Flight power rant...

Following on from my duff lipo threads, and assurance from others that flight power would exchange my packs that are faulty, i gave them a ring.

Monday i said id visit them weds and deliver packs in person for testing.
Tuesday a call back that should of been to confirm, was infact Ian telling me the cells are just a bit out of balance they will be fine, but asked i send the charging graphs, although suggested there were known faults with the cellpro 10 and they couldnt read volts or resistance properly. Graphs sent.

Today still no response from several emails so to me it looks there passing the buck and no intention of even checking the packs/charger with there 'thousand of pounds worth of resistance testing equipement'.

Not impressed.

I appreciate packs die from being treated bad, but 2 out of three pack bad and one good, says faulty packs, not abuse.

Just thought id let you know there service for me was shite, and if i ever fly a heli again ill use revo's .

[Smoothound]

although suggested there were known faults with the cellpro 10 and they couldnt read volts or resistance properly. Graphs sent.

Of course, the Flight Power "V Balance" is a much better option as everybody knows...which is why they are now endorsing the Bantam charger range


I've always had very good service from my LHS when I've had a ropey FP pack so apart from the above comment I'd say they've been pretty good to me but I do now tend to buy other packs as they are now well over priced in the grand scheme of things

[Ade_Law]

i have just replaced my bantum bc6 with a cellpro 10s.

sure the bantum does 6 cells but its only 50watt so only charges at 2amps!

only had a quick play with the cellpro 10s but so far its looking pretty fool proof!

heres the bug list for the cellpro... nothing mentioned thats close to the "known" issue FP are talking about.

***VERSION 2.00beta 3-29-08*** fixed several items that were discovered in the first production run.
Aggressive internal resistance measurement was reducing the efficiency of the charger. IR measurement now takes 12 min instead of 3.
Cold weather temperature has been lowered.
Added fast charge and accurate balance optimization.
Added 1 second delay for Start/Stop button.
Added charge timer.
Adjusted the A123 Fuel table.
Fixed an intermittent PC connection issue.
Added 3 beeps when a pack reaches 99%.
First charge screen is current and time.
Reduced CPU workload 25%.
The first screen after Start Charge is Current/Time.
***PC SOFTWARE CHANGES***
Added color pallet to graphing.
Graphing line gradient blends to brackround color.
Custom Colors are saved.
Beta firmware versions are password protected.
Added revision history.
***VERSION 2.01beta 4-2-08*** fixed a memory issue in the 420 point factory tester.
***VERSION 2.02beta 4-2-08*** fixed a PWM issue in the 420 point factory tester.
***VERSION 2.03beta 4-2-08*** fixed a screen refresh issue.
***VERSION 2.04beta 4-5-08*** fixed corrupt cell count check.
***VERSION 2.06beta 4-6-08*** increased compensation for dirty balance connectors when charging with balance wires only.
***VERSION 2.07beta 4-7-08*** added charge rate compensation to the fuel tables. Charging from 1C to 5C gives a more accurate fuel reading.
***VERSION 2.08beta 4-8-08*** improves the charger's ability to read fuel from 1C charge to 5C charge. Uses a recursive fuel adjustment. Fixed a network issue on the PC software.
***VERSION 2.09beta 4-8-08*** makes the charger beep 3 times when a pack reaches 99%. Fixed a LCD refresh delay when choosing amps and chemistry. Adjusted fuel level at the start of the charge.
***VERSION 2.10beta 4-9-08*** fixed a channel 2 fuel issue from V2.09.
***PC SOFTWARE CHANGES***
Added charge optimization status to the charger data files.
***VERSION 2.11 4-9-08*** makes auto amps start at 1.00 Amp. This allows faster auto current calculation.
***VERSION 2.12beta 4-10-08*** trims auto amps to a minimum of 1.5A in A123 Auto Mode.
***VERSION 2.13 4-11-08*** Fixed a fuel initialization issue.
***VERSION 2.14beta 4-22-08*** Added Double Click START to change optimization without a PC. Optimization selection displays on the charge start screen.
***VERSION 2.15 4-23-08*** The SAFE TO CONNECT screen shows charger optimization. Single clicking the START button toggles and saves the optimization.
***PC SOFTWARE CHANGES 5-1-08***
Fixed a date issue for European date format.
***VERSION 2.16 5-1-08*** Fixed a couple of issues that cause nuisance errors. Added 100mS delay to cell count verification. Also fixed intermittant 'Neg. Term. < 0V' error
***PC SOFTWARE CHANGES***
Fixed Auto Increment file name so that it doesn’t increment unintended numbers in the file name. Added IN to mAh data on graphs.
Made PC safety codes match V2.16
***VERSION 2.18 6-5-08*** 55V supply adjusts faster to prevent nuisance trip with 2 pack charge. Internal Resistance reading is blocked during cell count detect at the start of the charge to prevent nuisance trip on channel 2 pack detect.
***VERSION 2.19b 7-18-08*** This version is for beta testers only. Increased A123 charge voltage to 3.800V to see how it affects charge time and balance.
***VERSION 2.20 7-23-08*** Fixed single cell charge not showing milliohms on the cell. A123 charge voltage is 3.800V.
***VERSION 2.21b 9-24-08*** Limits Auto Amps to 4A to accommodate newer 35C batteries. Manual current settings must be used to charge above 4A. Lowered A123 charge voltage back to 3.65V.
***VERSION 2.22b 9-25-08*** Raised overcurrent threshold to 13A to prevent error #98.

