TX pack for new Spektrum DX7

[Franny]

Hi Jason,

Do you have a LiPoly pack for the DX7 (TX)? I think they offer an option for one as well...

Thanks,

Franny

[JAM MaxAmps]

Franny what the pack size......dimensions and volts.........I run a Dualsky 3 cell Li-po in my Eclipse 7 and it works great.............I charge it about once a month. See what you can find out and I'll run it by Austin.

[aviatordave]

Franny what the pack size......dimensions and volts.........I run a Dualsky 3 cell Li-po in my Eclipse 7 and it works great.............I charge it about once a month. See what you can find out and I'll run it by Austin.

Here are some pics with dimensions. So far I have not had a battery-low problem, but the fact of having to charge it for 16 hrs kind of blows. That is where a lipo comes in :)

The pack says 'McNair Ni-MH AA1500mAh 9.6V'

Is McNair a popular battery? I've never seen the name before.

The pack measures 3 3/4" long by 1 1/4" square. There is about a inch of slop in the battery compartment for a longer battery if needed.

See whatch can do -

[Franny]

Thanks Dave! I've been a total slacker and we've been out on vacation. I really appreciate you getting this posted.

Franny

[JAM MaxAmps]

Can you guys get me a photo of the connector also?

[aviatordave]

Can you guys get me a photo of the connector also?


here ya go. I was afraid I would lose my model memory if I unplugged it, but it must also have a onboard battery.

kinda cheesy looking....but here it is.

dave

[aviatordave]

Can you guys get me a photo of the connector also?

Whats the verdict, Boss?

[JAM MaxAmps]

We need a conversion here...our pack measures 95mm L X 30mm W X 28mm H and that connector looks very similar to the hitec plug that is in my Eclipse 7...... our pack comes with a Futaba plug on it.......I swaped mine out for the Hitec plug. I had a computer program calculator that was on my machine before the hard drive scrub, it did conversions but now I can remember where I got the program from.

[JAM MaxAmps]

Ok found the program and here's the measurements in inches 3.7 X 1.18 X 1.10...............by the looks of it it should fit..........and man do they last.

[aviatordave]

do you know if the 11.1 V will be ok? the stock batt. says 9.6V, but when I power up the xmtr, the V on the LED says 11.5 V. You guys dont happen to have a DX7 to use as a test bed do ya?

[JAM MaxAmps]

Dave My Eclispe 7 Stock pack is the same way..........and I get the 12 volt start point with my Li-Po pack and it doesn't hurt it at all.........and soon I plan on switching over to the XtremePower 2.4 add-on that supports a five mile range.....And I don't have to buy a new TX.

[NUMB-LOCK]

We need a conversion here...our pack measures 95mm L X 30mm W X 28mm H and that connector looks very similar to the hitec plug that is in my Eclipse 7...... our pack comes with a Futaba plug on it.......I swaped mine out for the Hitec plug. I had a computer program calculator that was on my machine before the hard drive scrub, it did conversions but now I can remember where I got the program from.

Hi Jason, when you swapped out the futaba plug with the Hitec plug, did you crimp on the new one? Solder it on? If crimping, which tool?

Thanks,

Bob I.

[JAM MaxAmps]

Hey Bob, I just cut off the Futaba plug and did the same with the old Hitec pack....the just solder and heat shrink.......done.

[LRAFB]

Fellas,
I'm active duty military at Little Rock AFB (hence LRAFB for a handle) and sure would appreciate your help and advice.

I have a spektrum dx6 and the battery life blooows...
It is NiCD 600mAh, can I replace it with a stock NiMH from a DX7?
The DX7 spektrum battery says " spektrum nimh aa1500mah 9.6 "
My fear is the NiCD DX6 won't charge a NiMH... (but I do have a Hobbico Accu-Cycle Pro Series Elite lipo charger...so maybe that doesn't matter..???)

Do you have a better solution? Where can I go to buy ***any*** battery that works for a long time and is an easy swap.

Don't think the Air Force "web gestapo" will allow access to "fun web sites" like this, so please also reply to Derek@BlazeDiamond.com

Thanks fellas! I really appreciate it,
Derek

[aviatordave]

Derek,

Try this

http://www.dimensionengineering.com/appnotes/spektrum_mod/spektrum_mod.htm

Hope that helps, it will lengthen the battery life about 35-40%. Just a little soldering...

[LRAFB]

I just ordered one... Thank you!
Still like to find a bigger lithium polymer or NiMH for the DX6 , if they are out there...

[aviatordave]

I've asked that as well. I'm not confident what will happen if I replace the 9.6V battery pack with a 11.1V pack. I'm still getting long run times on my DX7 pack so it isnt to much of an issue yet.

[JAM MaxAmps]

I'm running a 2500 mAh 11.1 volt in My DX7 and have had no issues at all. A friend is using the same pack in his new 9303 2.4 system with no troubles also.

