LiPo Vs NiMh in Firebird "FlyOff"

2 Cell LiPo's are 7.4 volt. LiPos will be ruined if they go below 3 volts per cell, thus the importance in this test.

It may not mean much to you that the LiPo is 1 volt less than a NiMh or Nicad, but this test is important because to protect the LiPos, the manufacturers usually set the motor cut-off voltage at 3 volts, so the battery wont go bad.

So in this case, the radio shuts off the motor at 6 volts.

But even though I have a volt less than the NiMh and a lot more MAHs, I cannot use all the extra MAHs because it gets cut off early due to the lower voltage.

Also, this video was requested and should answer this question I keep getting.

That is, will the Hobbyzone Firebird Phantom fly on a LiPo, since it is a volt less at 7.4 vs 8.4 in the NiMh?

(It's not recommended to even try a 3C 11.1v) or the motor speed controller will burn up.

So these results are from Jeff and I doing a fly-off.

You have to decide if it is worth it to get a Lipo, considering cost, time of charge (NiMh can be charged faster) and weight and the radio's safety cut-off for Lipos.

A Lighter battery also means you will have to add clay weight to the nose for it to be properly balanced or you will be flying nose high like I was.

And since it will cut off earlier, your really gaining no big advantage.

Thanks for watching and happy flying.
Dave

Category:

Science & Technology

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• Hobby
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• Phantom
• free
• anti
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[followeroffashion]

my brother, never flown rc will be flying it in the next couple of days; of course I'll be trying it out before then, make sure it is all trimmed up well and let him fly with the ACT on first.

[NightFlyyer]

I do not recommend the ACT. If your totally upside down, or too low or cloudy dark days, it does not give you enough control to be able to save it. That ACT is not a magic bullet, so don't depend on it.

[followeroffashion]

how long does the battery take to charge? I'm thinking of buying two or three extra batteries (the original 7cell 8.4v nimh) so I can get much longer times flying. Also how high can you take this plane? How much range does the transmitter have? I've seen someone fly (joehandsome I think) with a flycamone 2 (stupid name lol) that weighs an ounce; the fpv system I have is only 28g. In that video he managed to do lots of aerobatics. Thanks very much for your videos helped me a lot in deciding.

Ed

[NightFlyyer]

About 25 min charge time. Extra batteries are the best way to go. It can fly out of sight and range is about 3000 feet,but you cant see it that far, so by then it would be too late. Cant fly it if you cant see it. LOL. I have flown my Aiptek on many many planes and helis of mine including this one. It has a video screen and sound, where the Flycam does not.

[NightFlyyer]

The NiMh, because of the extra volt and weighed less

[francisco069]

The batteries nimh neither exploit nor do fire. The lipo if they exploit and do fire.

The lipo are very dangerous.

[NightFlyyer]

Not dangerous is you charge them and use them as they are designed for. Your cell and laptop has them too. Not that dangerous, or they would not be in those devices.

[Me102288]

Lipo's are the most dangerous battery in the world. and I hate to say it, but you weren't using a lithium polymer.. use were using a lithium ION.. as for the difference, volts.... drain a 12v battery at 12v faster then you would at 6v... if you drain them at the same amperage (go by general rule, volts times amps = capacity in watts) so its not what type of battery... its what voltage/capacity. Why I build my own battery packs for half the price (nimh only). Hope this helps

[420choky]

incase you want to know what batt fits there perfect for me is the esky helicopter batt 11.1v ex1-o180 fits right in .. you mod the plug adapter .. i added a rubber band to make sure the window thing dont open ,, added tape like you said in your vids ,, id like for you to try it with this batt one day when you get a chance .. ..

[420choky]

lipo was your idea .. my commander 2 flies great with 11.1v il have a on board vid soon as china brings me my mini cam .. thanks for the idea man ..

[420choky]

@420choky 1000mah

[420choky]

i just added a lipo 11.1v 100 mah best flight time ive gotten .. goes really high and you can glide for hours i bet

[420choky]

i just got this for my first plane .. what you think about it? is a good learner plane

[debay777]

So Dave, do you thinks its worth a re-visit?

[debay777]

I had a bad rx from my first firebird so I used the original battery cable to make an adapter. So, its breezy outside, but not unmanageable. First up was the stock battery. My time was from the toss to the landing. I landed directly after the motor shut off. I got a little over 2 minutes. Next was the LiPo. I got 9.35 minutes!! If it wasnt for the breeze, I know that I would have gotten more than 2 minutes from the stock battery. But at WOT, in a head wind, The times still show clear results!

[debay777]

Ok, I just did my test on the LiPo vs stock. The LiPo I used was a Nine Eagles- 2 cell, 7.4v, 800mAh, model NE B012. The stock battery, is the Ni-MH 8.4v, 300 mAh, model number HBZ 1014. The test was done WOT for the entire flight. Unlike Dave, I was able to make the battery fit. I modified the battery connections to use the standard red, two pin connectors. I wasnt going to use them, but after looking over the original power connections, the pin size about the same.

[debay777]

I know this is old, but I have to add my 2 cents worth. I have two 7.4 v 800 mah batteries from two diff helos. After seeing this video I made a wire harness to let me switch between the stock and the lipo batteries. I havent thrown the stopwatch on it, but I know it feels like twice the flight time. I know Im disappointed when I switch to the stock battery and it dies too soon. Maybe Ill run the stop watch tomorrow and time it up to the point the motor switches off.