall already. They answered my earlier question on current charging settings on the same day in detail so am hopeful for a further reply and advice on whether the charger needs to be returned.
Nonetheless I have three batteries for my forthcoming trip to the Preseli mountains and Rhos Ymryson.

73
David M0YDH

62

In reply to G3CWI:

You can get those discharge limiters for RC models. They sit between the load and battery and when the voltage drops below a certain limit they disconnect the load. Stops over discharging. The cost from Far East suppliers is normally less than the cost of the parts.

Andy
MM0FMF

63

In reply to G3CWI:
Hi Richard I have had this problem and charger says voltage to low.rightly or wrongly i have connected the battery in parallel with an identical fully charged battery with a pot in line then slowly turned up the pot enough to raise the voltage to enable it to accept a charge.atb Geoff