Battery basics questions.

[Mozer]

I am kinda new with the battery lingo. I have been charging my 3300 NiMH packs with a pirana peak charger but i didn't think i was getting a max charge. So I just got a IntellaPeak ICE charger but now I actually need to know what I am doing. I read the instructions and I kinda understand it but I am not completely sure. It comes with factory settings for the battery type. Does anyone know if that this is pretty much the peak way to do it. I also don't really understand cycling and how that works and what the benefites are. Can anyone tell me what the optimum settings should be. I also got a temp meter too thinking that would help also. If the stock setting are good then I may not need to change anything. any help would be great.

[DJ1978]

Stock settings are good to start. Make sure it is in the NiMH mode. Charge at about 4-5 amps.

[highroller]

The factory settings may be fine for certain uses, but too low for others.
If you are using one brand of NiMH the setting can be preset to one default setting but if using different types you can program it for those types.
Panasonics are the only one that seemed tempermental to heat so generally the detect setting was .03 (30mv) for 6cell temerpature around 135 cells could be charged between 3-6amps (higher rates more for competitive racing but cell life declined quicker). All other types most use .03 for 4cells and between .05 to .09 for others, with temperature (core) between 130 to 145 degrees. The temperature probe can be used as a backup means to prevent cells from getting too hot or set the detecting setting lower.

Cyling is just charging the pack up at the normal levels, but instead of running it in vehicle at load close to what the pack sees in use is used to discharge it. Cycling is generally uses as a means to determine decline or changes in cells performance or in packs that may not have been used for a certain period of time. Nicad and NiMh tend to exhibit low voltage output after periods of inactivity, so most racers will cycle the packs 1-3 times to ensure they are up to race potiential on race day. Some feel cycling removes a useful cycle from the cell so what they do is charge the pack and run it in vehicle to determine how much of a drop there may be, some test equipment may show declines in runtime or voltage output but in actual use this decline may not be that noticeable.

How you charge and take care of you cells really is going to be trying different methods based on how you are using them and what you want in the end. I use different methods for bashing than what is used for competitive racing and packs are sometimes purchased for a specific type of racing. HIgh voltage/runtime packs are generally only used in oval racing, while moderate runtime/voltage are used on offroad and stick packs suffice for just bashing around with or they may consist of packs that don't aren't used for racing. Oval is generally 4cell with cells being mostly GP3300 detect setting is .03 (30mv) charge at 7amps for stock and 19turn, 5.50 to 6amp for modified discharge at 32amps, 6cell offroad/TC stock 6amp discharge at 24amp, modified 5-5.50amp discharge at 30amp with a .05 (50mv) voltage detect setting heat around 135 for offroad, 140-145 for oval.
Bashing packs Sanyo 3000-3300HV and GP3300 detecting setting is .03 (less heat and strain) 5amp charge, 20amp discharge and some may only be discharge at 10amps due to their delicate nature.