Lithium Polymer Batteries

We’re pleased to announce the release of 4 brand new Thunder Power Lipo batteries. We pride ourselves on carrying every Thunder Power battery manufactured. These recent additions represent some of

Thunder Power’s coolest new developments.

New Thunder Power 7.4V 2S 5400 Saddle Pack

This new battery from Thunder Power RC features a saddle shaped design, with two individual battery packs wired in series. This allows for greater flexibility and increased capacity. ROARR approved, this saddle pack lipo battery is perfect for all your RC cars and trucks.

Specifications for the Thunder Power TP-5400-2SPRSD Lipo

• Voltage: 7.4 V
• Cells: 2-Cell (2s)
• Capacity: 5400 mAh
• Max Continuous Discharge: 25C
• Max Burst Discharge: 50C
• Max Continuous Current: 135A
• Max Burst Current: 270A
• Weight: 331g
• Dimensions: 28 x 46.5 x 69 mm Saddle Pack
• Series: Pro Race Series Surface Pack
• Balance Connector: Thunder Power RC 4 Pin
• Connector: Deans Ultra
• Case Type: Standard

New Thunder Power Sport Race 3s 8000 Lipo

Expanding the Sport Race Series is the new 8000 mAh 3 cell 11.1 V pack. Capable of providing 22C continuous and 45C burst current, this battery is perfect for larger RC model airplanes. As with all our thunder power batteries, the 3s 8000 is fully compatible with our Lipo battery chargers. New to electric RC? We’ve got a great selection of Thunder Power compatible balancers and chargers available. This battery pack also features standard Deans connectors, so you can use it easily with your other standard RC equipment and ground vehicles.

Specifications for the Thunder Power RC TP-8000-3SSRD LiPo:

• Voltage: 11.1V
• Cells: 3-Cell
• Capacity: 8000mAh
• Max Continuous Discharge: 22C
• Max Burst Discharge: 45C
• Max Continuous Current: 176A
• Max Burst Current: 360A
• Weight: 530g
• Dimensions: 139 x 41 x 39mm

New Thunder Power Sport Race 2s 8000 Lipo

Designed specifically for ground vehicles, this battery pack is ROAR approved and fully compatible with all our Thunder Power chargers. Standard Deans connectors allow you to use this pack with all your RC ground vehicles.

Specifications for Thunder Power RC TP-8000-3SSRD LiPo

• Voltage: 7.4 V
• Cells: 2-Cell (2s)
• Capacity: 8000 mAh
• Max Continuous Discharge: 22C
• Max Burst Discharge: 45C
• Max Continuous Current: 176A
• Max Burst Current: 360A
• Weight: 382g
• Dimensions: 30 x 46.5 x 138 mm
• Series: Sport Race Series Surface Pack
• Balance Connector: Thunder Power RC 4 Pin
• Connector: Deans Ultra
• Case Type: Medium

New Thunder Power Pro Race 4s 5000

This brand new Thunder Power battery adds to the large Pro Race Series. Pro Race series batteries are specifically engineered for optimal racing performance. Capable of providing a maximum burst discharge of 80C, this battery adds incredible performance to your RC cars, trucks, and other electric surface vehicles.
<h2>Specifications for Thunder Power RC TP-5000-4SPR LiPo</h2>

• Voltage: 14.8 V
• Cells: 4-Cell (4s)
• Capacity: 5000 mAh
• Max Continuous Discharge: 40C
• Max Burst Discharge: 80C
• Max Continuous Current: 200A
• Max Burst Current: 400A
• Weight: 564g
• Dimensions: 46 x 46.5 x 138 mm
• Series: Pro Race 40C Series Surface Pack
• Balance Connector: Thunder Power RC 4 Pin
• Connector: Deans Ultra
• Case Type: XX-Large

New Thunder Power RC TP-5000-1SPRD Lipo

Featuring an extra large 5000 mAh capacity, this new Lipo battery is perfect for smaller RC cars, trucks, and other ground vehicles. This one cell battery provides 3.7 volts at a maximum burst current of 80C. Tested and approved at the ROAR lab this battery is officially approved for usage at ROAR sanctioned events. The TP-500-1SPRD Lipo battery also features standard Deans connectors, allowing you to use it with all your standard RC equipment and surface vehicles.

Specifications for Thunder Power RC TP-5000-1SPRD LiPo

• Voltage: 7.4 V
• Cells: 1-Cell
• Capacity: 5000mAh
• Max Continuous Discharge: 40C
• Max Burst Discharge: 80C
• Max Continuous Current: 200A
• Max Burst Current: 400A
• Weight: 145g
• Dimensions: 135 x 45 x 17mm
• ROAR Approved

Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.

