Hi all I have a EF Sabre (don't laugh) , I bought a lipo 2 cell 7.4 volt 1320mA pack for it. I am trying to figure out the best way to determine when the pack has been drain sufficently enough to recharge without bringing it down past 6.6. I have flown the helo for quite a bit and the battery still read 7.4volt. But the helo cannot fly very high maybe a foot or so. Should I just recharge it now or keep hovering till it gets down to 6.6 or will no longer hover. The Sabre stock battery is 8.4 volt NimH 630 mAh. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

P.S. HB CP2 en route

This could be caused because the battery is too heavy for the power output, or it's just too low. I'd say just charge it as these things have no memorys on them.

I usually fly my lipos untill the helicopter can't comfortably lift it's self into the air anymore without struggling. LIPO's do not suffer any negative effects from charging midway through a pack, so go for it. No sense in draining it right down to 6 volts. 7.4 volts is lower than what the micros FP brids are rated for (I think their nimh batts are 8.4 volts). So basically once you get down to 7.0 volts or so the helicopter probably won't be able to lift it's self under it's own power anymore.

Aslong as you don't go below 6 volts you're OK.

Thanks guys! I flew the sabre till the skid would not leave the ground and that got it down to 6.7. So everything you have said sounds great I wont be able to drain the battery lower than 6 volts cause the helo wont leave the graound! [8D]

Thanks for the help.

If you let the battery get down to 3v per cell it can be damaged. so for your 2 cell pack dont let the voltage get to 6.0volts or below. Also as said above Li-poly batteries dont have a memory so once your chopper starts having trouble hovering just charge it there is no need to drain the pack more.