CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

I want to start using LIFE batts on my 27% Gee Bee, I have 6 digital servos, I'm currently using two 2000 5 cells NiMH, can I use the 1300 1C from TH or should I go with a higher C rating?

Thank you for any replies.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

I'm using nothing but LIFE batteries from HobbyKing and really pay no attention to the C rating. There's no way the radio system could drain the batteries in one hour so I wouldn't give it any concern.

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

+1 on Lifer's comments. Additionally, 1300mah sounds a little wimpy for a 27% plane. A lot wimpy for anything of mine. You might consider going with 23-2600. That should give you plenty of power. With LiFe, you don't want to use over about half the available capacity prior to charging.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Then, this one X 2 should do just fine for the Gee Bee, right?

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...iver_Pack.html

or this one.

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...dProduct=20838

and use this adapters.

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...arehouse_.html

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

You're going to run your flight pack using both, or one for ignition, the other for the flight pack? Probably work either way, but I would use both to run the flight pack, then power the ignition from the receiver.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

I have a 4.8 ma Eneloop batt for the ing with a Rcxel kill switch and a batt share with two NIHM batts for the rx which I want to switch to LIFE..

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Oh UGH.....

There seems to be some misconceptions in evidence here. The "C" rating doesn't have anything to do with the battery capacity so the comment by @Lifer is not relevant. @ahicks comments have some merit.

The C rating is a discharge rating or the amount of current the battery can put out as measured in either amps or watts. A low C rated battery is a bit different and those are generally used for tx's where folks want to convert their radios. There's no way in the world I'd use a 1C rated 1300mah battery on a flight pack. Those 20C batteries you linked to look like a suitable flight pack but I don't care for all the lead adapter business. Those connectors with their tiny pins are a major current bottleneck in our RC power systems and adding more of them just adds more resistance and another possible failure point.I don't see why you don't look for some batteries that have the appropriate leads on them? In fact if it were me, I'd just put in one battery with dual power output leads or even better, three to run the whole shebang and get rid of some weight. I'd also look at a 2500mah A123 battery for that purpose. The genuine article (LiFe's are the same chemistry but not built the same) can put out a continuous 30C and burst to 60C. There are a number of vendors who will put an A123 pack together for you with any lead configuration you want. The WILL be a bit more money than HK, but you don't have to worry about the QA issues with genuine A123 batteries that you will encounter with the Life's.

Not sure if you know but the LiFe is a shortened version of the chemical makeup of the cells which is LiFe PO4; Li =Lithium, Fe =Iron PO4 = Phosphate.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Glad to hear that I have achieved irrelevance. I've been striving for that for quite a while.....

The Zippy 2500 pack is what I use although in the bigger planes I use 2 packs, and 2 switches plugged into separate ports. I also use a separate ignition pack but as ahicks said, you could pull off a receiver port if desired.

If you need any more help, please pm ahicks or myself. I don't tolerate personal attacks on forums where I strive to help others. Best of luck to all.

2walla

My Feedback: (10)

As above. C rating is the batteries ability to maintain rated voltage. A 1300mah 1c pack will maintain its rated voltage to 1.3 amp load then it will start to drop voltage. If you know anything about LIFE packs they usually hold voltage under load so a 1300mah pack that is 1c rated is probably not the greatest pack to consider using for a flight pack.

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Cars, here’s one way to figure it out. Peak charge your battery. Fly for ten minutes. Peak charge the battery. Write down the mah consumed. Do this six times. Add the numbers. The sum is the mah’s you have consumed in one hour. Double this or more for a safety factor and this is the capacity of a battery you will need to fly for one hour. Dan.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Thank all for your time and replies, it has clarified some of my questions, my main concern is to have enough voltage at all times even during aggressive maneuvers, so, the 1C batt may not or will not maintain its voltage during the high demand of a hard maneuver, where the 30C batt will supply adequate voltage at all times.

I've read about LIFE all I can from various vendors and I do get the pro and the cons ( cons, none that I can see ) also I understand the differences between LIFE and A123 ( the real thing ) but there is always room to learn more.

I know of Electro Dynamics and NoBS batteries which supply the real thing ( yes, higher prices ) and they can make a batt pack to your needs.

