I've used Li-ion batteries in some robotics projects and a couple of RC-builds:
- Bruder MAN truck:
http://www.scale4x4rc.org/forums/showthread.php?t=80393
- Bruder Delta loader:
https://www.rcsparks.com/forum/threa...dded-pc.36063/
and I think they work very well for smaller sized RC projects (and Tesla uses them in their cars, so evidently good for larger models as well).
I typically now just buy single 18650 industry standard cells (like Tesla) from a well-known brand like Panasonic:
- NCR18650A 3.7V 3100mAh
http://www.ebay.com/itm/292133363075
You have to look up the datasheet to get the C-rating. For this one, the NCR18650A's datasheet:
-
https://na.industrial.panasonic.com/.../ncr18650a.pdf
says the maxium charge current is 1475mA. Charging at 1000mA is thus very safe, you could probably also go with 1500mA. With the 3100mAh capacity, you are looking at 4 hours charging time with 1A charger. But for a small RC model, the 3100mAh will also last you a whole day, so the charge time VS run time is a good ratio.
The 18650-type cells is the same type that Tesla use in their Model S and X cars:
-
http://fortune.com/2016/07/27/tesla-...y-gigafactory/
I combine the cells in a battery holder with a battery protection circuit to avoid over discharge, over voltage, short circuit and other things that could hurt the cells:
-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381100264951
You can get these holders in any configuration, 1S, 2S (7.4v), 3S (11.1v), 4S, etc and parallels, e.g. 1P, 2P, etc.
and finally I use a charger like this one:
-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191941924713
it's just a standard CC/CV charger, like your typical RC-charger for LiPos.
You can of course also use your normal RC charger.
On top of that you can also charge the cells individually in parallel using a charger like this (but I've never done that):
-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272685459838
You can also get the battery packs pre-build with protection boards, and even in very large size batteries. I use batteries like these in my robots:
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/291652625112
Best regards,
Stein :-)