Another Battery Question

[CVA59]

I am looking (yes again) for you guys opinion on the best but least expensive 22.2V 5000mah 6S pack. Right now, I have (2) 5000mah Admirals but I cannot afford $109 every time I need a new pack. Is there anything in the $50-75 range that is trustworthy? I'm going to be using these packs in my 70mm FW Hawk.

[rifleman_btx]

I know of 4500s that i use in my jets and CZ T28. I get them for 118 a pack of 2 on Amazon. The other is 130-140 for a 2 pack. But they are only 4500 packs

[CVA59]

I know of 4500s that i use in my jets and CZ T28. I get them for 118 a pack of 2 on Amazon. The other is 130-140 for a 2 pack. But they are only 4500 packs

What are the brands? do you have any links to share? Thanks

[xviper]

"Best" and "least expensive" could equate to "not so good" for the intended purpose. You want to use it in an EDF. EDFs are generally high draw applications, meaning high "C" ratings. Knowing that even the best batteries out there are only pushing 1/2 the "C" stated on the label, going low C may not give sufficient "poop" to do the job. Low C batteries in high draw applications usually generate a lot of heat that the battery can't tolerate and they puff. Additionally, how often are you needing new packs? A good quality battery like the Admiral should last upwards of 300 cycles or more if treated properly throughout its lifetime.
OK, having said the above, I would suggest you take a look at the HobbyKing Turnigy line of batteries. They come in Turnigy "blue", which are the lowest priced of the line and are usually of mediocre "C" rating. If use hard, they will puff. Then there are the Turnigy Heavy Duty, which are high C batteries but still of the economy kind. Those have performed really well for me in EDF applications. Even cheaper are the HobbyKing Zippy batteries. These are low to medium C rated LiPos and have been know to perform OK if treated properly but eventually (and not long after starting to use them), they begin to puff. Now, just because they "puff" doesn't necessarily mean they are done. They can still be used but their performance and safety may be in question. Whatever you decide you can justify the price of, get the highest C rating you can afford. These are not what I call "high end" products and their ratings are overly done in the real world.
Personally, if you want to save a bit of money but still want something that will serve you adequately, I'd go with this:

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-battery-heavy-duty-5000mah-6s-60c-lipo-pack-xt-90.html

I have several of these and use them in my big EDF jets and they have performed "toe to toe" with the Admirals and even with Gens Ace (my best "affordable" LiPo).

[rifleman_btx]

Floureon does great, thats one, the other is Ovonic floureon is a 45c pack and the Ovonic is a 50c

[crxmanpat]

RoaringTop gets my vote. I've tested their 35C packs on an IR meter and they rate a continuous 20C. So a 5000 pack can put out 100 amps all day long without stressing the pack. It's all I fly in all of my EDFs, and in two years I've never had one puff or had a cell go bad. I have like 25 packs of various sizes for my jets. And they're only $75 for the 6S 5000 35C.

https://rcjetwerx.com/product/6s-5000-35c-ec5/

[CVA59]

NICE!!! Thanks very much for all this good info guys. That is exactly what i'm looking for.

[CVA59]

Additionally, how often are you needing new packs?

I'm not replacing, I'm building up a stock so when I go fly I will have at least 3-4 packs for 3-4 flights. My charger is only 50W so I won't be doing any field charging unfortunately. I will have to fly with what i take and my day is done.

[xviper]

I'm not replacing, I'm building up a stock so when I go fly I will have at least 3-4 packs for 3-4 flights. My charger is only 50W so I won't be doing any field charging unfortunately. I will have to fly with what i take and my day is done.

This is also what I do. I've never charged at the field. It's just too much of a nuisance, a drain on the car battery and I don't want to buy a portable generator. I take 2 batteries for each plane and I take up to 4 planes. After those are flown, I'm happy and I'm done.

[CVA59]

This is also what I do. I've never charged at the field. It's just too much of a nuisance, a drain on the car battery and I don't want to buy a portable generator. I take 2 batteries for each plane and I take up to 4 planes. After those are flown, I'm happy and I'm done.

