Zippy Flightmax / Turnigy lipo testing

[El_Steak]

12 packs for my bike and 1 for my weed eater . All received in perfect shape. The shipping delays I had were all problems with Canada customs, not HK.

I did have 1 charger that died after just a few uses (206B). But since it wasn't DOA, I can't blame them. I shipped it back by slow boat and got a replacement no questions asked.

Oh, and since Methods mentionned the cheap wires, I'll also add that their shrink tube is unbeatable in price and quality. If only they could carry more sizes.

 

[methods]

Every company screws up. It's how they handle it that counts. Sorry to speak the truth again. That's all I have to say. I'll post new positive info about good suppliers in a new thread.

Thanks mdd0127
We look forward to any positive info that you find about other, better companies. We also thank you for sharing your negative experience with Hobby City.

-methods

 

[Hyena]

I've ordered over 20 packs and had 1 with a DOA cell early on. All the ones since have been fine. I agree if you factor in one extra pack than you need when ordering you won't have any problems. Even with that extra pack for the price I still wouldn't use anything else, the performance, size, weight and bang for buck with these lipos in unbeatable. I pity and look down on those who use other chemistries

 

[philf]

I don't normally chime in on these things, but I feel compelled to. My experience has been EXCELLENT, and the shipping to Canada (even when the shipment contains LiPo batteries) has been stellar. No hesitation, here, to continue doing business with them. I definitely don't know where else to get the bang for your buck that they offer, either.

 

[mwkeefer]

Just FYI those chargers and mks balancers I ordered earlier today shipped out tonight with tracking num... So far so good.

-Mike

 

[Ykick]

I've been buying more and more from those HK folks. No complaints here - my latest was 6qty 5S 5000 Turnigy packs along with IC106B+ charger. One pack does have a slightly funky cell but for $42 - hardly worth messing with a return. I think it's good insurance to simply buy an extra pack or two. Great prices and some very cool stuff IMO.

 

[methods]

$46.81
6S 5000mAh 20C
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8582

Dropping like a rock.
The "everybody" price is now down to $50

-methods

 

[Ykick]

As noted earlier in this thread a few cycles will often bring seemingly low performing cells up to par. The low cell in my 5S Turnigy pack appears to have come out of it's funk and playing nicely with the rest of the pack. Took 4-5 cycles for that cell to behave like the rest and settle into similar voltage drop/performance.

'had no idea 15S would hold so close to 60V? I'm thinking 12S might be more my speed considering no suspension? 2KWp from 35A controller driving 1000W rated Conhismotor. SLA 'never saw more than 1600Wp hot off the charger and usually 1500Wp from this unit before.

 

[Arlo1]

Awesome! Anyone see the Nano tech listing with nothing there? whats that going to be? Is it nanao carbon tubes? 100x the power density of lipo!

 

[methods]

'had no idea 15S would hold so close to 60V? I'm thinking 12S might be more my speed considering no suspension?

Welcome to Lipo
My packs usually stay up above 3.9V per cell under load for my entire ride.
Wouldn't have it any other way.....

-methods

 

[SpeedEBikes]

$46.81
6S 5000mAh 20C
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8582

Dropping like a rock.
The "everybody" price is now down to $50

-methods

But this appears to be the better deal
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8586
and for frequent buyers the price is a little cheaper.

 

[Hyena]

They're the ones I use, but they've been out of stock for months.
Last time they went out of stock it was for something rediculous like 6-12 months!

 

[swbluto]

I was doing some spreadsheet cost calculations on in-stock lipo batteries.

Here it is for those who it may help.



Assumptions:

-3.6 Volt average discharge voltage.
-Shipping is estimated at 13 cents per watt-hour based on past shipping calculations to the USA.
-The "20%" overbuy column is if you include "overbuying" for safety or whatever. I put 20% in my case because if I were to buy 4 packs, then an "extra" pack would be one more: 20% of the total.

Quick aside: the battery linked above is the cheapest that I could find that's currently in stock on the site (in $/wh.).

EDIT:

This forum software is pathetic. The image is 785 pixels wide but yet it's cutting off the rightward 25ish % of the image. Size constraints are supposed to go up, not down. Right click and click "view image" to see full picture.

 

[Ypedal]

you have any relation to safe ???

 

[vanilla ice]

They have 2s 5ah packs for $15.82. For people who can't tear down packs for repair this might work out to be lower risk? If you get a bad cell, just toss the 2s pack in the recycle bucket. Also of note, multiple small packs are not as big a pain to series link as one may think. With the normal paired bullet connectors you can link up any odd number of packs together in series with the as-is plugs. No need to build a series wire harness.

 

[swbluto]

They have 2s 5ah packs for $15.82. For people who can't tear down packs for repair this might work out to be lower risk? If you get a bad cell, just toss the 2s pack in the recycle bucket. Also of note, multiple small packs are not as big a pain to series link as one may think. With the normal paired bullet connectors you can link up any odd number of packs together in series with the as-is plugs. No need to build a series wire harness.

Nice datapoint. It appears they're about 44 cents per wh compared to the cheapest 46 cents per wh in my calculations above.

On the comparison of safe and I, we do share the ability to programming computers and spreadsheets effectively. I like to think of that as a positive trait.

 

[liveforphysics]

They have 2s 5ah packs for $15.82. For people who can't tear down packs for repair this might work out to be lower risk? If you get a bad cell, just toss the 2s pack in the recycle bucket. Also of note, multiple small packs are not as big a pain to series link as one may think. With the normal paired bullet connectors you can link up any odd number of packs together in series with the as-is plugs. No need to build a series wire harness.

Nice datapoint. It appears they're about 44 cents per wh compared to the cheapest 46 cents per wh in my calculations above.

On the comparison of safe and I, we do share the ability to programming computers and spreadsheets effectively. I like to think of that as a positive trait.

They sold 5s5Ah 20C packs for $0.38/wh for a few months, and that was the anybody price.

 

[Doctorbass]

Awesome! Anyone see the Nano tech listing with nothing there? whats that going to be? Is it nanao carbon tubes? 100x the power density of lipo!

Ok.. OK.. read:

Doctorbass finally had ordered his first Lipo
I ordered 8 packs of 5000mAh 6s at 46$

i'll see.. But.. Damn.. i'll 24s need Balancer!.. not simple like Makita Konion cells....

Methods, Will you finally sale your new BMS!!


Next setup: Giant DH comp with 88.8V 10Ah 35C Lipo + 18 fets controller 100A + 5305 on a 24" or 22" wheel

Some fun to come!

 

[liveforphysics]

Hooray Doc! You're going to love the darkside of batteries.


You will very seldom need to balance charge. Since you've got good battery working knowledge and skills, you could likely get by just fine with only a battery medic to balance when/if something gets out of wack.

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10328

Or this guy:

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=11170&Product_Name=Turnigy_4x6S_Lithium_Polymer_Battery_Pack_Charger

Or get the Chargery 3010B!!!! 1000w of RC balance charging bliss for 10S sections of the pack.


BTW- The dewalt drill battery arrived and works great in my drill. Thank you!

 

[liveforphysics]

Awesome! Anyone see the Nano tech listing with nothing there? whats that going to be? Is it nanao carbon tubes? 100x the power density of lipo!

I bet it's the brand name for the new 50-100C Turnigy LiPo packs they've been testing for the last month (not a joke). Jason said something like <1mOhm/cell...

For the math impaired, that would be 500amp burst discharge from a 5Ah pack that fits in your pocket.

 

[tostino]

I really want to order 24 of those 6s 500mah packs 0_0. Gah I better wait till my build is coming together more though. Don't even have the controllers built, or bike frame bought yet!

 

[Arlo1]

Awesome! Anyone see the Nano tech listing with nothing there? whats that going to be? Is it nanao carbon tubes? 100x the power density of lipo!

I bet it's the brand name for the new 50-100C Turnigy LiPo packs they've been testing for the last month (not a joke). Jason said something like <1mOhm/cell...

For the math impaired, that would be 500amp burst discharge from a 5Ah pack that fits in your pocket.

Hey yeh I googled it an found Hobby Kings twitter they are claiming 60c distarge and 10 c charger.
I just got a popular mechanics Magazine on the ferry this weekend and they talk about the " Carbon nanotubes" that will produce 100 x the power density of lithium polymier.

 

[Arlo1]

Awesome! Anyone see the Nano tech listing with nothing there? whats that going to be? Is it nanao carbon tubes? 100x the power density of lipo!

Ok.. OK.. read:

Doctorbass finally had ordered his first Lipo
I ordered 8 packs of 5000mAh 6s at 46$

i'll see.. But.. Damn.. i'll 24s need Balancer!.. not simple like Makita Konion cells....

Methods, Will you finally sale your new BMS!!


Next setup: Giant DH comp with 88.8V 10Ah 35C Lipo + 18 fets controller 100A + 5305 on a 24" or 22" wheel

Some fun to come!

Yup welcom to the dark side! I only ballance when something goes wrong then other wise I charger with two 50 volt power suplies and thats it!

 

[Ykick]

'had no idea 15S would hold so close to 60V? I'm thinking 12S might be more my speed considering no suspension?

Welcome to Lipo
My packs usually stay up above 3.9V per cell under load for my entire ride.
Wouldn't have it any other way.....

-methods

Right on, these things hold fiercly stiff voltages! My limited observations show it consumes about 2Ah dropping from 4.2-4.1V to settle into that 3.7-3.9V slot where they remain for another 2-3AH followed by the rapid drop nearing empty.

They're probably ideal for eBikes used as garaged transportation. Lipo is way less dangerous than Gasoline IMO.

Many thanks to you and the other bros who've shown this old dog some new tricks! Even Doc has come to the party! LOL...

 

[GGoodrum]

Well now, isn't that something. Doc has finally made it to the happy place.

I agree, you will not need to balance much, unless you like draining the packs down to LV cutoff. That's the only way I've been able to get them more than about 30-40mV out-of-whack with each other. I get by with my 18s and 24s packs using a single Battery Medic, albeit a "boosted" one, maybe once every 5-10 cycles, or more.

View attachment BM Booster-21.jpg

The Booster bumps the balance current of the basic Battery Medic by a little more than 1A. Suffice it to say, even with a 15Ah pack, it doesn't take long at all to balance. Even doing one 6s section at a time, it rarely takes over an hour.

If you want complete piece of mind, you can use an LVC/HVC board with each 6s group. This gives you basically everything in the full BMS except the balancing shunts. The LVC works exactly the same as it does in the v2.x BMS, an opto output is tripped every time the voltage dips below 3.0V. The HVC portion also works like it does in the BMS, tripping the opto line whenever the voltage tries to go above 4.15V. The LVC/HVC board also acts as a parallel adapter, allowing up to four 6s packs to be paralleled, at the cell level, via the balance taps.

The HVC signal is used by the separate Charge Controller unit, which is inserted between the charger/supply and the pack. The CC uses the HVC signal to "throttle" the charge current, in order to keep the cells from going over 4.15V, much like the v2.x throttling logic, but the CC uses a PWM-based circuit which does a much better job. The current stays higher, for longer, compared to the older scheme. This small CC unit also has an adjustable auto-shutoff function that will cutoff the charge current completely when the current drops below a set point which has a range from about 0-2.5A.

Here's some more pics:





Anyway, it is good to see that you are going to give these a shot. I know you love your Konions, but you will see a huge increase in performance. For one thing, the voltage drop is a lot less. I've hit my 24s3p pack with 100A+ and I've never seen the voltage dip much below about 94V, from about 98V. Like I said, you are going to love these.

-- Gary