Should I balance charge Parrot batteries ?

[Clive_fox]

I understand that Bebop batteries have a circuit inside that balances the cells when using the stock Parrot charger. If this is the case would charging / balancing a Parrot battery using a good quality charger do any damage to the battery or should I just use the supplied charger ?

I intend to balance charge 3rd party batteries as they apparently do not have a circuit built in like the Parrot batteries.

[AR.Tommy]

Hello,

the Bebop batteries don't have the cell balancer logic built inside, if this is what you are trying to say. This is done by the Parrot charger.

Using a quality charger is possible if you solder your own charging cable. (breaking the stock charger) I did this a while ago and it would look like this:

[Clive_fox]

Thanks but maybe I misunderstood after watching a video by ANTHONYVLOG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WlKkxA ... nw&index=3
where he compares a Bebop battery to a GiFi battery. The Bebop battery clearly has circuitry on a PCB which I assume, perhaps wrongly, that it balances the cells.
If what you say is correct then the Bebop battery could be balance charged without damage but then what is that PCB for?

[AR.Tommy]

I didn't watch the whole video (please provide timecode) and I don't know the gifi battery, but if a battery would have a built in balancer it would not expose the single cell connectors. It would connect to + / - only.

[Clive_fox]

It is only a short video just over 5 minutes but the timecode is from 2.30 on....................

[AR.Tommy]

I have to admit that looking on a PCB to tell what it does is an incredible skill. To me this could do anything from low voltage cut off, to cell checking, to overload protection and what not. Personally I have no idea why he thinks this is for balancing the battery.

If you look at the charger it has the same connectors (obviously) as the battery. I mentioned it above: 4 connectors for a 3 cell battery are exposed because the charger is the balancer. It would not make sense to have 4 connectors if the battery has the balancer logic build inside.

[Clive_fox]

"..It would not make sense to have 4 connectors if the battery has the balancer logic build inside."

That makes sense but there appears to be a lack of definitive info regarding this. However I would still like to know whether or not using a 3rd party charger / balancer would damage a Parrot battery. From the video it would obviously help with 3rd party batteries.

[AR.Tommy]

I'm using a 3rd party charger all the time, you need to solder the charger cable above. With a build in balancer this would not be possible. I can provide a how to if needed.

[Clive_fox]

So I understand correctly you are using a 3rd party charger with Parrot batteries ? If so have you noticed any significant performance change that is better / worse than the stock charger.

[AR.Tommy]

So I understand correctly you are using a 3rd party charger with Parrot batteries?

Yes.

If so have you noticed any significant performance change that is better / worse than the stock charger.

Not at all, besides that good chargers will charge faster and more precise (less cell drift) than the stock charger.