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Charging a dead car battery has really been taken to a whole new level with the advent of RC batteries, which are relatively small batteries with their cells connected either in series or in parallel, which give out a surprising quantity of energy.
The energy contained in these batteries, sometimes in the range of 6000 to 10 000 mAmp, is just too much that these batteries had better be handled with extreme care, lest you risk a fire outbreak.
One surprising fact about RC batteries is that their rate of charging depends on their capacities as well as the capacities of the chargers you are using. In any case, ensure that you use only compatible chargers and batteries because any mismatch is bound to come down with very disastrous tidings. (Read Also: How To Charge Multiple 18650 Batteries)
How To Charge A Car Battery With RC Battery? RC batteries are known to store and eventually release large quantities of energy in the form of electricity, which can be used in charging car batteries. Basically, there are two major types of RC batteries: the Nickel-Metal Hydride or NiMH for short and the Lithium Polymer or LiPo. The NiMH is reputed to be very durable, rugged, inexpensive, and do not require much in terms of care and maintenance quite unlike the LiPo batteries.
A striking feature of the LiPo battery is that it can maintain its voltage for long periods even as its stack of cells is depleted, but eventually drain off very fast at the end of the charge. Unlike the NiMH, LiPo batteries are expensive and also require a specific care regimen if you mean to extend their life span and safely use them.
Most LiPos in RC cars comprise between two to three cells at the most. The greater the milliamp of these batteries, which is an index for their capacities, the longer they last, and conversely, the longer it also takes to charge them. The big question now is, ‘ How do we use these RC batteries to charge car batteries?’
Table Of Contents
How To Charge A Car Battery With RC Battery
To charge your car battery using RC batteries, make sure first, to get the right charger. For instance, if you have a NiMH battery, use only a NiMH charger and vice versa. It is of the utmost importance that you do this right for the consequences it portends if you don’t.
Some people use both of these batteries in their cars, but luckily enough, there are chargers that work both ways and all you may need to do is set them appropriately for the correct battery type you are charging.
For heaven’s sake, please, make sure that you get this right and always. Come to think of it, by handling these batteries, you are fraternizing with mammoth quantities of energy. So, it will do well to watch it and seriously, for your sake as for others too.
The higher the charger rating, the faster it can charge your car battery. Simply plug your car battery into the RC battery, after making certain that everything is alright and that is it.
Note that, using higher settings in order to get your battery charged faster may work, but remember that you are compromising the efficiency of your car battery by doing this. So, be warned. Go about the entire procedure according to the following steps:
Step 1
Before you set out to charge your car battery with a small RC battery, assemble all the necessary tools first. These tools are a compatible RC battery charger, a dead car battery, appropriate conducting cables or wires, and the RC battery itself.
The use of RC units in charging car batteries has really introduced a new dimension in this all-important enterprise of keeping our cars up and running, by making sure that our batteries remain viable, with little or no stress whatsoever.
To this end, we have a recommendation to give that concerns getting excellent RC batteries from branded suppliers like Amazon.
You may want to consider one of such products which they have in stock and that is Tenergy 7.2V Battery Pack High Capacity 6- Cell 3000 mAh NiMH Flat Battery Pack, Replacement Hobby Battery for RC Car, RC Truck, RC Tank, RC Boat with Standard Tamiya Connector. This piece of charging marvel boasts of exemplary output and a very long life span.
Step 2
Having assembled everything you need, proceed to make the necessary connection between the battery terminals and the terminals of the RC battery using your connection cables. To make these connections, start with the negative terminals first. In other words, connect the negative terminal of the car battery to the corresponding terminal of the RC battery according to their similar polarities. Next, you should do the same thing to the positive terminals too, by connecting them like for like as well.
We cannot in all purity claim to have done the justice this article promises should we fail to make a recommendation of products related to the topic discussed, that will give you value for money spent. Consequently, we hereby bring to your notice one of Amazon’s best brands of RC batteries, the Tenergy 7.2V Battery Pack for RC CARS, High Capacity 6-Cell 3800mAh NiMH Flat Battery Pack, Replacement Hobby Battery with Standard Tamiya Connector.
Step 3
Switch to the charging mode and grind away, after making absolutely certain that you have gotten everything right, from the settings of the RC battery charger (according to the voltage of the battery) down to your connection and the compatibility of the equipment.
It’s as simple as that. RC batteries for RC cars are certain state-of-the-art technology that has lifted an enormous burden off us with this uncomparable assistance is always having access to reliable batteries. One of such highly acclaimed chargers is Tenergy 7.2V Battery Pack for RC Car, 3800mAh NiMH Flat Battery Packs 2-Pack w/ Standard Tamiya Connector + 6V-12V Universal Battery Charger for NiMH/NiCd Battery Packs for Hobbies, Airsoft Guns. It is trusted for its efficient performance and unrivaled durability coupled with excellent purchase terms.
