subject: Choosing The Right Battery For Your Rc Helicopter [print this page] This has become and increasingly viable option over the fuel powered RC helicopter, here are a few reasons why it is better to choose the LiPo batteries for your RC helicopter.
1.Availability
All LiPo batteries are available in all shape and sizes making it a convenient choice for battery packs
2.Weight
LiPo batteries are very lightweight and will not add any unnecessary weight to your helicopter
3.Huge Capacity
LiPo batteries are able to hold more power for longer periods of time, such as that required when flying an RC helicopter
4.High Discharge Rates
High discharge rates mean that they are able to meet the demands of motors such as that in the RC helicopter
Battery Shopping: Some Parameters
1.Voltage
This is the part where LiPo batteries are sure to be better than any other battery type. While the standard NiMH or even the NiCad is only able to provide 1.2 V per cell of voltage, LiPo batteries are capable of giving more than thrice of that amount (up to 3.7 V per cell). In addition, LiPo batteries that are specifically made for RC helicopter have two or more cells that are hooked in a series for higher voltage provisions. If you have a helicopter that is big by normal standards, you may opt to get LiPo batteries with more cells. When you are in the process of purchasing batteries for your helicopter, make sure that you get the correct size for your helicopter.
2.Discharge Rate
The discharge rate refers to the amount of time that a battery pack takes to be completely discharged. This is usually 10 times more than the batterys capacity; so the higher the discharge rate, the better. You should remember that your helicopter is a very valuable investment. Do not short change buy buying it a cheap power source. If you do this, you will end up spending more than necessary.
3.Capacity
The capacity of a battery refers to the amount of power that each battery pack has. The unit of measurement for the capacity of a battery is in milliamp hour or mAh. To put it simply, this is the amount of load that can be put in any better for a time frame of a single hour during which the battery will be completely discharged. A good example of this is that if a LiPobattery has a capacity of 1000 mAh placed on it will take a full hour to completely discharge the battery and a load of 500 mAh will take two hours for a complete discharge. So if you are planning on purchasing a LiPo battery for your helicopter, keep in mind about the amount of charge that will be drawn by your helicopter. If you have a big helicopter, get batteries with higher capacities, which will enable you to fly your helicopter for longer periods of time.
