Replacement Battery For FrSky Taranis

[Rob Thomson]

Seems T9 have had some custom batteries made.

http://www.t9hobbysport.com/sanyo-enelo ... nt-battery

[ShowMaster]

Good to know. I'm sure more will be for sale as the radio gets in more flyers hands.
For those that like the challenge of making their own,
I made this 2400ma LSD pack for about $18 total cost.
Once I mastered soldering +&- of 2 cells together to make 3 sticks of 2 is was easy. For fast charging I just disconnect the adapter. I'm concerned about having Taranis electronics still on the power leads even when the switch is off? No spikes into the Taranis this way.
Eneloops are my favorite but I couldn't resist trying the HK LSD batteries. So far no rapid self discharge and they seem to deliver the long discharge time. I'll run a discharge test on the pack if anyone is interested. I have a smart discharge device that plots the curve and I can save it to a file. Many new smart chargers can do this also. The only requirement is to pick a end of discharge voltage value. 1.1v/cell is standard I think but that's real close to the cliff. We all know what happens if we fall off the cliff!
So if someone will pick a cutoff value they trust for their Eneloops I'll use that and run the test several times.

[Helle]

Hy,

the Hitec Optic Sport has same 6 cells eneloops 2100mAh
you only need a JST-XH at same pages

http://www.trollmodellbau.de/epages/155 ... 542&Page=3



Helle

[GeoffSleath]

I've just ordered this battery as a replacement for my Taranis. I've been spending so much time getting to grips with myriad programming options I keep running down the supplied 800mAh NiMh 6pack. Not sure I've done the right thing but I'm sure I've seen that others have chosen a 3S LiPo.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... duct=34373

Assuming it fits (I think it will) is this a safe/reasonable choice?

Geoff

[ShowMaster]

If you've bought it then it'll work.
It's been beaten up a lot here as to what the best choice is.
Technically speaking
The choices usually break down to these,
Use the original 800ma Nimh battery.
It offers LSD, powers the tx for 5 hours and can be safely charged and stored in the tx case using to integrated charging circuit.
Next would be 2000ma eneloope or a 2400ma LSD pack that would power the tx for 12-15 hours and have the same charging and safety features of the original pack.
Then there's the life04 1500 or 1800 Ma pack that will power the tx for 9-11 hours. It can't be charged with the Taranis internal charger but is safer to store in the plastic tx case. If its run down dead it may puff and not recover from that. Not recommended recovering it but no history of fire issues I can find.

Then there's the lipo. 2400ma good for 15 hours on time. Can't be charged with the Taranis charging circuit. Shouldn't ever be charged in the tx case or left unattended while charging. If run dead it will puff and swell. If brought back from the dead it could be a ticking time bomb at to when it could self ignite.
When not in use we for documented safety reasons store all our lipo's in a safety bag, metal box, ceramic container. This should also be the same concern for the same lipo being stored in a plastic tx case and left on tables, cars, houses unattended.
So power wise they're all good choices. Charging wise the Nimh are easy, just plug in the Taranis to a 12v source.
All other chemistries require special charging rituals and the lipo is the one that could spontaneous ignite with no warning.
My take on this is safety and ease of charging first.
Again this is my take on all the battery discussion and this won't be the last!

I just don't worry about a Nimh battery tx pack misbehaving.

I found this on a site about batteries allowed on commercial planes
Quote
" Dry cell alkaline batteries, including the common AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt and button cell types and dry cell rechargeable batteries such as Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) do not represent a quantifiable risk of fire provided that precautions against unintended activation or short circuiting of the terminals in loose packed batteries are taken. However, lithium-based batteries can be extremely flammable and, because of this, are subject to restrictions on carriage both as cabin and checked baggage."

[GeoffSleath]

Thanks Showmaster. Whatever battery I use wouldn't ever be charged in the transmitter. As you may have read I had a bad experience trying to use an intelligent charger to say the least! I like to know how much energy I've put into a battery so I'll always be using either my workshop or field chargers and the included charger is no use away from a mains power supply. I suppose it all stems from many years involved in designing measurement/control systems for a living.

In any case I'll always be carrying LiPos and suitable chargers to power at least some of my models. I seem to fly mostly electric these days with the odd petrol-powered bigger model. I was slightly concerned more about the voltage than the chemistry but I understand there's a switching regulator which efficiently takes care of getting the right voltages where they need to be.

