The batteries are the most expensive and must be well protected against deep discharge.
For 10S, I must be very well sure that things will shut off once reaching 30V or below.

I have the manual of both Hacker-Master 90 ACRO and Schulze Future Universal 32.55, which include details on how to program and stuffs. Nothing I found that can make me sure to be able to set that LVC _manually_ like the one I have in CastleCreation Phoenix. Pity that Phoenix can not handle such a high voltage (we need 32-36 cells NiCd equivalent here for F3A).

I hate auto detecting number of cells. To me, I just dont trust it! Some brands & types say that they can detect the type of cells (LiPo or NiCd/NiMh), based on which it will know exactly what LVC voltage to set.

Read this...
For 10S LiPo, the plugin voltage is 42V. For 35 cells NiCd, the plugin voltage is also 42V. How can it know whether you are using 10S LiPo or 35 cell NiCd? (The number of cells may not be accurate, but infact, there will be a situation, in which the plugin voltages are the same).

And when your expensive LiPo pack is cooked this way to below 3V/cell, you will have problems next time you charge it and could be the time for the batteries to get swolen then go to the rubish bin...

If you purchase a Hacker Master Prog-Box ($40) you can set the LVC as well as a variety of other settings. It is a great device for setting up all the new Hacker Controllers.

Thanks JAS for the response.

It does not sound fair that such an important feature is available only when consumer buy the progbox.

I suppose Hacker bundles the progbox together with the ESC or better if they can make this setting available even without progbox.
Is this the way to force consumers to buy the progbox?

LVC setting is one of the basic essentials in electric setups, failure to get this right may even cause more serious in flight problems (and accident) to thousand dollars pattern planes. They really can not make this optional.

The Prog-Box works on all the Hacker Master controllers, not just the big one's. It would be hard to bundle every controller with one. I can set-up my plane without a Prog-Box no problem. I don't use the LVC, I leave the timing at the factory setting, I don't use a throttle curve and I can usually solder my controller up right the first time to get it to run the right direction (unless I'm rushed getting my plane ready for the Nats).

I tried playing with the LVC in a foamie, and found that I ended up setting it so low to get the most out of my battery that I felt it wasn't a feature for me. I usually can feel when my battery gets low, and also have a timer set (foamies). For the pattern stuff, I almost NEVER go over 10 minutes. For me, I don't see the need to push the batteries that hard. I treat them as if I have to buy each and every pack, just like I treat the rest of my equipment. I've never used a pattern pack to the point that I couldn't use it again (over discharged).

I do agree that unlike those for fun, pattern planes fly for competitions with predefined flying time, which is 10 minutes.

But time is not a measure of the electric charge that your motor pulls out from the batterey. More importantly, even for the same amount of electric charge being withdrawn from the batterey, you will end up with different final voltages every time.

Some discrepancies may happen during charging, for example when your charger stops earlier for some reason. Another example: some cells in the pack are not feeling well enough to take in the charge as much as they should and many other similar unfortunate cases. These all suggest that your 10 minute timer is not enough to protect your pack against deep discharge.

In fact, LVC is the first thing you must set properly even before considering timing and PWM frequency, which are just for optimization purposes. Almost all motors work with default timing and frequency. At least it will not cause any accident! On the contrary, if you accidentally have too high LVC setting, your plane may make an emergency landing on the high grass and you may have to fix her landing gear.

Another thing is about progbox.

Rather than relying on a progbox, why not just use a widely acceptable USB port and a PC/Laptop.

There is a tiny microcomputer inside the ESC and as always, microcomputer runs a software/firmware and as always, software contains bugs and revisions are always ongoing from time to time. By using USB port and widely used internet, consumers can download the latest software/firmware revisions and update their ESC via USB port. This way, vendor can quickly distribute some urgent fixes that are known after some problems reported from flying fields.

Unlike CG, wing incidences and thrust angles, setting ESC is almost never done at the field. This is because there is no field/flying evidences/data needed to set your LVC, motor timing or PWM frequency. All can be done at home. You will never need to bring in your PC/laptop to the field.

Everything you have mentioned is 100% true when charging the batteries and I can see why the LVC would be important. When I am done charging, I do check the voltage of both packs before they go into the plane. This is more need for a volt meter, not a Prog-Box. I did have a pack not charge fully, at the Worlds during practice, and having known this before I flew, I adjusted my flight time ( 6 minutes ) and then cycled the packs after I landed. This probably was backwards from what should have been done ( cycled first, then flew ) but I knew the battery would have to be discharged one way or another.

I'm not sure I agree about not needing to set the controller up at the field. When Sean and I did testing and final set-ups, they were done at the field. It is nice to be able to try new set-ups while at the field and not needing to wait until you get home to change those settings. The USB port is a great feature, but I am not in on the meetings that Hacker and Jeti have as to why they do not do this. I do feel the Prog-Box, even at $40, is not that expensive and is worth the 1-time investment. It may not be that way to everyone, and I don't expect it to be. For the pilots using more than 1 Hacker, it's perfect for them, for the one's that only have 1 Hacker, it may be a bit of a burden for them. Unfortuantely, not everyone can be satisfied.

Hi JAS

I've also two TP5S3P6000 in serial,on my F3A plane, that is also an Impact.
What are the Voltage diference you usually measure between the two 5S3P packs?
1- After charging the packs, if charged induvidualy ( not in serial )
2- Before a flight
3- After a P05 flight

jason, can the program box be used with the jeti speedies?