[NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries

jeffghughes at comcast.net jeffghughes at comcast.net
Fri Mar 31 11:25:54 AKST 2006


Oh, we're talking about electrics. for a minute I thought we were discussing my OS1.40. I can go to the field, fly four flights as quick as I can refuel and not have to worry about burning down my house in the evening :) Oh, yeah, once a year I have to change the glow plug.


-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "J.Oddino" <joddino at socal.rr.com> 

> It sounds like the real difference is the consistency that eliminates all 
> the tweeking with the glow power plants. My brief experience with the Webra 
> 160 showed my time on the ground trying to get in the air was long compared 
> to the time in the air. Once I got in the air it was great but I couldn't 
> stand the before and after. 
> 
> Jim O 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard Strickland" 
> To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" 
> Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 3:02 PM 
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> 
> 
> > I would put the wings on and batteries in at the car, lug it, another set 
> of 
> > batts, and the transmitter out to the flightline, fly, remove that set, 
> put 
> > in the second, run the first set to the car to charge, fly, remove the 
> > second set, put in the third, run the second set to the car, bitch that 
> the 
> > first set wasn't quite done, fly, take the third set out, run to the car, 
> > exchange the first set for the second set, install the first again and 
> fly, 
> > take the airplane and trans back to the car, remove wings, load and go 
> home. 
> > Several times from the time I left work and the time I got home was right 
> at 
> > 2 hours total and the field is roughly 20 mins away to and from. 4 flts 
> in 
> > about an hour and 15 mins. with 3 sets at 1C charge rate. 5 flts would 
> > start to stretch things out. I left the scene about the time balancing 
> > started to hit stride. At 1.5 C you could get 5-6 in 2hours or so. No 
> > field box, tools, fuel, starter, paper towels and Windex, extra trips to 
> the 
> > car to get going; no clean up and hauling it all back to the car. Of 
> > course, there were more social evenings that took more time-but if I was 
> 'on 
> > a mission' to practice with limited time, the guys understood. BTW, the 
> > Hackers and Master controllers did just fine temperature wise. Things 
> > seemed so reliable in that department that I had asked Hacker how long b4 
> I 
> > have to do some service on the motor and gearbox-they said to send it back 
> > about every 300 flts and they'd clean and regrease the gear-set, replace 
> if 
> > needed(15.00), and the motor would run almost indefinitely. With the 
> > exception of installing the wings, it's like flying foamies-you do the 
> same 
> > stuff-just a little bigger. Speaking of Chip, I noticed he processed 5 
> sets 
> > at the Worlds'. Man, that's livin'! A small red Honda may be in my 
> > future.... 
> > 
> > Richard 
> > 
> > -----Original Message----- 
> > From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org 
> > [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of J.Oddino 
> > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 3:47 PM 
> > To: NSRCA Mailing List 
> > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > 
> > Richard, can you explain why you got so many more flights in a given 
> amount 
> > of field time. Less tinkering or what? I've heard Chip make similar 
> > comments. 
> > 
> > Jim O 
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Richard Strickland" 
> > To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" 
> > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 10:17 AM 
> > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > 
> > 
> > > There is a World of difference between a sport flyer and a pattern guy. 
> > > Again, once I got programmed in what it took to practice and the 
> > relatively 
> > > small amount of time it took, I was able to go out and get 35-50 flights 
> a 
> > > week-I 'found' 1 1/2 to 2 hours more often as opposed to the 3-4 it used 
> > to 
> > > take and practiced more. At that rate, when a guy gives you a 6 mo. 
> > > guarantee-he'd better know the score-and what you expect in service 
> > > turn-around. Unlike a sport guy who flies 3-8 or so flights a weekend 
> > where 
> > > a 6 mo. guarantee would be reasonable. I think many of the folks who 
> are 
> > in 
> > > the battery business go from their experience as sport flyers and not 
> > fairly 
> > > serious pattern fiends where practice-practice-practice is such a large 
> > > component of probable success. 
> > > 
> > > Richard 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message----- 
> > > From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org 
> > > [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Stuart 
> > Chale 
> > > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:27 AM 
> > > To: 'NSRCA Mailing List' 
> > > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > 
> > > George has been quick with email responses and very courteous, but it 
> > > doesn't seem like he has the answers either. I can't find his original 
> > > email but he was unable to say that there are people with over 100 
> cycles 
> > on 
> > > a pack. He is convinced that their technology is better than TP but 
> will 
> > > that translate into a longer life span? It seems like we are being 
> asked 
> > to 
> > > test batteries for the manufacturers instead of them testing their 
> > products 
