Will the diffrence hurt?

baronbernie

Member
After flying my Nexstar Mini a few times I decided to buy a second LiPo and keep on flying. The required battery SuperTigre LiPo 11.1V, 1250mAh 15C is no longer available (according to the LHS), but the Rhino 2150mAh 3S1P 20C Lipoly Pack is through HK. It is my guess that the SuperTiger is a 3 cell battery since it is not given.

Now, both are 1250mAh which is good but one is 15C and the other a 20C. Will it hurt my plane's engine if the Rhino's battery is used.

SUPG8040 400 Brushless Motor
SUPM1020 20A Brushless ESC

Thanx

Baron
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
After flying my Nexstar Mini a few times I decided to buy a second LiPo and keep on flying. The required battery SuperTigre LiPo 11.1V, 1250mAh 15C is no longer available (according to the LHS), but the Rhino 2150mAh 3S1P 20C Lipoly Pack is through HK. It is my guess that the SuperTiger is a 3 cell battery since it is not given.

Now, both are 1250mAh which is good but one is 15C and the other a 20C. Will it hurt my plane's engine if the Rhino's battery is used.

SUPG8040 400 Brushless Motor
SUPM1020 20A Brushless ESC

Thanx

Baron

3S means 11.1 Volts. 20C is better than 15C, and it will not affect your motor in a bad way.

The C rating means how much "punch" you have available - you don't necessarily use this extra punch and it will not affect your motor having it. As long as they are the same capacity (1250mAh) it will be fine.
 
From a little digging, your existing battery looks like it uses 3.5mm bullet connectors for main power connection, molded into a proprietary housing (called a supertigre connector). This is the red plastic housing with 2 wires into it, one black and one red. The little white connector with the four wires running into it is your balance tap, it's where a charger can monitor each of the 3 cells' voltage so your pack stays balanced while charging. I can't find it listed but that balance connector looks like a type called a JST-XH, which is very common.

The Rhino battery you are considering buying has a different type of main connector called an XT60 (it's the yellow plastic connector pictured on this page) which is not the same style as your existing power connector is looking for. So if you got this pack you'd either need an adapter or change that connector (such as have a buddy who is good with soldering or your LHS do it). The good news is the balance connector appears to be the same one as your existing balance connector.

So as noted above, the electrical specifications of that battery are compatible with your system and won't hurt your motor. The mechanical connections used to connect that battery to your plane are not totally compatible but it should be achievable, though the supertigre connector's a bit of an odd duck, it's listed here as a two pack if you want to buy the connector and have it put on.

Tower Hobbies is a good source for parts for this brand of plane. If you want zero hassle, here's a battery listed as a spare part for that exact plane, though it's higher priced.

The upside is it is guaranteed compatible, the downside is cost difference.
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
The "C" rating is a warning of how much power you can draw from the battery at a certain rate before damaging it.

Imagine a milk jug full of water. If you pour it slowly, it will be fine, but if you tip it upside down, the water dumping out will cause the jug to collapse.

The higher the "C" rating, the more "water" you can pour from the battery at one time.