flygilmore

From what I have gathered, the Dewalt packs seem to be the best since they have the tabs allready welded to the cells making easier soldering. What Dewalt packs should I be looking for and where??? Thanks!

bobferguson

Your looking for "Dewalt DC9360 36V" I bought mine on e-bay two years ago when there was lots. Now a seach on e-bay for "Dewalt DC9360 36V" only returns three Dewalt DC9360 36V packs. I don't know where else you can buy them. I have never been to trusting of e-bay though I have used it with never a problem just look for a site with a high number of sales and good ratings.
I am in the process of changing out to lipo because of the weight saving and lower lipo pricing these days. I can upgrade from 4s 2600 A123 packs to a 5s 3000 lipo for the same size and less weight by a bit. I am currently using a 4s 3000 lipo and get much more power. I have also upgraded my Pulse xt to 2 5s 3000 and get tons of new power so much I think I will change to 4s 3000 packs so not to push my Power 46 motor to much.

huck1199

You can get A123 cells with tabs at HobbyKing.com

rlmcnii

My Feedback: (3)

flygilmore,

Apparently the DeWalt DC9280 batteries contain eight 2300mA cells. They are normally about half the price of the 36 volt packs and have only two fewer cells. They also seem to be more readily available. Here is one place: http://www.toolking.com/dewalt-dc928...n-nano-battery There are many more.

flygilmore

Thanks....now I just need to read and figure out how and where to solder the balance tap!

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

This is from FMA direct but the information made me understand how to connect any battery cell type, any pack config (2S, 3S, 4S, whatever) with any brand charger's balance tap connector:
http://www.revolectrix.com/pic/CellP...r%20Manual.pdf

Basically you wire your balance tap wire at the point where your batteries + and - get soldered together. FMA calls this node 1 on a 2S pack. The red and black go to your power switch (6.6 volts). The red, black, and node 1 (white or whatever color you want) go to the balance connector. Just make sure the balance connector gets wired for your charger (Just Google the wiring like I did). If you want more help with this let me know. I just went through it all.

Franco2fly

I made a huge boo-boo over the past weekend when I accidentally poked an Xacto blade into one of the 3 cell 2450ma pack in one of my planes. (It didn't take much, just the slightest nick)  It was only moments before I noticed the pack getting hot.  I took it out and set it in the backyard on a picnic table.  Sure enough the one cell continued to drain til it got to zero. 

Next day, I went to the store and bought a replacement 3 cell,(Ouch 75 bucks!) but on driving home thought I might be able to recover at least the two good cells.

This wasn't all that difficult, but I had to guess at the placement of the balance leads.  Colors are Red/White,Blue and black.  I took out the old multi-meter and measured the voltages on a good 7.4 pack and found that the red wire was not used.  I just duplicated the voltage tap points on my recovered formerly 3 cell pack once the bad cell was cut out.

Worked like a charm, except I am having difficulty finding the Aluminum flux necessary to make good solder joings.

KKKKFL

KW_Counter

Yesterday I was at the local recycling center.
There I saw a bucket of batteries that had been turned in.
I went through them looking for some A123s - no luck.
But what a source, and probably free if I had found what I wanted.
Check it out.
Good Luck,
KW_Counter

flygilmore

Been reading a bunch...got it figured out now.

thanks.

degray

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks for the info on the Dewalt DC9280 packs. I have been trying to find out the capacity of these cells and glad you were able to deterime their capacity. Apparently Dewalt does not provide this information as far as I know. Where did you find out? Thanks again. Don

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

These are what I got out of the Dewalt packs: http://holmeshobbies.com/product.php...&cat=10&page=1

Cycling confirms that these are 2300mAh

Bliksem

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

Unfortunately not all charger & battery pack manufacturers use the same methods for balance charging. The link provided here is very useful though.

I have 2 of the Thunder AC6 chargers. The balancing is done using both the balance connectors and the main charge ports. The pin-outs of the balance leads are different to the FMA units.

Hope this helps.

