Cycling batteries, failsafe question

[psycho_fling]

hi all

a couple of questions which i need answers too.
i have got extra failsafes on my drive speed controllers two fs-1s , but i dont know how to set them as i got them second hand- does anyone know how to set them?

also how many amps should i set for a charge and then discharge of nicad/nimhs in a cycle?

thanks alex

[woody]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

The FS 1s I had ........have a small hole thru which you access a screw.

Add your FSIs in the line between your reciever and the controllers..... now with the bots wheels off the ground just try everything as per usual .... if everything functions correctly turn the transmitter OFF ...... then use a small screwdriver to twiddle the setting screw.. you should be able to get speed control by twiddling the screw ... fwd neutral rev ..... select an OFF neutral position on both failsafes.

[geeza]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

I would say charge/discharge at about 1amp. At events I charge at 3amps but when cycling its best to do it at a lower current.

[typhoon_driver]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

I go lower than an amp, down to 500mA but then it depends on how much patience you have

[geeza]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

Yeah mine doesnt stretch to 6 hours per pack, lol

[big_nipper]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

nicad/nimhs can be tricke charged and 1/10C rate, if you want your batteres to last as long as possible then you should trickle charge them between events for 14 hours at that rate (they dont have to be flat before hand), this balances out all the individual cells, the only reason I can see for discharing is to find out the battereis true capacity and if you wish you can do this after a trickle charge, then you can charge them normally.

[psycho_fling]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

having difficulty with the failsafes, does the order go

speedo-v-tail mixer-failsafe-reciever

or

speedo-failsafe-v-tail mixer-reciever?

started to cycle my nimhs think i set it at discharge 0.8a and charge at 1.5a
taking awhile

alex

[woody]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

OR Reciever - Failsafes - V-tail mixer - Speedos.

Try the order Ive posted.

[psycho_fling]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

thats just the same way as the first one i posted,

anyway cheers, this cycling business is very slow on my other charge there is just a discharge or charge funtion not cycle and dis charging that way seems to be quicker but probablr not as good for the batteries?

[psycho_fling]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

i ended up stopping the first cycling battery because it was charging to over 10vs and its only an 8.4v pack, is it ok to leave it charge or should i stop them?

also the failsafes a very hard to sort out, is the neutral postiton in the middle all the time?

also i was testing my lifter while driving see what would happen, the lifter was jerky and the drive motors too, but when run on there own they are fine, will the failsafes help or is a different issue?

sorry for the bulk questions, just want to eget everthing sorted out!

thanks alex

[woody]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

The Failsafe neutral should be in the middle .. they shouldnt be that hard to set as long as your receiver isnt producing a string of valid but random signals when the transmitter is off.

The voltage rises on my charger as well ....... its fine.

The jerkyness is more than likely interference of some sort ( the source can be difficult to pin down ) and the FS1s will have a limited dampening effect ....rejecting bad signals.

[psycho_fling]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

yet another question, dont know if anything can be done about it but...

i use a drill motor with chuck to power the lifter, the threaded bar is secured in the chuck but this can sometimes come undone, is there anything that can done to prevent this?

i thought about dril a hole through chuck and threaded bar then bolting it in place, good idea or not?

thanks alex

[psycho_fling]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

i seem to have sorted the failsafe issue by taking out the failsafes, seems to failsafe fine/better without them.

[woody]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

Your speedos might have one built in .....but leave one on the lifter.

(Message edited by woody on August 27, 2007)

[RogueTwoRobots]

Cycling batteries, failsafe question

Drilling a hole through the chuck and rod and running a bolt through should be fine for securing the threaded rod - just make sure the hole is a maximum (less might be better) of half the width of the threaded rod, just to reduce the risk of weakening the connection