LiFe Batteries

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LiFe Batteries

Postby hedderick » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:46 am

About two years ago I switched to 6.6 volt Lithium Iron (LiFe) batteries. LiFe batteries are not "LiPos".
LiFe batteries start out at an initial voltage of 6.6 - 6.7 volts. This is actually the same starting voltage of a (6 volt) NiMH battery. LiFe batteries are much superior, however, in that they maintain essentially CONSTANT VOLTAGE as they discharge. So after an hour or two they still read 6.6 volts. After 4 hours they still read 6.6 volts. With an NiMH battery the voltage will drop as it discharges. So after a couple of hours, the voltage is down to 5 volts and everything in the boat gets slower or quits, just when you don't want it to!
Conversely with a LiFe battery, the winch and servos in your EC-12 will run with the same power after 2 hours, 4 hours or 6 hours.
I have used LifeSource LiFe batteries from Tower hobbies. They sell an 1800 mAh battery that will easily go 6+ hours in an EC-12. A LiFe charger is REQUIRED! Tower sells a simple LiFe dedicated charger for $35. Simple, small and foolproof.

There are numerous other benefits to LiFE batteries. They charge in 15 minutes. They hold full charge for 7-14 days.
And no need to worry about voltage regulators or other stuff. Just plug in and go.

I wrote an article on LiFe batteries a while back. The article contains voltage data charts, chemistry explanations, etc. More than you probably want to know. If interested, I can email a copy. Contact me directly at RJHEDDERICK@comcast.net
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby bigfoot55 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:07 am

The full article by Dick on LiFE batteries is available on Rick Wests building website, as are all the articles that appeared in the last EC12 issue of Model Yachting issue 168.

Go to the ec12.info site and click on the MODEL YACHTING tab.

http://www.ec12.info/MY/MY168.htm
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby IrishAye » Fri May 03, 2013 5:14 pm

Dick,

You are spot on with Life ..............they have many advantages over other batts and I like mine very much but you have to use a good charger that charges and balances the cells at the same time.

You also have to get to know how long they last as when they eventually discharge fully the voltage falls off suddenly and you get no warning unlike NiCad etc which will give you some control.
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby rs vernon » Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:40 am

Okay. So tonight I learned that the charger instructions are wrong. I thought the battery pack was not being charged because the green LED was not on steady; it was blinking. The battery pack is charging. Problem solved.

Scott
Last edited by rs vernon on Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby tag1945 » Fri Apr 01, 2016 3:30 am

Scott

New technology has arrived for you!

Here is a very expensive radio that will monitor your receiver battery in the boat and post the info on the transmitter!!!

The radio is a 6 channel and operates on 4 AA batteries. The transmitter batteries are also monitored and are displayed on the transmitter screen.....

Check it out.

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-106-fs-i6-6ch-remote.html
Features:
• 6 channel 2.4ghz radio with telemetry capability
• Dual Rate/Trims/Gear/Flap/Gyro Gain Adjust/Flight Mode/Throttle Hold/Hover Pitch Switches
• Easy to use Programming & Navigation Buttons
• Supports Heli/Standard Wing/Elevon/V-Tail
• 20 Model Memory
• 8 Character Model Name
• Trainer port
• Backlit LCD Screen displays real time transmitter and receiver voltage
• 4 Stick Mode Selectable
$54.00

Time for a change!
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby hedderick » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:52 am

Scott,
An EC12 with a RMG winch will consume about 200 mA per hour. So an 1800 mAh LiFe battery will last close to 9 hours. I purchased an 1800 mAh Life Source battery from Tower hobbies in 2011. I use it in my EC12 and my Soling. It is still functioning well. It is a more expensive battery at $29, but after 5 years, still great. By the way, there is no need to fully discharge a LiFe battery. They don't get a "memory"...So it can be recharged after partial use.
Where problems have occurred is in smaller boats using swing arm winches, particularly small digital winches. These winches can consume 500+ ma per hour. Unlike an RMG, swing arm winches are constantly under load, particularly when holding a sheeted in position. Compounding this problem is that many folks have purchased small Zippy LiFe batteries. They are cheap, maybe $5. The problem is, in my tests a 700 mAh battery lost voltage after providing 500 mAh. Also the battery got even less effective after 6 months use. Maybe you get what you pay for...
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby georgeb2200 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:56 pm

Scott, I have always thought that a charger that showed the amount of milli Amperes that it delivered to the battery was important, no matter what kind of battery pack. I now use LiFePo4 batteries and a typical regatta racing 9:00 to 3:30 the receiver uses about 800 ma and the transmitter a little less (also LiFe). I don't shut off the transmitter or receiver between races, but usually do during lunch. The charger is a Hitec X1 Touch. Always us the balanced charge. The pack is a Zippy 2500 2S1P 30C LiFePo4 Pack , cheap at $14 plus shipping at HobyKing.The 30C means it can deliver more than enough amps.The self discharge rate is virtually nill, less than 5mA sitting for a week.And my experience is that the charging is predictable vs some random results with NiMH batteries.
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Re: LiFe Batteries

Postby rs vernon » Mon Jun 13, 2016 9:19 am

What I think I am learning about LiFe batteries.

I use one in the radio as well as the boat. Apparently 6.5 is too low a starting voltage for a Sunday (for the radio) for racing from 9:15 to about 12:30. It made it through all of the races, but I left the radio on while I took the rig down and the voltage dropped to 3.8 volts per the 6J. When I got home 7 hours later it was 5.7 volts on my no load voltmeter. I charged it and I think everything is normal. I keep the boat battery charged to a higher level. I will do that now for the radio battery as well. Just thought I would share this as these batteries are great but kind of a mystery to someone who has always used NiCad and then NiMH packs. I figure it might be a mystery to other people as well.

I was curious where the "falling off the cliff/quick drop in voltage" point was, and I think this is good (and lucky) info for me. Starting a (6J radio) full day Saturday at 6.6v seems to be okay. It ended the day still at 6.6, but I neglected to charge it Saturday night and it immediately dropped to 6.5 from 6.6 (within a few seconds of turning it on) on Sunday.

I did not charge the boat battery Saturday night either, but it started the regatta with a much higher charge and was about 6.7v, I think, at the end of the 2 days. High wind on Sunday. I never turn the boat or the radio off during a regatta.

My experience anyway, for what it is worth.

Scott
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