More packs or generator?

[A.W]

Do most people here have fewer packs and field charge, or charge loads of batteries to go to the field with?

I've got quite a few packs in the 6's 1600-3500 range for my smaller helis, but now I have a 700 I'm not sure if its practical to buy more packs for it due to the cost of the packs. I have 2 stick packs already, but for the cost of another 2 I could probably buy a decent generator but then you have the running costs of that. I would like to fly the 700 more so need to do something about that, but am considering the future and it would be nice to have fewer batteries in the long run.

What do you think? I can't decide which way to go.

[Varelco]

I think it depends on how much you intend to fly, if you are the kind of person who is wanting to get a dozen flights out of your 700 in a day then a generator is a good idea. If you are satisfied with 3 or 4 then its a waste of money. Initial costs may look appealing but once you have batteries, thats it, no additional cost. A generator on the other hand will continue to cost you money throughout its life (fuel, oil, filters, spark plug etc). Other things to consider it transportation noise etc.

[p1andy]

Had the same thoughts and ended up with a generator. £200 for another flight pack or £275 for a generator, the choice was easy.

[bigpops]

I went with the generator. Purely for the long term.

Since getting the generator, I only ever intend to buy 2x packs/sets of pack for any helicopter I ever own. Thats enough for me to fly, charge, talk, repeat, all day with that heli. I never fly back to back, but you could with 3x packs and 2x chargers and charge at 3C.

[A.W]

I went with the generator. Purely for the long term.

Since getting the generator, I only ever intend to buy 2x packs/sets of pack for any helicopter I ever own. Thats enough for me to fly, charge, talk, repeat, all day with that heli. I never fly back to back, but you could with 3x packs and 2x chargers and charge at 3C.

Thanks for the input guys. This is one of the reasons I thought it might be a good idea, as right now if I wanted to stay at the field all day I would either have to ration my packs, or go home to charge again which isn't really practical.

How much looking after do generators take?? Maintenance etc?

I really don't know much about them, will any 4 stroke be ok, was looking around the 1000w mark and been looking at the more affordable end - an Evopower for about £250.

[p1andy]

Maintenance so far is just fuel and checking/topping up the oil each week, apart from that dont touch it till it goes wrong. I have the clarke 1000w which does me fine for field charing

[bigbladelittleblade]

I use a kipor 1000w 4 stroke genny, every tank full I drop a little Redex in to keep the engine clean and make sure my oil level is fine, I've had it 3years now with no problem at all. It charges 4 6s batteries at once with no problem and also runs the caravan, ideal for Weston Park

[Granpappy]

I have 2 pairs of 6S 5200mah batteries which gives me 2 flights on my Compass 7HV. My field charge set up is an ICharger with 2 X 20Ah 6S packs in parallel which I bought from Hobby King for £98 each. Pictured:-



If I run my flight packs down to 22.8 volts then I can charge 5 pairs of flight packs giving me a total of 7 flights and leaving the field charge batteries at just over 22 volts at the end of the flying day.
The field charge lipos (green ones in the picture) together as a pair weigh about the same as a golf cart battery. Basically it is 40 Ah at 25 volts. Works for me.

[james_2k]

good idea!

[Cartlidge]

All I have is one set of 6s 5000 opti packs, flying a Gaui x7 mostly. And a £120 generator from lidl 1200w I fly and then charge (25mins max) and then fly again. I get about to days out of a tank of fuel and charge about 6 times a day. Works perfectly for me. A second set would be best tho. To have one set charging wile I fly but like you say cost is a big thing atm for everyone I think. As my gen was basically the cost of one battery and £2.50 a day running cost it's suits me.

[tomatwalden]

Thanks for the input guys. This is one of the reasons I thought it might be a good idea, as right now if I wanted to stay at the field all day I would either have to ration my packs, or go home to charge again which isn't really practical.

How much looking after do generators take?? Maintenance etc?

I really don't know much about them, will any 4 stroke be ok, was looking around the 1000w mark and been looking at the more affordable end - an Evopower for about £250.

I use an Evopower 1kw genny. I've had it for a couple of years now, and despite my lack of care/maintenance it still runs nicely. As you say, for £250 it's a good deal I think. The actual engine is a Hyundai FWIW.

[A.W]

I use an Evopower 1kw genny. I've had it for a couple of years now, and despite my lack of care/maintenance it still runs nicely. As you say, for £250 it's a good deal I think. The actual engine is a Hyundai FWIW.

That's great info as the other one I was looking at was a hyundai which was about another £50-100.

[tomatwalden]

That's great info as the other one I was looking at was a hyundai which was about another £50-100.

Yup, you can verify this by checking the motor spec of both of these ... (ie. both Hyundai XG144F 53cc 1.8HP)
Evopower 1000W Portable Petrol Inverter Generator EVO1000i - ThePowerSite.co.uk
HY1000SI Digital Inverter Generator

[chrisleematt21]

I have 16 packs and a Generator, it give me the option then of having 8 flights on my 700 or 16 on my 500 with out the generator running or a limitless amount of flights when I want to be there all day.

IMO a generator is the way to go, if you can put up with the noise or can place it away from where you are flying from you don't need to by an expensive inverter generator a conventional one will do. I have a 2.5kw conventional one it is nosier than the inverter ones but I can still hear the heli in the distance over the noise of the genny, but thats personal preference I guess, still not a bad buy for £50 as it runs for hours on a single tank charging my 6s packs.

[Shady80]

And the plus side of having a generator is ermmm......you have a generator!