GM wrote:
Wow - I hit the motherlode of info on this subject!
Berry had it right: the main reason for me looking into this
technology is to save weight. You guys in ships that can load enough
water to turn any desert into a green garden of Eden have no idea how
difficult it is to stay under a MTOW of 667#. Reducing the weight of
the battery while maintaining the capacity is a consideration and yes
- I am shedding pounds through diet and exercise, too! ;-)

The Streckenflug battery is the best choice I've seen so far in a
lithium battery for a glider, as long as your equipment can take the 16+
volts it starts out at. Many of the radios and transponders operate at
10-30 volts, so no problem there, but your logger, vario, etc may not.

At 550 euro for the battery and charger, it's almost $200/pound to save
weight that way! Great diet incentive, I suppose. Still, could be worth
it in some circumstances.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz