If you have a remote controlled airplane, what kind of battery pack will you need in order to fly it? The truth is that it really depends on the R/C plane that you are using, but there are a number of basics you can know about proper battery use and what type of battery you will need for your model airplane.
By: ALEXANDER NEWMAN
nimh airplane battery
It doesn’t matter what type of airplane battery you get, you should always try to get the type of airplane battery that is recommended by the manufacturer in order to dramatically in the performance of your model airplane. But to break it down simply there are three basic types of airplane battery packs available, and these include nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium polymer.
All model airplanes require a different cell count of batteries, and each type of battery whether it be NiCd, NiMH, or LiPo has different storage characteristics and need to be discharged and charged based on the unique characteristics of each aircraft.
model airplane battery
No matter what type of model airplane battery you choose, each R/C airplane model that you buy will require a different cell and the reconfiguration. Airplane battery packs are quite simply composed of a series of smaller batteries that are wired together, often in series but sometimes in parallel.
If you are trying to determine the right model airplane battery that you need, you should consult your owner’s manual or look on the battery itself as it should have a tag attached to it which clearly states what exactly you need in terms of voltage and power capability.
Getting back the voltage output, a six cell airplane battery is composed of six individual cells which are usually putting out 7.2 volts, and if they are wired together they will have a total voltage of 7.2 volts. This is usually the standard combination for most R/C airplanes.
Sometimes model airplane battery cells will also be connected in parallel, however this is mainly used for batteries which require a long lifespan because a parallel connection keeps the voltage the same. In other words, with more milli amperage your model R/C airplane will last longer in the air.
So what type of airplane batteries should you use the? Nickel cadmium?
Ni-cad airplane batteries are a standard, and they are relatively inexpensive but they have a number of drawbacks. One of these drawback is that they need to be fully drained before they are recharged, or they will lose capacity over time. In addition, the amount of energy that can be stored in a NiCd airplane battery is usually less than the other two types.
r/c airplane battery
NiMH cells are the industry standard, and they have many advantages over Nicad model batteries. The main reason is that they are lighter and can hold much higher capacities or can have a lighter weight, allowing much better aerodynamics when flying your model airplane. For this reason, it is the highly recommended that you choose a nickel hydride airplane battery for your model.
The last type of airplane battery is known as lithium polymer, and these are the newest types of battery cells on the market . They are also kind of expensive, and they can also be very dangerous to your R/C airplane if not used properly. If you have a model airplane, that cost you $1000 to build, you don’t want to melt or burn your plane when the battery leaks or blows up.
The problem with lithium polymer airplane batteries is that they can be overcharged way too easily and they become a fire hazard, despite their amazing performance. Some professionals who can charge and discharge them properly take the risk of using lithium polymer batteries, because they come in at as much as half the weight of a NiMH the battery pack.
So what if you want to build your own airplane battery pack?
Thing is that this is very difficult and it is usually less expensive to simply buy the completed model airplane battery. All of the cells will have to be soldered together, and you need to have some knowledge of electrical work in order to put them in the correct series or in parallel in order to get the correct voltage. One of the problems with wiring them incorrectly is that airplane battery cells can overheat, leak, or even exploded under extreme pressure. All of this can ruin the investment that you have in your hobby, so you should only attempt this sort of stuff if you are a professional.
If you are discharging your model R/C airplane batteries, it is smart to take some precautions with LiPo batteries and this means that you should never run the batteries down more than 15%, or you risk starting a fire or damaging the battery. With NiCd airplane batteries, it is important to not let them get more than 50% below their best performance. NiMH model airplane battery packs are the most reliable, and they can be drained most of the way down without suffering any ill effects. Another reason that you should choose them.
If you intend to store your model airplane batteries over extended periods of time, you want to take them down in charge most of the way, except for lithium polymer airplane batteries which should be kept mostly charged. It is also important to remember that you should never leave your model R/C batteries in extreme weather conditions, as this will cause permanent damage or destroy the maximum charge capability of it.
Model airplane batteries are definitely a sophisticated subject, and there are many different options you can use which extend out even further if you like building custom built R/C airplane models. When in doubt, buy standard stock models of radio controlled airplane and learn the ropes before you start getting further into playing around with airplane batteries. That way all you have to do with replaced the stock battery pack in order to be up and flying again in no time at all.