Could you weigh in on my battery/charger choices?

[SHiFT]

Thank you. I just want to run this by the experts before I buy.

So, here's what I'm thinking:
Castle HV160 (already ordered)
http://www.castlecreations.com/products/phoenix_ice_hv.html
Astroflight 3210 (already ordered)
http://www.astroflight.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=122

Zippy 5000mah 6s 30C 22.2V x 4
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16804
iCharger 206B battery charger 300W 20A
http://epbuddy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3

If I wire the batteries 2 in series with one another, and then two pairs in parallel, I should get 20ah, 44.4v?
Is this is setup called, 2s2p?
According to the charger specs, I can only charge the batteries one at a time though (right), so I need to step up a huge factor to get a 12s capable charger correct?

Thanks much all,

SHiFT

 

[Jethro56]

I would call this 12S2P for $40 dollars more you could get a Hyperion 1420i. 550 watts 14s capable. You also need a power supply unless you want to use batteries to charge batteries.

 

[SHiFT]

Thanks Jethro!

 

[zombiess]

12s2p is going to be 44.4V/10Ah, not 20ah.

 

[dogman dan]

Yes. And better to paralell the battieries first, then series connect paralelled pairs. For a permanent paralell setup, connect both the big wires and the balance wires in paralell. If paralelling temporary, you can connect the balance wires just when charging if you prefer.

To get 12s 20 ah, you need 8, 5 ah packs.

Once you have your packs paired, or paralelled in quads, you can pretty easily seperate them to charge as 6s 20 ah packs. Two chargers is not so complicated if you can't afford a nice 14s hyperion.

 

[SHiFT]

K, so for now, I ended up going only with 2x Zippy 5000mAh 6s 22.2v batteries.

I should wire them up in parallel then correct?

Should I still splurge on a Hyperion and Power supply, or can I go with an iCharger or something a bit more affordable?

 

[SHiFT]

I went with a meanwell se-600 24v, and a hyperion 1420i.

Sigh. Cost is just climbing and climbing... :/

 

[wasp]

K, so for now, I ended up going only with 2x Zippy 5000mAh 6s 22.2v batteries.

I should wire them up in parallel then correct?

Should I still splurge on a Hyperion and Power supply, or can I go with an iCharger or something a bit more affordable?

so you will have 4ah of usable power? if following the 80% rule...i would run at least 2 more bricks for 2s2p and it will ease the draw on just 2
jmo

 

[SHiFT]

Yeah, can't skimp on batteries I'm finding. Thanks, this is a leisure vehicle, so I don't need the higher capacity, but I'm sure I'll want it.

 

[EBJ]

I went with a meanwell se-600 24v, and a hyperion 1420i.

Sigh. Cost is just climbing and climbing... :/

tell me about it. I didn't realize what i was getting into.
The batteries ended up being the cheaper half of the battery set-up:
Hyperion Charger. 600W Mean Well PSU, Cable, Din Connectors, Bullet Connectors, LV warning buzzers, ect. It all adds up quickly.
I think I'm at 700 bucks already trying to set-up for a 36V 20AH pack. ...and I just found the Mean Wells don't even come with a power-cord, so there's another 10 - 20 bucks.

 

[SHiFT]

LOL. I know!

I've been trying to see if there is any appliance in the house that I don't need, so I can just steal the cord from it hah.

Yeah, I haven't gotten the connectors yet, but there goes another big chunk. In sum, I am about 3K into my project (not counting tools and things), and I don't even have a motor yet!

 

[EBJ]

LOL. I know!

I've been trying to see if there is any appliance in the house that I don't need, so I can just steal the cord from it hah.

Yeah, I haven't gotten the connectors yet, but there goes another big chunk. In sum, I am about 3K into my project (not counting tools and things), and I don't even have a motor yet!

ouch! I'm guessing mine will cost a total of about 2000 bucks. I'll be looking for a cord w/ a nice on-off switch built in. I'm still not sure why a PSU wouldn't just come with it's own on-off switch, but then again I'm not sure why RC chargers don't come w/ a plug to begin with. As soon as one hits the market w/ a 110 cord, I think the rest will follow suite.

 

[neptronix]

I went with a meanwell se-600 24v, and a hyperion 1420i.

Sigh. Cost is just climbing and climbing... :/

tell me about it. I didn't realize what i was getting into.
The batteries ended up being the cheaper half of the battery set-up:
Hyperion Charger. 600W Mean Well PSU, Cable, Din Connectors, Bullet Connectors, LV warning buzzers, ect. It all adds up quickly.
I think I'm at 700 bucks already trying to set-up for a 36V 20AH pack. ...and I just found the Mean Wells don't even come with a power-cord, so there's another 10 - 20 bucks.

Just get a power cord off a computer, or some other dead appliance. Shouldn't be hard to find something broken with a 3 wire connector on it. Make sure you get a thick cord though. An extension cord, surge protector, microwave cord, etc would do good.

LV warning buzzers? if you have an infineon, you can set a LVC in it.

But a good purchase would be a turnigy watt meter and/or a celllog 8s ( which can beep at a voltage that you select - not when the battery is discharged past it's low voltage.

 

[spinningmagnets]

For cords, if you are in a hurry and low on budget, you can usually find something very cheap at a thrift store. Over the course of the next few months, keep an eye out for a vacuum cleaner being thrown away on trash day. Due to the length of the cord, they seem to be a thicker guage wire.

I keep several tools with my car for unexpected repairs. The dikes cut through heavy cords with some work.

 

[neptronix]

vacuum cleaner cord may work, dunno.. extension cords are usually pretty dang fat though.

All i know is that i used a 300w computer cable and the dang thing gets warm on my 350w meanwell when it's only pushing 300w out.

The thicker the better.

 

[wineboyrider]

vacuum cleaner cord may work, dunno.. extension cords are usually pretty dang fat though.

All i know is that i used a 300w computer cable and the dang thing gets warm on my 350w meanwell when it's only pushing 300w out.

The thicker the better.

LOL. Yeah the cheap thin wires that came with my meanwell lasted n2 seconds!

 

[EBJ]

I went with a meanwell se-600 24v, and a hyperion 1420i.

Sigh. Cost is just climbing and climbing... :/

tell me about it. I didn't realize what i was getting into.
The batteries ended up being the cheaper half of the battery set-up:
Hyperion Charger. 600W Mean Well PSU, Cable, Din Connectors, Bullet Connectors, LV warning buzzers, ect. It all adds up quickly.
I think I'm at 700 bucks already trying to set-up for a 36V 20AH pack. ...and I just found the Mean Wells don't even come with a power-cord, so there's another 10 - 20 bucks.

Just get a power cord off a computer, or some other dead appliance. Shouldn't be hard to find something broken with a 3 wire connector on it. Make sure you get a thick cord though. An extension cord, surge protector, microwave cord, etc would do good.

LV warning buzzers? if you have an infineon, you can set a LVC in it.

But a good purchase would be a turnigy watt meter and/or a celllog 8s ( which can beep at a voltage that you select - not when the battery is discharged past it's low voltage.

Yeah, I ordered 2 of these (one for each paralleled group of batteries):
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7226
Unless I can figure out a way to get it to warn sooner, these will only act as an "oh sh** warning. They alarm at 15V for a 5S pack. or 3V per cell (assuming they are all discharging evenly).
*I just realized I would have been better off getting these same alarms but for a 6S pack, that way they would alarm at 18V, or 3.6V per cell in a 5S pack. ... hum