Hi all, first post here and new to giant scale, but decades of full-size flying and RC slopers. I'm getting a Hangar 9 Valiant 30cc powered by 10S LiPo, and the ESC I'll be using doesn't have an internal BEC. I'll need to power 7 digital servos, and I'm not sure if it would be best to get an external BEC or a dedicated LiPo receiver battery. Thoughts? Also if I do get a receiver battery, what mAh would be appropriate for this application? Thanks!!

I have done both.. I prefer the external bec as if the plane sits a a while you don’t have to worry about yet another battery.. I like the gryphon bec and have also had a couple of the castle ones that have all worked., That said a couple of heavy duty switches and a pair of 2500mah Lipo is cheap and would work fine too.. if using batteries I always run two batteries and two switches.. nothing fancy.

I am no expert at electric planes but 2500mah seems like a one to maybe three minute flight.

Originally Posted by Festivus

I am no expert at electric planes but 2500mah seems like a one to maybe three minute flight.

I think he means for the receiever packs.. if that is the case 2 2500 mah packs will last all day plus on a plane like that.

Ok like I said no expert the only nongas planes I see at my field use one or two batteries and power the servos off of the same batteries by the esc

Which is fine right up to the moment when the esc goes kaput.

I have flown for a lot of years and looking back at inflight failures--a receiver, a couple of servos, 3-4 batteries quitting and a couple of switches that failed.. so i figure redundancy on the switches and batteries is the cheapest insurance. I do have one of my turbines that has been flying with a gryphon regulator running off the turbine battery for 5-6 years and a whole bunch of flights.. lots of the turbine helicopter guys run them with no problems. a lot of their models run upwards of 10K so they have a decent reputation. For a small simple plane like your valiant.the easiest is use a 2s lipo or LIFE and HV servos..but it is something else to charge. and as I said i would run 2.. batteries and switches are cheap.

My 30cc planes get 2 small receiver packs and a wolverine switch, or 2 small packs , two small switches and a smart fly batt share. If a BEC fails you still crash. I'm trying to be safe and redundant. My 30cc laser has two 1300mah packs and a wolverine. 50cc has two 2500ish packs. My pattern planes have only two 450mah packs and still can last multiple flights. PM me for any more questions