kurtf5

Hi just a couple of things i need to clear up.

1. The planes either use Nimh or Lipo, but the Nimh pack that comes with the Phantom is only like 300Mah.
Well cant you just buy a 2000Mah Rx pack that you would use in an RC nitro car and just whack that in to increase flight times?

2. How are motors rated, i know the Phantom is a 180 motor, what does that mean?
Thanks

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

It's a size 180 motor. it is a fun little plane to learn 3 channels on. But you will want something better very soon.

the stock battery is just fine and flight times are longer than what you would think. They also sell a battery that has one more cell as an upgrade. The plane is faster with the extra cell.

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

I don't know what the designation 180-sized means, sorry. You can't necessarily put a much larger battery into your model for two reasons - it probably won't fit, and the additional weight will change everything. You might be able to go from a NiMh battery to a lipo if you can find one of roughly the same voltage and the same physical size. I think lipos have about a 2:1 weight advantage for the same energy stored, so you could theoretically fly twice as long if you changed your NiMh battery for a compatible lipo of twice the capacity but roughly the same weight and size.

Hope this is of some help...Chris

kurtf5

Would a different batt pack really make a difference, like 1 or 2 grams so the plane is unflyable?

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

No - 1 or 2 grams won't make a difference. I thought you were talking about changing the weight by an ounce or two. I don't know how much the Phantom weighs - maybe 10 ounces/290 grams with battery? In that case, a few grams won't make any difference.

I have had a trainer for a long time that was designed to use two NiMh batteries - powering it with an equivalent lipo pack reduces the AUW from about 100 ounces to 88 ounces, which makes a big difference. I wouldn't want to INCREASE the weight by 12 ounces over designed weight, though! It's flying characteristics would probably change a lot for the worse (easier stalls, poor climbing, fast sink rate, etc.) As it is now it flies around well with cameras, etc. strapped to the wings.

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Kurt, I have one of these in my basement and it has been a LONG time since I flew it. I was wrong about the battery upgrade. My old Firebird ST2 came with a 6 cell and there was a 7 cell upgrade pack. It looks like the stock battery for the Phantom is a 7 cell. Not sure if it would hold an 8 cell voltage or not. Should be plenty of power with the 8 cell. But for longer flight times you could get a small 2s lipo, like maybe a 1000mah would be slightly heavier and not effect the plane negatively.
Check the weights when buying the lipo and make sure it doesn't weigh too much more than your stock battery. Since the battery tray is in the front, it will just get nose heavy as the weight goes up. You could always add an extension to be battery lead and find somewhere to locate it behind the original battery mount. But don't go too far back or it will become tail heavy. and that is WAY worse than nose heavy.

Oh, I just had an idea. I went and took out my stock Phantom 7 cell battery for you. and one of my heli 2s 900mah lipos.
The 7 cell NIMH weighs 52.1 grams the 2s 900mah lipo weighs 44.6 grams
Bingo, we have a winner.
Here is a link to some batteries for you.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4x7-4v-900mAh-20...item335ee8d25e

Here are the ones I have for my heli.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4x-2S-7-4V-900MA...item414afbfb1a

Man, the work I do for people lol jk

kurtf5

Lol thanks. However the FF plane can only take Nimh, you cant out a lipo in it as the ESC is only compatible with Nimh batts.

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Yes you can put a lipo in it. just get one of these lipo savers. Hook it to the lipo balance lead, when you hear the loud beeping, bring the plane in for a landing.

This one has a dual buzzer and is EXTREMELY LOUD, so you can hear it when you are up there flying.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RC-Lipo-battery-...item3efa52134a

kurtf5

But the ESC is for Nimh, i didnt think you could whack a Lipo in a Nimh model?

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

ESC's are setup for voltage ranges, more than the type of battery - it can't tell the difference. A fully charged NiMh single cell is around 1.5 volts, as opposed to 4.2 volts for a lipo cell. So an 8-cell NiMh (at 12 volts) is about equivalent to a 3S lipo (12.6 volts.)

They are, however, different for brushed vs. brushless motors.

Wheelnut

My Feedback: (81)

Yep, just like lejongleur said, the esc can't tell the difference in the DC voltage from a lipo or a NIMH or NICD or any other battery type that produces DC voltage. The most important thing is to make sure you don't go too far over the esc's rated voltage.
A 3s lipo would be too much for this plane. A 2s would be fine.