Lock & Load battery system development.

BadWolf · May 4, 2013

I'm making a "Lock & Load" battery system to make the electrical connection inside the Phantom. I've seen pictures of crashed Phantoms with the pillars holding the mainboard broken, and the mainboard cracked. The cause was the battery smacking the mainboard in that crash. The battery is a Hyperion 2600mAh, the largest battery that will physically fit in the Phantom. The cover that goes over the battery is made from 5 layers of fiberglass cloth, with aluminum clamp plates on each side to evenly distribute the stress. the battery connector is epoxied to the side. The battery has a lexan mount with the connector epoxied to it, and held onto the battery with double sided tape. The battery now slides into the Phantom and makes the electrical connection. No more fumbling trying to stuff the wires inside after you make the electrical connection. So far it appears to work fine. I still need to do the wiring.

http://youtu.be/mUgVmxE5Qnk

Sac D · May 4, 2013

Wow, you're really moving forward with this quickly! I like it. Keep at it, it's a worthwhile concept.

Audaciter · May 5, 2013

Did you have to modify the opening to clear the connector ?

It looks quite professional, great job.

pwright · May 5, 2013

Nice work. Sure would be nice.

BadWolf · May 5, 2013

Audaciter said:
Did you have to modify the opening to clear the connector ?

It looks quite professional, great job.

Yes, I opened up the door to the max.

I soldered the terminals and shortened the wires to the balance plug. The Hyperion batteries have a "Hyperion (Polyquest)" balance plug, I changed it to a JST-XH style plug so I won't need any adapters for my battery checker, or charger. It will still be a while before it gets put back together.

I'm waiting on a piece of carbon fiber to strengthen the motor mounts. I'll be cutting a piece of 3mm thick carbon fiber into a 1-3/16" dia. disc. I'm going to drill 4 .250 dia. holes in the same pattern as the motor mount lugs. The carbon fiber disc presses onto the motor mount lugs srengthening them. It's either going to strengthen the lugs from cracking, or the motor screws may pull through the lugs. Well I'm not counting on the latter.

auck · May 21, 2013

any update on this project?

Nvr2fst · May 21, 2013

I don't know why manufacturers of RC type products continue to design these things like they are still in beta testing. I have and have had many RC products and they all have this crude plug in for the batteries. You should be able to just push in the battery and go. Constantly pulling and pushing on wire connections is not very smart. Tucking them in is no better. You can only do this so many times before you will risk loosening a solder connection on the connector or board.

Lipos and such have been around long enough to come out with standards. Each class of batteries should have its own standard regardless of what you use it in. I understand that this hobby has just exploded since the advent of modern batteries and everybody was doing something different, so the connections had to be open to user modding for different applications but it's about time to make these things look and work like a more finished and polished product rather than a test device. If nothing else you would think they would do it for the RTF/fully manufactured devices such as the Phantom.

Or maybe these hobbies are still just advancing too fast to settle with standards yet.

BadWolf · May 21, 2013

auck said:
any update on this project?

I need to get the carbon fiber motor mount supports made before I button her up. I've had a problem getting the carbon fiber sheet. I first purchased a sheet from kitcarbon on EBay. They said they had sheets available, which was a lie. I cancelled the order and now waiting for a sheet from another supplier. I hope to be done by this weekend.