ROAR (Remotely Operated Auto Racers) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting rc cars and trucks. ROAR also provides liability and bodily injury insurance for it’s members who race at ROAR sanctioned events and keeps a database of approved lithium polymer batteries. Tested at ROAR’s laboratory, approved lithium polymer batteries need to meet criteria including safety and performance. If you’re racing your electric car or truck at a ROAR sanctioned event, you should use approved batteries. We carry all of ROAR’s approved Thunder Power RC batteries, listed below:

You can browse through our huge selection of Thunder Power RC lipo batteries on our site. We pride ourselves on carrying every battery that Thunder Power RC manufactures, so if you see one that we’ve missed, feel free to contact us.

Lithium polymer batteries are great for RC aircraft, but they have an explosive chemistry that must be treated with caution.

Prevent this from happening to your batteries by following these tips:

1. Store lithium polymer batteries in a flame proof LipoSack while charging. - Charging your lithium polymer batteries in a flame proof LipoSack can contain a fire should it occur. It could mean the difference between a minor clean up and the loss of your house or car. Also make sure that the storage area is well ventilated.
2. Read the manual – The importance of reading your battery and chargers manual cannot be emphasized enough. The battery manual will state the proper charging rates and times.
3. Use common sense – Don’t charge batteries unsupervised. Even when you do everything right, incidents can occur. Also, do not charge lithium polymer batteries in your car. A flame out can be disasterous if it occurs inside a vehicle.
4. Use the right battery charger – Charging a lipo battery with a charger designed for other batteries will cause problems, and will probably result in a fire.
5. Charge lithium polymer batteries on a fire proof surface – It’s really important to charge lithium polymer batteries on a flame proof surface such as concrete. In the event of a fire, a fire proof charging surface will stop it from spreading, or at least slow it down significantly.
6. Keep a fire extinguisher, or bucket of sand near the charging area – If a fire does occur, you don’t want to be running around looking for something to put it out with. Water will not help put out a lipo fire. Being a conductor, it will cause a short circuit and could even make the fire worse.
7. Don’t charge lithium polymer batteries near flammable substances – Lithium polymer batteries are flammable enough as it is. Don’t make the problem worse by storing flammable substances near charging batteries.
8. Check lithium polymer batteries for swelling prior to charging and each use – A puffed battery is unstable, and can be in danger of exploding. If you see a puffed battery, immediately disconnect it from the charger or aircraft and put it in a bucket of water. Dissolve a few tablespoons of salt in the water to aid conductivity, and leave the battery in the bucked for about 4 days. The salt water depletes any power remaining in the battery by creating a short, and it can’t catch fire while underwater. After the four days are up, take the battery out and cut off the connectors (which may come in handy for other projects). You can then dispose of the battery in the trash. The battery no longer contains toxic metals, won’t harm the environment, and by using the salt water you’ve guaranteed that it won’t catch fire. This should be done as soon as you see a puffed battery. You can’t salvage a puffed battery, the best you can do is to dispose of it safely.
9. Never charge a lithium polymer battery in a model – If you charge a lipo battery in your RC airplane or helicopter, you are risking the total loss of your model. Only charge lithium polymer batteries on a flame proof surface, in a LipoSack.
10. Make sure the charging leads are connected properly – Connecting positive to negative and negative to positive can cause a major fire.
11. Don’t overcharge batteries – By their very chemistry, lithium polymer batteries cannot be discharged to a potential of less than 3 volts without damage. For the same reason, don’t charge them to over 4.2 volts. This means that you have to land your rc aircraft before the motors stop turning. Some aircraft come equipped with a voltage cut-off, others do not. If you don’t have a voltage cut-off, then land as soon as you sense the propeller or rotors slowing down.
12. Double check that the charger settings are correct – Lithium polymer battery chargers require you to set the battery configuration. Ensure that this configuration matches the battery you’re charging, or else your lipo could get overcharged and explode. Some chargers automatically sense the battery configuration, but make sure that the setting is correct regardless. They have been known to be wrong on occasion.
13. Balance lipo batteries – Lithium polymer batteries have balance connectors, designed to make sure that each cell in the pack has the same charge. If this isn’t the case, some cells can become overcharged and explode.
14. Never let the battery leads touch – If the battery terminals touch each other, the battery will short circuit and, in most cases, be destroyed. If this happens and you get a puffed battery, dispose of it by following tip 9 above.
15. Don’t ever store / charge lithium polymer batteries in your car – Unless you hate your car. Batteries can and do explode, and if this happens inside a vehicle the result is usually catastrophic. On a hot day, temperatures can rise inside the car and cause stored packs to rupture.
16. In the event of a crash, remove the battery and supervise it for at least 4 hours – A crashed plane’s battery can appear fine, but can have an internal short circuit. This short circuit can cause an explosion, even hours after the crash occurred. A LipoSack is a great place to keep a battery that’s been in a crash. If enough time elapses and nothing happens, then your battery is probably fine. If you see puffing, dispose of it immediately following the instructions in tip 9 above.