Jason

[Madman]

Found this thread when I came up with a :blah: blank screen in my DX-7 yesterday after a 30 hour attempted recharge. My Tx was purchased in April 2007, and this is the first time I've removed the battery. Like others in this thread, the label on the Batt reads:
McNAIR
Ni-MH AA1500mAh 9.6V

Also like others here, the onscreen display earlier read anywhere from 10.5 to 11.6 V, but never 9.6V. Also, after all earlier recharges, the little slide bar indicator graphic on the LED display of the DX-7 has NEVER showed FULL, even when displaying 11.6V numerically as the current voltage available.

Has anyone here found another Ni-MH replacement? Spektrum's home site only has a 600mAh NiCD (reportedly for the DX-6) ... but none listed for the DX-7. What are the ramifications of going to that lower capacity battery? Longevity (endurance)? Here's the link: http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPM7001

Spektrum is really slow in responding, usually, but eventually they do.

Has anyone found a faster Spektrum plugin the wall charger? I've read rumors that they have one that works a lot better than the 30+ hour dog that came with mine.:mad:
Thx for any/all replies.

[Hughes500Bob]

Dualsky 2500 TXB-25003JR from http://2dogrc.com

The new Spektrum SPM9522 charger is 110 mah which is double the original one.

[Madman]

Dualsky 2500 TXB-25003JR from http://2dogrc.com

The new Spektrum SPM9522 charger is 110 mah which is double the original one.Thanks, H500B ... I noted the caution: WARNING! DO NOT CHARGE the BATTERY IN THE RADIO! ONLY USE LI-POLY CHARGER! In which case, the SPM9522 charger would be moot, correct?

[Hughes500Bob]

So Sorry .... I see you have a DX6. The analog voltage regulator in a DX6 "may" not handle a LiPo without the Dimension Engineering digital voltage regulator upgrade ..... which is not easy to do without a lot of soldering / desoldering experience. Seems some are using it with success.

That Spektrum number I gave you is a 110 mAh NiMH charger and would work with the DX7 1500 mAh NiMH STOCK battery.

You could also make up your own Tx pack using Sanyo Eneloop batteries. Be careful of the polarity to the charge plug as Spektrum uses the outside case for positive and the core for negative which is backwards from industry standard.

[Madman]

So Sorry .... I see you have a DX6. The analog voltage regulator in a DX6 "may" not handle a LiPo without the Dimension Engineering digital voltage regulator upgrade ..... which is not easy to do without a lot of soldering / desoldering experience. Seems some are using it with success.

That Spektrum number I gave you is a 110 mAh NiMH charger and would work with the DX7 1500 mAh NiMH STOCK battery.

You could also make up your own Tx pack using Sanyo Eneloop batteries. Be careful of the polarity to the charge plug as Spektrum uses the outside case for positive and the core for negative which is backwards from industry standard.Nope ... your recommendation was most welcome. I do in fact have a DX-7, so your batt recommendation should work. 2500mAh sure beats the standard 1500mAh load, but, since it's a LiPo, I shouldn't need to worry about the Spektrum "fast-charger", since my flight-battery charger will do the job. THX for the responses.

[JAM MaxAmps]

Guys this thread was about our Li-Po TX'er packs. If your going to talk about another companies product please start a thread in that companies section and not ours.

Thank you and Best regards,

Jason

[Liquidity]

Jason,

I run a lipo in my DX7. I know Spektrum recommends against it, but I am curious what MaxAmps official stand on this issue is.

[JAM MaxAmps]

We really don't have an official stand on it other than that we have seen no issues at all. I have been running Li-Po's in my DX7 for 6 months with no issues and I also run them in my DX3 and my DX3.0 as well. I have a friend who is running our Li-Po TX pack in his New JR 9303 2.4 TX'er and he hasn't had any issues either. It may come down to the fact that they don't make their own Li-po and want people to keep buying their NimH packs. It's hard to say, other than that I haven't really heard a good reason why you can't run Li-Po's in them.

Jason

[Hughes500Bob]

Guys this thread was about our Li-Po TX'er packs. If your going to talk about another companies product please start a thread in that companies section and not ours.

Thank you and Best regards,

Jason

Sorry ..... In post #2 YOU mentioned using the Dualsky Lipo. If you sell that one than I certainly apologize for mentioning the other vendor.

[JAM MaxAmps]

We used to sell that pack but haven't for quite some time. We make our own now.

Jason

[rcers]

It's hard to say, other than that I haven't really heard a good reason why you can't run Li-Po's in them.

Jason

Voids your warranty is good enough for me! :)

And to be honest they use cheap(ish) voltage regulators on the Spektrums (listen to that DX7 hum it is the voltage reg - I think).

But really Jason - why not drop a simple diode on the pack - drop the full charge voltage down - and then add the safety of low voltage alarms of your TX will sound long before your pack is actually anywhere near 3v/cell.

Diodes are cheap!

Off topic (sorta)
By the way I have 4-5 buddies than run 3s voltage in their Spketrum systems none have had issues. What don't radio manufacturers use 2s LiPoly setups - 2s LiFe setups?

O well - but again why not the diode?

Mike