Lipo vs LiFe batteries

[AF-PJ283]

Ready to move on to the "better" side of batteries. Please share your knowledge and compare these. I have read that LiFe are safer and last longer (# of cycles). I do not know if LiFe are as strong (Fast) as Lipo though? Also why are all the LiFe batteries rated at less volts?

[Mud Puppy]

the chemistry makes LIFE lower voltage, and therefore slower.
A 3s LIFE is between a 2S and 3S LIPO, and (I think) should make an ideal battery for a slash, but is a fair bit heavier than a 3s LIPO.

3s2p LIFE batteries are on my wish list.

[Shaun78]

what does that mean? 3S2P? I know 3 cell but what does the 2P mean? I see that on all batteries 3S2P or 3S1P??

[mattgk]

what does that mean? 3S2P? I know 3 cell but what does the 2P mean? I see that on all batteries 3S2P or 3S1P??

The number in front of the P refers to the number of sets of cells in parallel.

So, think of it this way, a 4000 Mah 3S2P battery is the same as two 2000 mah 3S1P batteries wired in parallel.

[AF-PJ283]

grasped the concept but choosing one seems a bit tougher... I thought coming from Nimh to "next best thing" would simply be Lipo's and now (like everything else tech) there is something better on the way?!

[turok]

go with what you need. if you don't need speed/power then just get some bargain nimh 8.4v or bigger. im never going to race so i went for nimh 8.4v. but i have kept a eye out for used 2 cell lipos. and i have got some fantastic lipos for good prices.

[dkaiser]

My opinion on the subject is that if you are a very hard basher then a LiFe battery would be better than a LiPo simple because of the fact that they last 2-3 times as long (cycle wise, not running time) and are extremely safe. There are a couple videos of someone stabbing a LiFe battery with a knife or fork and nothing happening. I wouldn't try that with a LiPo! This would make it very basher friendly. And I'm talking HARD bashers, because my buddy is a medium/heavy basher and cartwheels his truck every 10 seconds and he hasn't had any problems with his LiPo battery.

On the other hand, if you want to get crazy and just think more speed is better (kinda like me, lol) then I would just skip the LiFe and go to LiPo for the pure speed and volts they can put out. Here's my lifespan on what batteries I went through in the previous year; 7 cell venom nimh, 9 cell hump pack, 2s 5200mah 30c hardcase, 3s SPC lipo, and now 2 40c 2s lipos in series for 4s power. I must say, I will probably never go to a LiFe battery because I am a power and speed freak.

However, I think LiFe's definitely have their purpose, like mentioned in the first paragraph. I also think they would be great for kids since they don't give quite the power of a LiPo but they are extremely safe and just as easy to use as NiMh once you get them going the first time. Not saying that LiPo's aren't safe (I've never had any major problems, except for a cheap LiPo I owned that simply smoked because of bad solders, and it didn't catch fire.)

But I think that if you are wanting more power and speed than your NiMh's, you would soon be disappointed in a LiFe like I was when I got a 9 cell nimh and a 2s Lipo. A 3s LiFe would be quicker than a 2s LiPo I know, but step up to a 3s or 4s (if you have something besides the stock motor combo) and you will be blown away and you wouldn't have wasted money on other batteries like I have.

I hope you guys found this somewhat useful... :D


P.S. I have a MMP and Kershaw 8L for running 4s.

[mattgk]

grasped the concept but choosing one seems a bit tougher... I thought coming from Nimh to "next best thing" would simply be Lipo's and now (like everything else tech) there is something better on the way?!

Well, if you aren't sure, I would say get a charger that handles both LiPo and LiFe. They are fairly common. Buy yourself a lipo charge bag (About $20) and a decent 2s LiPo. You will find that the 2s is already a lot better than the 7 cell NiMh for run time and the discharge curve.

I personally got so sick of NiCd and NiMh that I got out of the hobby for 5 years. Too many false peaks, packs with dead cells, didn't store well, etc... Now that I am back in the hobby, I run all LiPo all the time in both my trucks and my heli.

LiPo do have more safety concerns than NiMh do, but it is not like you are dealing with plutonium. Charge them in a charge bag, and keep an eye on them while you charge them (not saying stare at them, but be around them when you're charging - I like to work on my truck while my LiPos charge). Don't charge at more than 1C, and use a balancer always.

If your pack is swelled or puffed, don't charge it. Period.

I would avoid buying a charger that has "auto cell count" - anything "auto" other than the cutoff of course can be problematic; I would say to just program it right yourself.

If you are running LiPo, make sure you have your LVC set up on your ESC. Can't say for the Slash 4x4 as I don't yet have one, but on my MERV it cuts out around 3.4v, which is safe.

Nice thing about LiPo is that they don't get warm when you charge them, and they don't have the false peak issues of NiMh.

Now, LiFe I have not personally run, but it is rumored to be a much safer composition. They are more tolerant of overcharging or mishandling. You can charge them at more than 1C. They also in theory have longer cycle life than LiPo.

The disadvantage is your capacities are lower, they weigh more, and your voltage is not as high as LiPo or NiMh. It is also more difficult to find LiFe batteries, though they are gaining in popularity. LiPo batteries on the other hand, are as prolific as NiMh.

That being said, a 3s LiFe is 9.9v, which is right in between 2s and 3s LiPo. It may be a good balance for you; speed and safety.

I personally am really thinking of going the 3s LiFe route for my Slash 4x4 when I get it. My charger already handles LiFe, so I don't have to upgrade it.

So I wouldn't say LiFe is "better" than LiPo. Both have their strengths, and both have their negatives. Either way I think you will be happier than NiMh.