Lipo advice

[Gaz]

Hi guys

Following recent much appreciated advice from some of you I've started looking into lipo's for my PTS Masada.

Looking at a 7.4 1300 (pictured), the reason for the small size is tbh the Masada had started to become quite heavy after scopes, metal RIS, 1600 NiMH etc so I've gone about making a faster more maneuverable set up by stripping as much weight as possible.

I'm guessing i'll see quite a reduction in runtime especially due to the high output nature of a lipo, but I would rather have 2 smaller and switch over when necessary to keep things light.

Does anyone know if x2 1300's would be suitable for average use over a days shooting (approx 10am-5pm) or will I def need bigger/ carry more than 2 ? Bearing in mind weight reduction is a high priority, the vapextech weighing in at only 47g.

Cheers!

 

[tashidalek]

I run two m4s and i get about 3 hours on semi, and 4 hours on full auto, about 3 hours mixed.

 

[Hibernator]

Yeah - I use those in my stock tube. Excellent little batteries. Can't vouch for how long you get out of a full charge because I always swap them over at lunchtime just in case. Never had a problem.

That price is well over the odds! Get them from Component Shop and you can easily afford 2 for the money! Fifth one down, £10.50 - same battery:

http://www.component-shop.co.uk/html/airsoft_li-po.html

 

[Gaz]

Interesting, cheers for the link! Does seem to be the same battery too lol.

Price was from the Vapextech UK website, guess I felt some kind of loyalty as they were great to deal with for my NiMH's and are based in locally in Kent but price wins out in the end unfortunately!

I've heard a Turnigy Accucel charger is a good, relatively low cost choice for lipo's, and also important is a lipo alarm, any recommendations or thoughts for those?

I'm new to the lipo world so it's all a bit of a mystery to me

Cheers again

 

[Deva]

2 would be fine I'm pretty sure All depends how trigger happy you are, what your local site is like and your play style.

 

[Gaz]

Cheers Dev, i'm pretty conservative at the moment due to being fairly new, sure I'll get more trigger happy over time! Although thanks to @Hibernator I'll be able to afford more batteries now!

 

[Deva]

You're still going with Vapex if you buy through component shop so I wouldn't worry about loyalty. They just get them for a much better price and pass on the discount so

A turnigy charger should be fine, might be worth checking it comes with all the leads etc. though, nothing more annoying than finding out something you need isn't included.

Pretty sure component shop will have some cheap lipo alarms too.

 

[Gaz]

Good advice cheers

 

[Hibernator]

I'm not a fan of the Turnigy charger since mine stopped working and started billowing smoke on it's third battery There's a reason you should never leave charging batteries unattended

I did some research and discovered that most B6 style lipo chargers are actually copies of Bantam chargers used by RC car enthusiasts. Bought one of those from a radio control shop - a bit pricey, but I've never had a problem with it

 

[Gaz]

Hmm that's thrown a spanner in the works! Don't really want to spend more than £50 on a charger. Maybe it was a one off I hear they are quite popular chargers? Yeah I plan to take all the necessary precautions don't fancy the idea of burning the house down ! :blink:

 

[Hibernator]

Yeah - to be honest I've never seen anyone else say a bad word about them. I probably got a duff one

 

[Batcow]

I've had my accucell 6 for at least a year now for my RC's and i've had no issues with it.

It's also supposed to balance more accurately than the imax b6 from what i read whilst deciding what to buy

Oh and well i remember you can get lipo buzzer from ebay for £1.30 delivered "but" they'll all start beeping when you shoot long before you actually need to change batteries due to the voltage drop while the motor spins up. I'd suggest buying a lipo checker instead and just checking your pack every now and then though

And i get all my lipos from Hobbyking they are dirt cheap

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I have one of those batteries in my L85s RIS and I can run it for a whole day no problem and even have enough juice left for some garden plinking over the next week or so.

Definitely don't need to worry.

Although, I do run 12 real cap mags and as a result barely ever use auto... Can't go wrong with two though lol.

I have a smaller 800mah one as a back up.

 

[Gaz]

^^^Thanks for the help and links guys^^^

Edit: *posted as new topic*

 

[Tacitus]

The only sensible option for LiPo protection in airsoft is a Wolfdragon protection board. Clever little devices which constantly monitor each cell via the balance port. Airsoft guns draw current in a way totally different to RC planes, cars etc so their LiPo alarms always give false readings on airsoft guns. Wolfdragon boards are designed specifically for airsoft and ignore temporary voltage drops caused by aisoft guns.

They can be connected to lights and/or buzzers to let you know when it's time to stop using the battery. With the optional 'trigger mod' and a MOSFET, they can be wired to actually prevent you firing the gun when the voltage gets too low (my favourite configuration). They can also plug directly into certain Extreme Fire MOSFETs. And finally they're super compact so they fit into any AEG.

 

[Gaz]

Thanks I'll look into one, it sounds exactly like what I need

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Thread revive! Sorry guys.

I'm just wondering, I now have 3 1450mah 7.2v lipos, I bought 2 of them at the same time about 2 weeks ago, charged them up about 2, maybe 3 days ago and when I plugged one in to sight in my ACOG just now, one of them sounded almost dead already...

Can they lose their charge that fast when they're not in use?

My main question though, is it advisable to store them dead, or keep them charged? I've heard something about not letting them drop below 4v...? Dunno if I dreamt it or not, anyone advise me on how to store them?

 

[Hibernator]

They shouldn't be stored for long periods fully charged, or too low as it effects the life. They need to be "just right" (a bit Goldilocks) but I can't remember the correct voltage.

My charger has a "Storage" charge setting and sorts it out automatically for me! If I'm not using the batteries for a while, I always put them on a storage charge before putting them away.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I think the crapness of my charger might have played a role in the issue tbh, it only cost £20.

It automatically puts them on a trickle charge when they're done so that they don't explode, though I've always managed to take them off charge the second they finish. I just can't believe one was nearly dead after so little time.

Which charger do you have?

 

[RR01]

I think the crapness of my charger might have played a role in the issue tbh, it only cost £20.
It automatically puts them on a trickle charge when they're done so that they don't explode, though I've always managed to take them off charge the second they finish. I just can't believe one was nearly dead after so little time.

Which charger do you have?

Lipos should always be charged using a balance charger if you want the best out of them, which means using the small white connector, not the battery to gun connector as with NihM, etc. to charge them. Lipo cells should also not be allowed to fall below 3V per cell, otherwise they are basically toast. I found that out the hard way by forgetting to disconnect a lipo alarm when I put the rifle away after a game, not realising the LEDs took quite a bit of life out of the battery. When I came to check it, there was about 4V left in the pack and it would not accept a recharge.

I always put mine away now disconnected and although they will lose a bit of charge over time, they should still hold sufficient not to discharge if not connected to anything, although a recharge at least every month if not used will help to keep them in top condition. Just don't get them wet.