> > > under our conditions. 
> > > 
> > > Stuart 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message----- 
> > > From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org 
> > > [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Earl 
> Haury 
> > > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 10:58 AM 
> > > To: chad at f3acanada.org; NSRCA Mailing List 
> > > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > 
> > > Chad 
> > > 
> > > Your questions are probably best answered by Falcon 
> > > George at FalconBatteries.com . I think that you'll find George quite open 
> > with 
> > > 
> > > info, and I'd like to see your assessment of his answers. 
> > > 
> > > Earl 
> > > 
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Chad Northeast" 
> > > To: "NSRCA Mailing List" 
> > > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 9:42 AM 
> > > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > Earl 
> > > > 
> > > > Does the Falcon warranty cover simply manufacturers defects...or will 
> > they 
> > > 
> > > > replace any abuse/over charged/overdischarge/cycled out pack? 
> > > > 
> > > > I can't honestly believe that a manufacturer will replace every pack 
> > that 
> > > > fails, or they will be out of business in a short period of time :) 
> If 
> > > > that is the case I can buy 4 sets of packs and never again purchase 
> > > > another battery for as long as they will supply them regardless of 
> > usage. 
> > > > 
> > > > Just looking for some clarification on their warranty statement. 
> > > > 
> > > > Do you know who is making the cells? Their other packs are APL I 
> > > > believe...wondering if they went to Enerland (like Apogee/Tanic/Flight 
> > > > Power) did for the higher C cells. 
> > > > 
> > > > Chad 
> > > > 
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > From: Grow Pattern 
> > > > Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006 8:26 am 
> > > > Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > > 
> > > >> Earl, 
> > > >> You raise a very interesting point, What is sponsored? 
> > > >> 
> > > >> I used to think it was either that you got paid to fly by a 
> > > >> manufacturer/supplier/business, or that you got your equipment 
> > > >> free. But 
> > > >> what if, for example, you got a discount on your OS 1.40 EFI ,or 
> > > >> free fuel 
> > > >> etc. Or another would be that you bought and built a plane but 
> > > >> your 
> > > >> batteries were post gratis. 
> > > >> 
> > > >> This could be harder to define than a pattern snap-roll. Hmmmm? 
> > > >> 
> > > >> To be clear to the potentially-paranoid-pattern-people", I am 
> > > >> interested 
> > > >> for my own edification. (No hidden agenda). I do get asked my 
> > > >> opinion on 
> > > >> certain subjects and when I am not sure, I ask for my opinion :-) 
> > > >> 
> > > >> I would also add that many of the responses to the electric issues 
> > > >> that I 
> > > >> have raised have given me a much better and more balanced view 
> > > >> than the one 
> > > >> I had a few months ago. 
> > > >> 
> > > >> So, thanks in advance, 
> > > >> 
> > > >> Eric. 
> > > >> 
> > > >> 
> > > >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > >> From: "Earl Haury" 
> > > >> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" 
> > > >> Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 8:04 AM 
> > > >> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > >> 
> > > >> 
> > > >> > Stuart 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > I'm using the first 4 packs sold. I've 48 cycles on one set 18 
> > > >> on the 
> > > >> > other. 
> > > >> > So far they've been fine, very little (if any) balancing 
> > > >> activity. Don't 
> > > >> > have any idea what the cycle life will be - only time will tell. 
> > > >> As the 
> > > >> > weather improves, opportunity for more flying will accelerate cycle 
> > > >> > accumulation a bunch. I hope that there's no need to exercise their 
> > > >> > warranty, but it's a nice feature. 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > Just so there's no misunderstanding - I gathered flight data to 
> > > >> help 
> > > >> > Falcon 
> > > >> > define the pack parameters and received a bit of a discount 
> > > >> (that local 
> > > >> > sales tax mitigated) for that work. Don't know if that's considered 
> > > >> > "sponsored", but I'm using them because they work and Falcon 
> > > >> provides> excellent service. (I understand that they had some 
> > > >> website problems 
> > > >> > recently, if anyone has problems with it - a phone call will work.) 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > Earl 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > >> > From: "Stuart Chale" 
> > > >> > To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" 
> > > >> > Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:32 AM 
> > > >> > Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> >> Is anyone using the Falcon F3A cells advertised in the K- 
> > > >> Factor? Is 
> > > >> >> there 
> > > >> >> any track record behind them? 
> > > >> >> Thanks, 
> > > >> >> Stuart 
> > > >> >> 
> > > >> >> 
> > > >> >> _______________________________________________ 
> > > >> >> NSRCA-discussion mailing list 
> > > >> >> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 
> > > >> >> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion 
> > > >> >> 
> > > >> > 
> > > >> > 
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> > > >> > 
> > > >> 
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> > > >> 
> > > > 
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