What to use in the field

[tad]

I'm new to the electric heli. What do most people use to charge in the field, and do you balance in the field as well or wait till you get home

[mkoutnik]

For the field you can use a car-style battery (12 V) to power the charger. I balance every time I charge.

[tad]

can the tp 1010 hook up to a car battery?

Thanks for your response

[mkoutnik]

I'm not too familiar with the 1010, but as long as you have alligator clips to connect to the battery, you should be fine.

[charlieh]

I have another car battery on the field and charge through the car battery. Just in case I mess up with the car battery, I'm still have a backup.

I never balance/balance charge at field to save time and I even go further charge at 2X3S, I always trust my battery as I know they are well balanced after discharge. However I do suggest you better not unless you are certain that they pretty much balanced after discharge, you can measure that with a voltmeter.

I do slow charge@1C and balance it at home.

[atomicplatypus]

How do you recharge the car battery once it's exhausted?

[Pinecone]

Don't exhaust it.

If you are charging a pack every so often, just run the car every so often.

If you are doing a lot of charging, get a deep cycle battery, like a Optima yellow top or a boat battery.

[atomicplatypus]

Oh, I see... you're charging right from the hood of your car with the battery still in the car! I charge my 4 pacs at home so I've wondered about the car battery in-field method.

What do you guys think of the portable rechargable car battery systems like the Eliminator PowerBox?
It's basically a car battery on wheels and will supply both DC and AC current.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6674307&bmUID=1200597312690&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443271702&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

[istandalone]

i think i'm going to go for one of those optima yellow top six-pack looking car batts. roughly how many charges could i get out of one of those before having to recharge it? using 3 cell 1320's, 2100's and 2200's. would it last all day at the field? and i don't have a car battery charger but i do have an mrc 977, which claims will charge a 12v lead acid bat. either that or i could just hook up jumper cables to the battery in my car, and attach them to the optima with the car running for a half hour or so, right?

[Pinecone]

A typical car sized battery is about 55 amp hours. So figure a 50% depth of discharge you have 27 amp hours to work with. 27 amp hours at 12 volts nominal = 324 watt hours.

A 3S 2200 pack takes some 28 watt hours to charge, so about 11 charges. Actually more, because you do only discharge your packs to no more than 80%, so closerly to 14.

Batteries work fine for small packs, but you get to 6S 4900 packs the numbers get really low.

[tad]

So, what is the best method to charge 2 5s 4350 in the field. What do I need? I really need to know.

[charlieh]

So, what is the best method to charge 2 5s 4350 in the field. What do I need? I really need to know.
Cell-pro 10S is a good choice, it specifically made for 2X5S.

[Skiddz]

So, what is the best method to charge 2 5s 4350 in the field. What do I need? I really need to know.

Generator or a dedicated deep-cycle battery and whatever charger you prefer.

[tad]

Thanks

[Pinecone]

5S 4350 will take about 90 watt hours to charge. 72 with a 80% depth of discharge.

A deep cycle (car sized) battery has about 330 watt hours of useable capacity to 50%, 528 to 80% depth of discharge. So between 4 and 7 charges.

With a 2 x 5S 4350 setup, that means 2 - 3 charges of the pair.

With large packs, generator is pretty much required.

[tad]

What make and model generator is recommended? Trying to get all my ducks in a row.

[bbagle1]

I am using a marine deep cycle battery i got from wal-mart. 75 amp hour and is made for trolling so i can discharge it pretty far without damage. Also using a polycharge 4 so i can charge up to four 4 cell batts at once. Use a couple of blinky ballancers. It's a nice affordable setup.

[tad]

What make and model of generator is recommended??

[Pulento]

5S 4350 will take about 90 watt hours to charge. 72 with a 80% depth of discharge.

A deep cycle (car sized) battery has about 330 watt hours of useable capacity to 50%, 528 to 80% depth of discharge. So between 4 and 7 charges.

With a 2 x 5S 4350 setup, that means 2 - 3 charges of the pair.

With large packs, generator is pretty much required.

Sorry about the dumb question, but can I charge with the engine running it can be seen as a generator :)

And knowing that I have a 10A lighter output and a charger that I can limit its input current it is posible to use that output ? To avoid to have the hood open with an engine running.

Thanks.

[Pinecone]

You can, but at $3+ per gallon for gas, a larger separate battery or a small generator makes a LOT of sense.