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Can An RC Battery Charge A Car Battery?
Of course, it can. However, absolute care must be taken in ensuring that whatever RC battery type you have, you got the compatible charger for it. You can’t switch chargers for whatever reason.
For instance, if you have a NiMH RC battery, use only a NiMH charger and equally use only a LiPo charger for LiPo RC batteries as well. However, there are some modern chargers that can be used with either battery by just adjusting to the appropriate setting depending on battery type. To charge your car battery does not involve more than simply plugging it into the RC battery and off you go.
What Does It Cost To Charge Your Car Battery With An RC Battery Charger?
It really does not cost much more than all the other procedures used to charge your car battery. However, we must take into cognizance the expensive cost of some of the required tools, particularly the RC battery and its charger. Notably, of the two types of RC batteries, the LiPo battery is more expensive than the NiMH battery and these two imply some reasonable expenditure.(Read Also:Should Alternator Pulley Spin Freely?)
The prices of these items can be obtained from the manufacturers through their websites online. Other than this, the only other expenditure which may be incurred is from the electricity tariff used in charging the RC batteries themselves and the cost of electrolytes too. All in all, it does not result in any outrageous expenses that are more than what obtains in any of the other charging procedures.
How Long Does It Take To Fully Charge A Car Battery With An RC Battery?
How long it takes to charge your car battery with an RC battery depends on a lot of factors, and the most influential of them is your type of charger and of course how you set it. There is also the issue of power depletion in your car battery, not to mention its capacity as well.
All in all, after giving due consideration to everything, you can get your battery fully up and running in about one to three hours. However, since there are so many factors in play, it may take longer than this projected time. There is a need to draw your attention to certain important parameters here.
For instance, the higher the capacity of the battery, the longer it takes to fully charge it and the longer it takes in maintaining your vehicle too. (Read Also:Will Jumper Cables Charge A Battery?)
This is simply a case of, to whom much is given, much is expected as well. In our hurried natures to get things done quickly, we may be tempted to set the charger such that the time for charging the battery will be shortened. This is a strategy replete with repercussions as it can lead to damage to your RC battery, its charger, or even the car battery itself.
In essence, we should allow the battery to charge at a normal rate using compatible settings without undue coercion. After all, whatever is worth doing, they say, is equally worth doing well, or at least so the legend goes. In conclusion, to fully charge your car battery with an RC battery, you may be looking at between one to about three or a few more hours, all things being equal.
Does This Method Of Charging Pose Any Risk To The Car Battery?
Yes, it does, particularly when it is not done according to laid down procedures. For example, you are not allowed to leave the battery charging without regular monitoring. Even though it is not expected that anything untoward may happen if you go about it with caution, you are still required to check in on the process every so often, while it is in progress.
In this way, you can avoid the possible incidence of the battery getting overcharged. Similarly, ensure that the electrolyte content of the battery is within normal range before charging the battery, or else you risk destroying it completely. Modern RC batteries are equipped with features that will enable you to determine with certainty when charging is completed.
The moment that happens, you are advised to promptly remove the charger in order to prevent the battery from becoming overcharged. Sometimes, car batteries may become too hot during charging, when this happens, there is usually an underlying cause.
Be sure to check carefully and find out why or else you stand the risk of damaging the battery or even the charger and that is a loss you wouldn’t want, right?
Compare This Mode Charging With Others
The method of charging car batteries with an RC battery is slightly different from all others. This is because in this method, the power relayed to the battery is derived from the energy in the RC battery, which means that should the RC battery deliver abnormal surges of energy, the charged battery will be at the receiving end.
Additionally, since the RC battery supplies the energy that is utilized in charging the car battery, this method can be carried out anywhere(provided the RC battery itself is fully charged) and not necessarily where there is a power supply from the grid.
This means that you should keep your RC battery charged at all times if you must enjoy this service. Due to the high capacity of RC batteries, they are reputed to charge car batteries faster than most other means of charging albeit with the need for a little more caution and extra expenses thereof.
How To Charge A Car Battery With RC Battery – Conclusion
We have discussed whatever there is to discuss with regards to RC batteries and their contributions to our daily lives through the provision of an excellent motoring experience. There are a lot of methods via which we can readily revive our dead car batteries, but on deeper and careful reflection, RC batteries take the Oscar of the lot, because really, none of the others compare to RC batteries.
