joseph185

How much voltage should a fully charged 4.8 have . I charged mine per manufacturer spec. and it is showing 5.4 volts is this normal. Also if using a 6volt pack do you need a regulator or just plug the pack directly to the receiver.

bigdarylg

5.4 volts is pretty much normal,just plugged directectly to receiver is fine for the 6 volt pack

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

http://www.rcbatteryclinic.com/

http://members.aol.com/davthacker/abattfaq.html

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Some digital servos dont take well to 5 cell packs but thats rare and they dont show specs for 6v if thats the case. Other than that you dont need a regulator unless you want to run lipo or lion packs for receivers.

Jester241

When asking the same question at my flying field,my instructor made it very clear......"although it charges up to higher then 4.8v,4.8 is the voltage at which the batteries will effectively OPERATE at". So you can fly it until it gets to close to 4.8,then you had best charge it immediatly! Never let it get below 4.8 or you could find your plane having a mind of its own.

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Your instructor must have never heard of a discharge curve. So much misinformation at our flying fields today. A 4.8 volt battery is not dead or in need of a charge when it gets to 4.8 volts. Go to this site.

http://shdesigns.org/batts/battcyc.html


[quote]ORIGINAL: Jester241

flipstart

I use a bunch of 1650 4 cell NIMH RX packs and they charge up to 5.4-5.65, I always recharge to at least 5.4 volts. The excess voltage usually bleeds off fairly quickly and packs settle down at about 5.2 volts. 4.8 volts has always been my field charge voltage, I don't fly lower than 4.8, but since I switched to the 1650 NIMH you don't have to worry about the voltage other than a check to make sure all is normal. Your tongue will be hanging out before you run down one of these packs. (If properly charged to full capacity)

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Yea, it's always good to have excess batt capacity. What I see mostly is guys who have no clue as to how batteries really work. I've had guys tell me they won't fly their transmitters below 10.2 volts or their recievers below 5 volts. I'm an advocate of knowledge over BS. Hard to find many in this hobby who even know what a battery discharge curve is. Once you know you can decide how far you want to go down on your batteries based on fact instead of fiction.

Jester241

I dont know Fancman,but if you want to risk flying your $800+ plane on a battery registering less then 4.8 volts.....knock yourself out!!

I'll take my instructors advice as well as every other person at the field and I'll field charge my batteries when they hit the 4.8 mark. Expecially considering I only have a 600mAh battery that can discharge a good amount during even 1 good flight. I can generally get 3-4 good flights before it approaches the 4.8 mark and then I field charge. I wouldnt risk any more. Even with the much larger NiMh batteries,I'd be surprised if anyone recommended to fly with less then 4.8 volts,but I have been wrong before.....so let me have it! lol

Rodney

What fancman says is true. When your 4 cell battery is at 4.8 volts, it still contains over 50% of its capacity. He is also correct when he says much of what you read on batteries in the forums is incorrect or only the partial truth. He gives a good reference you can trust. Another is www.rcbatteryclinic.com.

DadsToysBG

My Feedback: (35)

I only have one question. Who wants to fly with only a half charge? Dennis

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

It's not about flying around with half a charge. It's about learning about how your equipment works and not just relying on the myths perpetrated by some know it all's in our hobby. Not trying to tell anyone how to run their equipment here but rather chalenging people to know the facts and use them as they see fit.

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

I'm not here to let you or anyone have it. Use the info links I cited in whatever way suits your style. Go with the truth or myth. It's your equipment and your call. Just want everyone to be able to find the truth of the matter and make up their own mind. I don't reference anyone's opinion ever. The truth is out there for everyone to find and use for themselves.

I will say that if you are only getting three flights out of your batteries before charging you are probably operating on myth and misinformation rather than fact in what your battery capacity actually is. Your plane, your choice but if you consider that the actual life of your battery might be one hour lets's say and you recharge after every 30 minutes what is your point especially when you say you will do the same with a battery that lasts two hours. Why not take time to learn how your battery works and fly accordingly is my only point period.

Rodney

I wonder if that guy with the $800 airplane also lands as soon as the gas tank is half empty, He must if he wont fly with a 4 cell battery at 4.8 volts.

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

It's difficult to talk of truth and facts when you're competing with "Some Guy at my field said." You know for sure that Mr. Some Guy is the local undisputed expert in all things RC and he can not be challenged or questioned, least ye anger the Gods of RC and be banished forever from the realm.

I'm just an advocate for knowledge and find it doesn't often come from Mr. Some Guy, but from owners manuals and mfg's instructions and any number of credible sources on the web. When you tell me Some Guy told you I know you haven't done any homework.

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Jester, could you read your post again. What you're saying is your instructor says you better not use a 4.8 volt battery pack when it gets to 4.8 volts. Read it again!! Does that statement make any sense to you??[&o] Like I say, " If you tell me what Mr Some Guy said, you haven't done any homework.

Jester241

......dont ask me why I'm doing this. But here goes. Ok,lets pretend I never mentioned my instructor or anyone else,ok?

Now you could be right,I'm not saying your not. I'm just trying to be safe then sorry by not flying with my batteries at less then 4.8v. You may be also right in that I havent done my homework and so on,but if there one other thing I've learned in these forums etc. is to read instructions. And instructions if understood properly usually wont lead you the wrong way. Here are a few exerts,not from my instructor,but from various instruction manuals.....

[Hobbico Digital Voltmeter mkIII]......"If the batteries voltage is less then the input voltage(4.8 in our case) the LCD will display the "RECHARGE" character. This indicates the battery is NOT in an adequate condition for use. Do NOT attempt to use the battery is such a reading exists,as total radio failure could occur,resulting in a loss of control of the model."

[Tower hobbies expanded scale voltmeter mkII]...."A. ONLY the bottom scale of the meter,marked as "4C," should be read for 4.8V packs. If the voltage reading is 4.8V or less,operating the model will be risky and should be avoided."


Now,I'm not trying to argue with you or prove anyone right or wrong,and perhaps you will run your batteries lower then 4.8 your whole life and never have a problem....its all a matter of opinion and what your feel comfortable doing I guess. For now though,I'm simply going to try to be safer then sorry. Other dumb mistakes in this hobby will make me sorry enough without having to worry about my batteries.

Have a nice day...I'm out

[]TEX[]

He is not risking anything, it's called knowledge and when you know the limits of your equipment the risk is eliminated.