Announcement

**Hugh Wiedman** · Aug 25, 2021, 03:16 AM

IMO, the best batteries out there are SMC Graphenes (Superior Matching Concepts).

I tested and purchased (unfortunately) several hundred batteries (mostly 3S, 4S and 6S) including Liperior, HRB, Roaring Top, Admiral, E-Flight, Spektrum, Hobbystar, Venom, Thrust, etc. and rank them in that order for price/weight/Actual C to Advertised C. There are others out there, but that's my experience. I test them using a Progressive RC Internal Resistance Meter and a GT Power meter hooked up to out/inrunner EDF's and prop planes to register Max Amp draws and Max Watts. The majority of batteries Actual C usually test out to be 35%-45% of their advertised C (talk about "hype"). Not so with SMC, which are at their advertised C (the "Flight Batteries" in their line specifically). Liperior's are second in being "close" to the actual C at maybe 75%. Their (SMC) weight is at or below competitors with higher "advertised" C and the price is comparable, but actual C is much better.

For example, their 6S 5300 mah 40 C costs $100 and weighs only 684 gr and is a true 40C (a great battery for the Mig 29). The Roaring Top 6S 5500 70C tests out to a 35C, costs $120 and weighs 100 gr more at 794 gr. The Admiral 6S 5000 50C costs $110 and weighs 701 gr but is more like a 27C battery and the 6000 6S Pro 50C costs $124, weighs 840 gr and is more like a 26C, while SMC's 6200 6S 40C costs the same, weighs 814 gr and is a true 40C, big difference (and great also for the Mig 29, and the 12 blade inrunners in my 2 F-4's, F-16 and 2 F-18's). SMC also makes an 8100 6S 20C weighing 903 gr costing $136 that I occasionally use in the 12 blade inrunner in my F-16 to give over 5 minutes of flight time with no loss of take-off distance on grass or vertical performance since it is a true 30C (higher than advertised). Compared to the HobbyStar 8000 100C costing $180 which has a true C of 25C (100C my A...).

In general, Admirals are good (have about 100 of those in various cell counts and mah), but their actual C is about 40% of listed, are a little heavier and a little more expensive. Spektrums are way overpriced. Liperior, HRB and Roaring Top are better, IMO, than Admirals with a slightly higher actual C (forget everyones labeled C), and weigh a bit less than Admiral and are less expensive. But the bottom line is, for me anyway, SMC is a far better battery than the others, maintains individual cell amps better with a much higher C (lower individual cell resistance).

If you are flying an EDF with an inrunner, the SMC's give about 10%-15% more output across the board from fully charged to 20%. With outrunner EDF's, the difference is slightly less dramatic and with prop planes (outrunners), even less so.

But that's just my opinion, which, along with $5 bucks may get you a gallon of gas (but don't forget the $5 bucks)!