How to charge batteries at the Flying field
- Thread starter carson
- Start date
Foamforce
Elite member
Many chargers have a DC input, usually XT-60. Get some alligator clips and hook that up to your car battery. Alternately, bring a motorcycle battery and hook up to that.
I over-engineered my solution, but I use my big lithium ion lawnmower battery connected to a voltage adapter.
I over-engineered my solution, but I use my big lithium ion lawnmower battery connected to a voltage adapter.
carson
New member
great that's perfect and very cheap!
Bricks
Legendary member
If you use your car battery make sure you don`t discharge it enough to not start your car, seen it happen way to many times. Note carry jumper cables.
A normal car battery if you run large batteries does not take long to lower voltage to the point of no start.
Depending on size of battery's 6s 4000ah or better to use a generator.
A normal car battery if you run large batteries does not take long to lower voltage to the point of no start.
Depending on size of battery's 6s 4000ah or better to use a generator.
Foamforce
Elite member
My chargers have a minimum input voltage setting, so it will shut off at a certain voltage. You can use that to prevent over discharging your battery. Then if it does go off, you can start the car and continue charging.
Alternately, you could just monitor your battery voltage with a multimeter. Or carry jumpers just in case.
I’ve never worried about that myself since I use primarily 2200mah 3s batteries and I can charge a bunch of those before it’s a problem.
Alternately, you could just monitor your battery voltage with a multimeter. Or carry jumpers just in case.
I’ve never worried about that myself since I use primarily 2200mah 3s batteries and I can charge a bunch of those before it’s a problem.
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Ask yourself, how may flight packs can I buy for $100. For me, it was like 7 or 8.
I buy about 4 new packs per year. I generally get 3 years of life out of them. I normally go flying with 8-12 packs, which is about right for the time I have to fly. I do all of my charging at home, no need to wait for batteries to charge at the field.
Foamforce
Elite member
Yesterday I went flying with my two boys. Between the planes were brought, we used four sizes of batteries. Besides being a lot of batteries to bring, I never know how much I’ll end up flying any particular plane. So I brought a handful of charged batteries, my HOTA F6 charger, and my lawnmower battery. Simple. Less storage charging afterwards too. Also fewer lipos in my house.
There’s a time and place for both options.
I totally agree.
carson
New member
Yeah, very true. I also need a way to power a hot glue gun at the field—super handy sometimes. And even though it’s rare, if all my batteries are used up, it’d be awesome to have a way to charge a few of them too.
What you are flying, and how long a pack lasts can play into it too. Back when I was flying quads that only got 2-4 minutes a pack, it was better for me to be able to charge at the field. With some of my Li-ion packs in wings and gliders that can be in the air up to an hour at a time, Not really needed.
Mr Man
Mr SPEED!
I’ve only been doing it for a year……. And I’ve got a 3d plane, and a hopefully 200mph plane, and a 150mph plane, and I’m building another 150mph plane, and several others…. I guess that’s why I don’t have much money 😂
Foamforce
Elite member
You’ll have no problem charging from your car battery with those smaller batteries. If you charged each of those once, that would be about 4.8ah at ~12v. A typical car battery is 50ah at ~12v. If you charged everything twice, you’d still be at > 80% of a full charge (which is a good conservative place to stop). Of course, be conservative at first make sure. If your car cracks noticeable slowly, then maybe use less next time. Carrying jumper cables is a good backup.
Disclaimers: There are charging losses (10%ish). But your car battery will also be at about 13.8v when you get there. You’ll be fine.
L Edge
Legendary member
Once you move into large EDF's jets, these are suggestions that I use to stay at the flying field all day.
When my car needed a new battery, I installed the heaviest duty battery(amp hours) that would fit in the car dimensions.
For jets, I use anywhere from 3s to 4s cells and from 2200mah to 4400 mah with 70 C for a 3-5 min flight. So you need a DC/AC charging unit to use to stay all day.
So I start a rotation bringing planes that use 1300mah to 2200mah and alternate charging the big ones. I keep track of the voltage of the car battery and when needed, start the car and charge up.
My charger lets you input the value that stops the lipo charger so you don't drain the car battery. Other neat thing my charger does is only puts 95 % charge, so that you will get a longer life out your lipo battery, especially the big C batteries.
When my car needed a new battery, I installed the heaviest duty battery(amp hours) that would fit in the car dimensions.
For jets, I use anywhere from 3s to 4s cells and from 2200mah to 4400 mah with 70 C for a 3-5 min flight. So you need a DC/AC charging unit to use to stay all day.
So I start a rotation bringing planes that use 1300mah to 2200mah and alternate charging the big ones. I keep track of the voltage of the car battery and when needed, start the car and charge up.
My charger lets you input the value that stops the lipo charger so you don't drain the car battery. Other neat thing my charger does is only puts 95 % charge, so that you will get a longer life out your lipo battery, especially the big C batteries.
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