Discussion List (Batteries)

[J.Oddino]

That is another advantage of my electric Impact.  It won't rust.  I painted the trim colors with Rustoleum.  
I really like the spray can approach but I'm not sure I'd use Rustoleum again.  It doesn't get as hard as I would like and there is a limited color selection.  After it was done, the guys told me about a car place in Ventura that would match any color and put it in a spray can for less than $10.  I'll look into that if I ever paint another one.
Jim O
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dean Pappas 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 9:59 AM
  Subject: RE: Discussion List (Batteries)


  Gray,
  I have been testing the E-Funtana since June. My days of E-testing are paper-towel-free!
  I dusted my airplane the other day, 'cause I felt guilty!
  I will have to oil my tailwheel, so it doesn't rust, though.
  VBG,
      Dean

  Dean Pappas 
  Sr. Design Engineer 
  Kodeos Communications 
  111 Corporate Blvd. 
  South Plainfield, N.J. 07080 
  (908) 222-7817 phone 
  (908) 222-2392 fax 
  d.pappas at kodeos.com 

    -----Original Message-----
    From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Gray E Fowler
    Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 11:57 AM
    To: discussion at nsrca.org
    Subject: Re: Discussion List (Batteries)



    Richard 

    I am not a battery expert, but like everyone else on the list that does not stop me from having an opinion about batteries. 
    First, electric airplanes do not exactly drive the battery market,......even if 50% of the FAI finalists use them. No other applications 
    that I am aware of uses these batteries in the manner that we attempt, which is that massive current draw. What electric planes do 
    to batteries is damaging, as demonstrated by your 25 flights.   
    I would not expect the battery market to develop a battery capable of long life and extreme current draw since no one else uses 
    batteries in such a manner. 

    Invest in bottle of Windex, clean the oil. 



    In fairness to the manufacturers, I don't think they really understood that
    guys potentially would go out and fly 50+ flights per week.  When I finally
    got all my infrastructure charging act together and made time to
    practice--which wasn't all that much, I still was clicking along at a 35
    flight/week pace right up to our first contest in mid June.   As you may
    recall, I was using 20C 3200s on a shared cost beta program.  At 11 lbs.,
    the airplanes were gobbling up 63-68 amps at times and significantly heated
    the batteries and shortened their lives.  The manufacturer came out with
    some 15C 4000s--but there was still the problem of amp draw and heat.  The
    consensus at that point is the batteries aren't very happy at much over 10C.
    The problem I had/have is anything over the smaller batteries was going to
    blow the weight limit--plus, as more information was coming out from some of
    the top guys that they were getting around 50-60 flights on the larger
    packs.  Since I'm not a top dog, I would pretty much have to foot the entire
    bill to switch to the larger units.  As it appeared to me--the batteries
    just aren't quite up to the task for the average guy--so I made an interim
    decision to go back to IC for the rest of the season--hoping the battery
    guys would come up with something more acceptable for '06.

    That didn't pan out very well either, so I was effectively out for the
    season.  (Lots of other contributing factors also)  What I told the battery
    manufacturer was what a guy really needs is five sets of batteries(with the
    then current stuff) and immediate service for turnaround.  Have three sets
    for flying and one or two sets traveling to/from.

    I'm sold on electric--particularly for a guy with limited practice time.  I
    could go on and on....

    Richard 



    Gray Fowler
    Principal Chemical Engineer
    Composites Engineering
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