Battery question

checkssc · Jan 22, 2014

I have 3 of the DJI phantom batteries and 3 of the Turnigy 2200 mAh batteries. I treat all of them alike and I use a Hitec X4 charger set on balance and 1 amp charge rate. I admit that I don't do the storage charge settings enough because I don't know when I will be able to fly based on weather and schedule. Since I treat all my batteries the same, use them all on a flight trip and charge them all back up after that trip, why are the Turnigy batteries only giving me 3 to 4 minutes flight time and the stock batteries continue to give me 8 to 10 minutes based on whether I am flying with the GoPro or no GoPro? I know I should discharge them to storage values, 3.7 v, but as I said I don't treat them like that and the stock batteries don't seem to mind the "mis-treatment" like the Turnigy ones do.
Thanks everyone!

reALIGNed · Jan 22, 2014

You get what you pay for, Turnigy batteries do not have the best reputation either. I have seen Turnigys sell for as low as $5.99 each, (and they are crap).
Try one of these, you'll hate the price but love the performance (and warranty) for years. I run this brand in my large helicopters, putting out 9 hp . , and cannot complain.

http://www.helidirect.com/thunder-power ... -33918.hdx

Gizmo3000 · Jan 22, 2014

I treat my batteries about the same as well, and also notice that the Phantom brand batteries seem to hold up better than my Turnigy's. But heck, the Turnigy's were cheap, and even if they decrease in flight time, at $10 a pop, they're still an ok value overall.
tho in hindsight, perhaps keeping them in storage mode and not flying them 'til battery failsafe a few times probably would have kept them in better shape.

reALIGNed · Jan 22, 2014

One of my biggest concerns with a cheap battery is when it will give up, most likely when I'm over water or tall trees and it decides to auto land.

checkssc · Jan 22, 2014

I hear you gizmo3000 but 3 to 5 minutes vs. 8 to 10 is not a trade off for the price. I don't remember what I paid for them but I do know they weren't that cheap.
reALIGNed: Do those you listed come with the correct battery connector or do I need to solder on a connector?
Thanks everyone for the responses!

reALIGNed · Jan 22, 2014

checkssc said:
I hear you gizmo3000 but 3 to 5 minutes vs. 8 to 10 is not a trade off for the price. I don't remember what I paid for them but I do know they weren't that cheap.
reALIGNed: Do those you listed come with the correct battery connector or do I need to solder on a connector?
Thanks everyone for the responses!

The battery comes with an EC3 connector already installed (for the Blade 350QX). This is the same connector I have been using for years (EC3 & EC5's). IMO, its ten times better than the original XT-60 (as found on the Phantom). You can also install an adapter plug that will convert this new battery to plug into your Phantom, so no soldering is involved.