Question # 844
Hello;
Wondering about Lithium flight pack batteries. How reliable are they, what is an average pack life (how many approx. charges), do you use polymer or ion, and where is a good place to get them?
Thanks,
Bart
- Bart Andrist
Kennewick, WA. USA
Wondering about Lithium flight pack batteries. How reliable are they, what is an average pack life (how many approx. charges), do you use polymer or ion, and where is a good place to get them?
Thanks,
Bart
- Bart Andrist
Kennewick, WA. USA
Answer
I have been using the Powerflight batteries for a couple of years now. The only real trouble I have had has been with the voltage regulators. I have had five regulators fail causing three different crashes.
I have had less regulator troubles when I make sure to keep the regulators out where they can cool properly. Each regulator that I had fail was at least partially wrapped up with my other radio equipment and they may have simply overheated.
But the batteries have been very reliable. I use the lithium Ion. Although I have been told that the polymer is better suited to our application. I have not tried the polymer batteries yet. I have had one batter pack go bad in the two years but that pack was over 1.5 years old and had a huge number of charges on it. It probably had about 1000 flights and a crash or two.
Overall I like the packs and the extra flight time the Lithium gives you. They also hold a charge very well. When I go to an event I can just bring a few charged packs and not even worry about bringing a charger.
Answered on February 16, 2004
I have had less regulator troubles when I make sure to keep the regulators out where they can cool properly. Each regulator that I had fail was at least partially wrapped up with my other radio equipment and they may have simply overheated.
But the batteries have been very reliable. I use the lithium Ion. Although I have been told that the polymer is better suited to our application. I have not tried the polymer batteries yet. I have had one batter pack go bad in the two years but that pack was over 1.5 years old and had a huge number of charges on it. It probably had about 1000 flights and a crash or two.
Overall I like the packs and the extra flight time the Lithium gives you. They also hold a charge very well. When I go to an event I can just bring a few charged packs and not even worry about bringing a charger.
Answered on February 16, 2004