A123 vs Lipo

[martingru]

Hi,sorry for late answer.
Recently i bought Logo 600SE CF (thank you Rob and im "on hold" with buying batts till i finish assembling(need still HV ESC) ,but i also have L500FBL (need servos,ESC,motor,i have AR7200BX) and i woudlike to use same batteries for both.
Logo 600SE 12s(2x6s) A123
Logo 500 6s2p A123
I know its "low voltage setup" but im not 3d flyer and with higher gearing i could have good results....i supouse
Im also considering go lipo route
4000 5s x2 for L600 SE and
4000 5s for L500
With new Zippy Compact line,its bargan .
Honestly,im really confused.
Ill be updating asap.
BR Martin

[1heli]

Sorry if this question keeps getting repeatedly asked, but..I have read nearly all the threads both here and at Rc Universe e.t.c. and I am still not sure of the differences in performance of the A123/LiFePO4 as against the LIPO
I had two threads going on Universe on this subject well it started off as a question about LIPO safety and widened out to alternative power..but the concensus was very much with LIPO...I felt the thread was going no where really, so thought I would ask here also

if someone with good knowledge of the different battery types,could give there comments & opinion on the the alternatives to LIPO.
as to be frank I feel LIPO`s are very unstable,a simplistic statement I know ,but I have read scores of pages on Lipo`s and caring for same...the dont`s
list [re lipo care] I posted on Universe, which actually did surprise some people likewise some folk actually did use Alternatives and did agree with me that the risks with lipo were unacceptable! you can imagine the response

I can see very well that lipos may hold the top spot overhaul...but some folk pay 100s of £$€ on these things and the slightest thing goes wrong and they are trashed! not acceptable!

so I ,as a complete novice have being asking the question is there something better even a compromise which would power a RC-Heli 500/600 (NO 3D) and all the associated battery operated equipment that goes with operating a RC-Heli??

many Thanks In advance

Regards Steve

[desertstalker]

LiPo are now much cheaper and able to be charged and discharged faster than LiFe, they are also a lot lighter. There is no real reason to use A123 type cells for a flight pack any more.

LiPos are not that fragile, just dont over discharge them or store fully charged for long periods and you will be fine.

[kgfly]

Lipos are lighter and more powerful than LiFe, with the right equipment can be safely charged fast enough and are now much less expensive that they used to be. LiFe, especially A123, still retain safety and simplicity benefits but for most people the weight and performance penalty is too high.

Hence for most people, LiPo is the right choice. The main reason I still fly A123 is that I am not able to fly very often. The batteries sit idle on the shelf for months at a time. With A123 I don't have to worry, I charge them after flying and put them away. With LiPo I would have to storage charge them and then remember to charge them before flying. Plus the packs would die of old age on the shelf, a process that is more aggressive in high performance LiPo than in A123.

IMO LiFe remain a better choice as an Rx pack or a Tx pack than lipo because of their better voltage match to the purpose and their greater tolerance of over discharge.

[1heli]

desertstalker &kgfly
Many thanks for your interesting replies

IMO LiFe remain a better choice as an Rx pack or a Tx pack than lipo because of their better voltage match to the purpose and their greater tolerance of over discharge.

At least I will be able to use them in RX/TX pack,which is good news

Desertstalker

LiPo are now much cheaper and able to be charged and discharged faster than LiFe, they are also a lot lighter. There is no real reason to use A123 type cells for a flight pack any more.

LiPos are not that fragile, just dont over discharge them or store fully charged for long periods and you will be fine.

Good Lipo`s maybe cheaper now? but all things are relative I am continually advised to buy the best you can..but these Lipos cost $100s
and as we have all heard and seen,slightest thing goes wrong with a lipo in ends up in the trash...seems such a waste.

It`s just a pity the alternatives to lipos do not seem to be catching up to fast(not yet anyway)

all the best Steve