Lifepro4 batt on order

Right thats me new battery saved up for and on order :smiley:
Be lot smaller than me other PSU been using by about 6Kg LOL

Not cheap but will do job nicely :grimacing:

Now save for the charger LOL currently not in stock and man enough to supply the battery as advised by Hobby King. And yes stay on page for short while and few quid do get knocked off price. :yum:

My sota gear is getting closer to what I want to use and light weight :sunglasses:

Karl

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Hi Karl,

Congrats to your new battery…
I am using it now for abt. 3 years. I always treated it well…i.e. charging with balancer and not too high amps.
But I don’t want to disappoint you…
the last 12 month it starts swelling up ( about 20% in size) as you can see on the picture.

73 de Franz
ON9CBQ

How long before it explodes and bursts into flames?

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Mine started some minor swelling, but not that much. Been using it for a little over two years now. The LifePo4 is a totally different animal than the Lipo battery. That being said, mine never leaves its case.

http://testing.planomolding.com/fishing/guide-series-systems/guide-seriestm-waterproof-cases/145000.html

I tried to order the 4200 size a while back but had trouble with HobbyKing and my order was canceled. Need to give it a go again soon.

Had some good useage then

Which charger are you using as they recommend 7a 120w- 150w

Karl

Not sure of the model, its one of the Hobby King ones. Here is a short vid I made.

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Thanks for the vid

interesting tips there as for the box to protect the battery itself good idea

Karl

Hi Karl,

yes, on top of that I recommend buying an inexpensive -LiPo safe bag- and keep the battery there all the time (even if LiFePo4 seem tobe safest than LiPo).
If it flames you won’t damage the rig or yourself…

Good luck with your pack. 73

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I learnt from the local radio control shop Penn Models that it’s really important to use the Storage cycle on your lithium battery charger. This was after the second LiPo had started to grow and swell. These batteries should not be left fully charged for prolonged periods otherwise the chemicals have no space in terms of charge if they get warm or hot whilst in storage or transit. Fully charged in a hot place and they swell.
Extension leads for the balance lines are available at your RC model shop . That makes it easy to connect battery in its protective bag to the balance ports. Powerpole connectors 30 or 45 amp as the interconnection twixt radio and rig means you’re most likely to be able to help each other on a joint activation.
73
David M0YDH

Hi Karl,

I have been using this kind of battery for 2 years now with great success. They pack a lot of power in a small package and I use the smaller version (4200) with my KX3 all the time. I even made a benchmark to see for how long it can keep up in almost continuous operation. So this chart show that the battery can sustain for 2 hours and a half a cycle of 10 sec. transmit and 10 sec. listening. For the KX3, this correspond to 2.4A in transmit mode and 200mA in receiving mode:

Nothing much to add! Great battery at great price (HobbyKing).

73, Steve

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Its here

Oh thought be bigger than that

await cHarger now :smile:
karl

Right its here
No instruction manual
PDF file sent seems bit of what ever

But found a very good U tube vid that explains it well

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvNMVgO4aTA

Set to low amp charge 120 minute max and its away

BUT certain leads need changing and making safer will be next job I thinks
Runs off me 20a PSU just fine.

22 minutes laters cooling fan has kicked in
Next part of me portable system in place

Karl

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Karl,
I installed two sets of Powerpole connectors on my 4200 LiFePO4 battery. The one in the background is a 1500 mAH battery I use as my spare spare.

Andrew
vk1da

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Wicked thanks for that tip

Hmmm just seen when battery is in relation the the radiator on the wall, too close must find better place when heating goes on laters this year. Prop can it in Shed in metal box be nice cool storage then.

thanks again folks Karl

Done exactly the same here… be careful not to short out the battery when fitting the new connectors… I was exceedingly careful… didn’t fancy the “bang” that might ensue!

73
Gerald
MW0WML

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Agreed on that one Gerald :open_mouth:
Especially this one is a 8500mah. :laughing:

What intend to do now is get a box good plastic one and fit in couple banana posts in female into box and connect to the battery.So once in there it stays in there. as then banana males can be used to contact from the 12v Rig power leads straight in to the Main PSU under bench reducing risk of the big bang. And also line base of box with anti slip stuff i have, and some foam squares to cushion it in side, don’t want it rattling about now do we during transport., :confounded:

Now can you buy the longer balance leads as one on battery is bit short in it

Karl

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Don’t forget your dropper diode either if its a 4-cell.

It is a 4C, but its lifepo4 battery highest voltage is 13.58v 3.7 across the board according to the charger

I believe, if its a LIPO version then voltage can go high as 16v then might be idea to drop in voltage dropper.

Karl

So it is, interesting. My HB PA likes the extra volts.

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The rating of that battery is apparently 30C which means the peak current it can source is its rated capacity in AH multiplied by 30. That’s in the vicinity of 250 amperes, enough to start a small engine, and capable of melting almost any wires that might stray across your binding posts. For this reason I would not use binding posts, they are too easily reached by bits of wire, especially in the dark, when working in a hurry, or when someone else connects their rig to your battery. Anderson powerpoles (or the larger, higher rated series) have the advantage that the terminals containing all that potentially destructive energy are well concealed and you cannot drop wires across them accidentally to cause trouble.

Powerpoles are best crimped, not soldered. You can purchase the relevant jaws (rather than the tool offered by Powerwerx as one example) and attach them to a generic tool.

When fitting any connectors, do one at a time, leaving the old connector on the red while you reterminate the black, or vice versa. An extension for the balance lead can be purchased from Hobby King.

73
Andrew vk1da

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