abufletcher

Due to my poor charging habits in the past, I'm down to one functioning Tx battery (and three functioning radios). I'm using Airtronics radios with the old 8-cell "square pack" and for some reason it seems next to impossible to find spar batteries from Airtronics/Sanwa. I've even thought about buying another RDS8000 just to get the battery and the receiver (which together count for half the cost of the radio). But the packs supplied with the radios are only 700mAh.

I wasn't able to find a suitable Tx battery from Tower, but a quick google search turned up this battery on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-2000mA.../dp/B00384JI3K

SR Batteries offers 8-cell square pack but they seem awfully pricey at about $70 (plus shipping).

Lnewqban

http://www.hangtimes.com/txpacks.html

PirateKevin

http://www.onlybatterypacks.com/show...temID=12413.47

Check these guys out. Lots and lots of packs to choose from
Good luck
Kevin

abufletcher

Thanks, guys! Both sites look great, but looks like the onlybatterypacks 1100mAh pack is a bit cheaper (with the airtronics connector).

N1EDM

My Feedback: (2)

Another option is www.batteriesamerica.com . Just click "RC Hobby" on the left sidebar.

Bob

TFF

SR batteries go the extra mile by doing everything to aerospace standards, not necessary but they put more though into each one. I like Batteries America too especially for making your own stuff. I would not get anything less than a 1200-1400mha pack if getting new.

abufletcher

To tell the truth, I haven't ever "run out" of Tx power even with the 700mAh packs. Maybe that's because I'm using a pretty basic radio that doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles...that I don't attend all-day fly-ins or competitions. My Rx batteries always run low before the Tx batteries...and both last for at least an hour in the air and that's the most I'm ever likely to fly on one day. I think once I did a "flight marathon" with two models and put in two hours in the air during perhaps three hours at the field. It was exhausting!

If I could find the Sanwa 700mAh packs and they were cheaper than the packs listed on some of these sites, I'd buy them. I've noticed that the newer radios seem to be moving away from these square packs towards flat packs...I suspect there's a little planned obsolescence at work here (like discontinuing the print cartridges for printers that work just fine) in an effort to move us towards buying newer radios.

TFF

If you cant get a factory pack then one with Sanyo, Panasonic, or other name brand cells; safe, which is what is in the factory packs. Some of these generic brand batteries are really bad. Heck I busted open a Duracell 9V battery a while back and it had 1/2AAAA cells in it instead of its own cell pile.

buzzard bait

I've been getting my batteries from RadicalRC.com for years. I like Eneloops, which they now make into packs for various Txs. I use a Hitec Optic 6 computer radio and it does use current. But also, the Eneloops hold their charge just sitting around better than anything I've had before.

Jim

abufletcher

It really is a PITA that I can't just walk into the Hobby People where I bought my Airtronics radio and pick up a Tx battery. They don't even have it listed on their website. I just checked the onlybatterypacks website and it'll cost $7 to ship a $26 battery (to a US address).

buzzard bait

I think Radical charges $3 now; used to be 2.

abufletcher

What the heck does this mean?

"Break in (first forming charge) on 50mah factory wall charger 700mah-19.6 hours,1100-30.8 hours,1650-46.2 hours, 2500-70 hours. For 70mah wall charger deduct 28% of time, for 100mah wall charger deduct 50% of time. Forming charge (initial charge) on peak detection chargers is not recommended and voids warranty."

I've long since gotten rid of those wall-chargers...which were the primary reason that most of my Tx packs are dead.

Can't I just put the battery in the Tx and charge it like I always charge. What's this 30 hours of charging above?

abufletcher

I guess I shouldn't complain about $7 in postage when a replacement battery (1100mAh) from Sanwa in Japan is listed as 7,350yen...or about $100!

http://www.sanwa-denshi.co.jp/frame-02.htm

TFF

Doing a slow charge was never a problem when all you had was wall warts. Batteries like to be slowly exercised when first charging. I trickle everything unless I field charge or the time hits and I am not ready. If a battery sits more than a month I charge it.

geezeraviation

My Feedback: (3)

Most batteries benefit from charging for a long period at the "C" rate or 10% capacity ie 1000ma pack charge at 100ma for 15 to 20 hours. I have been told you can plug in a "C" rate charger and leave it basically indefinitely. I still do "C" rate charging in the shop. I have several spare (un needed at this time) packs in 4.8 and 6v and about every six weeks or so I cycle them down and put em on "C" rate for a day.
I doubt if you hurt your batteries with the "wall warts" they're pretty safe as far as leaving them on for extended periods.
Doc

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

www.cermark.com has them. 1100mah should be good for three hours of on time. Dan.

DustBen

My Feedback: (3)

There are a ton of options to replace a Tx battery.
Have you considered a 3 cell LiPo? I charge mine about once a month and fly a ton off it.
Or, LiFe packs are a great option.
Search around the internet a bit and look at what is available at HobbyKing or Hobbypartz...
You don't have to have an Airtronics battery in an Airtronics radio; it's about the voltage and mAh capacity.

Madman

Abu

On all my Airtronics radios the first instructions were also to give the batteries a 24 hour charge in order to get them started out right. This is the same but adjusted for the different capacities and charge rates of the various batteries and chargers. From all your previous posts you mention batteries are your nemeses. There are so many options even those of us who have been flying electrics for decades (damn I feel old) have to stop and think.

In my opinion if you find you don't need tons of capacity and want to keep things simple then get some NiCads with similar ratings than before. I have found the high capacity NiCads don't have long life despite careful treatment and frankly the NiMHs have great capacity but are fragile can fail without warning and need to be handled in a very specific way for the first dozen charge/discharge cycles. I would go with 700mAh to 800mAh NiCads or the SR Batteries 1000mAh series.

As an aside I bought an Airtronics Quasar brand new off the shelf a couple years ago and the batteries, despite being probably 15 years old were excellent. Charged right up and had great life.

If you want to a 3 cell Lithium Ion pack is a great replacement for these packs. I am using one in my Infinities and have empty cases for three more. The cells are LapTop batteries about 2000 mAh and hold a charge for many months.

Stephen

abufletcher

We have a winner! I ordered two of the ordinary 700mAh NiCd packs, which is all I really need for $50 including shipping. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

"C" rate is the battery capacity. That would be 2 amps on a 2000 mah pack. Too high for the initial charge. You want to "break-in" the pack on a 1/10 "C" charge for approximately 15 hours. as mentioned above. I quit using Nicd batteries in my Tx. NiMh work just as well without "memory" problems. Although Nicd's can take heat abuse, Nimh batteries need to be carefully charged so that they do not build up heat which can destroy them. Capacities on NiMh batteries above 1000 mah should not be charged over one "C" (1 amp on 1,000 mah capacity).

I have also used the eneloops with good results. We have a local battery store that makes up packs with your connector for about $18 on a 2500 mah capacity.

abufletcher,
You can try this place for reasonably priced batteries:
http://www.batteryspace.com/96vbatterypackseries.aspx

They also have a warehouse and production in China:
http://www.batteryspace.com/contactus.aspx

Their Japan office is here:
http://www.batteryspace.jp/

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

This is where I get my batteries locally:

http://www.tnrbattery.com/

The pack I mentioned above for $18 is a 6.0 volt NiMh pack.

Bob

AIRPLANENUTS

My Feedback: (2)

Sanyo Eneloops make the best tx batteries I've ever used.

Rick

abufletcher

Lots of great options here! I just woke up this morning and said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, ORDER SOME DAMN BATTERIES! So I've got my two replacement packs (NiCD 700mAh square packs at $18 a piece).

stratosn

My Feedback: (26)

I make battery packs............. A trans. square, 2000 MiA, NiMH is 25.00. I use a std end. If your end is like a JR, I got'em. I also have several Receiver, Nicd's, 2200 MaH, 6 volt for 22.00. Let me know ifI can help. [email protected]