Good source for AA loose cells

Is it a "stock" Zagi, or has it been hopped up? I fly an 8 cell CP1300 (1/2 sub C) pack on my brushless Zagi, but KR-

1700AU cells are in an A factor and would be OK for a stock setup. I would decide on the cell type and then check EBay.

Jim Beck

| I'm interested in making a battery pack for my Zagi. Does anybody have any | suggestions as to where I can buy some for a decent price? I want at least | 1700 Mah capacity.

Assuming that you're talking about an electric Zagi, AA cells, especially the NiMH cells that you'd need to get 1700+ mAh of capacity, are unlikely to allow enough current draw for good performance.

The cells that come with the 400x are A cells, not AA cells. And I think the model with two motors and props uses sub-C cells.

(Now, if you're talking about a Zagi glider, 4 AA cells are likely to be perfect. Get them at your local Frys or Wal Mart and solder together.)

Either way, a good source is

Though you may want to consider a 2 (mild) or 3 (wild) cell LiPo pack instead.

Do you know your current draw? My setup would be a bit hot for A type cells, but Sub Cs work fine. An 8 cell 1/2 Sub C fits fine in a Zagi

400X, and the biggest capacity I could find in that size is CP-1300's. If your current draw is in the 15A range you migh be able get by with the 1700AU, if your current draw is lower than 12A (or so) you might even get away with the HR-AUX 2700mAHr NiMH.

Jim

I like and use radioshack AA 1600 mAh batteries - battery may say: danger, not to solder! although I have soldered without any problems thus far. I use a large tipped soldering iron. the idea is to apply the solder connection quickly -- not to overheat the battery - thus causing a shortened life or possibly worse, battery may explode

Yep, I did it in a staggered arrangement, with the top four cells fitting in the low points of the 4 bottom. I found it made it easier to balance the plane that way. I can send a pic if you can't visualize it. Also, I'm not a battery reseller by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have 10 or so of the CP-1300's left from my last order and if you can't find any elsewhere I could sell you some. Just drop me an email. The reply address is real.

Jim

Try Walmart. They have some 2000 mah AA photo cells that are Nimh and you get 4 of them for $6.27. Good luck , Dan.

American Science and Surplus

You can get loose NiCd and NiMH batteries with the soldering tabs attached. They also sell unused battery packs that you can break apart. I've been shopping there for the last 20 years, and have never had a problem.

| American Science and Surplus

You can get loose NiCd | and NiMH batteries with the soldering tabs attached. They also sell | unused battery packs that you can break apart. I've been shopping there | for the last 20 years, and have never had a problem.

I used to do mailorder for AA batteries, mostly from mcmelectronics.com, but not anymore -- the local places are now cheaper, and sell better batteries.

For NiCds, Harbor Freight tools sells 700 mAh AA and 350 maH AAA cell

4 packs for $2.50 or $2.99 each when you catch them on sale. They're on sale every few months.

I've found them to be as reliable as any other batteries, but if you don't trust Harbor Freight Tools (they do sell a lot of crap) or want a bit more capacity, Wal-Mart sells 900 mAh AA NiCd 4 packs for $5.17 in the solar powered light section. These work great, and I now use them for my larger glow plane receiver packs with zero problems.

Lowes and Home Depot sell similar packs, with either 800 mAh or 900 mAh capacities for $5-$6, also in the solar powered light section.

For NiMH cells, the local Frys sells 4 packs of 2000 mAh AA cells for $5 or 10 packs for $10 when on sale -- which happens every month or so. These are great for transmitter packs, and you generally don't have to worry about charging your transmitter at the field ever. Once in a great while, they sell AAA cells at a similar price.

Wal Mart also sells some 4 pack AA NiMH cells for about $6 in the photo department, but they seem to rarely be in stock.

I don't care for soldering tabs, preferring to just solder to the cell, but then again I've got quite a bit of experience doing this now, and I also have a cycler and measure my packs after building and occasionally after, and toss anything that's not up to snuff. A cycler is a good investment, especially if you want to make your own packs -- mistakes can easily make a pack that peters out after 100 mAh.

If you need something other than AA or AAA cells though, mail order is definately the way to go. You'll pay a lot more though. Your local Batteries Plus store will have other cells as well, but you'll pay astronomical prices there :)

Harbor Freight Tools also sells 2 cell C and D NiCd packs for the same $2.50 or $3 (when on sale), but in both cases they're just sub-C cells in a larger case which is criminal if you ask me, and I certainly won't use such a cell in a plane.