All chemistries have their disadvantages. I was brought up during WW2 and part of the family business was concerned with charging 2v lead/acid accumulators which powered the radio receivers of the many in our area without electricity (gas lighting). My father's clothes used literally to fall apart from minor acid spills

Anyway, thanks. The battery hasn't broken the bank so it won't be too much of a wrench if I ultimately decide to go on the Eneloops or a similar type.

[RGN01]

I've just made up a 6-cell Vapextech Instant 2500mAh pack with the JST connector so I can charge it with the supplied charger and a normal servo connector so I can charge it with my intelligent fast charger where I need / want to do this.

This is the most suitable for my needs, I believe.

Richard

[MikeB]

I've been using 8-cell Vapextech Instant 2500mAh packs in my 9Xs for some time. The certainly hold their charge well over time, being "low self discharge" like the Eneloops, but are significantly cheaper.
For the UK in particular: http://www.vapextech.co.uk/ is the place to get them.

RGN01: Did you have cells with solder tags or did you solder directly to the cells?

Mike.

[RGN01]

Mike, I soldered directly to the cells - something I have done many times before. I make most of the battery packs for my models in this way. I lightly rough the surface to be soldered up with a Dremel and grind stone then solder with a 4mm tip on a 50W temperature controlled soldering iron using lead-based solder. I use bridging wires (desoldering braid) between the cells - I do not solder one cell to the next. This makes for a reliable and long lasting pack IMHO.

Richard

[ShowMaster]

Because of the posts here I tried it and I'm very happy with results.
My Taranis pack. I just made a 8 cell pack for my sons 8103.
HK 2400ma LSD batteries.

[GeoffSleath]

Mike, I soldered directly to the cells - something I have done many times before. I make most of the battery packs for my models in this way. I lightly rough the surface to be soldered up with a Dremel and grind stone then solder with a 4mm tip on a 50W temperature controlled soldering iron using lead-based solder. I use bridging wires (desoldering braid) between the cells - I do not solder one cell to the next. This makes for a reliable and long lasting pack IMHO.

Richard

I've tried soldering cells end to end directly but I'm never convinced I've made a reliable joint. Your method is better and the extra length of the pack shouldn't be an issue in the Taranis. There's plenty of length; it's the height that's a bit tight. I also use desoldering braid for link wires, but I guess co-ax outer braid would do as well.

I bought a 2 cell JST balance lead extension at the Nationals for a couple of quid primarily as a connector and lead I could use for a Taranis battery pack. I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want an extended balance lead but it will serve my purpose.

Geoff

[ShowMaster]

Scuff and pre tin the cells ends leaving a little extra solder on them. Use a V channel in a vise to make sure the batteries are aligned. Tape one solid to the V. Bring the other one against the solid one with your large tip iron between the - and + contact ends. Just as the solder melts on both batteries remove the iron tip and quickly press the heated - of one battery against the heated + of the other. They both become soldered together as the solder cools. Hot larger tip on your iron, 60/40 solder and work quickly using the V as a alignment guide.
Make 3 or 4 sticks up. Solder braid for jumping the sticks together in series.
Really works well and the batteries are firmly soldered together. Make end plates and use shrink wrap over it all made for battery packs.
The pack ends up as short as can be for non tab cells.

[MikeB]

I used a large lump of brass, mounted on a long rod and heated on the gas cooker hob as a soldering iron to make up sub C packs this way!

Mike.

[ShowMaster]

I never tried that Mike but it must work. The larger battery would require more instant heat from something with some mass to it. For the AA batteries I find that the HK soldering station type iron with the large mass tip and set to 400 deg works fast and I also use my flux pen on all the solder connection areas first.
I was paying $40 ea for eneloop packs and then went to $10 life packs and now I'm back the making my own LSD AA packs. I like all the features of the new LSD Nimh batteries and I don't have to remove them or open the battey bay to charge them. I'm back to charging my TXs the way I did 10 years ago, progress?

[Steve71]

£24.00 ??????.......they're having a laugh !

I made my own pack up of 6 x 2700mAh GP Cells.......which cost me £13.95GBP off eBay !.

I got my Taranis from T9, in the first UK batch.....and paid up front for it before it arrived. I then asked for two X8R Rx's to be included with the Taranis.....and paid for them separately (being told the additional postage would be refunded).

Guess what.......on arrival of the Taranis, both Rx's were included.........yet I was still charged both lots of postage !!

Nice one T9......great customer service !.

[ShowMaster]

I hope you used Paypal. You may be able to recover the extra postage or get a credit.

