FROMECO Relion Failure?

[HK the III Esq.]

Just about lost my Python this weekend to a dead stick. Managed to get it back down unscathed.

When we took it apart to check what caused the dead stick, it looked like an ignition failure. (ive had a couple friends with DA ignition failures this year and 3 last year as well - it's a DA100) When we tested the batt (FROMECO LiOn 7.4 2400 - regulated of course) it was showing up as 0.03 volts. We put it on 2 seperate chargers and both showed it had a full charge. I have charged it on my ion cube just before the flight.

The batt was old - 10/07/2006, but didn't have all that many flights on it. I looked through all the exposed ign wiring routes and found no spots for a short...

just that batt's time to go? or am i missing something. I got really lucky in where i was when i deadsticked to be able to get that thing back over the runway as we have a creek and some nasty rocky fields outside our strip.

Any ideas or suggestions would be great.

I've put a 2300 a123 in there now and test ran it, it runs great but i don't wanna fly it again til i have some other guys' input.

Thanks...

[SleepyC]

It's been suggested that lit-ions have a life of around 2 years.
I follow this mentality and replace every 24 months.

I think the battery just lived it's life, and is getting a bit long in the tooth.

[HK the III Esq.]

Ok, thanks man... I normally replace batts each season as I fly at least 3 days a week, but had just purchased this one in the fall, so (being an idiot) i assumed the batteries would have been good. I always check them before flights and have definitely learned my lesson at this point. It wasn't until i pulled the foam and velcro wrap off the battery that I saw the '06 date.

is it normal that it'd be flying fine all day and then just "bam" the battery dumps it's voltage? That's a scary thought...

[SleepyC]

I think that is a symptom of old batts.
They show a charge, and then BAM drop off.

[mischa]

I have been using FROMECO relions on my %30 YAK54 with DA50, 5.200 Mah LiOn on receiver and 2.600 Mah Lion on ignition both are regulated ofcourse. When I charge with my TRITON lets say 2.600 pack with 2.600 Mah then it says fully charged 10-15 Mah after loaded, but when I dopped to 1.300 Mah it charges lets say 300 Mah charged and full, then again dropped to 650 Mah it again charges 150-170 Mah again , and with this system it charges about 1.500 - 1.700 Mah after showed fully charged????
Since years I am using and charging my FROMECO RELIONS with this method and every flight I am checking the batterries under 1 amp load and looks fine.

[Tex]

I just lost my 150cc yak with A123's.......but the batteries only had maybe 15 flights on them.........I work on the road a lot and the batteries set for a couple of months at a time.......and I noticed that they did not charge up all the way like they used to......but it was only the 3rd flight of the day and WHAM no contoll....so I will go back to lions for sure.

[Sukhoikid]

As for Fromecos I have the 5400 and 2400 mah batteries in my Aero-Works Yak. (I believe it is 5400 and 2400) These are the same batteries that were in the Extra 260 I had. The ignition battery is newer. But these batteries are about 3 years old now going on 4. Hearing what is above ill replace mine! I just got the ION cube last week to replace the hold flat fromeco charger.

As for A123s I am running two in my 32% Yak 55. So far no problems. I use my Triton EQ Charger to charge them and I can fly 4 flights and I use about 1000mah. They are 2300 mah batteries. So far no problem, but I keep a good look out for them.

[rdgood]

Hmmmm,

I have to ask the question is - everyone should load check their batts before every flight.
I always use the 8-ball.
According to Kurt - if you store your batts fully charged or darn near it, it will shorten the life of the batts.

You pretty much can't go wrong with Lions if you drain them off a bit for long term and load check them prior to each flight.

Personally I don't trust A123's yet. I keep hearing of more and more folks having problems with them. Not saying they aren't good. Just no real good sure fire way of nowing exactly how much is in the batt. I know about the weasel - but it's only as accurate as the user is. IMHO...
Ronster

[cjcyclesrc]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Tex
	I just lost my 150cc yak with A123's.......but the batteries only had maybe 15 flights on them.........I work on the road a lot and the batteries set for a couple of months at a time.......and I noticed that they did not charge up all the way like they used to......but it was only the 3rd flight of the day and WHAM no contoll....so I will go back to lions for sure.

Tex,

If you like I'll do some testing on those batteries and see what's up with them. Send them to me or we'll meet up somewhere. Were you balancing them? I've just had a couple packs out of balance and it will cut the Capacity way down.

[zzw26n]

	Quote: Originally Posted by SleepyC
	It's been suggested that lit-ions have a life of around 2 years. I follow this mentality and replace every 24 months. I think the battery just lived it's life, and is getting a bit long in the tooth.

I think Sleepy hit the Nail on the head, mark the date on the Batteries and replace every two years.

[JohnVH]

	Quote: Originally Posted by SleepyC
	It's been suggested that lit-ions have a life of around 2 years. I follow this mentality and replace every 24 months. I think the battery just lived it's life, and is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Eeek, just seen this thread, and post.. My oldest ones are about 5yrs old now, newest are 1-2yrs old..

I use LiIons from Fromeco, and I load check every flight. I have a couple A123's, Im just not comfortable with guessing that every flight uses the same MAH so they dont die in flight. Im a Fromeco LiIon fan.

[Tex]

I wasnt using a balancer was I supposed to ? I was just using the charger they sent to me. No matter I am going to use Fromeco for a while and see how that goes. 5200 lions is what Iam thinking. The new Dalton will have 8711 HV, 3 each wing, 2 each elevator and 2 on the rudder Push/pull 8717 on throttle a 8711 on choke. I think I will use the smart fly. so what power would yall use for that set up. DA-170 on cans---so what ignition battery from Fromeco

[cjcyclesrc]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Tex
	I wasnt using a balancer was I supposed to ? I was just using the charger they sent to me. No matter I am going to use Fromeco for a while and see how that goes. 5200 lions is what Iam thinking. The new Dalton will have 8711 HV, 3 each wing, 2 each elevator and 2 on the rudder Push/pull 8717 on throttle a 8711 on choke. I think I will use the smart fly. so what power would yall use for that set up. DA-170 on cans---so what ignition battery from Fromeco

I had alway heard they didn't need to be balanced. I've always used a Cell Pro until I recently got a Cube. The Cell Pro balances every charge so I never had a problem. I've recently been building some of the A123 packs. I ended up with a new in the package A123 racing 4 cell pack. I cut the pack apart and made two seperate packs out of it. I charged it with the cube and it wouldn't get but about half capacity out of a discharge. It took a while with a fromeco balancer and the cell pro cycling it up and down to get the cells in balance. Now the battery will put out 2250 mah's.

I wouldn't run A123's with out ensuring they are balanced now. The Fromeco balancer is on $8 and works good.

Here is some more info on it. http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/f...-question.html

[crazyjoe]

I balance charge my A123s every time and cycle them every ten charges. 35% on its second season, Also a 35% and a 40% one season happy so far.

[HK the III Esq.]

I've flown 2 years now, solely on A123s as flight packs. Never had an issue. I started with the a 2300 racing pack and Hypersonic charger (now I'm using the IonCube), the 1st battery i bought i still going strong and i've got other brand packs (and a couple home mades) in about 4 other 50cc + size planes. I run redundant 2300s in the Python (35%) and 260 (33%) but just single 2300s in all the others (50cc planes)