auto setting

[turko]

I was messing with the settings on my new charger and discouvered an auto setting not mentioned in the manual.Is this just what it sounds like?Hook up a battery and charger figures out how many cells and proper voltage?Charger is a Dynamite ultrasport.

[The WoodCrafter]

I am pretty sure it will auto-detect the cell count.

[Gregor99]

If it is an auto cell count, I would definitely not use it. If the charger miscalculates, it could result in a fire.

[The WoodCrafter]

Gregg,

Do you need to tell your charger how many cell your battery has?

[Gregor99]

Originally Posted by The WoodCrafter

Do you need to tell your charger how many cell your battery has?

No. My charger detects cell count through the balance leads.

While that happens auto-matically, its not the same as many charger's auto modes. It does have an auto mode, but that is automatically setting charge current, not cell count.

Many (mostly older) chargers auto detect cell count by dividing total voltage by probably values to guess at the cell count. There was one particular charger (I won't name) that frequently got it wrong. Its charred remains could regularly be found at the center of a LiPo fire. Since chargers and users starting using balance leads regularly, that issue has dropped off dramatically.

[The WoodCrafter]

No. My charger detects cell count through the balance leads.

So you don't think this charger is doing the same thing in this mode?

[Gregor99]

Originally Posted by The WoodCrafter

So you don't think this charger is doing the same thing in this mode?

When the behavior is not documented in the manual, its really hard to tell what the setting really does. Seems to risky unless the behavior of the setting was verified by the vendor or the manufacturer.