[NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of flying

Ed Alt ed_alt at hotmail.com
Sun Aug 22 10:14:41 AKDT 2010 

This is why some of us use two batteries...

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Paul LaChance" <plachance at cox.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2010 1:22 PM
To: "General pattern discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of flying

> Ron and others,
>
> I have heard of people who replace batteries every 2 years and others who 
> go by capacity.  I have cycled my battery twice now and it is now showing 
> over 1420 mah and it is a 1400 mah pack.
>
> I really made a huge mistake of not cycling my pack prior to flying.  I 
> ALMOST lost my plane over this mistake.  After 2 cycles, the pack is not 
> well over rated capacity.  I think this is a positive thing.  How many of 
> you would trust this battery?  Is it the general consensus to replace the 
> battery even though it is not showing full capacity?  I know the $35 
> battery is cheap insurance.
>
> I actually have a super nova to use.  Forgot I have it since it is a 12v 
> power source charger.  I keep it in the motor home for trips to use when 
> needed.  I will use it to check the pack.
>
> Thanks for all the advice.  I had never removed batteries due to age 
> before, only due to capacity or loss there of.  I usually get rid of packs 
> when they only have 80% capacity.
>
> BTW, I just checked and the pack is now at 1500 mah for a pack rated at 
> 1400, which I have found to be reasonably normal.
>
> Paul
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ron Van Putte" <vanputte at cox.net>
> To: "General pattern discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2010 12:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of flying
>
>
>> Nicads can be fast charged.  The best charger for nicads that I've  used 
>> is the FMA Super Nova.  It has an algorithm which looks at the  rate of 
>> change of voltage in the "automatic" mode.  If the rate of  change of 
>> battery voltage is positive, the charger ramps up the  charge rate; if 
>> the rate of change of voltage is negative, it reduces  the charge 
>> current.  It was kind of scary at first to watch it do its  thing, 
>> because the charge current can get pretty high.  However,  that's the 
>> sign of a healthy battery.  When the charge rate doesn't  go up much, or 
>> not at all, it's time to put the battery in the  trash.  Too bad Fred 
>> Marks' sons, who took over the business from  Fred, are such bozos, or 
>> I'd still be doing business with them and  selling the Super Nova 
>> charger.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>> On Aug 22, 2010, at 10:37 AM, Paul LaChance wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Thanks for all the advice.  I have to admit I did not cycle the 
>>> batteries before flying this time.  They were cycled when purchased  and 
>>> were new for the 2008 NATS.  I already bought a new battery but  wanted 
>>> to know if NiCad can be quick charged on a first charging or  do they 
>>> have to be slow charged like NiMh?  Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lightfoot" <lightfoot at sc.rr.com>
>>> To: "'General pattern discussion'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2010 11:13 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of flying
>>>
>>>
>>>> Might well have been a case of NiCad "memory". I wouldn't have  thrown 
>>>> them
>>>> away unless after cycling them twice they showed to be weak. Periodic
>>>> cycling is a must!
>>>>
>>>> Jay Marshall
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
>>>> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of  Paul 
>>>> LaChance
>>>> Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 10:57 PM
>>>> To: General pattern discussion
>>>> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of flying
>>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> I finally flew my Prestige tonight after not flying it since the  NATS 
>>>> 2008.
>>>> I have not flown it or ANY planes for 2 full years.  I charged 
>>>> everything up
>>>>
>>>> and all seemed well.  Flew my first flight and landed without 
>>>> incident. I
>>>> checked the plane over and checked all my batteries and all looked 
>>>> well.
>>>>
>>>> Flew flight 2,  all was going well.  Flew the Advanced pattern  twice 
>>>> and
>>>> landed.  Checked my batteries again and they still read over 6 volts.
>>>> Engine was running great and all was well.
>>>>
>>>> Flew flight 3 and that is where things got scary.  I flew the  sequence 
>>>> once
>>>> and everything was going well.  When I started my second sequence  the 
>>>> plane
>>>> got sluggish and was not feeling right.  I landed ASAP and as soon  as 
>>>> the
>>>> wheels tounched down, I went to add rudder to stear towards the  pits 
>>>> and had
>>>>
>>>> no rudder, no elevator, and only one aileron was working but it  barely 
>>>> moved
>>>>
>>>> and was very sluggish.  I shut the plane off and checked the  batteries 
>>>> and
>>>> they were barely reading 4.5 volts.  This was a 5 cell nicad  pack.  I 
>>>> guess
>>>> I had a cell short and kill the pack.  I was just amazed and am  very 
>>>> lucky
>>>> to have been able to get the plane back on the ground before the 
>>>> battery
>>>> completely failed.
>>>>
>>>> Has anyone had this happen before?  What would cause this?  I am  going 
>>>> to
>>>> get a new pack in the morning and try to fly again tomorrow evening.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance for the help,
>>>>
>>>> Paul
>>>>
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