Lipo questions

[Mechwarrior21]

I need some help getting some answers from my questions.

1. What should I look for in a lipo charger?

2. Is it worth installing a mosfet into my gun for a lipo battery?

[ThunderCactus]

1) The balancing feature, quality, and the ability to charge NIMH batteries as well if you have any
2) It should be MANDATORY to install a mosfet switch when using LiPo batteries, a fuse is also HIGHLY recommended!

Give this a read, it's all REALLY useful info about LiPo batteries
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=99899

[Kid]

You don't need a mosfet if your gun is shooting upwards of 400, but you're going to have a pretty high ROF and you'll have a lot of current going through your switch, so it is a good idea. I like the ROF control of a mosfet. With some mosfets, you can get the trigger response of a lipo on the first shot and the ROF of subsequent shots can be controlled (Trigger Master's Smart ROF, etc). This is a very nice feature.

As for a lipo charger... as long as it has balancing, it'll probably be ok. You can get some cheap ones or you can spend $60+ and buy one that has some extra features and can charge regular batteries too, which is convenient. When dealing with lipos.... you probably don't want to get a cheap charger. If you're not ready to shell out $60 for a decent charger, you're probably not ready for lipos.

[THe_Silencer]

I suggest a MOSFET for every gun that you plan on using a lipo extensively. Saves you the trouble of replacing your burnt out contacts.

[AngelusNex]

Lipo charger, get one with a balancer.

You dont need a mosfet, my guns have been fine for years running on lipo without a mosfet.

[Kos-Mos]

Originally Posted by Kid

You don't need a mosfet if your gun is shooting upwards of 400, but you're going to have a pretty high ROF and you'll have a lot of current going through your switch, so it is a good idea. I like the ROF control of a mosfet. With some mosfets, you can get the trigger response of a lipo on the first shot and the ROF of subsequent shots can be controlled (Trigger Master's Smart ROF, etc). This is a very nice feature.

As for a lipo charger... as long as it has balancing, it'll probably be ok. You can get some cheap ones or you can spend $60+ and buy one that has some extra features and can charge regular batteries too, which is convenient. When dealing with lipos.... you probably don't want to get a cheap charger. If you're not ready to shell out $60 for a decent charger, you're probably not ready for lipos.

Hmmm

I considered that a 60$ LiPo charger was a cheap one...

Seriously, if you want to jump into LiPo, expect to ditch at least 80-100$ for your initial setup. That means a decent charger and a power supply. You can easily get something like the iEOS series or B6/B8 series for about 60$. But most good chargers run on 12-18V DC and need an external PSU. Again, don't go cheap. Theses will have unstable voltage and current and that does not help your battery or charger. 30-40$ is enough for that. Get at least 10A, a tiny 5A is barely enough for a very small LiPo, and prices are not that much higher.

There was a thread here recently about a guy wanting a new charger... let me find it...

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=113421

[THe_Silencer]

Originally Posted by AngelusNex

You dont need a mosfet, my guns have been fine for years running on lipo without a mosfet.

You don't need a MOSFET but it's highly recommended when running 11.1v lipos. Don't know if it's just the OCD in me talking but I can't stand the notion of my trigger contacts arcing.

[ThunderCactus]

With 7.4 it's not a big issue, with 11.1 obviously you don't want those contacts arcing like crazy (they're bad enough at 9.6v)
But the reason I push for a mosfet, is if your running LiPo, it's because you want to save space, or have more energy efficiency. Well what's the point of getting a 7.4v LiPo and running it at the same horrible efficiency of your stock wiring and trigger contacts?
This is why people think they need 11.1v LiPo batteries and realize all of a sudden their ROF is WAY too high and they don't know how to slow it down...

Well a 7.4v LiPo with mosfet and upgraded wiring will give you a really good ROF on most setups, typically equivalent to 9.6v sub-C NiMH battery.
Whereas the 11.1v will give you a higher rate of fire, while burning out your trigger contacts, then when you decide to get a 20$ mosfet to prevent your 35$ trigger from burning out again, and you might as well change all the wiring in there since you have to modify it all anyway, that's about $15 then all of a sudden your ROF goes through the roof and you break a 25$ piston

so $95, vs $35 to be on the safe side

Anyway good thing LiPo batteries are dirt cheap! Large batteries around $40, mini's around $12. And that's for good, name brand batteries, not that "comes from anywhere" airsoft brand stuff that WAY overpriced