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If you own an RC car then you know that the battery is one of the most important parts of it. If you do not have a good battery in your RC car then you will not be able to enjoy your RC car very long before the battery will die and it will need to be recharged.
If the RC car that you own has a NiMH battery, you may want to consider purchasing a brand new Lipo battery. These batteries last longer, and overall are just better batteries. If your brand new RC car already comes with a Lipo battery then you probably wondered how long it will take to charge. Well, in this article we will go over everything you need to know about RC car batteries and how long a Lipo battery takes to charge.
On average, an RC LiPo battery will take 30 minutes to an hour to charge. Depending upon the size of the battery and the size of the charger you are using to charge the battery, will depend upon how long the RC LiPo battery takes to charge.
If you are looking for a faster charge time than that, you will probably risk damaging the battery of the RC car as most RC car batteries have a voltage limit that they can be charged at. This is normally written in the fine print on the battery pack itself.
If the battery size for your RC car though is 5000 mAH LiPo battery, it will take closer to an hour or more if you are charging at full capacity.
If you want to know more about charging an RC LiPo battery you will want to keep reading this article. You can also check out this short video to learn tips for charging your LiPo battery.
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Why can LiPo batteries explode?
If you have owned very many devices including RC cars, then you probably know that LiPo batteries can explode and hurt people. Although this is true, many people want to know exactly why these batteries blow up. A LiPo battery is made up of lithium ions, and if they are exposed to air, then they will explode. They do this as Lithium Ions react with the air when their sealed battery container on the inside of the battery is punctured somehow.
Although we use the word explode, there are no known issues of LiPo batteries or NiMH batteries ever full on exploding before. They normally will simply break open and begin to smoke, but never actually blow up. Either way if your RC car battery is smoking or blowing up, you are for sure having a bad day.
How do you balance charge on a LiPo battery?
If you have a LiPo RC car battery then you have probably heard someone ask about balancing charge on your LiPo battery. Below are the steps to help you balance your charge on your LiPo.
- Connect your Battery’s T-Connector to the T-connector-to-Banana-Plug
- Connect the Balance Connector to the 3 Cell port in the LiPo Charger.
- Plug your 12v 5A power supply into the Balance Charger using a 2.1/5.5mm Jack to 2.5/5.5mm Plug Adapter.
- Press the Batt button until you see the words program select.
- Press the Inc button until the first line of the screen changes to LiPo balance.
- Press enter and wait for the battery check to complete its diagnostics.
Why do LiPo battery chargers have 2 connectors?
Normally LiPo batteries will come with 2 connectors to charge the device, One of the plugs is the main connector that you will charge and discharge the battery through. The other connector is one that you will use when you are balancing the battery. Although this charger has two connectors on it, each one can only be used for its specific purpose and they cannot be interchanged.
What is the best 3S LiPo battery?
If you are looking for a new battery for your RC car, then you will obviously want to know exactly what the best battery is. There are so many different batteries to choose from, that we just decided to show you the top 3S LiPo ones. Below is a list of all the top LiPo batteries that are available.
- HRB 11.1V 5000mAh 3S RC LiPo Battery
- Zeee 7.4V 5200mAh 2S Hard Case LiPo
- HRB 22.2V 6000mAh 6S LiPo Battery
- Zee 7.4V 8000mAh 2S LiPo Hard Case
- Floureon 7.4V 5200mAh 2S Hard Case LiPo
- Gens ace 11.1V 5000mAh 3S 3 Cell LiPo
- Youme 11.1V 5000mAh 3S LiPo Battery Pack
If you are looking to buy any of these batteries you can find them by clicking here.
Which battery is better; LiPo, or LI-ON?
Although the LI-ON batteries have a higher energy density and cost less to produce, the LiPo batteries are actually safer overall. If you are looking at these two batteries, you know that you will probably have a problem deciding which one to get as they both have their perks.
The LI-ON battery has far more perks than the LiPo, but the Lipo battery is more stable and better to be used in RC cars. This is the problem most people face when they go to purchase a new battery. Thankfully most people today, go for the sturdier battery as it is simply safer to do so.
Do LiPo batteries go bad from sitting?
Although LiPo batteries do end up losing a little bit of their battery every time they sit, and are not being used, they only use about 2% every month. This makes your LiPo batteries able to sit and last far longer than one year without any issues. So although they do go bad from sitting, they would need to sit for quite a few years in order to be bad.
When should I replace my RC LiPo battery?
If you have a LiPo battery for your RC car, then you will want to know when you should replace this battery. The problem is that these batteries do not have a specific mark that shows when they need to be replaced. Because new batteries are always better than older batteries, even if your batteries are only a year old, if you are doing any sort of racing, then you will want to get them changed. This is because the newer your battery, the faster your RC car is able to go, and if you are racing, then that is the faster you will be able to win.
Conclusion
There is so much to know when it comes to LiPo batteries in your RC car. Knowing how long it takes to charge is just one of the very important things you should know. Other things we mention in this article are everything from when you should replace your RC LiPo battery, all the way down to why LiPo batteries can explode.
Knowing the answers to all of these questions is something that you should definitely have memorized if you own an RC car with a LiPo battery. Noone wants to end up hurting himself or someone else because they did not replace their LiPo battery when they should have and thus causing it to explode.
Because there is so much to know about RC cars and their batteries, many people will spend hours doing their research in order to become knowledgeable about the battery that they have in their RC car in order to keep everyone safe.