Why is all the new stuff 6s

[Hippie 64]

Except for the E-flite that recently came out. it seems that every Freewing and Flightline plane now require 6s batteries . Why? Does any battery that cost less than $100 average not matter anymore . So by the time you add one of these to your hanger you've invested another $500-$700 to have a couple of batteries so you can fly more than once . I don't mind upping the AMP of my battery because you can probably still use it in other planes that you own. But I will not invest on replacing batteries because I need more cells to fly just get something new on the market.

[JamesonC]

Can you give some examples? Besides EDFs which just require higher voltage to really perform, only the really large stuff is requiring 6s lipos. The most recent Flightline release is a huge B24 that can run on 3s or 4s lipos. Flightline also brought out a 1600mm Tigercat that runs on 4s. Matter of fact, every current Flightline offering can run on 3s or 4s right now. Even the 1600 Spitfire lists a 4s as an option. Freewing has brought out quite a few 3s 64mm edfs lately as well. But bigger, higher performance 70+mm edfs are going to require 6s to perform like a jet. Also, I don't know which E-flite release you are talking about but everything they have released lately is 3s-4s except for the Viper jet. Just seems like there are a ton of 3s-4s planes still coming to the market every day??

[rifleman_btx]

I havent seen much on 6s except for edfs. In fact i believe many requiring 6s has been discontinued due to cost, and sales slumps. All the carbon Z line from Eflite for example. Other than edfs, high voltage level applications are not profitable for manufacturers to produce.

[OV10]

I havent seen much on 6s except for edfs. In fact i believe many requiring 6s has been discontinued due to cost, and sales slumps. All the carbon Z line from Eflite for example. Other than edfs, high voltage level applications are not profitable for manufacturers to produce.

You may want rethink that especially since you are liking the 1600mm ranged single engine fighters.
That 1600 Spitty has had a real good response from the buying community which is pushing the dialog right here on the Squawk for other fighters in the same size like a Hellcat and Corsair and so on.;)

6S prop planes are profitable and work well for a another cast of pilots across the full spectrum of RC'ers.
Having been down that road of wanting/owning as many 1/8-1/10 scale warbirds to have and fly, I have basically outgrown that and am now going giant warbirds with 6S-12S power systems.
Granted the fire attrition forced my hand but my bird count will now be very selective with a fleet number of about 5-6.(no more 30+ :P)
Now I know Brian(Hippie) has always been preferential to the smaller 3-4S stuff like many others and the industry catered to those demographics for a long time for the most part but I believe that because of the improvement in the battery technology and the affordability of the larger foam birds thanx in part to the MRC/Freewing alliance that these bigger birds are becoming the forerunner for the market.
Just my honest opinion after watching how things are evolving. :Smug:

Warbird Charlie

[rifleman_btx]

$350+ gets too expensive for me. Especially when replacement parts for my t28 cost over that amount just to get it air worthy again.

[Twowingtj]

+1 to what OV10 said. 6S+ does indeed have a good market. Of our club's 38 members, 9 are flying CZ T-28s. No, they're not cheap and you don't run out and buy every one that comes out, but getting/building the ones you want is worth it.

[xviper]

If 6s planes were not good sellers and not profitable, they would not be proliferating as they are. Having said that, there are many Flightline prop jobs that run on 4s, as do Dynam. I have several of them myself. I was going to get the FW/FL Tigercat but elected to go with the more powerful 6s one from FMS. FMS, by the way have a lot of non-6s planes but they too, are heading in the 6s direction. Do you think maybe they know something?
If you target FW/FL, then you get what you see. If you don't want 6s planes, there are other manufacturers that sell 4s or less planes. You have that choice. Of my 44 planes, 16 of them are 6s planes. That's what I like and that's what I chose. It's not a cheap hobby. I knew that going in only about 7 years ago (and 150 planes ago). "Hobbies" generally tend to be a bit of a challenge to the wallet. If your wallet is a bit on the small side, there's always basket weaving. :Silly:

[JamesonC]

If 6s planes were not good sellers and not profitable, they would not be proliferating as they are. Having said that, there are many Flightline prop jobs that run on 4s, as do Dynam. I have several of them myself. I was going to get the FW/FL Tigercat but elected to go with the more powerful 6s one from FMS. FMS, by the way have a lot of non-6s planes but they too, are heading in the 6s direction. Do you think maybe they know something?
If you target FW/FL, then you get what you see. If you don't want 6s planes, there are other manufacturers that sell 4s or less planes. You have that choice. Of my 44 planes, 16 of them are 6s planes. That's what I like and that's what I chose. It's not a cheap hobby. I knew that going in only about 7 years ago (and 150 planes ago). "Hobbies" generally tend to be a bit of a challenge to the wallet. If your wallet is a bit on the small side, there's always basket weaving. :Silly:

My problem with the original statement from the OP is that, besides 70+mm edfs, it just doesn't seem to be true. There are still tons of 3s-4s offerings coming out everyday from MRC, HH, FMS, HK, etc. The new 1700mm super cub from FMS is 4s and that is their newest release and pretty big for 4s. The entire Flightline lineup is 3s-4s compatible. E-flite has tons of 3s-4s stuff. I just don't see this "shift to 6s" that they are talking about except in EDFs.

[rifleman_btx]

My point exactly. And now we get to see how deep the rabbit hole goes as the Senate also doesnt give a damn about us.

[boomer108]

My point exactly. And now we get to see how deep the rabbit hole goes as the Senate also doesnt give a damn about us.

Politicians in general don't give a damn about the public unless they want your vote.

[rifleman_btx]

I guess they dont want it eh?

[boomer108]

I guess they dont want it eh?

Exactly, hit them were it hurts.

[Evoman]

You do know that you can use two 3S battery packs connected in series in 6S planes. Everyone has 3S packs.

[OV10]

You do know that you can use two 3S battery packs connected in series in 6S planes. Everyone has 3S packs.

Your assumption would be valid if "everyone" had high C and high mAh capacity rated 3S packs.
The majority of 3S modelers are using 30C 2200-3000mAh packs.
The 3S pack sizing for 6S power applications is more like 40C 4000-5000mAh which only a minority own or those that are moving to because of 6S heat mitigation issues.
The OP's original concern was the investment in pricey 6S batts. Two matching 3S are the same price range of the equiv 6S.;)

[rifleman_btx]

Tis true....

[fhhuber]

Your assumption would be valid if "everyone" had high C and high mAh capacity rated 3S packs.
The majority of 3S modelers are using 30C 2200-3000mAh packs.
The 3S pack sizing for 6S power applications is more like 40C 4000-5000mAh which only a minority own or those that are moving to because of 6S heat mitigation issues.
The OP's original concern was the investment in pricey 6S batts. Two matching 3S are the same price range of the equiv 6S.;)

I ran a 12S 5000 watt EDF by putting 20C cheap Zippy or Sky LiPo packs in series... for over 5 years.

You can take 4 X 3S 2200 20C or higher in a series-parallel to operate a 6S fan that says you should use 6S 4000 mah 45C. It will be fine.

You then have the flexibility to use the 3S packs individually in 3S planes such as many Dynam models... some of which happily carry 2X 3S 2200 in parallel for extended flight time, CG weight and better handling in wind.

You can extend this game to using 2S X 3 packs in series for using RC car packs (hard shell popped off to save weight, the shell then tapes back on to put it back in the car pop the cover off after the run to cool the pack faster.)

2X 3S 5000 put in series will survive better in high C demand than a single 6S 5000... The center packs f the 6S pack cook due to no cooling.