When upgrading TX/RX batteries...what should I be looking at other than the MAH? What is 4/5A? Sanyo better than Panasonic?

voltage, mah rating.
there are 2 choices in recievers 4 or 6 volt either is ok

For TX batteries, NiMH can often give you appreciably more capacity in the basically fixed volume of the battery box. And those batteries are ok for the basically constant demands a TX makes.

I've seen two very respected battery experts state unequivocally that Sanyo makes the best NiCd's. And that it's worth using them exclusively. Don't know if it's still good advice, but I've seen nothing to disprove it.

So are nicds recommended over nimh for rx power? Right now I am running the stock 4.8V 600Mah nicd and am looking for longer duration.

Can the Futaba receiver battery cycler be used on the tx battery as well?

to ANSWER MY OWN QUESTION...tHE FUTABA CYCLER DOES NOT WORK WITH tx BATTERIES.


WHAT ARE YOU GUYS USING/DOING TO CYCLE YOUR TX/RX BATTERIES?

Personally, I don't buy nicads. Nimhs have a larger capacity for the same size and weight. While their internal resistance is higher than nicads, the extra capacity overcomes that by a long shot. For the same size and weight of a 600 mah nicad pack, you can get a 2700 mah nimh.

I use an Accucycle Elite. However, I only recycle about once a year. Nimh batteries don't need recycling and the need to recycle nicads is grossly over stated. The ONLY reason I recycle once a year or so is so I can get a good estimate of the overall health of the battery pack. If the cycle shows a significant loss of capacity, the pack goes in the recycle bin. To cycle the transmitter pack, I just remove it and plug it into the cycler.

But if you fly a lot and rely on the TX voltage readout be aware that the drop off in voltage with NiMh is MUCH steeper than Nicads.

I have less than 90 seconds between my low batt. alarm going off and TX shutdown on a Futaba FF9 with 1800 mah NiMh pack.

www.vapextech.co.uk

a 2400mah 4.8v RX battery for £5, and a 2100 NiMh for £10

i prefer NiMh's because you can just top them up before you go flying and your pack wont suffer

Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

EEEEEEEEEWWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Here is a good source of information on NiCd and NiMH battery packs: www.rcbatteryclinic.com The author is a retired battery engineer and a moderator on RC Universe.

My opinion is stay with NiCd unless you need the extra capacity of NiMH. NiCd packs have a longer shelf life, lower self discharge rate, and in general I feel are slightly more reliable then NiMH. I fly all day with 1100 mAh Sanyo NiCd packs in both my Tx and Rx. On the other hand, if you need the extra capacity then by all means go to NiMH.

By the way, the original equipment battery packs that come from Futaba and Tower Hobbies seem to be of excellent quality. Another good source is www.radicalrc.com

ro347 the charge jack on Futaba transmitters are diode protected if you want to call it protected. this will not allow the battery to be discharged through the charge jack. to deep cycle a tx battery leave the radio on and monitor the voltage. or remove the battery and discharge like a rx battery
deep cycle a Nicad to prevent memory, doesn't mean if you don't deep cycle you will develope a memory. all batteries are different and it depends on their use

That takes alot of flying and/or not shutting off your TX between flights.
I have a 2100 mah NiMh in my Futaba and the lowest I have ever seen it was 9.9v after a long weekend, usually it is above 10v for quite a few flights.

I meant the discharger/cycler that futaba sells on the market. But thanks!

The only reason to cycle either NiMh or NiCad is to check to see if they are still up to capacity, maybe once or twice a year. The way the batteries are used in transmitters and receivers never creates the so called memory syndrome which is pretty much a myth anyway. If you are using the slow chargers that usually come with the transmitter/receiver package, just charge over night before the fly day and enjoy. No need to discharge first either even if you never flew since you last charged them. As to discharging by turning on the transmitter and letting it run, there are two cautions. Do not run for an extended time with the antenna collapsed as it may damage the output stage as the energy normally radiated as RF is now dissipated as heat in the output stage. If you run with the antenna up, make sure there is no one else within two miles trying to use that frequency while you polluting the airwaves with needless RF.

I fly a lot. Cries of PEG_HOG and how big is the tank on that thing have been heard.

But it is when I am sloping that I have to watch my TX batt. I think the LCD displays on modern computer radios might be part of the problem.