battery pack lifespan?
HEY RED, I WENT TO TEST FLY MY STUKA FOR A MAJOR AIRSHOW THIS WEEKEND IN PAX RIVER MD. I CHARGED THE BATTERY AS NORMAL, LIKE I ALWAYS DO. I FILLED THE TANK, AND STARTED MY NORMAL RANGE CHECK ROUTINE. I ALWAYS RANGE CHECK WITH ENGINE OFF FIRST THEN START THE ENGINE AND RANGE CHECK AGAIN. THE CARB ON MY G-62 WAS FILLED WITH CRAP. IT WOULD NOT RUN RIGHT. GO RICH THEN LEAN, BLA, BLA. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IT STARTED TO RUN REAL FUNNY. THE THROTTLE WAS SURGING THEN THE ENGINE QUIT. I HAD NO RADIO INPUT. NO FLIGHT CONTROLS WOULD MOVE. I CHECKED THE BATTERY AND IT REGISTERED "DEAD". I REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE PLANE AND THE DATE ON IT (I ALWAYS DATE MY BATTERIES THE DAY I FIRST INSTALL THEM) SAID 03/01/01. I DONT FOOL WITH BATTERIES IF THEY DO ANYTHING FUNNY AT ALL I REPLACE THEM. A $30.00 BATTERY IS CHEAPER THAN A $2500.00 STUKA. I USAULLY REPLACE BATTERIES AFTER FOUR YEARS ANYHOW, BUT THIS ONE HAD ANOTHER YEAR TO GO. HAVE YOU COME ACROSS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE? I WAS ABOUT 2 MINUTES AWAY FROM A TOTAL DISASTER. I GUESS THE ENGINE WAS TELLING ME SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND DONT TAKE-OFF. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM IN 22 YEARS OF RC.