I currently am flying a SR120 and the UMX Extra 300. I am just curious how you guys are caring for your batteries. I have not had any of my packs for the extra go bad, but I have lost about 9 packs for the SR 120. All 9 packs were the eflite 500mah 12c packs. I try to always store them fully charged and I always try to not hit the voltage cut out on the ESC, but it does happen occasionally. It seems these Micro batteries are much more sensitive than my larger packs, and I was just wondering how you guys care for them, and if I should be doing something different.


Thanks

I'm with snoopy on this. Flyin Beagle, my batteries seem to be like people: everyone's different somehow.I have really good success so far with Thunder Power in the 160 mah size, with each retaining capacity charge after charge. But I don't know about the larger ones, yet assume similar results. I hear great things about Hyperion batteries, too. I've heard that most store their batteries-the multiple cell batteries at least, at about half-charge, rather than full, and so I go with that advice. On these little one cells though, I've found that, put away for a few weeks, the batteries will slowly arrive at about half-charge of their own accord, anyway. And, these 1 cell TPscharge right back up no problem, so I don't worry about it much.
I await clarity on all fronts on this issue you posted, too. Thanks and good flyin'!

You have several different things going on in my opinion. It is my belief that after a couple of dozen flights the E-Flite packs are done, with careful flying/charging strategies you can extend that life span some, but it is a basic engineering problem. I do not have a 120sr, but I do have an mCPX as well as many other planes and helis. Helis need constant voltage and amperage. So how a C rate is listed is a big deal(constant C or burst C), as is the size of the pack overall. I think if you hooked up a watt meter you would see that you are running that battery at 10+C continuously. A huge clue was looking at the motor and battery connectors. Those are mini-JST's rated at 7A, although they are good for 3 times that . Putting them on a single cell lipo, much less one that small, tells me that the constant draw was damaging the JST-XH plug. That is the one on your Extra. A little looking around has shown me that the larger version of the JST-XH that is on the mCPX still may not be enough for the draw. The mQX has the same battery configuration.

The power system on the Extra has been being tweaked for 6 years starting with the Minium line of Micros. And is far more established I tend to store my single cells from charged to recharge before the next use if it is over a few days. And the only ones that have just given up soon have been the HH packs and the early nanotech 130's. I have Nano tech 160's, Hyperion 180's, and Hyperion 250's. All of them are superior to the Horizon products.

I hope I was not to, well not to much. I am working on a battery issue that is due to an aircraft issue so all of this is what my brain is working on. My problem is why did making everything smoother, better adjusted etc cost me so much battery unhappiness in my EXI 450[>:]

And just because I can, here is the video of the offending test flight Have a great Week End All!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zx0gUf_gKQ&list=UUT-tXf901oScQfbdRnsQY8w&index=1&feature=plcp[/youtube]

I'd listen to Tim, (Ferndale) he knows his micros.

Also a tip and a question. Tip first, it's a no-no to store a pack fully charged. Unless it's for a short term duration. I'd say a week or less.

Now for the question. What are you using to charge the packs?
If it's the included charger like most of the micros, the one that runs off AA cells, my understanding is it charges at a higher then 1C rate for quick recharges. The easier you are on your packs charging C rate, the better for them.

And lastly yeah, like Tim I haven't had a lotta luck with the stock packs life and performance, compared to the Hyperion and Thunderpower.