0 Taranis Battery Notes

Bruce has a great video on using different types of batteries in a Taranis. Here's a few notes that I've put together.

• The illustration is from the Taranis manual, which also notes that the operating voltage range is from 6 to 15 volts.  You should read the manual.
• Don't charge anything but the stock batteries with the internal charger.  Specifically, don't charge LiPo or LiFe with the internal charger.
• The Taranis originally came with 800 mAh battery pack.  Currently ships with 2000 mAh battery pack.  This battery pack is also available at FrSky dealers.
• On older models, charge light was solid.  On newer models (the ones that came with 2000 mAh battery), charge light blinks.
• Internal charger shuts off automatically when battery is full.
• If you change battery types, update the voltage range and warning values on menu 1 of the radio setup screen.

battery        high  low  warn  notes

NiMH 800 mAh    8.0  6.5   6.5  stock battery on older models

NiMH 2000 mAh   8.0  6.5   6.5  stock battery on newer models

2S lipo         8.4  6.6   6.9  can plug into balance plug

3S LiPo        12.6  9.9  10.2  need to make plug/adapter

3S LiFe        10.8  8.4   9.9  need to make plug/adapter

Detail: Taranis Battery Notes

0 Are your 18650 Li-ion Batteries Fake?

 TaoBao has some hints here.  I've copied the pictures below and translated the Chinese text. ht: ahvttvsn.

Note the 2D Bar Code.  I think the white text identifies the manufacturer.

Looks good on the outside, but look more carefully.

The outside code is super-thin and elastic.

 Take off the covering and look on the inside.

 Quality of body and cap is matched perfectly.  It is not done by a counterfeiter.



Bare ("naked") cell diagram.

 Counterfeit vs. Genuine.

Counterfeit is only plated on top and has dull body.
Genuine is consistently shiny.



Note the reflection on fake and real.

There's more information on the vendor's page.  There's a chart showing the lousy power output of the fakes.

Detail: Are your 18650 Li-ion Batteries Fake?

0 Small Scale Battery Soldering

 The battery died in my tiny DSO Oscilloscope.  Opening it up showed a 1S LiPo of undetermined amperage.  Pay close attention to the smallness of the battery wires!

I had a spare 1S battery.  It was fitted with a JST connector, so I snipped that off.  The wires were huge compared to the old battery.

I'm pleased to say I got it soldered with no problem.  It's the closest work I've ever done with a live battery and I'm happy to say nothing was shorted. I was really sweating it out though!

I'm putting this picture up partly as reference for battery orientation, and partly coz I'm pleased with being able to make this connection successfully.

Detail: Small Scale Battery Soldering

0 New Battery Bunker

 Here's my new battery charging bunker.  It's a concrete block, with flats on top and bottom.  I chiseled out a slot for the wiring.  I'm going to try the "sand in bag" technique for the top.  The idea is that you put the sand in a plastic bag, and a fire will melt the plastic, smothering the battery.  I might keep the concrete flat on top of the bag, so it will totally seal.  There's a smoke detector on top.

Here's the reason for the new battery bunker.  It was a 3S 500, relatively small.  I'm pretty paranoid about watching over charging, so I was there when one of the cells popped.  I took it off the charger and examined it; within a couple of minutes smoke started coming out, so I tossed it out the door and it burst into flames a few seconds later.  I wasn't concerned with the leaves, because it was a rainy night and everything was soaked.  I've also got a fire extinguisher next to my bench; you should too!

Detail: New Battery Bunker

0 LiFe battery in a 4x2x2 battery compartment

 Somebody on RCGroups was asking about how LiFe batteries fit into receivers with a 4x2x2 battery compartment, similar to what's on a Turnigy 9x.  Here's some pictures of how it fits (summary: just right!).  There's no stress on the battery compartment cover when snapping it on, and just enough room for the wires.  Use the power connector that looks like a servo connector.


HobbyKing 1500mAH LiFe 3S 9.9v Transmitter pack

It fits nicely in this configuration, but the 9x power connector is blocked.  This may or may not affect you depending on your receiver's connector configuration.

Detail: LiFe battery in a 4x2x2 battery compartment