My relationship with LiPo batteries has been pretty rocky. While Lithium Poly packs are modern miracles of chemistry, and have opened new doors for electric-powered RC flight, they do so at a price. Namely, the price itself. LiPo packs are not cheap (well, some are, but I’ve yet to try them) and when their price is combined with their tendency to puff up or otherwise become useless when mishandled even briefly, Lithium Polymer packs can be both a blessing and a curse.

For this reason, I’ve sought out LiPo packs that have a tolerance for overdischarge and have previously been using Air Thunder, and more recently, Kong Power packs. The Air Thunders are more bulky and heavier than their standard counterparts, and they don’t seem to produce good power over the long term. What I mean by this is that after a dozen flights or so, the AT packs seem to be producing an unremarkable level of power. The Trex 450 flies fine on the AT packs, but doesn’t really have the extra pop for snappy maneuvers like it does with other packs. They also just don’t last as long, with average flight times being 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

The newer 30c Kong Power packs are smaller, lighter, and also utilize the newer no-puff technology in their cells. The Kongs have been working well in my 450, especially with the new Scorpion motor and ESC I’ve installed in it. Since they are lighter, the heli is a bit more nimble than when flown with the Air Thunders, and the Kongs produce more power, more quickly than the ATs, which are 25c rated.

The Outrage XP30 LiPoly 3s 2200 mAh Pack

In addition to manufacturing an impressive new line of RC helicopters, Outrage RC has been branching out into different product arenas. The most expansive is their line of Lithium Polymer batteries. Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out Outrage RC’s 3s 2200 mAh 30c “Extreme Power” Lithium Polymer pack.

Upon opening the package, I was immediately surprised to see that Outrage includes a JST-XH (Align type) adapter, while the pack itself is equipped with a TP type balance lead. This adds value to the pack, since you don’t need to purchase a separate adapter if you aren’t set up to charge a pack with TP leads. These adapters cost anywhere from 3 to 6 dollars (US) and is a bonus as far as I’m concerned.

The pack itself is smaller than the Air Thunder packs, and about equal in size to the 30c Kong Power packs. The Outrage XP30 pack weighs in as the lightest of these, tipping the scales at 187G, compared to 196G for the Kong and 205G for the Air Thunder. So when put up against my current packs, the Outrage wins the weight contest.

After soldering on an EC3 connector, it was time to check the pack on the charger. I hooked it up to my Hyperion 610i Net charger and was pleased to see that all three cells were matched to .01v (yes, I said point-oh-one volt). I charged it up and headed off to the field, charger in tow.

Next: Flight Report