i will let you make your own decision of the quality of FPs claims. I know what im thinking tho....

Ade

[inferno]

The cell pro is an awesome bit of kit, i dont doubt for one second it could be wrong, but still gave them the oppertunity to check it with the packs. TBH im really suprised they didnt take the offer up, even if they did tell me at the end the chargers faulty and blagged there way out of it. sorely tempted now to visit them un announced (unless there reading this) next week.

ADE, have you seen the list of 26 ways iirc to connect 2 packs incorrectly to charge? The charger wont allow it on any occasion, ie when i connected my 3s pack discharge lead and the second packs balance lead to a lesser charger, the charger read low v on the balance so over charged the pack. The cell pro beeps like mad when the error is reproduced and wont charge!

[trvo]

I think you should drop by and see this thousand pound testing system of theirs in action .

Trev

[Ade_Law]

1000 pound?

20ukp clamp meter from B&Q more likely :-)

Ade

[Thomas]

I think we need to start an unofficial FP boycott until Julian agrees to at least look at Toms packs. I think they are looking in to this now though

[inferno]

Thomas, i emailed julian explaining the situation immediatly after our phonecall, with the subject 'Faulty lipos ' so id like to think that would of taken a priority for a reply... even a simple... 'post them to blah blah...' would of done me .

My guess would be anything like that is put in the junk bin...

Rest assure if its not fixed ill be going Revo's when i get my next heli.

[Thomas]

Tom, I'm sure FlightPower will do the right thing as they have always treated me very well in the past.

[Ashley Davis]

it used to take about a minute of flying for the power to drop off on FPs, I guess it does it right after connection now
Which is why your packs are clearly just fine

[Ade_Law]

they arent faulty they supposed to be like that its a feature of the cells :-)

you wont go wrong with aurorra, outrage packs are worth a look too especially with their 50% crash damage offer.

Ade

[inferno]

they arent faulty they supposed to be like that its a feature of the cells :-)

you wont go wrong with aurorra, outrage packs are worth a look too especially with their 50% crash damage offer.

Ade

Was that a free plug to your own packs lol. Even my align 6s packs were better than these!

[Smoothound]

I'm assuming someone has pointed this thread out to FP by now?

Mind you judging by the response I got about my fried Align 500 ESC thanks to Robbe Fan Boys tipping off KW about my posts on here I'm sure it is now in hand

Mind you the full damage to my 500 has never been resolved, though I got a new ESC even though according to Robbe there was only 1 other case of an ESC burning...

Thanks to the Fan Boys I got the new ESC that Robbe were trying to worm out of

[Tim Procter]

I got a new ESC even though according to Robbe there was only 1 other case of an ESC burning...

We know different though don't we Phil.

[Smoothound]

We know different though don't we Phil.

Yeah, but don't tell Keith because he'll have to step into the real world for once