Papa51

My Feedback: (3)

What is the safe lower limit for the 8 cell battery in my Futaba computer radio. The "low battery" alarm comes on at around 8.5 volts. should I trust the meter on my transmitter as being accurate or should I verify that with another volt meter? Also, what should the meter on my trasmitter read after a full charge? Right now it reads 11 volts when I turn it on after a full charge but almost immediately drops to 10.9 volts. Is the accepted low level limit still 1.1 volt per cell?

Rodney

Yes, it is safe to fly until your alarm goes off. And yes, the readings you are getting on your transmitter are what you should expect. Right off the charger after a full charge, the voltage will be a bit above 11 volts and will quickly drop down to around 10.9 or 10.8 soon after you start using it. You can safely use it down to 8.8 volts (actually you could use it down to less than that but when it gets down to just under 7 volts it falls off real fast). To prove this to yourself, fully charge your transmitter then turn it on (make sure the antenna is fully extended if using other than 2.4GHz frequency) and every half hour or so turn on your receiver and servos and exercise them. You will find that it will take a long time, maybe several hours for the transmitter voltage to drop to the point where things stop working. It is always better to prove by actual use how long it takes rather than rely on me or any one else telling you what will work.

P-40 DRIVER

Most people recharge when they go below 9.6 volts, this is conservative.