Parallel charging boards, Do these work?

[GTiDon]

eg
6in1 parallel charging board Imax Balance B6 B8 charger S available on ebay etc..

Are these effective? can it overload and do damage to a charger designed for one battery?

How can the charger balance cells that are connected in parallel?

[ergocentric]

All cells will be charged to 4.2 Volts
yes they work, but it will take longer to charge your batteries, just buy some cheap chargers and watch RCModelreviews videos on youtube

[pldb64]

Is it not the case when using a parallel charge board that you should multiple the current setting of the charger by the number of batteries being charged?

ie if you're charging a 2200mah battery then the 1C charge current would be 2.2A.

Hence if you charge 3 x 2200mah batteries, you set the charge rate at 6.6A (assuming your power supply can cope).

Anyone care to confirm/deny that statement?

I can see that would work if you're doing a fast charge cycle - what about a balence charge cycle? I can't see how a parallel board would cope with that scenario.

[suchislife]

Yes Pldb4, the above is correct. Three 2200mAh batteries in parallel will be charging at 1C at 6.6A.

In the initial (constant current) phase, where 90% of charging happens, your three batteries will charge in the same time it takes to charge 1 battery by itself.
But in the final (constant voltage) phase, where balancing takes place, you can still only balance at around 0.4A.
However:
When you connect the packs together on the balance board, they will balance each other out! This will reduce balancing time in the end as well. If you balance charge at least once a day, they won't be out by much anyway unless the battery is getting a bit old.

[ergocentric]

* provided your charger and power supply can source that much current

FTFY

[ergocentric]

Your time may be better used at the field by charging one battery while flying another.

Your aircraft will be lighter and more manüverable too.

* provided the one pack can handle your power requirements

[S-rob]

If the batts have differing internal resistances, then they will both charge at differing rates.
ie. more charging current will go into the batt with lower resistance.

Not sure if this will be a real issue, unless the actual charge rate goes over the recommended for that lipo
In other areas, paralleling has some sort of current sharing/equalizing device built in, say a resistor.

[opix]

And if want to use/charge for example two lipo batterys (2 x 11.1v 2200 mah) in 'chain' then the total exit vlotage/capacity would be 22.2v/2200 mah or 22.2v/4400 mah ?


Thanks!

[ergocentric]

And if want to use/charge for example two lipo batterys (2 x 11.1v 2200 mah) in 'chain' then the total exit vlotage/capacity would be 22.2v/2200 mah or 22.2v/4400 mah ?

Series: 22V 2200mAh (i.e. 6s1p) (red to black)
Parallel: 11V 4400mAh (i.e. 3s2p) (red to red and black to black)

NOT 22V 4400mAh (that would require 6s2p or four packs)

[ergocentric]

If the batts have differing internal resistances, then they will both charge at differing rates.
ie. more charging current will go into the batt with lower resistance.

Not sure if this will be a real issue, unless the actual charge rate goes over the recommended for that lipo
In other areas, paralleling has some sort of current sharing/equalizing device built in, say a resistor.

um, not a problem

the smaller battery will have a higher internal resistance, reducing the current flowing through it