Introduction: Charge, Discharge and Storage on ISDT D2 Mark 2 LiPo Battery Balance Charger

By

This project will teach you how to correctly charge, discharge and store Li-Po batteries.

Supplies

  • ISDT D2 Mark 2 LiPo Battery Balance Charger Duo Discharger Dual 200W 12A2 AC Dual Channel Output 1-6S Li-ion Life NiCd NiMH LiHV PB Smart Battery


Step 1: Charge

Once you plug both the XT60 and balance cable into the D2, it detects the cell count automatically. It also shows the total voltage and the voltage range between the cells. You then select the channel you wish to charge. This then gives you a detailed view of what each cell is currently sitting at.

Pressing the scroll wheel lets you change your charging settings. Here you can select the task; in this case, we will select “Charge.” You can also select the battery types. It can charge Lipos, LiHv, LiFe, Lilon, NiMH, Cd, and Pb.

Firstly, it is recommended that you always charge a 1c. This means that if you are charging a 1300mah battery, you want to use 1.3amp. This will reduce the risk of fire and prolong your battery's life. Charging at 1c will mean it takes 1 hour to charge the battery. It is the safest way.

This charger will allow you to overcharge the battery. A 4s battery should be charged to 4.2 volts per cell. Any higher will risk fire/explosion. Do not adjust this unless you know what you are doing.

So now we have gone over the warning; I have selected 4.2 for Cell Voltage and 1.3amps for the current setting. Once I have done all of that, I select “Start task.”At this point, the screen turns red to show it is charging. If you scroll the wheel, you will see cell voltages, temperature, and cell resistance (which is good for checking the health of your batteries). It will also show you a timer.

If you connect another battery to the other channel, you can switch between them using the buttons on the front.

Once it’s done, it beeps, and the screen turns green as it goes into balance mode, where it balances the current between each cell. After that, it beeps several times, and the screen turns blue. It is complete.

Step 2: Discharge

The ISDT D2 is capable of a maximum discharge current of around 3amp. The process for setting this up is pretty much the same as the charging, other than you select discharge rather than charge.

When you select this, it will change the current setting down to 0.2amps (however, it will let you have anywhere in the range of 0.1amp to 3amps) and set the cell voltage to 3.30v (again, the range here is 3.20v to 3.40v).

Step 3: Put Into Storage

Again, the process is the same for putting your batteries into storage charge. Just select “storage,” and the setting will automatically change. The recommended storage voltage is 3.85v per cell. Change the current setting to 3amps for a faster discharge.