Hi I am somewhat new to the LiPo battery world and I have a question on how the capacity ratings work with LiPo batteries. With a good NiHm battery its easy to see that when I charge a dead battery it charges up to near or just over the rated capacity of that battery. I have several nihm batteries that all charge up near to or just above their rated capacity. However, I now have picked up several lipo batteries and when I charge them up, none of them even come close to their rated capacity. I understand that a lipo battery doesn't discharge all the way empty, so there is always some level of capacity still left on the battery.
This leads me to my question... Is the rated capacity of a lipo battery the amount of usable storage, or is it including that amount that is un-usable or below the 3.2 volts? If it is including that amount, approximately what percentage of the rated capacity of the battery should I expect to see?
For example, I have a 2S 5200 mah lipo battery and I if I discharge it to around 3.2 to 3.6 volts, it only charges up with about 2500 to 3000 mah, which is way short of the rated 5200 mah. I also have a 3S 5200 mah battery that when charged from 3.2 volts only charges up somewhere in the 3000 to 3800 mah range. Is this normal, I would think a 5200 mah battery would have a usable 5200 mah?
This leads me to my question... Is the rated capacity of a lipo battery the amount of usable storage, or is it including that amount that is un-usable or below the 3.2 volts? If it is including that amount, approximately what percentage of the rated capacity of the battery should I expect to see?
For example, I have a 2S 5200 mah lipo battery and I if I discharge it to around 3.2 to 3.6 volts, it only charges up with about 2500 to 3000 mah, which is way short of the rated 5200 mah. I also have a 3S 5200 mah battery that when charged from 3.2 volts only charges up somewhere in the 3000 to 3800 mah range. Is this normal, I would think a 5200 mah battery would have a usable 5200 mah?