[smartmarty]

I've no experience with making my own packs so I contacted the Component Shop, who made me a 6 cell AA Eneloop pack up for a little over £16. It only came with the JR servo plug, but I've made a small extension lead from the Tx board with a servo socket on one end, mainly to prevent excess wear and tear on the actual board plug. I prefer to charge without faffing about removing batteries first, so I now have this pack which has been good for 3 flying sessions without needing a top up, plus the stock battery and a 1500 gens ace lipo for emergencies.

So many ways to skin a cat in this game eh?

[ShowMaster]

I hope you land long enough for a nutrition and restroom break with all the battery power now.

[Romolo]

For assembling my own packs soldering battery in line I use a soldering tip ad this one...

[ShowMaster]

Where did you get it? What iron will it fit?
I was looking for a tip like that and improvised with just the larger round tip using its sides.

[GeoffSleath]

I used a large lump of brass, mounted on a long rod and heated on the gas cooker hob as a soldering iron to make up sub C packs this way!

Mike.

Nothing wrong with soldering like that. I worked for GEC in the early 60s and the guys soldering telephone exchange racks used gas ring heated irons for all the joints. Really good joints were a must and inspectors always made sure the outline of the wire wrapped round the tags were visible under the solder. They were making electro-mechanical telephone exchanges at the same time we were making electronic computers for ICT - the past and the future under the same roof.

Of course soldering racks with uniselectors and 3000 type relays is a bit different from surface mount PCBs

Geoff

[RGN01]

Where did you get it? What iron will it fit?
I was looking for a tip like that and improvised with just the larger round tip using its sides.

HobbyKing do something that looks suitable:

http://hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/ ... g_Tip.html

And an iron to go with it.


http://hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/ ... e_Tip.html

Hope this helps.

Richard

[Tomkfly]

I hope you used Paypal. You may be able to recover the extra postage or get a credit.

I don't think there is any need to involve PayPal.
T9 is a pretty reliable supplier, so it is probbably an oversight. I'm sure a reminder will result in postage being returned.

Tom

[Steve71]

I use both the 2700mAh battery I made, and keep the standard OME 800mAh battery as a spare in my Tx case.....as a backup. The pack I made was made up from 6 x GP Cells I found on eBay for £13.95.

On a good thermic day with my gliders, I can stay aloft for up to two hours.......not that it happen very often now !!.

[ShowMaster]

2 hours is good. My blitz SkySurfer with a 2200 lipo for power has stayed up for 90 min using lift and running the motor just enough to help. I just installed the precision vario and I'm getting used to the tones.
One field I fly at is near the Pacific Ocean and on a hill with larger hills in the distance. When we get tired of runway flying we can sit back and head for the updrafts off of the larger hills. Pretty good lift and now the vario should help a lot.
Having onboard battery voltage monitoring is so nice as well. Great times to be flying RC planes.

[Steve71]

ShowMaster

I have the "normal precision" vario in a Lanyu e-fair/cherub.........it works, but the air in the UK has been rubbish this year, with very few good days.

[ShowMaster]

Steve71, Not knowing much about vario's I've been buying the precision model. Do I need that one or will the less expensive one work ok for a Blitz SkySurfer foam glider? There's also the openVario build your own and I'm not sure about its resolution?
Since I'm just having fun with a powered glider with the motor off, I'm not in trouble if I do miss any critical lift.
When we've gone to the Mojave Desert near the mountains, my Easystar catching an updraft would zoom up almost out of sight.
Made it hard to see and hard to drink beer. Hot day 115f, great lift, cold beer, drunk pilot with no glider skills. Perfect day.

[Kilrah]

If you really want the vario/vertical speed indication you'll want the high precision one. And even then it only reports steps of 0.5m/s.
The openxvario is usually better.

[igorc]

Hi,

Can someone tell me the dimensions of the taranis battery case ?

Also, frsky state that the operating voltage is 6v-15v, but is it safe to use a 6.6v 2S lifePo battery ? also when the battery is discharged, will the radio cut off if the voltage go down 6v ? (I'm thinking about this battery)

[ShowMaster]

IMO
Use the 3 cell life 9,9v or a 2 cell lipo 7.2 v(8.4).
The 2 cell life 6.6v could be too close to the rf decks cutoff and maybe the Taranis itself. I personally want more headroom.
A make your own 6. Cell 2000ma + Nimh pack is sure hard to beat especially because of the internal Taranis charging circuit.
If you're already open to external charging then you have no issues.
So, a 3 cell life, 2 cell lipo, or a 6 cell Nimh would be my recommendation for safe flying.