When is cell imbalance considered serious for new cells?

[Ampster]

When balancing, you are balancing the charge, not the voltage.

To be clear, the method I use to parallel top balance is to make all the voltages the same voltage at the top od the carge curve. You may be trying ti say the same thing but using different meanings. You are cirrect when you say that their capacity is full. Some call that 100% SOC.
A good analogy is that the cells are like popcycle sticks each with a slightly different length. The length is representative of the capacity. When I parallel top balance, I am just making the tops of the sticks at the same level. The bottom of the row of sticks will be uneven because there is nothing I can do about the length.
This is all explained using bar charts in post #21 by @Dzl

 

[Burke]

To be clear, the method I use to parallel top balance is to make all the voltages the same voltage at the top od the carge curve. You may be trying ti say the same thing but using different meanings. You are cirrect when you say that their capacity is full. Some call that 100% SOC.
A good analogy is that the cells are like popcycle sticks each with a slightly different length. The length is representative of the capacity. When I parallel top balance, I am just making the tops of the sticks at the same level. The bottom of the row of sticks will be uneven because there is nothing I can do about the length.
This is all explained using bar charts in post #21 by @Dzl

Yes i understand. I was replying to the op who was trying to balance his cells in the 3.3 volt section of the discharge curve.

 

[John Frum]

When balancing, you are balancing the charge, not the voltage.

Voltage is a good indicator of charge at the very top and bottom of the curve.

 

[Ampster]

..... I was replying to the op....

No worries, I often reply to early posts threads without realizing the subsequent discussion.

 

[Burke]

Voltage is a good indicator of charge at the very top and bottom of the curve.

Yes lol, that is what i said in my original post. ?

 

[carlos1w]

Thank you all for the clarification! This was a learning experience

 

[fafrd]

Voltage is a good indicator of charge at the very top and bottom of the curve.

I’d say it a little bit differently;

“Voltage is a reasonably good indicator of charge at the very top (above 3.4V) and very the bottom (below 2,9V) of the curve.”