New switch for A123 batteries from Fromeco

[buttface]

HEY FROMCO!!!! you need to make a small mha counter with one wire that will plug directly into the rx or powerbox port that can be mounted in the cock pit or in the side of the plane.I need 12 of them!!!I like to charge my a123s via the cell balancing lead .The new counter switch with deans is useless to me.
Who wooda thunk it? Good idea huh fellas!

[codydmorgan]

	Quote: Originally Posted by buttface
	HEY FROMCO!!!! you need to make a small mha counter with one wire that will plug directly into the rx or powerbox port that can be mounted in the cock pit or in the side of the plane.I need 12 of them!!!I like to charge my a123s via the cell balancing lead .The new counter switch with deans is useless to me. Who wooda thunk it? Good idea huh fellas!

YOU GOT MY VOTE!

[Hammbone]

A JR HD switch has standard connectors on it. Standard connectors are rated at 3 amps. If you use two switches in parallel, you have 6 amps available now. If all you need is 6 amps, you don't need A123 batteries.
In my opinion, 6 amps is not enough for a 35% plane. Fromeco is doing us a favor by supplying a switch that can handle high current flow. You are still thinking "old school". If you want to stick with the "old" way of doing things, there's really no reason for you to switch to A123's. You can, of course, do whatever you want to do though. :-)

Jim

[codydmorgan]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Hammbone
	A JR HD switch has standard connectors on it. Standard connectors are rated at 3 amps. If you use two switches in parallel, you have 6 amps available now. If all you need is 6 amps, you don't need A123 batteries. In my opinion, 6 amps is not enough for a 35% plane. Fromeco is doing us a favor by supplying a switch that can handle high current flow. You are still thinking "old school". If you want to stick with the "old" way of doing things, there's really no reason for you to switch to A123's. You can, of course, do whatever you want to do though. :-) Jim

IMO, The fromeco switch is cool looking and may serve a purpose to some but not all. The deans connector is a two pole connector wich leaves out any kind of balancing charge. No matter what you use the reciever is still going to be your bottle neck in the system anyway. The purpose of the A123 Batts to me is for the faster charge time. I've spent too many nights rushing from the field to party with drinks and dinner, and trying to figure out how I got home. The next mornning I'm sitting for 2.5-3 hours waiting for my fromeco's to be charged.

[buttface]

Those of us that only fly 40%ers need all the power we can get.A 40% plane can draw 40 amps on a blender or other violent maneuvers.I do not agree running a123s though any switch at all.It is best to plug them directly in to the SF power expander with nothing in between and use a SF stand alone fail safe switch.

[codydmorgan]

	Quote: Originally Posted by buttface
	Those of us that only fly 40%ers need all the power we can get.A 40% plane can draw 40 amps on a blender or other violent maneuvers.I do not agree running a123s though any switch at all.It is best to plug them directly in to the SF power expander with nothing in between and use a SF stand alone fail safe switch.

Very cool and well said, But if I can blender my 40% on 6 amps with fromeco's. Who say's I must have 40 amps to do that now? The no switch thing is a cool idea!

[Hammbone]

	Quote: Originally Posted by codydmorgan
	IMO, The fromeco switch is cool looking and may serve a purpose to some but not all. The deans connector is a two pole connector wich leaves out any kind of balancing charge. No matter what you use the reciever is still going to be your bottle neck in the system anyway. The purpose of the A123 Batts to me is for the faster charge time. I've spent too many nights rushing from the field to party with drinks and dinner, and trying to figure out how I got home. The next mornning I'm sitting for 2.5-3 hours waiting for my fromeco's to be charged.

The rx is not a bottleneck in my system. I use a Power Expander Pro. I do not have a bottleneck. I have all the current flow I need, and more.

The A123 batteries simply do not need to be balance charged. this has been proven in testing by Fromeco and others. It just is not necessary.

If you really want fast charging, you would want to charge A123's with a Deans connector at 10 amps.

Jim

[Hammbone]

	Quote: Originally Posted by buttface
	Those of us that only fly 40%ers need all the power we can get.A 40% plane can draw 40 amps on a blender or other violent maneuvers.I do not agree running a123s though any switch at all.It is best to plug them directly in to the SF power expander with nothing in between and use a SF stand alone fail safe switch.

We agree that 40%ers can use a lot of current. I was going to do just what you are doing, and use the Smart Fly Failsafe switch with my Power Expander, but then I saw this new Kodiak switch. Two A123's going through 2 Kodiak's into my Power Expander will provide 60 amps continuous, and more in bursts. Even I don't think I will ever need any more current flow than that!

Jim

[codydmorgan]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Hammbone
	The rx is not a bottleneck in my system. I use a Power Expander Pro. I do not have a bottleneck. I have all the current flow I need, and more. The A123 batteries simply do not need to be balance charged. this has been proven in testing by Fromeco and others. It just is not necessary. If you really want fast charging, you would want to charge A123's with a Deans connector at 10 amps. Jim

I think the balance charging would be an added since of security for the gen population. I agree with Dick Hanson, by using two 1157 auto bulbs to cycle the batteries and rebalance every 100 cycles is not a bad idea.

[Hammbone]

	Quote: Originally Posted by codydmorgan
	Very cool and well said, But if I can blender my 40% on 6 amps with fromeco's. Who say's I must have 40 amps to do that now? The no switch thing is a cool idea!

This is the way a lot of people think. They say their plane flies fine now, so they don't need any more current flow.
With limited current flow, you may get blowback on your control surfaces. Your plane will still fly, but you may not get as much surface deflection as you would with more current flow. If you had more current flow, your plane will do all the same things, but better. You will have more surface deflection and better servo control.

If you've never flown a plane with more current flow, then you won't know the difference. I've seen planes that wouldn't do knife edge loops. The rudder just did not have enough authority. After changing the current supply set up to supply more current, this same plane could do knife edge loops all day long.

Jim

[codydmorgan]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Hammbone
	This is the way a lot of people think. They say their plane flies fine now, so they don't need any more current flow. With limited current flow, you may get blowback on your control surfaces. Your plane will still fly, but you may not get as much surface deflection as you would with more current flow. If you had more current flow, your plane will do all the same things, but better. You will have more surface deflection and better servo control. If you've never flown a plane with more current flow, then you won't know the difference. I've seen planes that wouldn't do knife edge loops. The rudder just did not have enough authority. After changing the current supply set up to supply more current, this same plane could do knife edge loops all day long. Jim

I suppose that's true but throttle managment will do the same.

[Hammbone]

	Quote: Originally Posted by codydmorgan
	I think the balance charging would be an added since of security for the gen population. I agree with Dick Hanson, by using two 1157 auto bulbs to cycle the batteries and rebalance every 100 cycles is not a bad idea.

I will probably balance charge mine once in a while also, but it's just not needed every time you charge.
I have a balance lead coming right off of the battery with a JR plug on it. This stays inside my fuse to balance charge once in a while when I want to. For normal frequent charging, I will use the Kodiak switch though.

Jim