Dead Ignition Battery

[Andy540T]

I need a little help. I have a 330 Comp-Arf 330 that I do not fly very much. I went to take it out for a flight to keep it working (after letting it sit for 3 months) and the ignition battery was dead. I am running Fromeco packs and they are installed Battery-Switch-regulator-fiber optic kill-ignition module.

What could be the cause of the dead pack?

[Shawn Berkheimer]

Andy, if it is a fail safe type switch it will draw some current in the off position. Over 3 months it may have drained the battery.

shawn

[Andy540T]

Shawn,
It is just a Cermark Charge switch.

[macanaw]

If you are going to let ANY li-ion pack sit for more than a few weeks un-used you should unplug it and make sure it has atleast an 80% charge. If not you are risking (highly) ruining you battery. Even un-plugged the batteries have a "bleed-off" rate and will deplete. This is very bad for Li-Ions in paarticular.

[Andy540T]

	Quote: Originally Posted by macanaw
	If you are going to let ANY li-ion pack sit for more than a few weeks un-used you should unplug it and make sure it has atleast an 80% charge. If not you are risking (highly) ruining you battery. Even un-plugged the batteries have a "bleed-off" rate and will deplete. This is very bad for Li-Ions in paarticular.

I thought that one of the advantages is that the Li-Ions don't bleed off like the NiCad's or NiMh's do.

[macanaw]

Here are the details from Fromeco about storage.

Storing your Fromeco Batteries Relion and Peerless, for 2 Months or longer.

• Discharge packs to "7.7-7.4 volts" or to about a 1/2 to 1/3 charge.
• Monitor batteries regularly, ensure battery voltages remain above "7.0 volts".
• Please do not store batteries fully charged, sells may degrade under a full charge if stored for long periods of time.
• Lithium chemistries have a nominal shelf life of 2 years, it is always a good idea to write the date you receive your Fromeco batteries on the pack.
• Lithium batteries store best at "below room temperature (between 0C~32F and 25C~77F)"; Fromeco recommends that you store them no lower than Freezing or 32F~0C. DO NOT store at extremely cold temperatures: keep temperature greater than -4F (-20C). The electrolyte will freeze at approximately -40F (-40C).

All batteries have a "bleed rate". the benifit of Li-ion is more mha capacity per weight, no memory, higher dis-charge rate, higher charge rate.

[macanaw]

Other thing to be sure of. Make sure you are connecting your setup in this order....

Battery -> Switch -> Regulator

If you do not have a switch between the battery and the next component, it will drain your battery.

[rdgood]

Andy,

Well - what I do know is that L-ions will not drain off like NiMH's or NiCaD batts. Did you run it low the last time you flew your plane and then never charge it back up??

I have left my Fromecos set for longer than 2 months with no ill effects.

Macanaw is correct Batt - Swx - reg...

Of course - Kurt or Mike would be the real experts on this issue!!

Ronster

[Andy540T]

First off I want to thank everyone that has replied so far. I do have the battery then the Cermark HD switch then the Regulator, FO kill and finally the ignition set up that I mentioned in my first post. I fully charged the plane right before the TAS and have not flown it since around the 2nd week of October (after I charged it). The receiver packs are just fine and have not lost a single volt. This has only had an effect on my ignition battery and before I replace it, I would like to make sure that I do not have a bigger problem.