I get this question a lot. Maybe a thread to get some discussion going. Here is an article my friend Paul Schaub found below. The question is how much amperage are we really using?
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So what does the “C” rating on a lipo mean?
For starters, the ‘C” in “C Rating” stands for capacity.
To break it down to its simplest terms, the “C” rating is the maximum safe continuous discharge rate of a pack. If you see 10C on your battery, it means it can be discharged at 10 times that pack’s capacity. “Capacity” refers to the milliamp-hour rating of the battery, which will be listed as a number followed by mAh (2000mAh, for example). Here’s the easy way to find your battery’s discharge rate – just multiply the number from the “C” rating by the pack’s capacity. Keep in mind that 1000 milliamps equals one amp.
Here’s an example, using an 11.1V – 2000mAh – 10C:
2000 milliamps = 2 amps, 2 Amps x 10 = 20 amps continuous discharge.
This means that you can safely draw up to 20 amps continuously from that 11.1V – 2000mAh – 10C without doing damage to your battery.
What does the "C" mean in 10C, 20C etc ?
We use the designation 10C etc to mean how much a cell or pack can discharge in amps. C always equals the capacity of a cell or pack. For example. Let use a PQ31003S pack rated for 12C. In this case C=3100mah. the number before the "C" is the multiplier. so 12 x 3100 = 37200mah. to get amps we simply divide by 1000. 37200/1000 = 37.2 amps. 1000mah = 1amp.
So for the above pack (PQ31003S) rated @ 12c we now know the max discharge rating is 37.2 amps.
Another example: a 20C 1800mah 3S pack.=2 0What is its max rating? 20 x 1800 = 36000. 36000mah = 36000/1000 = 36amps. So the 1800 3s pack @ 20c has a max rating of 36amps.
So when ever you see a C rating take the number before the letter "C" and multiply the packs capacity by it. That is it. To get amps from your new number simply divide it by 1000mah.
------------------------------------
So what does the “C” rating on a lipo mean?
For starters, the ‘C” in “C Rating” stands for capacity.
To break it down to its simplest terms, the “C” rating is the maximum safe continuous discharge rate of a pack. If you see 10C on your battery, it means it can be discharged at 10 times that pack’s capacity. “Capacity” refers to the milliamp-hour rating of the battery, which will be listed as a number followed by mAh (2000mAh, for example). Here’s the easy way to find your battery’s discharge rate – just multiply the number from the “C” rating by the pack’s capacity. Keep in mind that 1000 milliamps equals one amp.
Here’s an example, using an 11.1V – 2000mAh – 10C:
2000 milliamps = 2 amps, 2 Amps x 10 = 20 amps continuous discharge.
This means that you can safely draw up to 20 amps continuously from that 11.1V – 2000mAh – 10C without doing damage to your battery.
What does the "C" mean in 10C, 20C etc ?
We use the designation 10C etc to mean how much a cell or pack can discharge in amps. C always equals the capacity of a cell or pack. For example. Let use a PQ31003S pack rated for 12C. In this case C=3100mah. the number before the "C" is the multiplier. so 12 x 3100 = 37200mah. to get amps we simply divide by 1000. 37200/1000 = 37.2 amps. 1000mah = 1amp.
So for the above pack (PQ31003S) rated @ 12c we now know the max discharge rating is 37.2 amps.
Another example: a 20C 1800mah 3S pack.=2 0What is its max rating? 20 x 1800 = 36000. 36000mah = 36000/1000 = 36amps. So the 1800 3s pack @ 20c has a max rating of 36amps.
So when ever you see a C rating take the number before the letter "C" and multiply the packs capacity by it. That is it. To get amps from your new number simply divide it by 1000mah.