Hi Bill, I oversee our production facilities which build GPS/DGPS precision guidance systems (in the thousands - http://www.hemispheregps.com/main/) for the agricultural industry, we observe daily lots of interesting and unique failures of new componentry/systems.
However at the hobby level that failure rate is higher, especially with battery packs. I agree with you, and to be more succinct; - Replacement of serviceable componentry, especially battery packs, introduces a potential failure where one did not exist before. However those who regularly replace packs for the sake of it, re-introduce (each time) that potential for failure. Some more tidbits: Due to differing rates of PWR consumption in part to varying series-resistnce when employing dual packs, one pack will be more discharged than the other. This is normal. In large scale sailplanes dual packs offset lead used to balance, and the advantages of dual packs (as Bill points out) have been employed in IMAC-style aerobatic aircraft for years. There are plenty of stories where an aircraft was safely landed, or the pilot landed only to discover one PWR supply had failed in one form or another. As was pointed to previously, Red's Battery Clinic has an accurate and readable section on how to set them up...and just as importantly points out the old wive's tales and misinformation that permeates throughout the hobby/sport regarding a worthy form of PWR reduncancy. Quoting Bill Swingle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Simon, > > If you're saying that a new battery may possibly fail. It is of course > possible. But testing before installation does help that significantly. > > Yes, replacing things regularly is worthy of concern but more because the > connectors can fail. But their typical life cycle is long enough that I > thought a one or two year cycle wasn't concerning. Just test before > installation. > > I suggested it because the one item that is expected to degrade over time is > > the battery and will eventually need replacement. I was only suggesting a > replacement before failure. The user picks the time he's comfortable with. > > Daryl, mentioned switch failure but since it doesn't cycle during flight I > didn't consider it significant. All I've had fail did so on the ground while > > I cycled them. Naturally, it's tough to disagree with Daryl given his > credentials. I don't do so lightly. > > Bill Swingle > Janesville, CA > > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and > "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that > subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME > turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are > generally NOT in text format > Simon Van Leeuwen PnP Systems - The E-Harness of Choice Radius Systems Cogito Ergo Zoom RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format
