[NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries

Fri Mar 31 18:09:42 AKST 2006

Actually, I'm glad all the experimenting is going on. It provides choices 
and increases manufacturer competition which will hopefully translate into 
better products and affordable prices.

Verne

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chad Northeast" <chad at f3acanada.org>
To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 7:42 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries

>I am still looking for one of these gearbox thingy's to put my grease in :)
>
> Maybe I should buy a Hacker so I have something to do at the field other
> than fly ;-)
>
> Chad
>
> Verne Koester wrote:
>
>>It's that thing attached to the front of a Hacker that sets the power
>>standard for all others to try and match.....   ;>)
>>
>>Verne Koester
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "Chad Northeast" <chad at f3acanada.org>
>>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 7:58 PM
>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>Gearbox...what the h&% is a gearbox ;-)
>>>
>>>Robert Mairs wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>300 flights your not gonna have a gear box left.  They're recommending 
>>>>50
>>>>now.  Last one seemed a little dry at 50 to me, so I'm going 40 now.
>>>>Bob
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>From: "Richard Strickland" <richard.s at allied-callaway.com>
>>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:02 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" <richard.s at allied-callaway.com>
>>>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>>>>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" <chadnortheast at shaw.ca>
>>>>>>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>>>>>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 <pattern4u at comcast.net>
>>>>>>>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" <ehaury at houston.rr.com>
>>>>>>>>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>>>>>>>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" <schale at optonline.net>
>>>>>>>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>>>>>>>>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
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>>>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>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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>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
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