Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

I've ran li-ions before (duralites) and was wondering if there would be any advantage in a li-po pack.

I've heard: the li-pos can't handle the vibrations that a li-ion can.

Also a Li-ion can't handle the current that a li-po can.

Is any of this true?

Just curious more than anything. Being I have to buy new batteries for my plane, which would you go with?

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

If I was making the choice in what battery type I was going to purchase today or tomorrow, for either gas or glow, the decision would go to the lithium polymer. Vibration is an issue all the batteries have. That's why we take care with any of them to install them in as shock free manner as we can. We also try to prevent excess "flop" in the wires and connectors. That's with any battery if we are doing the job correctly. We fly our foamies with exposed lipoly batteries all the time. Sometimes that same battery breaks free of the velcro we have holding it on and bounces off the ground. 9 times out of 10 we use it again.

The "burst" discharge rate of the lipoly batteries is absolutely astounding for soamething that small and light. As a rule, they will always out perform a lithium ion in this area.

So in the end, both lipoly and lithion are good choices, but I have to give the edge to the lipoly. It's important to use care and attention in charging either one.

rcblimppro

Once again Pat and I agree. We really have to stop doing this as it is not as much fun haha. I too chose li-poly because of the higher discharge rate and I find it easier to install flat packs as opposed to square.


Shawn

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Kelly, good luck with your choice. I have vented a lipoly before and have seen the fire. I'd hate to have one go off in a crash. Lithion has a better form factor IMO for resistance to puncture. For now giant scale world does not require a waiver from AMA as the turbines do. I use lithion on my GS and turbine and lipoly for electrics. The newest fromeco's seem above and beyond the other brands right now. That is what I am using in my jet.
http://fromeco.org/Shop/apeerless.htm

joe kelley !~)

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

I hate it when that happens

Darrinc

My Feedback: (5)

I asked a question awhile back about if people where using Li-Poly's in their giant scale plane. I was quite amazed at how many people were. I will be running them unless i need extra weight for balance, then you have the option of Li-poly or Nickle-metal, or in other words, what ever the lightest pack needed to balance and keep the wire runs short.

torqmeister

Here we go, I absolutely agree with Silversurfer &Blimpepro(sp?). I have been using li-polys for almost 2 yrs, well over 200 flights on everything from.25-.40 profiles to 50 cc gassers, not one problem. By the way, I use digitals all around on everything. My .02.

02ViperTwin

Hi Guys,

Sorry to ask here but do you guys actually remove your Li-Poly/Li-Ion packs from your planes to charge them?

I don't plan to charge my Fromeco Relions (purchased before the Peerless' were introduced) unattended, but I can't see how I could monitor temps if the packs are all wrapped up and stuffed down deep in the fuse. If you are removing your packs, are there any nifty quick-release battery setups so I don't have to worry about CG everytime I remove/install the packs for charging?

Thanks in advance!

torqmeister

Yes, I do remove my li-polys from the plane to charge them. When charging, they are sitting in an old metal boiling pot.

Installation: I wrap each battery in 1/2 " foam, & secure them in the plane with velcro straps. It makes them as vibration proof as possible.
There is a guy at our field, who just started to use li-polys in a 30%. He attaches them to a bulkhead with velcro tape only, just like on a foamy. He has about 2o flights with them with no problems.

Exception: I have been using a 7.4v 2sp 730 mah pack in a EF Mini-3D. The pack is buried, & I am charging it in the plane. I have done this a dozen times with no problems, & am gaining some confidence doing so. With the horror stories I've heard, I will always charge li-polys outside, if the batteries stay in the plane.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

The fire danger with Lithiums, especially LiPo, is not to be feared, but it should most definitely be respected. NEVER, NEVER charger Lithium battery packs unattended - regardless of how new or how seemingly undamaged the packs appear to be, nor how sophisticated your computer charger(s) are. A modeler in my local club here let a new LiPo charge unattended in his garage and it cought on fire. He was very fortunate that the fire did not spread beyond the the table top the LiPo pack was sitting on, but the story could easily have ended in a very different - and possibly tragic - ending.

If you choose to charge Lithiums in your airplane, be prepare to lose whatever "container" the packs are attached to - be it a $50 foamie or a $5,000 36%er. Do I always always take my LiPos out of fuselage for charging? Honestly, not everytime - especially at the field. So far, I've confined LiPo use to small electrics, so I am at peace with the possibility of a total loss. I still do make sure the charging is done away from any combustible material (wood, fabric, plastic etc.). Sitting on concrete is best.

BTW, if you do take Lithiums out the fuselage to charge, a large heavy glass jar works very well as a container. IMHO its better than the ceramic "battery bunker" because the clear glass allows you to monitor the packs visually. The temp of a lithium fire may be high enough to melt glass, but the fire typically will not last long enough to melt down a heavy glass jar, which is used simply as a sacrificial fire barrier/containment.

My $.02. Your flashpoint may vary.

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks for the info guys.