Lifer, ahicks thank for always been there ready to help.

Again, thank you all.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Excellent idea Dan.

Thanks

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

One other source I really trust besides the two you mentioned and I've dealt with both is WrongWay RC. Here's a link to his battery page with the various configurations he stocks but he'll make you a pack in a few days and ship it. I started using him when it became more expensive for me to make my own packs than to buy them from Richard.

http://www.wrongwayrc.com/index.php?...ory&path=67_84

As for lifer's hurt feelings, I really don't care if he's going to go about spreading information saying that the C rating doesn't matter, you clearly understand that it does matter....

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Cars, thanks for the thanks. Dan.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Here is another question.

How about the Hydrimax from TH, what is the C rating on these 5c 6V batts? any one ?

I had two of these batts in my Gee Bee y 27%, the Gee Bee flew just fine, no radio or servo problems during flight that I could notice.

Tks.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXNHS4&P=ML

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

According to what TH has on the page, the capacity is 2000mah and the maximum charge rate is 1.4A. No well maintained and charged battery will cause radio or servo problems. It's the defective ones that will get you. Dan.

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

While I have used NiMh batteries in the past with great success, probably the last brand I would recommend today is the Hydramax line. These are fairly high impedence (meaning low "C") batteries that are OK for light duty service but they tend to fall on their face (voltage drop) when pushed a bit. There are simply better batteries to be had for the same or less money. As others may have recommended, go to the Hangtimes Hobbies web site where they have a great deal of information regarding NiMH, NiCd and LiFe batteries.

More about NiMh batteries ..... they typically don't publish a "C" rating for these batteries. Some companies such as Hangtimes do publish the internal impedence for their batteries. This is a different kind of battery rating for their ability to supply high current while still maintaining cell voltage. The lower the impedance, the greater the ability to supply high current.

As suggested in many forums ..... go LiFe and especially genuine A123 cells. Buy quality batteries from a good company and you should be well pleased with the results.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Dan, do you think the 1300 1C LIFEsource batta from TH will do just fine in .60 size airplane, since I now own two I like to use them in two of my .60 size airplanes.

These are 1C only.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Truck
I totally agree with you, I'm moving away from NIMH, I got me four about two years ago, three of them couldn't hold more than 800 out of 2000 mah., I also had great success with NIMH.but they are a thing of the past.
LIFE is the way to go, I have a 2300 LIFE that is 7 years old and is working just fine, I tested the capacity and came out to 2200 mah, not bad for a seven years old batt, this batt is in my GP Citabria and doing just fine.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Zeeb

Thank you for recommending WWRC, I've had order from them before, looks like I will be ordering around 8 batts from them including a radio batt, no more NIMH or LIPOs for me, none.

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Carlos, a 1300mah battery pack should be fine for a .60 size plane as long as you know the current consumption of your system. My .60 size planes consumed an average of 300ma continuously. That means that I could fly for two hours and have a two to one margin with a 1300mah pack. With that said, most guys do not know what the current consumption of their flight system is and have know idea what their battery pack capacity is. It’s not the one written on the pack. You’re asking a lot of good questions here and there is a lot more to think about than just one simple answer. By the way, I discard my batteries when they loose 20% of their original capacity or approach about 2 ½ years old, which ever occurs first. I do not use lithium based batteries because I love my planes, cars and house. And, I don’t care what kind of batteries the other guys use so please don’t everyone jump on this. We are trying to help Carlos. Dan.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Thank you for the reply Dan, I will keep the 1300s that I ordered for the .60 size aircraft and get some higher Cs ones for the bigger birds.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

If you get genuine A123 Systems A123 batteries like WrongWay sells you dont have to worry about the C rating, they will happily discharge at rates that would melt the wiring in an RC plane.

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

deleted response

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Thank all for participating on my education on LIFE batteries, I hope that others will benefit from this thread, I've ordered two 1600 20C LIFE from Wrong Way Rc, Richard had that order packed and ready to be picked up by the USPS like in 1/2 hour with a tracking number, I should be getting them some time Tuesday or Wednesday, hopefully I will have the Gee Bee flying by then.