Maybe Lithium batteries in gliders not quite such a good idea yet?

I like the idea of LiFePO4 batteries, but I'm not comfortable with the

commercial offerings, like those from Tenergy or K2. The data sheets

I've been able to obtain are incomplete compared to what I can get for

any of the comparable SLA batteries by manufacturers like PowerSonic,

Yuasa, Panasonic, and so on. The idea of paying 7 to 10 times as much

for a complex, poorly characterized battery is not enticing.



If I could buy a direct replacement 12 volt LiFePO4 battery from one the

major battery companies, with a full datasheet, then I'd think about it,

and would be much more comfortable suggesting them for other pilots.



--

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to

email me)


I called K2 before I bought mine and they were very helpful answering my questions. The person I talked to said he has worked with other glider pilots to address their concerns too. From my experience, I think they would be happy to fill in the blanks.

They were expensive compared to SLA but for me, it was a good cost effective choice. I like all their advantages and, if they last for over 2000 charges like they say, I'll probably never need to buy another battery.

MK