3S Lithium Polymer Battery

 The basic formula to calculate the charging time is charging time(hours)=Battery   

   capacity(mAh) ÷charging current(mA).

    For example, 3S 11.1V Lipo battery 5000mAh to charge at 2C current. The charging time is  5000÷10000≈ 0.5 hours, and 4 key factors affect the charging time.

(1). Charge Rate: Safe rate is below 1C.But for a fast charge rate of 2C, some others may support a max of 3C. But the fast charge will affect the battery cycle life.

(2). Balancing time: The 3S Lipo battery charge mode is CC/CV. During the CV period, the battery will also balance each cell charge.Normally,balance charging will take about 15-30 mins to make all the 3 series cells charged evenly.

(3). Initial voltage: A fully drained  11.1V 3S Lipo battery with cut-off voltage 9.0V will take longer than a lower voltage battery.

(4). Charger Power: The higher charger power,the shorter time takes.

Warm warnings:

1. A rechargeable 3S LiPo battery fire can happen if left unattended. 
2. Use a suggested and qualified charger 
3. Stop charging if the battery swells or overheats.

Step 1: Make sure to use the 3S Lipo battery PCB with a cell balance function.VTCBATT insists on using cell balance PCB to ensure safety and best performance. While most competitors don’t use this function, PCB saves cost.

If the battery PCB is without cell function, it will never be charged evenly.

Step 2:Most 3S lithium polymer batteries for drones have main power leads, an XT60/EC5 connector, and 3S JST-XH plug for 3S balance port. You just need to connect correctly.

Step 3:Choose the correct 3S 11.1V Lipo battery charger with cell balance function.

 It will charge the 3S 11.1V lithium battery pack safely.

Although VTCBATT 3S lithium polymer batteries support customized sizes and performance parameters, their basic working principle is the same: based on the movement and embedding of lithium ions within the cells.

When the 3S LiPo battery is charging, the lithium ions will move to the cathode and embed in the anode material. At that moment, the electrical energy carried by the lithium ions is converted into chemical energy, realizing the charging and energy storage process.

When the 3S lithium polymer battery starts to discharge, the lithium ions will move out of the anode material and return to the cathode, and electrons flow through the external circuit and achieve discharge.

Because the rated (nominal) voltage of a single lithium polymer cell is 3.7V. When 3 cells are connected in series, the total voltage is 11.1V (3 × 3.7V). Some products on the market will mark 3S batteries as “12V batteries”, which is an approximation, but their actual rated voltage is still 11.1V.

If 3S lithium polymer batteries are left unused for an extended period with frequent charge-discharge cycles, they may be at risk of overheating, short circuits, or swelling, which can potentially lead to equipment damage or even safety hazards. To provide safety, 3S lithium polymer batteries, we have specially designed a built-in protection circuit to prevent over-discharge, over-charge, short circuit, etc., to ensure reliable performance and stable operation.

The 3S structure, which consists of three cells connected in series, is designed to increase the total voltage of the lithium polymer battery to 11.1V, making it more suitable for devices that require stable power output, such as drones and portable tools.

This is mainly because the 3s lithium polymer battery uses a pouch design with a non-metallic casing, allowing it to be manufactured in any shape and size depending on your project needs.

The capacity of the VTC Power cell is also customizable, so although it only consists of 3 cells, the battery capacity can be adjusted to meet your needs. Their output connectors can also be customized to be designed to support higher C-rates.

Materials are the key to building a 3S lithium battery with excellent performance. We usually use lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, or ternary materials to build the positive electrode of custom cells. Each material has distinct characteristics:

Lithium cobalt oxide

Lithium cobalt oxide has good stability in the discharge cycle and can be used for a long time. It has high energy density and can store more power in a compact size. They are ideal for lightweight, high-capacity 3S batteries and are suitable for portable devices. However, due to its limited discharge current capability, it cannot effectively cope with high load rates.

Lithium iron phosphate

Lithium iron phosphate benefits from its stable structure. It will not easily catch fire or explode under high-temperature or overcharge conditions. It has stronger safety than lithium cobalt oxide and is an ideal choice for building high-safety 3S batteries. It offers a long cycle life, typically between 2000 to 5000 cycles, which is much higher than lithium cobalt oxide. It is also an environmentally friendly material, but its energy density is lower, resulting in heavier 3S battery packs.

Ternary materials

Ternary materials refer to materials composed of nickel, cobalt, and manganese, which are widely used as positive electrode materials. They combine high capacity (from nickel), structural stability (from cobalt), and improved safety (from manganese). Suitable for 3S battery systems that require high performance and long battery life.

Anode materials are directly related to the discharge efficiency and cycle life of the battery. We offer a range of customizable anode materials based on project requirements, including graphite (carbon-based material), silicon-based materials (non-carbon), and lithium titanate material. Of these, silicon-based materials have high capacity but poor cycle life; lithium titanate is mainly used in energy storage applications where safety and long life are critical.

Graphite 

Graphite makes an enduring battery material. Its low cost, reliable performance, and structural stability make it the most mature and widely used anode material for 3S lithium polymer battery. Graphite’s layered structure enables efficient intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, thus enhancing discharge efficiency and energy output. It also has a relatively long cycle life of 500 to 1000 cycles.

Typically, VTCBATT 3S lithium batteries can support up to 300 to 500 times. In some cases, their cycles can be up to 500 to 1000 times, this depends on the electrode material used depending on the material (e.g., lithium cobalt oxide, NCM, etc.).

This is mainly due to the stable chemical structure of the electrode materials and the built-in protection circuit, and optimized charge-discharge management.