Spektrum SPMAR9100 User Manual

Page 5

Spektrum AR9100

Battery Voltage

IMPORTANT: D0 NOT use a 4-cell 4.8-volt battery to power

the PowerSafe.
Four-cell 4.8-volt batteries do not provide enough voltage headroom

(additional margin needed) necessary to power the system when heavily

loaded. Under load the system voltage can drop below the voltage system’s

minimum operating voltage threshold (3.5 volts) and cause loss of control.

The PowerSafe is capable of handling voltages from 6.0 to 10.0 volts. The

voltage limitations are generally the servos. Most servos are compatible

with 5-cell 6-volt packs. Five-cell 6-volt NiMH packs have become the

standard for many giant-scale applications.
Be aware that NiMH batteries have a tendency to false peak

when being fast charged. Be especially careful when using NiMH

batteries that they are fully charged and have not false peaked.
Many pilots are using 2-cell LiPo batteries to power their aircraft. LiPo’s

offer greater capacity for their size and weight, and are easier to manage

when charging. Before using LiPo batteries, please check the voltage

specifications of your servos. Use of a voltage regulator, such as the

Spektrum VR6010 (SPMVR6010), might be necessary.

Note: When a battery is connected to the PowerSafe a low current drain of less than

1mA occurs even when the switch is turned off. If the system is going to be stored

for any length of time, it’s important that the battery(s) be disconnected from the

PowerSafe to prevent over discharge.

Installation

The PowerSafe requires a minimum of two remote receivers to operate

and one receiver must be plugged into the A receiver port. Three remote

receivers are included and in most cases it is recommended that three

or four receivers be used. Each receiver functions independently and

additional receivers (up to four) offer a more secure RF link in difficult

environments and the added security of redundancy should a failure occur

outweighs the slight additional weight and cost penalties.