I am going to make the move over to the LiFePO4 batteries. Only problem is I have no clue as to what I need or how to make these work, AT ALL! I have three ships to outfit with them before spring. The Mutsu - Normally runs on two 6vlt - 12 ah SLAs for two sorties, so I needed 4 batteries for a day. The Viribus Unitus - Normally runs on one 6 vlt 12 AH SLA per two sorties, SO I needed 2 per day. The Baden - I think Jeff runs on 2 6vlt - 12 AH SLAs for two sorties, so I needed 4 batteries for a day. I think I need the StrikeModel's EV-650A battery charger. Thats $65.00 So can somebody please edumacate me on Batteries please?
Not being familier with the cell sizes Strike Models offers, I can only talk about the LiFEs used by some captains. The 20ah prismatic "brick" cells will fit the bill for all three ships. For 6v, two cells are required. Each cell weighs 16 ounces, so a 6v (actually 6.4v), 20ah pack will weight 2 pounds. One battery pack will easily last a battle and can be topped off over lunch for the afternoon battles (less batteries required). Larger ships, such as the Mutsu, can use two sets of batteries; one for the pump and one for everything else. Total weight of the battieres is around 4.5 pounds. My HMS Erin 4.5 unit dreadnaught runs two sets of batteries. If the Strike Model charger will specifically charge LiFEPo4 batteries, then it will work fine. Another option is to use single cell chargers (one per cell) for topping off over lunch and overnight charging. I'll drop you a PM in about an hour (time it takes to get home from work) with some more specific information.
Lifepo4 is the way to go. I prefer to run the whole ship off one set and have recently gone to 4 20ah cells to have 6v 40ah (I already had 20ah cells). I had previously purchased a fancy charger which is good for matching and testing but also just bought single cell chargers so that I can charge each cell individually at an event rather than drag my expensive charger around. I bought 4 of them for $25 each and if one goes bad I am not going to be out much money. They charge at 6amps so it shouldn't take more than 2 hours to charge all four cells. I also agree that the prismatic cells are the way to go with their hard plastic case and big 6mm lug nuts. Very easy to setup and run. J
So would I be able to use these in my DKM Lutzow, LiFePO4 Battery Cells 38120S 3.2V 10Ah. I have been running a 6V 9amph SLA with a 550 motor driving both props with the BC 2 to set up, and a 550 pump motor. So using 2 of these I would get 6.4 volts and a 10 amph battery RIGHT? Here's the link on E-bay http://www.ebay.com/itm/LiFePO4-Battery-Cells-38120S-3-2V-10Ah-big-capacity-/230686164817?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b5f78751
You are aware of the offerings from Strike so you can try: 12V battery from Batteryspace and take the cells out: http://www.batteryspace.com/LiFePO4-Prismatic-Box-Battery-12.8V-20Ah-256Wh-10C-rate-without-PCM.aspx Single 20AH Cell from Batteryspace: http://www.batteryspace.com/LiFePO4-Prismatic-Module-3.2V-20-Ah-10C-Rate-64-wh.aspx Single 40AH Cell - (a little expensive, they go for $50 elsewhere) http://www.batteryspace.com/LiFePO4-Prismatic-Module-3.2V-40-Ah-10C-Rate-128-wh.aspx I buy from Batteryspace, I prefer not to but there doesn't seem to be another good source for 20AH cells. I run 4 cells for 6.4v 40ah as I had already bought a bunch of 20ah cells and had some weight to play with. It also give me the flexibility to run 9.6V or 12V easily if I choose to. I believe the least expensive way to run 12V LifePO4 for main battery is 20ah which costs around 124 per pack, whereas 40ah would be roughly 200 or so. You could also just go with 40AH cells and have plenty of power. In the end it depends on what you want to do. If you want to run LifePO4 and 6.4 volts then for low weight (2 cells in series) or dual independent battery systems (2 cells in series for pump, 2 cells in series for motors) then you want 20AH cells. If you want to run with extended run time then you can either run 40AH cells which would be easier to wire and weigh less than 4 of the 20ah cells. You would need to take their size into account as you build as I don't believe you can stand them on their side like Mike Mangus does with his cells (and now I do too thanks MIKE!) 20AH sources are very few but you can find 40ah at a larger selection of suppliers.
