jester_s1

There is some misinformation in this old thread, but now that it's been resurrected, I think I should correct it. A123 vs LiFe is not a Ford vs Chevy conversation. Standard LiFe is a soft flat battery pack much like Lipo batteries. The cells are connected via flexible tabs that come out of the soft cells. These soft packs are pretty susceptible to damage from vibration and shock, just like lipos. The manufacturing process also doesn't allow low resistance batteries to be made, therefore the discharge ratings are usually around 20c. The A123 is a completely different kind of cell. It is hard and cylindrical like a NiCd. The cells are joined with robust hard tabs that come out of the cell, and the cells are made with a nano-plating method that allows much lower internal resistance and therefore much higher discharge rates. A123 cells are considerably more durable, both from vibration and shock damage and also from normal use. If we want to make an anology, it's not Ford vs Chevy (as in the two are the same basic quality but everyone has a preference) but more like Ford versus Bentley (one is clearly superior but more expensive yet both are still cars). IMO, the soft LiFe packs are fine for .40-.60 size sport planes since you'll never even approach their current limits with either and there's not that much vibration, but for bigger gassers and aerobats, A123 is a must. If you don't want to go that route, skip the lithium technology altogether and stick with NiCd's for their durability.