starter battery

[Bootlegger]

  Guy's I am looking for a 12 volt rechargable battery to use on my starters.  What do you recommend, and where do you get them.  I have built some using 1.2 volt batteries and they just don't last very long..

     Thanks a lot

[Steve Helmick]

I love my Makita 18v. conversion setup. Also love the drill kit, and have built a bunch of cedar fencing and gates with it. The kit I got has two batteries and the charger, in addition to the drill. The conversion adapter was another $50. If one of the batteries dies, it'll be about $100, but the whole kit was under $300 from CPO. I won't blink an eye if I have to buy another battery. Or, you can buy a 12v. gel cell from a decent hardware store, intended for alarm systems...same as the ones you get from Tower Hobby, if they have any....    Steve

[BillP]

I use the small $25ish sealed lead acid ones. Currently have the 12v x 7.5 amp and bought it locally at HobbyTown a couple yrs ago. Walmart sells them cheaper. The 7.5 to 9 amp batts have worked fine for me in my flight box and they last yrs. There is a smaller 4.5 amp that I've seen other flyers use for the lowest price. Charge rate is 1.5 amps.

[Richard Imhoff]

here's my setup just a chunk of aluminum angle , a 2200 3 cell lipo "15 bucks from Hobby king", a cheap lipo charger from hobby King 12 to 20 bucks DC only.
Needs charging a couple times a year and starts anything 90's included. Also has twice the power as a lead acid cell for sure.

[Phil Spillman]

I bought my starter battery from atbatt.com which gave very prompt service. The part number is 3587 Power-Sonic PS-12V/12AH Sealed Lead item. in January of 2016. It has given me great service ever since and at that time it cost 25.99 with 6.95 shipping. Its just a tad bigger than the OHS variety with much more torque produced.


Phil Spillman

[Matt Brown]

3 or 4S lips in the 2200mah range. I Velcro mine to the ass end of the starter. Connection I used a set of XT60 connectors.

Matt

[Fredvon4]

8.4 Vdc 3000 mAh, NiMH RC CAR BATS are very inexpensive ($13 each at my LHS) and fairly light...several commercial holders for starters exist...16+ vdc...last long time due to low cycle use

Just example of the ones I used...not from this site my supplier is no longer

https://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/product.asp?type=submenu&maingp=Field+Equipment&prodid=1013079#.XIQDIShKhhE

[John Rist]

Ebay has hundreds if 12v batteries.  Just search on 12V battery.   Personally I have gone to LiPO.  But I fly electric so I have lots of chargers and LiPo batteries.   

[Fredvon4]

most typical Model engine starters can use 9~24 VDC....higher VDC makes for a MUCH faster spin...duh

you can reverse +/-leads for starting LH engines...DC motor remember....wink

[Billy Fields]

I find Lipo is the way to go for me. They last a long time on one charge. I have mine mounted to the starter so all I grab is the starter and glow plug battery and off I go.

[Bootlegger]

 Fred von 4 am I to understand that a 12 volt starter can survive higher voltage, such as a 24 volt battery pack?

  And it will only spin faster without damage to the starter ?   Thanks, and bare with me as all of this is new to me...

[FLOYD CARTER]

Our starters are permanent magnet brushed DC motors.  While relatively tolerant of battery voltage, remember that higher voltage increases operating current, and unless the brushes and commutator are oversize, excess heating and sparking will shorten motor life.  Typical overvoltage failure would be melting of the solder used to attach armature wires to the commutator segments.

[Fredvon4]

I have the el-cheapo Tower version of a starter motor

Initially driven off 12vdc power panel

Now driven with 2each 8.4VDC Nimh in series...16.8 VDC max but nominally around 15.5 VDC

The very short duty cycle is of no concern for overheating these heavy duty electric motors IMO

In my opinion ANY VDC source 24 V or under is adequate and NOT going to damage the ....least of the least el-Cheapo starters.....

Hint.... the basic motor used in these is very similar to everyday Drill motor variants from 7.6 VDC up to 20Vdc

[Bootlegger]

  Thanks for ALL the info guy's..