Maximizing Performance: What Helps, What Doesn't; Understanding Cell Rating And Manufacturer's Specifications; How To Determine Starting Points For Charge Rates, Discharge Rates, And Peak Detect Settings; Anufacturer - Competition Electronics Turbo35-GFX User Manual

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It has been largely replaced by Actual Internal Resistance, another CEI innovation in R/C

racing competition-grade equipment.

Maximizing Performance: What helps, what doesn't

If you buy your cells from a distributor or matcher, you may not have thought about the

fact that they are a middle man to the manufacturer. Google for the manufacturer's

website; you may find valuable information concerning the cells you are using.

Charge and Discharge Rates and the "C" Rating

For instance, manufacturers of storage cells rate their cells by giving them a "C" rating.

Below is a graph of cell voltage vs. percentage of full capacity charge input for a 1C

charge rate for a 3300 mAHr sub-c cell. This is related to the rate of discharge current

which will empty the cell of charge in 1 hour. So, a "1C" charge rate is the current

necessary to charge a dead cell to full capacity in 1 hour.

Figure 9. 1C charge profile for 3300 mAHr NimH Cell.

How to determine Starting Points for Charge Rates, Discharge Rates,

and Peak Detect Settings

Charging

So, at what current should packs be charged? For more normal applications (not R/C

racing!), the manufacturer might recommend a 1C charge rate, which should result in a

life expectancy of >500 charge/discharge cycles, according to the data sheet.

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