Charging with the Imax B6 charger

[fenner]

I have been on youtube and trying to find out how to charge a battery with the above charger which I have not got an answer and the manual which is included is to small for me to read. My Problem is I have a 12v battery consisting of 6, 18650 batteries which I was informed is a 3s. and I am using the jack plugs to connect from the charger with a B1 connector and a B2 connector from the battery and not one of the small white balance plugs which plugs in to the B6 charger. I cannot seem to find out the sequence of the B6 procedure to get it to selecting 3s charging I can only get it to 3s Storage. Please can anybody help.

 

[Bluejets]

For a start, 6 x 18650 cells if in series would be approx 6 x 3.7v = 22.2v and that is nominal.
Top end is more like 6 x 4.2v = 25.2v and low end @3v per cell would be 18v.

If you have 2 banks of 3 each then the max would be 12.6v...nominal 11.1v ....and low end 9.0v.

Is the charger a genuine or a Chinese clone..?
Is the charger dc only input or mains connected..?
Are the cells new or used...??
What capacity cells..??
How are they connected...?

Manual for one type of B6 here.....
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/939144/Imax-B6-Lipro.html#manual

 

[fenner]

Thank you for your reply, The imax b6 is a genuine one - DC 12-18v. was new when I made the battery and I am not sure of the capacity as they are covered but I think they were 2200ah and two banks of 3 giving me 12.6v I had a look at the manual URL you sent but it is very complicated at 82 the lamps are not to brilliant .I would like to see a youtube video and have searched that but cannot find the charging sequence of a li-ion 6cell 12v battery, sorry if I seem a bit thick. Thanks again.

 

[Bluejets]

It pays in the long run to provide as much information as you have on hand, otherwise we are just taking pot shots as to where any problem may lie.

The reason I asked for the details above follow this, and some were not supplied.

If you want an educated answer, best to supply the required info.

For example...if your charger is a dc input and you are providing power from a 12v dc source, then it simply will not work as you need overhead in the voltage bucket.
Simply saying it has a 12-18v input is ok BUT what are YOU using as an input?

 

[fenner]

Thank you I thought I answered your questions correctly except I misunderstood your 2nd question.
1.Is the charger a genuine or a Chinese clone. I answered Genuine
2. Is the charger dc only input or mains connected..?I may have answered incorrectly to you but it is from a transformer plugged in to 240 V and the output 12v therefore running on dc current.
3.Are the cells new or used...??I answered New as when I built the battery sometime ago I purchased them I have only just got round to charging them.
4.What capacity cells..?? The only answer I could give was I cannot check as they are wrapped but I think they were 2200ah
How are they connected...? they are connected like what you described as (a bank of 6 batteries in in 2 rows of 3. giving me 12.? VMy main problem is the sequence of the B6 a you tube video tells me to select Li-IoV type all I can get with that is 1,0amp 3s 3.6v
Storage, no where can I find Li-Io 3s 12v I would like to find a video or some body to explain the sequence to get to Li-Io-3s-12.6v. Sorry for not getting it across correctly. Roy

 

[Bluejets]

Lipo cells are commonly charged in series so your parallel combination will need to be changed, at least for charging.
(page 1 of the manual)

Yes, chargers are dc but the info I was after was whether it was a battery input to the charger or mains.
There are 2 types.

The latter has the capacity to charge the higher voltage required, the former may not, depending on the dc supply.

Setting up the charger program for lipo's is shown in pages 16 to 20 on the manual I linked to.

 

[fenner]

Thank you for your assistance I will try to read the manual you refer to my battery as a Lipo but it is Li-ion and I have been through the entire buttons on the B6 charger without finding (lCharging Li-ion 1,0A - 12.6v - 3s ).

 

[fenner]

I think I have found what I am after I followed some directions on youtube and I got a setup on Li-po program but when I went through the sequence I eventually finished up with Li3s charge 1.0 11.1 V and charging is this correct and it was showing 11.58v will the charger stop on its own or shall I switch off. I assumed it would charge to 12,6V .

 

[Bluejets]

The instructions show, as many chargers do, Li-ion/Polymer on the same battery type selector range as they are similar.
3s pack selection will show 11.1V as you say AND as I already quoted above as a nominal voltage for these cells.
Unless using specially designed setups with cell internal controller boards it is normally recommended to charge cells only in series and use the balance ports.

The charger will take care of the charge rates so even if you select a high rate, the charger may well decide a much lower rate is more appropriate.

At charge completion, the charger will normally place the cell in either a shut down mode or in a trickle mode, depending on the unit.
It is not a good idea at any time to charge or discharge these cells unattended i.e. set the charger and go to bed.
There is always a chance something can go wrong beyond the control of the charger, and it usually ends in a rather spectacular smoke and fire display.
I always use the charge/discharge bags designed to limit the outcome of this AND do it under supervision.

Batteryuniversity is an excellent site for ANY information on ANY cell/battery type.

 

[fenner]

Thanks again for the information and will take note, Cheers Merry Christmas.