2X3s or 6s?

[wrench567]

Hey fellow freaks.
I need your wise advise one more time. Scale type flying with no inverted (intentional). The 500 I have right now and ready for its maiden has a Pulse 6s 3300mAh pack that really does not fit with the canopy on. I know I can chop some frame and lower the battery tray but I would like to avoid that. Either way the pack is heavy and even when stuffed against the servos it is still nose heavy.
Anyway, flight packs are like lays potato chips you can't have just one. Pricing up 6s and 3s packs around 2200mAh I can get two 3s packs for the price of one 6s pack. I can run my 450 on the 3s packs if ( I mean when) I crash the 500. Would it be wise to get 2 more 3s 2200mAh packs? Or should I keep flight packs separate?
Another LIpo question is. Are the expensive brand name lipos really that much better than the less expensive lipos from Floreon and others? I have 5 Floreon lipos for my 450 since last June and they have been fantastic! Many flights and many crashes and they have lasted good so far. I have a 2s Floreon in my V912 that fell about 60 feet to the wood bleachers and that pack is still going.
Thanks for your solid advise.
Pete

[Gladius]

You need to look at the weight and size of the two 3S packs you want to use as well. Usually, you don't get much benefit from doubling up like that. Also, 2200mah is really small for a 500, so expect to get short flight times. I've always recommended getting a 6S battery, and having separate packs for your 450.

I've never seen much need to get the high dollar packs. Pulse 45C is about the most expensive I've used. I've only recently progressed to the point where I'm really pushing my packs though. As for the Florean packs - I've never heard of them, but if the price is right, then buy just 1 or 2, and see how you like them. Then you can always buy more later.

[getsuyoubi]

I have 3s 2200mAh packs from Value Hobby (just $14.90) that I use in both my 450 and my 500, and they have well over a hundred cycles on them each without any signs of puffing or capacity loss. I fly scale-like, but haven't installed a scale fuselage yet, and after 4min of flight on the 500 they're just down to storage voltage. This is confirmed by my iCharger which puts just about 1100mAh back when I charge. Only problem with two packs in series is the additional cable, which is a little bulky and can get in the way when installing the canopy until you figure out how to route it.

In case you're wondering why I don't fly longer:
I installed a CC ESC over the winter and set the spool-up to "0", which takes almost a minute. Timer is set to 5min, and I take off after one minute and actually fly for 4min. I wanted to get some statistics in different wind conditions first before adding more time. I'll likely go to 5:30min actual flight time, setting the timer to 6:30.

[Abenn]

Right from the outset I've used 6S 2600mAh packs in my 500, because that's what Align recommend. I then use two of them in parallel in my 550, instead of getting some 6S 5000mAh packs. I also series connect and parallel connect my packs in some of my fixed-wing models, to reduce the number of different sizes I need to hold. So my advice would be to go for two 3S 2500mAh-or-so packs in series, so that you can also use them singly for your 450.

I started out buying good brand name packs, and I've still got one of them seven years old in my 500, and still going strong. But I've also wrecked enough high-price packs in crashes that I've now decided to go with budget packs from HK. Maybe they won't last so long, but at least I won't be £70 out of pocket if I have a crash.

[wrench567]

Thanks guys.
It would seem that this is a contested subject.
These are the packs I have already for the 450.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281391410319...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Three of the five I already have 70+ cycles on them. Five to six minutes of flight time is good for me. I am more into the scale type flying and lower head speeds than sport and 3D. Maybe FPV in the future or a scale bird.

If I have to chop the frame and lower the tray for a single 6s pack then so be it. I fear that it will still be too nose heavy and I will have to add weight to the rear to compensate. The two 3s packs laid flat and staggered is a whole lot better and the canopy fits too. A series connector and not a harness can be had for a better fit. So I guess I will go with the 2X 3s packs for now.

Thanks a ton. Your wisdom and experience is invaluable to me.
Pete

[Gladius]

No problem. The great thing about differing viewpoints is that it allows you to evaluate each side, and make an informed decision. What works for me will not always be the best option for someone else, so I'm glad to see that we helped you get to where you need to be!