Always use common sense, read the manual, and know the risks associated with lithium polymer batteries. Handled properly, the risk of a fire is relatively small. Store lithium polymer batteries in a LipoSack for additional saftey.

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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This article lists the frequently asked lithium polymer battery questions and answers.

Does Temperature Affect Lithium Polymer Batteries?

Yes, lithium polymer batteries are affected by temperature. All batteries use a chemical reaction to provide electricity, and a low temperature slows this reaction down significantly. You cannot harm a lithium battery by running it at a low temperature, but you will notice a significant decrease in performance. Allowing lithium polymer batteries to freeze is generally not recommended, so be sure to store the lithium battery in a cool, dry location over the winter months.

What does “3S4P” mean?

Every lithium polymer battery consists of a set of individual cells, which can be wired in either series or parallel. Cells wired in series (positive to negative) increase the overall voltage of the pack, while cells wired in parallel increase the capacity. As an e 3S4P pack consists of 3 cells wired in series, and each array of three cells is wired in parallel four times. This means that the pack consists of twelve cells in total. Because all 3S batteries consist of the same number of cells wired in series, they all have the same voltage.

How can I calculate theoretical flight time?

In order to calculate the maximum theoretical flight time of your models, you will need to know some information about your battery and motor equipment:

• Motor Amperage
• Pack capacity in Mah (milliamp hours)

After you have that information, you can use the following formula to compute the maximum theoretical flight time of your model:

Time (hours) = (battery capacity (amps) / (motor current (amps)

Notice how the battery capacity must be given in amps. To find your battery capacity in amps, divide the capacity in milliamps by 1000. You will probably want the result expressed in minutes. so multiply the time you just calculated by 60.

By this formula, a 33.5 amp motor powered by a 5000 Mah battery would have a run time of a run time of 8.96 minutes. This is a theoretical maximum, if you actually ran the above set up for the calculated maximum time you would destroy the battery. Most lipo batteries shouldn’t be discharged below 80%, so multiply the calculated time by .8 to account for this.

What does the C rating mean?

The C rating is a measure of how long it takes a battery pack to discharge under a given load, expressed in fractions of an hour. As an example, a battery discharging at 1C would be empty in 1 hour, a 2C discharge would empty it in 1/2 an hour, and so on. For example: a 4000 Mah battery being discharged at 4000 ma, then it would be empty after an hour, and discharging at a rate of 1C.

I’m converting my RC vehicles from Nicd or Nimh to Lipo – what equipment do I need?

That depends on the type if speed controller that you’re using. If it’s marked as lipo friendly, then you don’t need to replace anything but the battery. Otherwise, it’s best that you get a speed controller that has been specifically designed for lipo batteries.

How many cycles will a lipo battery last for?

There is really no clear and concise answer for this question. The lifetime of the lipo battery really depends on how it was used. If you over discharge, over charge, or drain the battery at a higher C rating than it was intended for it will not last long. If you take care of your batteries, and are careful to follow the manufacturers instructions, you can expect to get at least 300 cycles during the lifespan of the batteries.

Is it true that the storage of the battery can effect the performance?

Yes, it is. How you store the battery severely affects it’s capacity, and thus it’s useful lifetime. You should not store lipos at 100 percent charge, and you should not store them at near minimum voltage. Either of these situations will result in the battery internally “rusting away”, and will decrease it’s capacity over time. The best way to store a lipo is at about a 50% charge, in a cool, dry location.

Is there really a way to “recover” over discharged batteries?

No. Despite claims that some chargers and settings can miraculously “restore” over discharged lipos, no charger will undo the permanent chemical reactions which take place within an over discharged cell.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

With the support of our customers and friends all over the world, 2007 was another exciting year for Thunder Power RC. Introductions of the High Grade series ESCs, along with the innovative, industry-first ‘Balance Discharge Monitoring and Protection’ equipped Smart Guide series ESCs, saw the TPRC product line grow beyond Li-Po batteries, balancers and chargers. The exciting acquisition of Insane Foamies, manufacturer of premium 3D foam airplane models from some of the world’s best pilots and designers, like Mark Leseberg Jr., further expands TPRCs product offerings in a continued commitment to bring high quality, high performance and high value products to RC modelers worldwide.

New Thunder Power Extreme V2 Series Lipo Batteries

Rounding out 2007 was the release of eXtreme V2 series LiPo batteries, the next evolution in the ever-popular 25/50C discharge capable eXtreme series of premium performance batteries. Offering higher voltage under load for added power, cooler operating temps and significantly improved cycle life, eXtreme V2 series batteries continue to be the battery of choice for the world’s top 3D airplane and helicopter pilots who demand nothing but the utmost in power and reliability, including TPRC team pilots Quique Somenzini, Alan Szabo, Jason Krause and many more. And now in 2008, hot on the heels of Align’s latest release, Alan and Jason are using the all-new eXtreme V2 series 2600mAh batteries to power their T-REX 500 helicopters, offering 6S performance that has to be seen to be believed. Available in configurations from 2S to 6S, the eXtreme V2 2600mAh series batteries round out the eXV2 line nicely while offering the perfect power solution for many larger park flyer to mid-size airplane and helicopter models.

In only a few short months, 2008 brought even more exciting product announcements and releases, including the overwhelmingly popular TP-610C ‘all-in-one’ charger, discharger and balancer. This innovative and unique charger not only offers the versatility of 1-6 cell LiIon, LiPo and LiFePo4/A123 charging and discharging capabilities, but also the convenience, added safety and increased battery performance offered by a built-in balancer that constantly communicates with the charger throughout the charging process. Best of all, the TP-610C also offers 1-14 cell Ni-Cd/Ni-MH and 6-24V Pb/lead acid battery charging (and discharging/cycling) capabilities, at rates from 0.25 to 10-amps, all at an incredibly affordable price that makes it the number one choice of demanding airplane, helicopter and surface modelers alike. Never before have so many features, so much versatility and so much convenience been available at such a great price.

The first weekend in April brought the 54th annual Toledo Weak Signals RC Expo, where the new Thunder Power RC 325mm carbon fiber main rotor blades for 400-450 class helicopters were released. These ‘true’ 325mm long (measured from center of mounting hole to tip) rotor blades offer increased disk area for reduced disk loading, while offering extra power and ‘pop’ for aggressive 3D maneuvers when compared to other similar class blades. Their unique carbon fiber and foam core construction results in incredible stiffness for unbelievable stopping power and response, while the high-quality resin and ‘painted in the mold’ finish offers great looks on the ground and in the air. A perfect fit for Align T-REX 450 and other 450-class helicopters, plus including shims for use and easy installation on E-flite® Blade® 400 helicopters, TPRC 325mm CF blades offer all the performance of top-brand blades, at a fraction of the price, making them the perfect blades of choice for almost everyone, including aggressive 3D helicopter pilots Danny Szabo, Marcus Kim and more.

We are also introducing the new 250mAh and 350mAh Pro Lite series batteries. Andrew Jesky flew the new 2S 250mAh battery to a first place finish at the 5th annual Electric Tournament of Champions, while fellow TPRC team members Jason Noll, Mark Leseberg, Ryan Archer and more took advantage of the low weight and 20C/30C discharge capabilities to finish in many of the other top spots. These 250mAh batteries, along with the new, smaller footprint 350mAh batteries, will continue to be the choice of top precision 3D aerobatic pilots worldwide for many of this year’s most demanding indoor contests. They’ll also be the perfect choice for micro flyer and slow flyer pilots looking for minimum weight, maximum performance and maximum reliability at a

Thunder Power Race Series Lipo Batteries

The Toledo show also brought a sneak peek at the all-new TPRC Race series LiPo batteries for RC cars and trucks. Factory-matched cells housed in application-specific designed, impact-resistant cases will offer a level of power, performance and reliability never before seen from Ni-MH and even other LiPo battery offerings in the surface market today. The first release of 2S 7.4V batteries, in capacities from 3300 to 5400mAh, will deliver maximum continuous discharge rates up to 30C, offering sport and serious racers alike the perfect, drop-in fit battery for almost any 1/10 scale application – from on-road oval and touring cars, to off-road buggies and trucks. Be sure to look for Race series LiPo batteries and accessories in stores this summer.

With these and many more new announcements and releases to come, we look forward to another year more exciting than the last!

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Thunder Power RC is proud to introduce their first series of LiPo batteries designed specifically for use in surface applications. The all-new Race Series batteries further expand Thunder Power RC’s product offerings in a continued commitment to bring high-quality, high-performance and high-value products to RC modelers worldwide­­­–including those in the surface market too!

