Batteries 12S help needed

[Derek]

I have two 6S 3700mah Gens Ace lipos that I'll use with my Trex 600 Pro DFC. I'm curious to know how other people have their two packs mounted to the battery trays and how other people have the charge leads and balance leads setup. I probably won't be using the 3700mah packs for anything else but the 600, so I won't really need to have to remove them from the tray.

Maybe I need to make a short video to show what I have, then maybe I get can suggestions from the RCH Crew.

 

[pvolcko]

I don't have the 600, but the 700 looks like it is pretty much the same as far as this goes.

Stick packs. Helps to have them shrink wrapped into stick packs, but you can leave them separately strapped to the tray too. Just try to keep any extensions strapped down and protected from the rigors of sliding the packs in and out.


My wiring has the pack leads coming out the back where I hook up to the ESC/BEC power plug.


Packs installed. I have the KDE upgrade nose piece on this heli, which requires wrapping some straps around the front of the pack to hold it in place, instead of it "snapping" into place as with the stock nose piece. I adjust CG by simply moving the pack and trays forward or rearward as necessary. With a click in system you would need to move the packs on the tray to achieve CG since the tray position will be fixed.


I slide the packs in from the back so the leads don't hang up on anything. Remove from the back too since there are some bolts toward the front for canopy standoffs that will hang on the wider parts of the packs and straps (could replace those bolt with button head bolts instead of socket head).

 

[Derek]

Thanks Paul! My biggest concern that I have is that I had to buy an extension for the balance leads and that connects to the balance plug (obviously) of the rear pack. I also extended the red and black wires of the rear pack. I extended these leads so that I could have all the plugs in one location, at the front of the pack. The concern is that the extension for the balance leads is much longer than what I really need. Would there be an issue with me cutting the wires on the balance lead extension, shortening the wires, then soldering them back together at the desired length?

 

[pvolcko]

No problem in doing that. I'd suggest doing one wire at a time, though, to make sure you don't get the wrong order. Especially important if you've already shinktubed the packs into a stick pack since you won't be able to unplug the balance extension and you risk a short if you do more than one at a time. And put shrink tube on one of the wires *before* soldering them together.

 

[Derek]

Although the wires on my balance plug extension are all color coded, I'd still have no problems doing them "one at a time". Any idea on where I can get some shrink wrap large enough for 6S packs? My LHS does not carry shrink wrap that large.

 

[Lee]

Derek,
The guys at The Nation just did a tech tip on making stick packs.
DIY Stick Packs » RC Heli Nation

 

[Derek]

I just read through that DIY. That was awesome! It definitely answered my questions. Thanks for sharing that!

Now, I just need to find some shrink wrap large enough for the 6S packs.

 

[pvolcko]

IF you can't find it let me know and I'll send you some. I got like 20 ft of the stuff here.

 

[Derek]

Thanks Paul! I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Derek]

I really enjoyed that "DIY Stick Pack" article, Lee! Thanks for sharing that. I cut, stripped, soldered and added heat shrink tubing to each wire (one at a time ) to the balance plug. Simple enough. The positive and negative discharge wires were already done. I extended those quite a while ago but I never finished the pack because I was unhappy with how it all looked. So, I asked for help the other night, you guys responded, and now this is what I have as a result:

pic of the positive and negative leads extended and taped down with a bit of clear tape.


pic of the balance leads extended and taped down with a bit of clear tape.


I have to say that I am quite happy with how it all looks now. Just need to get it wrapped up into a solid stick pack.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Derek]

I got thinking about the heat shrink tubing...it's a wrap that helps hold the batteries inline with each other and gives some protection from wear as the pack is being inserted and removed from the helicopter. So...I went to my kitchen and found the clear plastic wrap (that is used to wrap foods in and cover bowls and such). First off, I used some strapping tape to attach the two 6S batteries inline with each other, just as described in the article above. No problems there. I used some Scotch tape to hold the positive wire, negative wire, and balance leads to the sides of the pack. No problems there. Then I used clear packing tape around the clear plastic wrap.

I guess I figured that it's similar to the heat shrink. Here is a picture of the end result:



The new stick pack, once attached to the battery tray, slides in and out of the helicopter without any troubles at all.

 

[pvolcko]

It can also help in a crash. When I put my TRex 700 into the dirt last season the only thing that saved the batteries from getting a few cells poked by screw heads and whatnot was the thick shrink tubing that was used to wrap the packs into one.

If you want to roll with what you got, cool beans. It will do the job. If you want to go the large shrink tube route, PM me and we'll get some sent out to ya. Just need to know the height and width of the packs so I know which size to send ya.

 

[Derek]

I can see your point! Perhaps the heat shrink tubing would be the best way to go....instead of "cheaping out" like I was doing.