RE: Do I need a larger capacity battery for my Rx.
Airbusdrvr - I actually buy most of my batteries through my LHS and the brands I use a lot of are Venoms from Great Planes in both stick and hump pack style (I actully prefer the hump pack in some aircraft so keep both on hand) these being mostly 1600 Mah five cell Nimh.
The other brand I use a lot of and buy through my LHS are Tenergy not Turnigy. The Tenergys are wholesaled through a Warehouse in california and the have served quite well. I attended the dealer show several years ago in Las Vegas and got my dealer connected up with this wholesaler. The Tenergys that I use most are 16oo to 2500 mah five cells as well as a few LiPo's of various capacitys for my just three electric airplanes.
Buschbarber - Yes you are correct some airplanes naturally do not get flown as much as some others and I am slowing considerably as I become more disabled but still manage to add perhaps five or six completions a year some complex and some very simple Jobs.
I do still fly almost every day. The Nimh's have never been a problem and I do date them when installed and never bury them in the airplane. Always making sure that a change out is easy with access doors or othewise mount on velcro and a simple replacement . My preference is change out the Nimh's after perhaps about three years regardless. Fourteen or fifteen dollars is the typical price I pay for these batteries.
Except for my few electric I choose not to us lipo's as this I beleve will increase my costs considering the likely service I would get from them. Also I particularly will not use Lipo's in Tx's or my starters that is only asking for trouble for me. In my starter I am estatic over the Harbour Freight 18 volt Nicd drill pack I am now using on all my starters from the Sullivan half A throuh my mondo starter. This is a ten dollar pack that is perfect for the job. This enables me to be completely portable and I do not use power panels or carry heavy flight box batterys, using only single cell glow ignitors or portable ignitor box's and geared manual fuel pumps mounted to my one gallon or one quart metal fuel cans.
Karolh - Excellent decision and that set up will work just fine for you with no worries of brownout if you use good charging teckniques and the 148 are no issue either. I have many 148's running in various airplanes although I could not tell you which off the top of my head. I am also a heavy Hitec user and acturally I use a lot of the delight full little HS 225.
John
This is my most recent completion a simple arf which I maidened yesterday and bought a week ago at the club auction and night fly which I promoted for the club. This delightfull litte ship I bought for thirty seven dollars without engine or electronics of course but I am mentioning this as its one I also mounted the battery forward which makes no lead neccessary and I beleve allows the battery run cooler but also in keeping with the question of accessability makes battery changout very simple: