LiFePO4 Batteries

We have delivered many of these batteries with no complaints. They hold a charge extremely well. Our Duo has all the fancy electronics including transponder, etc, and we tested using only one battery for more than 6 hours, still showing full voltage. We actually have two batteries installed, so it is doubtful we could ever drain the very light weight batteries even on long ridge flights.

The required charger recharges in about two hours.

Tom Knauff
www.eglider.org

I have been using a K2 9.6AmpHr battery for three years in my LS-8. Compared to lead it is amazing. Very light. Holds 13 volts even in cold soak conditions like flying for hours at 17,000 feet. My lead batteries routinely drop below 11.5volts under short cold soaks. The lead battery in my ship is off to the recycle yard at the end of this year.

On Monday, April 28, 2014 2:18:09 PM UTC-7, wrote:
We have delivered many of these batteries with no complaints. They hold a charge extremely well. Our Duo has all the fancy electronics including transponder, etc, and we tested using only one battery for more than 6 hours, still showing full voltage. We actually have two batteries installed, so it is doubtful we could ever drain the very light weight batteries even on long ridge flights.



The required charger recharges in about two hours.



Tom Knauff

www.eglider.org

So I am considering replacing one of my batteries with LifePO4 and keep the Gel Cell as my second battery, at least for another season or two. My question is if I can cause any damage when operating them in parallel. My batteries operate in parallel for short time when switching from one to the other, as well as at the end of long flights to get enough power from two weak batteries. Will this be an issue when mixing batteries?

Ramy

Because of the grossly different voltages under load/discharge, I would not recommend running them in parallel. LifePO4's voltage falls off later and very abruptly as they run out of charge so it's unlikely you'd get anything extra out of it anyway.
On Saturday, May 17, 2014 4:47:58 PM UTC+10, Ramy wrote:
On Monday, April 28, 2014 2:18:09 PM UTC-7, wrote:

We have delivered many of these batteries with no complaints. They hold a charge extremely well. Our Duo has all the fancy electronics including transponder, etc, and we tested using only one battery for more than 6 hours, still showing full voltage. We actually have two batteries installed, so it is doubtful we could ever drain the very light weight batteries even on long ridge flights.







The required charger recharges in about two hours.







Tom Knauff



www.eglider.org



So I am considering replacing one of my batteries with LifePO4 and keep the Gel Cell as my second battery, at least for another season or two. My question is if I can cause any damage when operating them in parallel. My batteries operate in parallel for short time when switching from one to the other, as well as at the end of long flights to get enough power from two weak batteries. Will this be an issue when mixing batteries?



Ramy