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What is the Best Receiver Battery?

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What is the Best Receiver Battery?

Old 09-11-2015, 05:23 PM
  #26  
douglas racer
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Originally Posted by Rocketman_


My RC experience goes way back to "ancient" times and I have never had to charge a battery at the field and don't want to start now. I just don't feel like doing the A123 routine of charging, flying, recording flights, charging to see how much you put back in (as if that is accurate), etc., etc., and continuing to do that over the lifetime of the battery to see if it changes.
Rocketman Does this mean with Li ion cells you can rely on the voltage of the cell to tell you how much is left? I'm with you on not charging batteries at the field.

Last edited by douglas racer; 09-12-2015 at 05:18 AM.
Old 09-11-2015, 07:13 PM
  #27  
dirtybird
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Originally Posted by Rocketman_
The best receiver battery for me is Li-Ion. A123 is a great advancement in battery technology but not for me. Once I found out that there was no field instrument that could accurately keep track of A123 battery voltage, I abandoned the idea of using them in my models.

My RC experience goes way back to "ancient" times and I have never had to charge a battery at the field and don't want to start now. I just don't feel like doing the A123 routine of charging, flying, recording flights, charging to see how much you put back in (as if that is accurate), etc., etc., and continuing to do that over the lifetime of the battery to see if it changes.

Li-Ion and regulators have been totally reliable over the years in my 1.60 glow to 36cc gas powered 3D and sport aerobatic models. I switched from 2600 mAh to Panasonic 3400 mAh Li-Ion when I started connecting the ignition unit to the receiver. These 18650 size cells can be purchased two for $17.99 from Amazon and easily soldered to make a 7.4V 2-cell flight pack.

http://www.amazon.com/NCR18650B-3400.../dp/B00DHXY72O

Troybuiltmodels sells a 3400mAh 7.4V 2-cell Li Ion pack all made up with 3 leads and connectors for $34.95.

http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items...LIION3400.html
The maximum current rating for the panasonic is 6.4 A. The Sony VTC4' are rated at 40 amps.
I have made up a 4 cell pack for flying an A/C of mine. They do fly it but they do get hot.
Old 09-11-2015, 09:09 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Rocketman_
The best receiver battery for me is Li-Ion. A123 is a great advancement in battery technology but not for me. Once I found out that there was no field instrument that could accurately keep track of A123 battery voltage, I abandoned the idea of using them in my models.

My RC experience goes way back to "ancient" times and I have never had to charge a battery at the field and don't want to start now. I just don't feel like doing the A123 routine of charging, flying, recording flights, charging to see how much you put back in (as if that is accurate), etc., etc., and continuing to do that over the lifetime of the battery to see if it changes.

Li-Ion and regulators have been totally reliable over the years in my 1.60 glow to 36cc gas powered 3D and sport aerobatic models. I switched from 2600 mAh to Panasonic 3400 mAh Li-Ion when I started connecting the ignition unit to the receiver. These 18650 size cells can be purchased two for $17.99 from Amazon and easily soldered to make a 7.4V 2-cell flight pack.

http://www.amazon.com/NCR18650B-3400.../dp/B00DHXY72O

Troybuiltmodels sells a 3400mAh 7.4V 2-cell Li Ion pack all made up with 3 leads and connectors for $34.95.

http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items...LIION3400.html
I've got over 100 A123's in my various models. And outside of completely screwing up two cells over the years, never had a failure. Some of those packs are 7 years old, and they've been pulling 40 Amps per cell. Flying LiFe or A123's is like driving a car with a busted gas gauge. Drive a safe distance and top off the gas tank. Or with A123's just never use over 50% of the receiver battery during any flying session. IMHO that is good policy, no matter what the battery chemistry, Li-Ion, A123, LiPo, Nih, or even lead acid.

The important part of all of this is, the receiver battery or power supply (BEC) must absolutely be bullet proof. And voltage sags below the receiver minimum operating voltage simply can't be tolerated. Li-Ion, A123, LiFe type chemistries are a good step in eliminating this type of receiver low voltage = crash. What I use in my giant scale models is a Castle Creations 10 Amp Switch Mode BEC, with a two cell A123 battery with diode isolation as a backup.