Race series LiPo batteries feature premium, factory-matched cells housed in impact-resistant cases designed to protect the cells in a variety of conditions. They also offer a level of power, performance and reliability never before seen from NiMH and even other LiPo battery offerings in the market today. The first release of 2S 7.4V and 3S 11.1V batteries, in capacities from 3300mAh to 5400mAh, will deliver maximum continuous discharge rates up to 30C, offering sport and professional racers alike the perfect, drop-in fit battery for almost any 1/10 scale application–from on-road oval and touring cars, to off-road buggies, trucks and monster trucks.

Other Race Series battery features include:

• Choice of rounded, standard or large housings to fit almost any 1/10 scale vehicle
• Factory-installed main power leads (10- or 12-gauge) and connectors (Deans® Ultra Plug® or Traxxas® High-Current)
• Thunder Power balance connector and leads
• ROAR approval (except THP50002SPRD and THP54003SSRT)
• More margin (when sold at MAP) than most other brand LiPo batteries for surface applications

Sport Race Series Batteries

Sport Race Series batteries offer incredible value and performance beyond all other batteries in their class. 20C continuous discharge rate capable cells, 12-gauge wire leads and factory-installed Traxxas High-Current connectors make them the perfect drop-in upgrade for all Traxxas electric vehicles–brushed or brushless motor powered. THP54003SSRT can even propel the popular Rustler VXL to speeds of 70mph and beyond!

eXtreme Race Series Batteries

eXtreme Race Series batteries offer the same power and performance of their 25C eXtreme V2 aircraft battery counterparts, yet are optimized for use in surface applications. With the ability to maintain higher voltage under load and to offer more cycle life than other batteries in their class, they’re an excellent choice for 1/10 scale racing applications. Plus, all eXtreme Race series batteries are equipped with 10-gauge wire leads and a Deans Ultra Plug connector.

Pro Race Series Batteries

When you’re looking for LiPo batteries that feature the lowest resistance and deliver the most power available in the surface battery market today, look no further than Pro Race Series batteries. Their incredibly low resistance, 30C continuous discharge rate capable cells, direct-soldered 10-gauge wire leads and Deans Ultra Plug connectors offer the minimum resistance possible for maximum power and performance in even the most demanding race applications.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Including one of the best batteries to date for Blade® 400, T-REX 450 and other mini-class helis

Thunder Power Pro Lite series LiPo batteries have been the standard by which all ‘lite’ weight, high-performance LiPo batteries have been measured since 2005. Often imitated but never duplicated, Pro Lite series batteries still offer the highest energy density (capacity and power per weight) in the RC LiPo battery market today. They’re also the industry’s best-selling and most reliable series of LiPo batteries ever.

The all-new 2600mAh Pro Lite V2 series batteries offer the same great benefits of current Pro Lite series batteries–including the most capacity, at the lowest weight and in the smallest size possible–but are the first to feature the new V2 chemistry. This chemistry offers increased discharge rate capability, as well as higher voltage under typical and heavy loads. The extremely low resistance of the V2 chemistry allows the 2600mAh batteries to deliver more power than most 2000-2200mAh 25C+ discharge capable batteries, but with 20-30% more useable capacity at nearly the same weight.

For example, the weight and dimensions of the new 2600mAh 3S 11.1V Pro Lite V2 battery (THP26003SPL2) are almost exactly the same as the ever-popular 2200mAh 3S 11.1V eXtreme V2 battery, yet the 2600mAh battery typically offers similar or more power and more flight duration in the same application. Flight tests by extreme 3D heli pilots have also proven that THP26003SPL2 is now one of the best batteries of choice for maximum power, performance and duration in E-flite® Blade 400, Align T-REX 450 and other mini-class helicopter models! The performance surpasses that of the most popular batteries used for these models today, and it’s available at a price that offers incredible value.

You can see the amazing performance of the 2600mAh Pro Lite V2 battery in the discharge curve below. The ability to deliver more than 95% of the rated capacity at discharge rates up to 18C is no ordinary feat, and makes it unlike any other battery ever available in its class before.
Available in configurations from 2S 7.4V to 6S 22.2V, 2600mAh Pro Lite V2 batteries are perfectly suited for small to mid-size, 450- to 15-size airplane models, and mini to mid-size helicopter models. They’re a great replacement for 1800-2200mAh batteries when added flight duration, with little to no expense of added weight, is desired. And with prices similar to or less than other products in their class, the new 2600mAh Pro Lite V2 batteries will further establish the Pro Lite series as not only the technology and performance leader, but also as the leader in value too!

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed