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Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

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Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Old 03-28-2012, 07:26 PM
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SeaJay
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Default Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I have been thinking about getting some of the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 battery packs from HK, to use as RX packs, just wondering if anyone has any experience with this brand of Battery pack.. If so, what is your opinion of them? worth it, or wasted??

Thanks, Craig.
Old 03-28-2012, 08:37 PM
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jester_s1
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I have a Zippy in my transmitter and have been happy with it for about the last year.
Old 03-29-2012, 04:53 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Jester_s1,

Would you trust them enough to be an RX pack??  you can keep a fairly close watch on them in the Tx, just curious about the Rx?  what are your thoughts?  What do you use in your Aircraft for the Rx pack? 

Thanks, Craig.
Old 03-31-2012, 12:54 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

wow, not many users with these packs, I guess...    I suppose I will just have to just buy them and see what happens.. 

Craig
Old 04-02-2012, 03:25 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I use them mate and they have been fine and i bet you will be well happy with yours,not much i can add to that.
Old 04-02-2012, 05:50 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I run my RX with a HK UBEC & the main HK flight battery
Old 04-02-2012, 08:31 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I've purchased 5 of these from the USA warehouse. Zippy Flightmax 2500 mAh 6.6 v 5C LiFe receiver packs.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...iver_Pack.html
I'm planning on cycling them tonight. I'll let everyone know the results. I would have purchased their 1100 mAh receiver packs as they are smaller size physically but they were out of stock.
John
Old 04-02-2012, 07:29 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I will be waiting anxiously for the results of your cycling of the battery packs you purchased.. I looked at the same packs, but I was looking at the following packs..

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

they are 2100 mAh @ 30c, vs 2500 mAh at 5c.. I guess a high c rating of a pack is not extremely important if you are using the pack as an Rx pack only..

I have never ordered from HK.. How long did it take for the packs to arrive from the USA warehouse once you ordered them??

Thanks again...

Craig.
Old 04-03-2012, 02:11 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Craig,
Life got in the way. I'll try and cycle them tonight. Look at the physical size of the packs. When mine arrived they surprised me cause I hadn't checked. Longer than I had thought. It was about a week from the USA warehouse. My first order too.
John
Old 04-04-2012, 02:04 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I have ordered about 20 of the 1100 life 10c reciever packs and 5 of the 1800 5c trans packs and 4 of the 4200 4cell packs .... I cycled them all before using them. Out of the lot i had some 2 packs that had a lagging cell for the first 4 to 8 cycles but they are getting better with use. Oh ya forgot i have also gotten a couple 2100 rx packs. With 2 cell life packs you don't need a regulator to feed the reciever. Allways use a life charger !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I allways balance charge and have been using life packs "hobbico and zippy" and have yet to have any problems in a year and a half. I have heard of people saying you can use the wall wart charger for the transmitter pack "wrong" The people i know that have tried this have puffed the pack. One was so bad it cracked the transmitter case. Here's your sign !!!!! like i said """"" Allways use a life charger"""""""" I have stated before ..... Try life and you will never go back to nicd or nicm. Make 3 flights then charge. Document the milliamps you put back in the pack and divide by 3 this will give you a ballpark of how many mamps you use per flight. You can use 80% of the batts capacity. But i don't go past 50% until i have flown the pack in the plane and have a feel for how much of the batt i use. I have hundreds of flights on my batts and find that most will last longer than i care to fly in a day !!!!! One is a profile "fun tiger" with a saito 65 with 4 hitec 5485hb and an hs 81 on the throttle, and if i thrash the heck out of it for about 7min. It uses about 60 mamps. As i usually take 2 planes to the field i could make 15 to 20 flights without recharging...... or if in doubt ...... recharge..... it takes about 30 min. at 1.5 amps and you are back at 100%
Old 04-16-2012, 08:22 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Okay I've finally finished cycling all my packs. I've purchased 5 of these from the USA warehouse. Zippy Flightmax 2500 mAh 6.6 v 5C LiFe receiver packs.

Only one pack was balanced as received. I use a Hitec X2 charger, http://www.hitecrcd.com/products/cha...ipment/x2.html
I charged these at 1 amp for the first couple of charge cycles and 2 amp for the 3rd and final cycle. All discharges were 1 amp discharged to 6.0 volts. My reasoning was a graph of A123 LiFe cells show an extremely fast discharge curve. The default discharge on the Hitec X2 is 4.0 volts. I believe discharging this low can adversly affect the pack life.

Basically all 5 packs balance within .1 volt. All are between 1759 and 1840 mAh. I've left them alone for a week and all have held their charge. Its up to you to decide if a pack that's rated 2500 mAh and tests at 1800 mAh is worthwhile. At $8.93 each I'll keep track of their capacity. For now they suit my needs.
John
Old 04-16-2012, 03:43 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

i have 2-3600 30c, 2-2500 5c 3-2100 30c and one 1800 transmitter pack ...all of them Zippy LiFe packs..... one of the 3600 packs went wierd one me.... once cell will balance but the other cell goes all the way up to 3.7 volts... when i put it on a volt meter it reads 7.02 volts... thats not normal for a life pack.... when all my others read 6.67

1 bad pack out of 8 isnt too bad i guess, especially since they are inexpensive
Old 04-16-2012, 10:15 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

3x 2500mA,hr 5C 6.6V ZFM packs here.

1 in LaFish slope soarer
1 in H9 Showtime 90, only running the one pack to power Ignition and Rx
1 in Futaba 8FG V5.0

all are running well and are around 6 months old. All broken in, no swelling, no strange balance issues. Have been superbly reliable
Old 04-19-2012, 07:03 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I've been running a few Zippy LiFe in my glow and gassers without a hitch. Seem to balance well, getting 4 flights before re-charging and probably could get 6 out the 1100mAh's. Seem great so far (but only about 15 cycles on them), time will tell. At 1/5 the price of A123 they are definately cheap but longevity is yet to be determined.
Old 04-19-2012, 09:14 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

I've been using the 1100 mAh packs for 2 years now in 2 planes and zero problems. I also have the 2500 mAh packs and the 4 latest ones I received 2 weeks ago had a futaba/JR plug on them already. Mine discharged to 2600 mAh. If your discharging them at 1 amp and to only 6 volts then your leaving fuel in the packs. They are different then A123 so using A123 graphs will not equal these. They bounce back a lot more then my A123 packs. If I take my A123 packs down to 6 volts at 1 amp they will not bounce back at all. The Lifepo4 HK packs need to go down to 5.2 volts at 1 amp and then they will bounce back up after the discharge is over to above 6 volts. They don't have the discharge capacity of A123's but then again they don't need to. My 50cc yak uses about 1.5 amps on average doing extreme 3D so double up the HK battery's for redundancy in 50cc stuff and smaller and enjoy the savings.
Old 04-20-2012, 02:08 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?


ORIGINAL: Mikecam

I've been using the 1100 mAh packs for 2 years now in 2 planes and zero problems. I also have the 2500 mAh packs and the 4 latest ones I received 2 weeks ago had a futaba/JR plug on them already. Mine discharged to 2600 mAh. If your discharging them at 1 amp and to only 6 volts then your leaving fuel in the packs. They are different then A123 so using A123 graphs will not equal these. They bounce back a lot more then my A123 packs. If I take my A123 packs down to 6 volts at 1 amp they will not bounce back at all. The Lifepo4 HK packs need to go down to 5.2 volts at 1 amp and then they will bounce back up after the discharge is over to above 6 volts. They don't have the discharge capacity of A123's but then again they don't need to. My 50cc yak uses about 1.5 amps on average doing extreme 3D so double up the HK battery's for redundancy in 50cc stuff and smaller and enjoy the savings.
I would rather err on the side of caution when it comes to my receiver packs. I did not think they would discharge the same as A123 but that was the only graph I could find. If I use the same discharge procedure and get repeatable results that's good enough for me - lacking any manufactures information. Thanks for your input. I'm still on the fence when it comes to these but the cost savings were unreal.

I will hook the PC up and graph the discharge to 5.2 volts and see what it looks like. If it doesn't fall off a cliff like A123s do then I could modify my voltwatches for a warning @ 5.5 volts or so.
John
Old 05-14-2012, 05:42 PM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Hey guys.. 

Haven't been on the site for awhile!!  Thanks for all the answers and info..  I think I will buy several packs, and give them a try.. most responses seem fairly positive..  so for the price, what the hey!!
Will  let you know what the results of my Battery purchase is..

JNorton, I might be calling on you for some setup help with my charger, as I also have the X2.

Craig.
Old 05-15-2012, 02:19 AM
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Default RE: Has anybody tried the Zippy Flightmax LiFePo4 batteries from HK?

Anytime. Course it is really easy to use. I bought it because I wanted the extra charge capability and liked it's construction. It uses capacitive switches and is very rugged.
John

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