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Charging is dangerous! Please observe the below guidelines in ALL cases.
- L -LOCATE: Is this location appropriate if there were a fire
- I -INSPECT: Are my battery, charger, connection and leads in good working order?
- P -PREVENT: Do I have preventative measures in place (lipo sack, fire box/pot, extinguisher on hand)?
- O -OBSERVE: I am really monitoring the charging process?
Please see this excellent thread on RC Groups for battery charging safety!
HYPERION G3 LIPO CARE & CHARGING SAFETY
Break-In Procedure - Hyperion G3 LiPo are robust and do not need a complicated break-in procedure. We recommend that the first 5 uses are limited to 3C charge rates, and that pilots use throttle management to avoid long periods of max-rate discharge for those first 5 flights. Note also the other care suggestions below. Those apply pretty generally to any LiPo pack, not just Hyperion G3...
Discharge - Analysis of damaged packs returned to us by users shows that nearly 70% have suffered from "capacity over-discharge" conditions. This simply means that the pack has been run too long, allowing resting voltage to fall too low. Such damage is visible upon cell inspection at the factory. Every type of battery has a minimum recommended discharge level. For example, even deep-cycle lead-acid batteries should not be regularly discharged down to less than 30%~40% of capacity. In the case of lithium polymer, it is best practice to always leave 20% of rated capacity in the pack at the end of a flight, with 10% as an absolute minimum.
To avoid capacity over-discharge, we recommend the setting of an appropriate cut-off voltage (LVC) AND the use of a transmitter flight timer. For LVC, the appropriate voltage cut-off depends in large on how high the max and average discharge rates are. For very high discharge applications, like F5B competition, something around 3.2V (or even lower) may be desirable. For standard aerobatic flight, start at 3.4V to 3.5V/cell, and set your timer to 4 minutes initially. Then note the capacity charged back IN to the pack on next charge. If the pack is 1000mAh, for example, there should be no more than 800mAh charged back in, meaning that 200mAh remained at the end of the flight (20% of capacity). If the charged IN capacity is less than 800mAh, set the timer a little longer, and check again the next flight. Of course, having the Hyperion Emeter II Remote Data Logger (RDU) makes this even easier, as you can more accurately log the exact mAh Out used each flight and make quick adjustments...
Charge - All Hyperion G3 packs can be charged at 6C rates, with no reduction in cycle life or performance. However, given the negligible difference in charge time for 6C rate vs. 5C, we believe 5C to be the ideal max charge rate for any high-performance Lipo pack. We strongly recommend the use of quality-brand charger, such as the Hyperion EOS lineup, as some generic brand chargers have been shown to use poor components, and may therefore not control charge voltage properly. Hyperion holds that 4.20V/cell (+/- 0.05V) is the proper terminal voltage for Hyperion G3 packs (and all other Lipo). Use of terminal voltages higher than this (for racing, etc) is not covered under warranty, and may be dangerous. (note: some G3 packaging may still state 5C max on front or rear. However, all G3 are rated for 6C max no-loss.)
PLEASE be sure that charging is always done such that in case of fire, no damage nor injury can occur. Keep LiPo well separated (minimum 2M or 7') from flammables, and always use a brick enclosure or "LiPo sack" to insure that any possible fire can be contained. We strongly discourage charging within or near living spaces, or inside automobiles. LiPo charging should be monitored closely at all times.
Temperature - For best performance and cycle life, your Hyperion G3 battery packs should have a resting temperature no lower than 10 °C (50 °F) at the beginning of a Flight, or beginning of Charging. Keep the batteries inside your vehicle or a warmer of some kind on very cold days, to insure best performance and life (this is true for any LiPo, not just G3). If you have any concerns about the temperature on cold days and you have Hyperion NET or DUO charger, you can use the TCS function set to 90% to help insure that the batteries do not suffer over-voltage condition due to the temperature.
Physical - Never cause indentations to the covering of the pack, or cells underneath. Do not use a ball-point pen to write on the pack, for example. Use a felt-tip pen with light pressure instead. When installing packs in the model, insure that they have the best protection possible from impact and pressure damage. Use foam casing if possible. Do not over-tighten hold down straps. Straps should be cloth (velcro) as opposed to hard plastic, such as zip ties. External damage to any Lipo pack can cause salts formations which reduce performance, and in more severe cases can cause fires during charging. Impact Damaged packs should be fully discharged, and disposed of immediately. See below for Hyperion Warranty, and Crash Replacement Program details.
Storage - Lipo should never be stored fully charged, or with less than 50% of capacity remaining. We strongly recommend Hyperion EOS chargers, as they have automatic STORE functions to insure that the packs are in the range of about 60%~70% capacity (3.78V~3.92V resting voltage per cell). After returning home for the day, simply use STORE MODE to achieve this automatically. Batteries are best stored in a cool, dry environment (2~20 °C or 37~68 °F).
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Cables & Adapters
The Balance Connectors installed on Hyperion G3 Battery Packs are compatible with all Hyperion Chargers, and any charger which includes a balance adapter for Hyperion (or Hyperion compatible, see list below).
If you are NOT using a Hyperion charger (or Hyperion compatible charger), and you want to charge G3 packs, you have two options:
1) Contact your charger seller to get a Hyperion-Compatible balance multi-adapter, which fits your charger. Hyperion is a leading LiPo brand, so most charger brands come with (or have optional) adapter for Hyperion G3 lipo packs.
OR
2) Purchase a Hyperion adapter harness to suit your charger. If you don't know what type of adapter your charger already has, see the list below. If you are using any of these packs, then note the associated type of balance adapter for that pack. For example, if you are charging KOKAM packs on your charger now, then you will want to purchase our JST EH harness below, for the "S" matching your new G3 pack. If you are charging any of the brands in the "Hyperion Type" column with your charger already, then you do not need an adapter for your G3 Lipo pack.
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