I am getting my christmas list prepared, and am hoping for a LiPo system for my HB.
I know that the pack fo choice is the etech 1200 in either 2 cell or three, depending on your motor. I plan to run 2 cells with an acro 280bb and edp50xc dd tail. Now, I see at Hobby Lobby that there is a Kokam 1200 pack and also a 1500 pack. Now, I know that we are pushing the 1200 pretty hard , 8 amps being almost 7C.
My questions are these:
Does anyone run the Kokam 1200? (why dont I ever hear about it on ezone? maybe they work well and people have no problems with them)
Why not run the Kokam 1500? It is still just over half the weight of the stock birdseed, and can be safely pushed to 8C which is 12A, and we are usually at less than half that with the micro's, especially brushless. Wouldn't this mean a smaller voltage drop under load, lots of extra capacity for plenty of power and loooong run times, and a battery that has a longer service life and can be used in sp400 designs. Also, the added bonus of extra weight up front so you can actually fly your heli with the canopy on (first time in my modeling life that extra weight is actually a bonus!)
Please reply so I can choose the right battery to ask Santa for.
co

Im running a Thunder Power 2100 and even at 85 grams, its still lighter than the birdseed and last 4x as long. I heard they make a 1200 or 1300 Thunder Power which would be perfect.

I just tried a 2100 on my bird, and with a hard sitdown, it trashed the cf struts at the horizontal platform. The extra weight and a less than tender touchdown didn't come out well.
So I'm wondering about using the 2100 again, or beefing u the lading gear.
Stuka
Thanks Jimjam!)

Sounds like you really need a CORONA STUKA!

Well, I changed my struts to music wire, so I can bend them back if they do bend.
Will probably change the LG to that superbendy one I saw somewhere not too long ago anyway.
Is the 2100 pretty big, ie too big to fit well?
co

Alot are having great success with the 2 cell 1200 Etec. I have 2 packs of those and 2 packs of 3 cell. Bottom line is that after over a week of some strange power loss after just a minute or so, I found out I was drawing to many amps. I switched to the TP PACK simply because of its higher amp capabilty. Thats solved all my problems. I have heard they make a 12 or 1300 TP pack and that would be perfect. Too run the 2100 and get the cg right, I simply got 2 longer bottom 2mm cf rods"robbed off the training gear" slid off the bottom 2 and used them. Now I can place the battery forward. For the canopy, just remove the cf cross rod that you attach the canopy too and move it forward. I like my heavier than most HB cause it handles and feels more like larger helis I fly. However if you are not confortable with experimenting with various setups to get it right, I say try a 2 cell 1200 etec or track down the 1300 TP battery.

It flies with the 2100, just a tad over an ounce more, and feels it, but will get up there. Unforutanelty I fly in the basement ina small area so my ecovery time is non existent, and I have to sit down fast and hard often. THe 2100 definitely stress the stock lg, but does fly it, and I assume longer than the 1200, but alas, I couldn't prove it.
STuka

I am running a brushed 280bb 6v, so I will need to stay with the 2cell pack.
I will look for the TP 1300, but if no one says anything bad about the 1500Kokam, I might just go for that. I dont want to be flying on the verge with 1200's, if I can avoid potential power problems by going with the slightly larger pack, that is what I will do. Reading the posts titled "HB not flying" and "power problem" makes me wary.
Thanks for the input guys.
Does anyone have experience with the Kokam 1500's? Anyone?
co

Most of those post were from me. Sounds like you are making a wise decision. I did not read any negative post on the etecs until I started posting about my mystery power loss. Alot are running them right on the edge of what they can handle. All it takes to push them over on this picky machine can be as simple as blades,paddles,wrong pinion, or a dozen other things. As with my battery, I like to also go a little overkill on the ESCs. Really depends on the type flying you wanna do.