IMO, the 40ah cells are probably best for the large battleships. Although they are lightweight, physically they are somewhat large and won't fit into some ships like the Iron Dukes. As it was, I was barely able to fit them into the Erin for a half a year until finally deciding to switch to 20ah cells to rearrange the ship interior. Just to be on the silly side and because I could, the Richelieu got a pair of 70ah cells that just fit along the sides of the ship. 70ah is way overkill, but then again I won't have to charge or change a battery in the Richey until after a full day's battling is over. Someone already posted the 10ah cylindrical Headway cells. Those are perfect for small ships like PDNs and cruisers. A 2 cell battery weighs 1.5 pounds and gives 10ah ... enough for 2 and a half sorties in the Verite using a Stinger motored pump. If 10ah isn't enough, Headway also makes a little longer 16ah cell.
Somebody needs to make a "Batteries for Dummies" thread.... I know they can come in a prety babyblue case, or a shiny stainless case. I know some are 10ah, 20ah, and even 70ah. That is all I know without being so confused I would end up buying things that will not work or that would be sub par for my application. Everybody is putting great info in here but I am more confused than at the start now. Put it this way.. I know I needed 2 sla's at aprox 12-14ah to run my QE. I am faily sure that the same will run my Mutsu. I might need to add 1 more 6vlt sla 6ah for the pump. This is for 2 sorties in Fastgun. To run all day I would need another set just like this. So I will need 4 sla 6vlt - 12ah batteries, and 2 sla 6vlt-6ah batteries. I know there are several good captains here who know these LiFePO4's well enough to just say "Spudsy, go to this link and buy this......" Thats what I need. I then can learn buy using this set and seeing how it all works. This single cell charging seams to be a pain in the but so if there is a way to charge without breaking stuff down let me know.
Have a look on this page here: http://www.bmsbattery.com/36-lifepo4 choose the cells so the Voltage adds up, and then the pieces to build them together into a battery, and multiples of that to increase the Ah (multiple batteries mounted in parrallel increase Ah not Voltage)
use 4 of these: http://www.bmsbattery.com/lifepo4-cell/89-38140s-10c-c-rate-12ah-lifepo4-cylindrical-battery-cell.html as the cells with 2 of these: http://www.bmsbattery.com/lifepo4-cell/56-38120-holder.html to hold them and 3 of these: http://www.bmsbattery.com/lifepo4-cell/55-38120-connector.html to connect them together. that builds a 6V 12Ah battery. That comes to $72.30 without shipping. Hope that helps!
Ouch. Why not simply go with the 10ah cylindrical cells for about $18 each? Two of them would give a $36 6v 10ah battery pack. Half the cost for only 2 ah less.
Sources for 40AH, not complete: I have only used the powersonic - thundersky knock-offs. Others may have used the Calb or GBC cells, I cant say much about them. Mike may be running the Calb cells but I am not sure. The vendors below may offer several choices and I am sure the Thundersky or Calb will do the job. http://evolveelectrics.com/index.html http://www.currentevtech.com/ Single cell 6amp charger: http://www.batteryspace.com/Smart-Charger-6.0A-for-3.2V-1cells-LiFePO4-Battery-Pack-100-240VAC-CE.aspx For charging at a battle I suggest at least 1 charger per cell that you use in 2 battles. So if you use 4 cells in 2 battles get 4 chargers. That way you can have 2 full sets of batteries charged by the time you get back from Dinner and wont have to get up at 1am to switch batteries. I will use 4 cells per battle but will most likely initially live with 4 chargers and a spare so that I wont be in trouble with a bad charge while 10hrs from home. When you attend a regional with 3 battles in a day and you don't have a way to charge at the pond you can use one set for the first sortie and the second set in the second sortie (at least that is how we do it at regionals in the MWC) You shouldn't need to balance these cells as they will all charge close to the max voltage. It would be hard to manage on the road anyway with balancing connectors and such, it was for me.. just more work. Match and test with an advanced charger when you get home. If you want 6.4V 20ah then you want qty(2) 3.2v cells, 20ah wired in series. The minimum to get you by for a days battle, 4 cells total. If you want 6.4V 40ah you have two choices: qty(4) 20ah cells per battle (2 in parallel, then 2 of those in series) and you would need 8 cells for a days battle. OR you can get qty(2) 40ah cells per battle wired in series and you would need 4 cells for a days battle. If you want 12V you can go with (4) 20AH cells in series or (4) 40AH in series. It would be impractical to run 12V 40AH with (8) of the 20ah cells. I have fit (4) of the 20ah cells in the Baden but due to the way the ship is built I don't think I can use 40ah cells at all. As I am running 6.4V 40Ah it would be cheaper to buy (2) 40ah cells and lighter compared to the (4) 20ah cells but I already have the 20ah cells.
Cells are, by their definition, 1.6 volts, though, anything else is a battery - multiple cells. At least, that's what I remember from my college level physics courses...
A battery can refer to either a single cell or multiple cells. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battery
