Battery Storage

cxdriver · Jul 06, 2009, 10:12 PM

Gang, moving here from upper midwest it's my practice to store my aircraft in the garage on trickle charge. Recently I while preflighting I noticed one of my battery packs was below flight voltage - so packed up and went home.

I cycled all flight packs on my Triton and each failed to hold a charge.
Question: what is the common practice around DFW for storing batteries?

I'm guessing the high temperatures in the garage accelerated battery life as they were only 3 years old.

Thanks in advance,
Eric Richardson

cxdriver · Jul 07, 2009, 08:18 PM

Response from Red Scholfeld:
Eric,

Storing on trickle charge in hot environment will accelerate separator deterioration. Don't store on trickle charge, and don't store in hot place. I remove my packs and store in refrigerator (40º F) until I need them.

We have found that battery life is cut in half for every 10º C above room temperature (20º C) So if you are storing at 90º F this means you are cutting the life (which we state mean time between failure at about 7 years) you will be down to less than half that when you start seeing your packs fail.

Red S.
Red's R/C Battery Clinic
http://www.hangtimes.com/redsbatteryclinic.html
Check us out for "revolting" information.

Jul 06, 2009, 10:12 PM	#1
cxdriver CXDriver Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2	Battery Storage Gang, moving here from upper midwest it's my practice to store my aircraft in the garage on trickle charge. Recently I while preflighting I noticed one of my battery packs was below flight voltage - so packed up and went home. I cycled all flight packs on my Triton and each failed to hold a charge. Question: what is the common practice around DFW for storing batteries? I'm guessing the high temperatures in the garage accelerated battery life as they were only 3 years old. Thanks in advance, Eric Richardson

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ni Hi Battery Storage	Tom D.	rec.models.rc.air	6	Dec 03, 2002 09:42 AM
Question Winter battery storage	Bernie Wolfard	Batteries and Chargers	5	Nov 21, 2002 06:49 PM
Battery storage question	nrthwing	Batteries and Chargers	5	Oct 21, 2002 11:57 PM
battery storage	cenman	Electric Plane Talk	3	Feb 20, 2002 05:41 PM
Flight Battery Storage - charged or flat?	Steve_Bennington	Beginner Training Area (Aircraft-Electric)	11	Sep 16, 2001 06:00 AM

Jul 07, 2009, 08:18 PM	#2
cxdriver CXDriver Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2	Response from Red Scholfeld: Eric, Storing on trickle charge in hot environment will accelerate separator deterioration. Don't store on trickle charge, and don't store in hot place. I remove my packs and store in refrigerator (40º F) until I need them. We have found that battery life is cut in half for every 10º C above room temperature (20º C) So if you are storing at 90º F this means you are cutting the life (which we state mean time between failure at about 7 years) you will be down to less than half that when you start seeing your packs fail. Red S. Red's R/C Battery Clinic http://www.hangtimes.com/redsbatteryclinic.html Check us out for "revolting" information.