Gotcha, that is pretty much how I feel. :Cool:

[OV10]

I'm not replacing, I'm building up a stock so when I go fly I will have at least 3-4 packs for 3-4 flights. My charger is only 50W so I won't be doing any field charging unfortunately. I will have to fly with what i take and my day is done.

Building 6S 5000mAh pack inventory with only a 50W charger....... :Confused:
Would recommend that you make a parallel investment in your support equipment for a charger that can meet the demands of high voltage/amperage batteries.;)

[CVA59]

Building 6S 5000mAh pack inventory with only a 50W charger....... :Confused:
Would recommend that you make a parallel investment in your support equipment for a charger that can meet the demands of high voltage/amperage batteries.;)

What charger do you suggest?

[OV10]

What charger do you suggest?

With this SkyRC D400 unit you can charge 2 of those 5000mAh 6S batteries in an hour.

Or you go all out with the Turnigy Reaktor QuadKore for another $45.
This is not AC powered though and requires a good DC supply or Deep Cycle battery setup.
This is what I replaced 2 of the SkyRC's with when they were lost in the garage fire.

[CVA59]

With this SkyRC D400 unit you can charge 2 of those 5000mAh 6S batteries in an hour.

Or you go all out with the Turnigy Reaktor QuadKore for another $45.
This is not AC powered though and requires a good DC supply or Deep Cycle battery setup.
This is what I replaced 2 of the SkyRC's with when they were lost in the garage fire.

And those are AWESOME and I really appreciate you sending me the links. However, I don't have $200+ dollars to spend on my "hobby" now or in the future. Yes, at some point a good ways down the road I can probably get one but for the next 6 months or so I cannot drop that green on a charger. So, back to my original statement, I know my 50W charger is inferior to the world of charging EDF packs but it's the best I have right now and I have to make the best of it. :Cool:

[icepirate3]

Have you tried the 4000 60C Admiral in the Hawk yet? I've tried the 3700 RT 70C, 4000 60C ADM, and 5000 50, 60, and 70C ADM and RT and find that I get the best balance, performance, and flight times out of the 4000. 4+ minutes with at least 3 WOT passes. I've clocked it at 100+ as well with the same battery. Xviper is right on in his comments above. In the long run you will end up spending more on less proven, lower quality lipo's. They may fly great for 5 or 10 flights and then start loosing cells or may be less able to handle the occasional flight down to 10/15%. But unfortunately, the same could be said for higher priced batteries as well. It's all in how you maintain what you've got IMO.

I looked into Roaring Top a while back as they came highly recommended and I've had great luck with them. I also got a few Venoms that were a bit pricey but were horrible IMO/IME. I have a Hitec X2 that I'm not using and will PM you about it if your interested.

[CVA59]

Have you tried the 4000 60C Admiral in the Hawk yet? I've tried the 3700 RT 70C, 4000 60C ADM, and 5000 50, 60, and 70C ADM and RT and find that I get the best balance, performance, and flight times out of the 4000. 4+ minutes with at least 3 WOT passes. I've clocked it at 100+ as well with the same battery. Xviper is right on in his comments above. In the long run you will end up spending more on less proven, lower quality lipo's. They may fly great for 5 or 10 flights and then start loosing cells or may be less able to handle the occasional flight down to 10/15%. But unfortunately, the same could be said for higher priced batteries as well. It's all in how you maintain what you've got IMO.

I looked into Roaring Top a while back as they came highly recommended and I've had great luck with them. I also got a few Venoms that were a bit pricey but were horrible IMO/IME. I have a Hitec X2 that I'm not using and will PM you about it if your interested.

No, not yet. I'm really trying to piece together a old Funtana just to get me back in the air to restore my confidence. Once I get my feel again I'll try the hawk. My only concern with EDF's is the powered landings. I am used to flying prop jobs so the EDF's will be a new experience all the way around. I'm sure I can do it it's just getting past that first landing and knowing what to expect. Thanks for the PM.