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LiPo Warmer

I made up a LiPo warmer from bits and pieces early in the year and used it at the Nats 2016 in E30. The model climbed away very well and that was the last time I saw it. I noticed that Hobby King were marketing a LiPo warmer and I bought one as it was a better design than my own effort. Basically an insulated bag with micro controlled temperature , set using + or - buttons. Powered by a 12v or 3s LiPo battery. The attached graph shows the effect of ambient temperature on battery voltage.

There are two reasons why you should think about LiPo warming. The first is competitive advantage in electric FF disciplines, the second is for RC in preventing the battery voltage dropping below 3.0v/cell and destroying the battery and worst case, the model.

Note that the X scale of the graph infers a very conservative discharge rate. In practice an electric soarer would have current discharge rates 50 times higher. The 3.0 v/cell limit would creep up on the unwary with consummate speed.

Ian Middlemiss
November 2016

Click for the Hobby King LiPo warmer