Out of curiosity, what is the voltage on that 3400 Mah 7.4 V Li-Ion pack immediately off the charger?
Old 09-12-2015, 05:57 AM
  #29  
dirtybird
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I have been using A123's for six years. I have had a number of failures. I had a set of 9 powering an airplane. They wore out and had to be replaced at about 400 flights.
Sony VTC4's are 8.4V off the charger. I would guess the Panasonics are the same.
Old 09-12-2015, 06:11 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by douglas racer
Rocketman Does this mean with Li ion cells you can rely on the voltage of the cell to tell you how much is left? I'm with you on not charging batteries at the field.
The answer is yes. I use the Hanger 9 Digital Variable Load Voltmeter. Just plug it into the plane's charging jack at the field, take a quick reading and you're done.
The instructions that I received with a 2-cell Li-Ion battery say stop flying when the voltage under load is 6.9v to 7.0v. At 6.8v under load the battery has no power left.
Old 09-12-2015, 11:32 AM
  #31  
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Many seem to put down NiCad (TM) batteries and they are getting more difficult to find, but check out www.srbatteries.com. SR has been around for years and their website discusses the various battery types and advantages and disadvantages. They are not cheap, but neither are the airplanes that people are crashing.
Old 09-12-2015, 03:07 PM
  #32  
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I previously used Li Ion's but now only use LiFe's for Rx batteries. If the servos are rated for 6 volts, then there is no need to run a reg. which is one less failure point.

As for checking what's left in the pack, contrary to what I have read here and on other threads, I check mine by voltage. I ALWAYS check the voltage IMMEDIATELY after landing. My stop fly voltage is 6.3 volts under a 1 amp load. I have been using this system for 4 years and it has been 100% successful. I monitor how many mah's are put back in when charging and there is always more than 25% left.

After reading another thread recently, I checked the batteries using a battery checker as was suggested as the only way to monitor LiFe capacity. Using my method, I get 4 flights before my minimum voltage is reached. Using the claimed, ONLY WAY to check capacity, after 2 flights my checker showed 25% capacity remaining. When I charged them, it only put 220 mah's in. They are 800 mah packs.

So I will continue to check by voltage.
Old 09-12-2015, 04:33 PM
  #33  
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Redwing RC...1450mah 20C life pack for 15.99

Last edited by sro2004; 09-12-2015 at 04:35 PM.
Old 09-16-2015, 12:55 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Rocketman_
The best receiver battery for me is Li-Ion. A123 is a great advancement in battery technology but not for me. Once I found out that there was no field instrument that could accurately keep track of A123 battery voltage, I abandoned the idea of using them in my models.

...
I consider using A123 on my receivers analogous to the fuel tanks on my planes.

Since many of my fuel tanks are inaccessible when the plane is assembled, I will measure the amount of usable fuel remaining or the amount required to top it off after a flight of a known duration for the first couple flights. I then have an indication of how many minutes I can fly before things get real quiet.

The same thing with A123's. Charge the battery and then fly a couple flights. Put the battery back on the charger and note the mAh's required to fully recharge the battery. If you put 600 mAH's back in the battery after 4 flights you have a good idea that you can easily fly 8-10 flights. Personally, I charge my A123's before I go to the field and they are good for the day.

I believe the relatively flat discharge curve is a benefit.


Paul
Old 09-16-2015, 01:14 PM
  #35  
P-40 DRIVER
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Originally Posted by SkidMan
I consider using A123 on my receivers analogous to the fuel tanks on my planes.

Since many of my fuel tanks are inaccessible when the plane is assembled, I will measure the amount of usable fuel remaining or the amount required to top it off after a flight of a known duration for the first couple flights. I then have an indication of how many minutes I can fly before things get real quiet.

The same thing with A123's. Charge the battery and then fly a couple flights. Put the battery back on the charger and note the mAh's required to fully recharge the battery. If you put 600 mAH's back in the battery after 4 flights you have a good idea that you can easily fly 8-10 flights. Personally, I charge my A123's before I go to the field and they are good for the day.

I believe the relatively flat discharge curve is a benefit.


Paul
That sums it up in a nut shell, well said
Old 11-04-2016, 06:39 AM
  #36  
ProjectZed
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I am using ORBTRONIC 3400mAh 18650. I fully charged and used it with the Fenix pd35 for the first time on 10/09 and still going on strong after using it Monday-Friday for work and it is now 11/04 and hasn't lost juice since I first charged it! Great batteries, charging them with the xtar vp1 which has a nice LCD screen on it

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