Title: Lipo Discharge Protection!
Description: Cell Shield for £19.
Description: Cell Shield for £19.
Jedi Master - January 31, 2008 03:36 PM (GMT)
There have been a few posts about Lipo's recently and I've been doing a lot of research on them and their usage as part of a boat project I'm working on. :clap:
One of the problems with Lipo's is that you can damage them (sometimes beyond recovery) very easily if you discharge them below a certain voltage.
There is a simple electronic fix for this but I've had a nightmare finding where to get them from, especially ones that will handle 6 cell lipo's.
I found this product, which is perfect and thought you guys might be interested if you are thinking of, or already using, Lipo's.
This little gadget will stop you ruining your very costly batteries and its only £19. If you only use 3 cell lipo's you can get a smaller one for only £12!!
This is the site that you can get them from and underneath is the website detail about the product. It explains it much better than I could.
http://www.technobots.co.uk/acatalog/Onlin...Cutoffs_26.html
(scroll down the page to see the 3 cell and 6 cell version and the temp probe)
CellShield Lithium Cutoff Ref: 1072-051
CellShield is a low voltage cutoff device which provides cell-by-cell protection for lithium battery packs. By monitoring each cell individually, CellShield prevents individual cell overdischarge due to pack imbalance or cell variations.
CellShield provides a soft cutoff when the lowest voltage cell of the pack reaches the set minimum voltage. The minimum voltage is adjustable from 2.5v/cell to 3.5v/cell. This lets you set the proper cutoff voltage for your specific pack. For example, 8-10C cells typically use a 3.0v/cell cutoff, while 20C cells work better with a 3.2v/cell cutoff. CellShield’s cutoff voltage is set with an easy-to-use potentiometer. There are no programmers to buy or complicated programming procedures. With CellShield, you turn the arrow to the cutoff voltage you want and go fly.
CellShield also features optional thermal probes, which prevent pack damage due to overheating. When using the thermal probe, if the battery temperature rises above 150 degrees, CellShield will reduce the throttle command sent to the ESC in an attempt to bring the battery temperature back down. If the battery stays above 150 degrees, CellShield will enter soft cutoff mode. When using the thermal probe, CellShield alerts the user to temperature faults by flashing the red Temp light. The thermal probes are extremely thin, and can often be inserted between the innermost cells of the pack, where pack temperature is highest.
CellShield installs easily between your receiver and ESC. Simply plug the battery port on the CellShield into the tap connection on your battery, and it will automatically detect the number and cell order for any pack with .1" tap spacing. If you are running a battery with 2mm tap spacing like Thunderpower, a 2mm to .1" adapter is all that is required to use CellShield. Suitable Thunderpower adapters can be found on the net. CellShield will then light an LED corresponding to the detected cell. You can even plug the battery tap in 'backwards' and in any position, and CellShield will operate correctly. No soldering is required to install CellShield.
CellShield works with any ESC and power system except some opto-isolated ESCs when used with receiver batteries. For cell-shield to operate, the battery ground and radio ground must be at the same level. This is the case for all ESCs with a built in BEC (whether or not the ESC’s BEC is being used) and all ESCs using external BECs.
For a solution that works with a wider voltage range, check out LipoShield.
CellShield is intended for aircraft with 0-100% style one direction only throttle. A future product will be aimed at cars.
Product Specs
Model: CellShield
Specifications: Input voltage: 2s to 6s Lithium or Lithium Polymer
Cutoff voltage: 2.5V to 3.5V/cell adjustable
Applications: Any plane without an effective lithium cutoff.
Hope its of some use!! :thumbs_up:
One of the problems with Lipo's is that you can damage them (sometimes beyond recovery) very easily if you discharge them below a certain voltage.
There is a simple electronic fix for this but I've had a nightmare finding where to get them from, especially ones that will handle 6 cell lipo's.
I found this product, which is perfect and thought you guys might be interested if you are thinking of, or already using, Lipo's.
This little gadget will stop you ruining your very costly batteries and its only £19. If you only use 3 cell lipo's you can get a smaller one for only £12!!
This is the site that you can get them from and underneath is the website detail about the product. It explains it much better than I could.
http://www.technobots.co.uk/acatalog/Onlin...Cutoffs_26.html
(scroll down the page to see the 3 cell and 6 cell version and the temp probe)
CellShield Lithium Cutoff Ref: 1072-051
CellShield is a low voltage cutoff device which provides cell-by-cell protection for lithium battery packs. By monitoring each cell individually, CellShield prevents individual cell overdischarge due to pack imbalance or cell variations.
CellShield provides a soft cutoff when the lowest voltage cell of the pack reaches the set minimum voltage. The minimum voltage is adjustable from 2.5v/cell to 3.5v/cell. This lets you set the proper cutoff voltage for your specific pack. For example, 8-10C cells typically use a 3.0v/cell cutoff, while 20C cells work better with a 3.2v/cell cutoff. CellShield’s cutoff voltage is set with an easy-to-use potentiometer. There are no programmers to buy or complicated programming procedures. With CellShield, you turn the arrow to the cutoff voltage you want and go fly.
CellShield also features optional thermal probes, which prevent pack damage due to overheating. When using the thermal probe, if the battery temperature rises above 150 degrees, CellShield will reduce the throttle command sent to the ESC in an attempt to bring the battery temperature back down. If the battery stays above 150 degrees, CellShield will enter soft cutoff mode. When using the thermal probe, CellShield alerts the user to temperature faults by flashing the red Temp light. The thermal probes are extremely thin, and can often be inserted between the innermost cells of the pack, where pack temperature is highest.
CellShield installs easily between your receiver and ESC. Simply plug the battery port on the CellShield into the tap connection on your battery, and it will automatically detect the number and cell order for any pack with .1" tap spacing. If you are running a battery with 2mm tap spacing like Thunderpower, a 2mm to .1" adapter is all that is required to use CellShield. Suitable Thunderpower adapters can be found on the net. CellShield will then light an LED corresponding to the detected cell. You can even plug the battery tap in 'backwards' and in any position, and CellShield will operate correctly. No soldering is required to install CellShield.
CellShield works with any ESC and power system except some opto-isolated ESCs when used with receiver batteries. For cell-shield to operate, the battery ground and radio ground must be at the same level. This is the case for all ESCs with a built in BEC (whether or not the ESC’s BEC is being used) and all ESCs using external BECs.
For a solution that works with a wider voltage range, check out LipoShield.
CellShield is intended for aircraft with 0-100% style one direction only throttle. A future product will be aimed at cars.
Product Specs
Model: CellShield
Specifications: Input voltage: 2s to 6s Lithium or Lithium Polymer
Cutoff voltage: 2.5V to 3.5V/cell adjustable
Applications: Any plane without an effective lithium cutoff.
Hope its of some use!! :thumbs_up:
Matt - January 31, 2008 04:04 PM (GMT)
top man cheers Luke, i have a lot to learn on the lipo technology
topic now pinned :thumbs_up:
topic now pinned :thumbs_up:
Jedi Master - January 31, 2008 04:12 PM (GMT)
If anyone queries the bit about 'plane usage', don't worry, I've rigged this up and tested it in one of my boat and it works fine!!
And thats using a Castle Creations Barracude 80 ESC with a Feigo 540 brushless and a 14v, 4-cell Lipo. :thumbs_up:
And thats using a Castle Creations Barracude 80 ESC with a Feigo 540 brushless and a 14v, 4-cell Lipo. :thumbs_up: