bbrown2828

My Feedback: (76)

I have had my 8 fg for about 4 months now and I have noticed that the battery does not last too long and i would like to update it to a lion or a lipo has anyone else updated there batt in there 8fg and if so what batt are you using

pilotpete2

Any 2S lipo that will fit the battery compartment will be fine, you just have to splice on a Futaba battery lead. I would also use some black electrical tape over the charge jack and only charge through the balance leads of the battery. Plugging in the standard wall-wart with a lipo in the Tx would not be good.
The 8FG radios sold by Robbe in Europe come with a 2S 2800mAh Lipo, but I don't think Futaba in the US is carrying them.
I get over 7 hours with the stock battery in my 8FG and it's over a year old. If you're using a peak detecting charger, rather than the wall wart, your battery may need a couple of cycles with the stock charger for 16 hours or so.
Pete

bbrown2828

My Feedback: (76)

I use the stock charger but I had a 7c with a lipo in it before this and i hardly ever had to charge it so Igot spolt so I would like to get one for my 8fg also

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

I use LiPo Tx packs in all my transmitters. I can go for weeks without charging. I do not have an 8FG so I cannot speak for that Tx.

Silent-AV8R

It still fascinates me to no end how charging a battery is now an onerous task to be avoided at all costs. All I need is enough juice to get through a day of flying. If I have to put it on charge that night, then fine by me. In fact, I prefer that because then I know where my packs are. Going weeks without charging would make me more than a little nervous. It just ain't natural!!

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

It is very natural. Whether it is a Tx pack or a Receiver pack, the voltage should be monitored before every flight. I can rely on my LiPos and LiFe battery packs to hold their charge and not Self Discharge randomly. It takes me 30 minutes to charge and weeks to discharge. You do not have any better idea of the status of your batteries than I do.

I have been flying RC since 1978. I have used NiCads and NiMh for many years. I no longer have to worry about whether or not I charged last night. I don't have to wait hours to charge or end up with hot batteries because I had to Fast Charge.

This is 2011. We have newer technology in our radios and newer technology in our batteries. Don't be afraid of either.

Silent-AV8R

What ever floats your boat. But unless you are keeping track of your total time you cannot ever really be certain where you are on the discharge curve, especially with LiFePO4. Lipo is a little better. New technology aside, I still fail to see what the big deal is about charging your packs. FWIW I am huge fan of LiFePO4 packs and use them whenever I can. I fully embrace new technology, but I also don't think slapping my packs on a charger more than once every few months is all that big of a deal.

But like I said, whatever floats your boat, it's what makes this a hobby!!

T. Bob

My Feedback: (9)

This is not a Futaba / JR dig but on my DX8 with the optional 4,000 ma 2 cell poly and I have only charged it once this season. The point I want to make is why doesn't every quality radio come with a quality battery? I'm sure most of us would spent a little more money for that.

BuschBarber

My Feedback: (2)

Price.

rcairflr

My Feedback: (44)

Because the manufacturers think we are all idiots and will not take that into account when we are pricing/shopping for a new radio.

Charlie P.

I alternate my 9C with my 8FG (with the stock 1700 mAh NiMH pack in the 8FG).  I did upgrade to a 2000 mAh NiMH in the 9C.  Only once have I flown so much in a day of flying that I had to charge the 8FG pack at the field - 15 minutes on my charger in the car.  For those of use who grew up on NiCads the MiHM are quality batteries.  I don't use Lipos and have no plans to.