Quote:
Originally Posted by m102404
I've got question or two if you guys don't mind...hopefully this isn't too off-topic from the thread.
I've got 2 PTW batteries...good factory matched Sanyo packs. One is 9.6v 1200mah and the other is 12v 1100mah (or the mahs might be reversed...can't recall at the moment). The batteries are working just fine at the moment.
I'm using a B6 xcharger. Set to NiCd, charging at 1.1A. The discharge setting is set to 0.6A
At most of the games I go to they are limited ammo, real cap games....so I've never shot my battery (either of them) until it's been dead at those games. Then it gets stored away for potentially a long while (month-8weeks) between games.
So...
Q. What would be your recommendations for charging/storage?
1. "Top them up" before a game and top them up afterwards for storage
2. Discharge+Charge before a game, leave them however they are afterwards
3. Shoot 'em until they're dead, charge them up fully for storage
4. Other combo of actions
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5. Discharge the pack fully, plug a wire between the two sides to keep if fully drained. When you intend to use it, cycle 2-3 times and use it. You should discharge the pack a LOT higher than that... around 5A should be good for that type of pack. Because what you are doing does nothing, should as well just not cycle them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m102404
If they're partially used...I'm 50/50 on running a discharge+charge before a game....I don't want to unduly shorten the lifespan of the batteries, but I definitely don't want to run out of juice in a game. So far...it's been infrequent enough (used my gas rifle all season) that I've run a discharge + charge before the games.
Q. Is there any "easy" way to see how much is left in a battery before I charge it?
- in the discharge + charge cycle it'll show me the results of what it did (i.e. D 500mah - C 1098mah)...but that's after the fact
- if I don't know where the battery is at (i.e. how used it is) and "top it up"...the charger will do its thing and stop when it detects the battery is full...but it only displays "how many mah it put into the battery".
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You can tell by discharging the pack at about 1C and checking voltage. A no-load discharge (when plugging the meter at both ends) means nothing. You would need to have a graph or reference for your battery before that. I know my charger can trace it for me when it cycles, then I just need to read the values at each 10% to know it. You can get a good estimate when your charger gives you the cycles data. If your pack is 1100mAh, Discharge should be around 900-1000mAh and charge about 1200-1300mAh. The tighter they are, the better the shape of the pack is. When you charge it after a cycle and you get at or under the "theorical" value, it means that your pack is dead/dying. I have a 3800mAh that will cycle about 2900mAh charging... when I fire the gun, it shoots 3-4 BB before droping voltage under 4V...