Bliksem

degray

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks for the information. degray

rlmcnii

My Feedback: (3)

degray,

I have only read that the DC9280 have the 2300mA cells. My first-hand experience is limited to the 36 volt pack. The A123 cells that seem to be used in portable tools (DeWalt or Black&Decker) or R/C are either 1100mA or 2300mA. The 1100s are just a little larger than an AA cell. These are used in the Black and Decker VPX packs. The DC9280 pack is compatible in physical size with the 2300 cells. I do not remember precisely where I read the information about the 9280 pack. However, the writer was confirming the use of eight, 2300 cells in those packs.

I think it is a pretty safe bet that the 9280 pack is, in fact, made up with 2300 cells.

Perhaps someone reading this has first-hand experience and will post the information. rlm

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

degray,

I harvested my cells from 2 x Dewalt 9280 packs. They are 2300mAh and look exactly like the picture in the link I provided in an earlier post in this thread. Cycling did confirm that they are 2300mAh. I use Thunder AC6 chargers and got my balancing leads from Radical RC http://www.radicalrc.com/category/Ba...Connectors-295 They also sell the heat shrink needed to tie it all together.

Bliksem

degray

My Feedback: (15)

Have not tried cycling A123's. We use to cycle NiCads at a discharge rate of .2C and recharge at .1C. What is the recommended discharge rate for A123 packs? I'm using a FMA Cellpro 4S charger. Does it select the rate automatically and can I then charge at the normal "high" rate? Thanks, degray

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

You can't discharge on the Cell Pro 4S (at least not the new one I just got). I just selected A123 and let it use the preset rate. It ramps up to 4 amps then reduces the rate once it gets closer to fully charged. Then it goes to balance mode. Works great. I have heard of people using a manual discharge method using automotive light bulbs. I have a Hobbico AccuCycle Elite that has a discharge function that I could use. You just need to set the discharge cycle to stop before the voltage gets too low. For a 2S A123, 5.5 to 6 volts would work. You could discharge at whatever rate you want. 0.5-1 amps would work to check capacity.

degray

My Feedback: (15)

Joe, Thanks for the info. I assume that just balance charging without discharging should be fine; provided the cells don't get too far out of balance. Don

cyclops2

I sure hope he knows about the plastic pressure vent plug under what looks like a positive cap. Got to plan carefully, when cutting the tabs near that blue hole.

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

I discharged at 800mA. This is a close representation of a hard flight in terms of average current draw, IMHO. For those that want to build their own packs, what looks like the positive terminal is the negative. Be careful. The paper shells surrounding the cells have small "-" and "+" printed on them.

Bliksem

nonstoprc

My Feedback: (90)

Make at least two to three charge-discharge cycles before real use.

rlmcnii

My Feedback: (3)

Bliksem,

Thank you for the confirmation. I did not want to be posting misinformation. The 1100 cells are the same length, but about half the diameter of the 2300s.

degray,

I use a CellPro 4S also. It is a charger, but not a cycler. I have discharged both 1100s and 2300s with an automobile tail lamp (don't know the amperage) successfully. If a 2-cell pack is discharged to 5.5 volts under load it is about 98% discharged. This state of discharge is according to the Cell Pro 4s. These cells discharge rapidly after they reach 6 volts...watch them.

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

FWIW,
the Dewalt 18v Li-ion nano phosphate pack contains 6 pairs of 1100 size A123 cells (6s2p). I had a bad circuit in one of my tools so I took apart the pack to make some rx packs for my smaller planes.

I was a little suprised as I only expected a 10 cell pack or 5 cell pack of the 2300 size.

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Like nonstopRC said, it's a good idea to test them before you fly them. 2-3 cycles is a good idea.

degray

My Feedback: (15)

Just received a 28 volt DeWalt battery pack. Looks great on the outside, but can't figure out what type of tool is needed to get the screws out. Thought at first they were star-socket heads, but they have something in the center sticking up that prevents the socket from engaging. Any suggestions? Thanks, Don