Battery technology seems to have taken aleaping step recently, allowing electric RC models to go places where once only
nitrous model could go. Leading this innovation are the Li-Po or
Lithium Polymer batteries which hasbecome the standard power source for electric powered helicopters, planes,
cars, boats, and almost every other type of model. However, these batteries are
not exactly cheap, and improper operations will have detrimental effects. Here
are seven tips to maximize your battery performance. 1. Break In New Batteries Although not as big a deal with newer
Li-Popacks as it was when NiMh and NiCad batteries were kings, it is stillrecommended that you fully charge the battery before first use. Fully
discharging and charging batteries a few times before first flight or will also
give your battery a little bit extra lifetime and power. 2. Keep the pack clean This is probably one of the most overlookedaspects of battery operations. It is a good idea to keep the battery pack
clean, and this is especially important for the dean connectors. If the dean connectors
are dirty, the connection may be obstructed and could result in a mid-flight
power failure. The easiest way to clean dirty contacts is simply with alcohol
and cotton swaps. 3. Keep up the battery's health by constantexercise Leaving the battery inactive for a longperiod of time shorten its life and decrease its total potential. You should
use
yourbattery pack at least once every one to two weeks. Fully discharging thencharging the pack will also quell this problem. 4. Take breaks between flights A fully charged li-po pack has enough powerfor a 10-minute flight. However, to fly for ten minutes straight on one pack is
not recommended. If you have two packs, it's best to fly a 5 minute flight,
switch to a fresh pack, fly for another 5 minute, and then switch back to the
old pack. Doing this will greatly increase the life-span on the battery. 5. Do not charge when hot Never charge the battery pack while it isstill hot.
Batterypack becomes very hot right after a flight; you must wait until it coolsdown before charging it again. Charging a still-hot pack is one of the most
successful ways to shorten a battery's life. 6. Store them well To store the battery for a prolonged period(a month or more), the best way to store them is in a clean, dry, cool place
away from metal and heat. Remember also that battery packs loose charge over
time even without usage. 7. Avoid hard impact Individual cells within a battery pack canbe damaged upon heavy impact which could cause circuit leaks and can be
dangerously unstable. There is also no way to repair a damaged cell. Try your
best not to crash, but of course, we all already do.
