DIY Li Ion Battery Packs - Better than Li Po for RC Planes and FPV?

I use Li-Ion battery packs in the bulk of my aircraft. Their increased capacity is a worthwhile trade off for their lower discharge rate, for my use cases. In this video I'll share the design and ideas behind my DIY battery system.
18650 Pack Separator can be found at: www.thingiverse.com/thing:668...
Use at your own risk. Li-Ion batteries (and Li-Po batteries) contain remarkable amounts of power that can cause harm if misused, stored in an unsafe manner, charged incorrectly, or handled carelessly. Do not attempt to make a battery pack unless you are fully comfortable with accepting those risks, and have a firm understanding of what your doing. Please be careful.

[@chiparooo]

Very interesting battery philosophy! Never thought about using the 18650s. Lipos do make me nervous. Thanks for sharing!

[@usefulaircraft]

I agree. A lipo fire is hard to fight- it's a risk I'd rather avoid. Let me know what works for you, as I'm always open to a better path forward. Thanks for your comment

[@11coso]

A great solution! You are right, nothing wrong with soldering a pack but the flexibility this give is really appealing. Thanks for the video.

[@usefulaircraft]

I appreciate your feedback. I'm willing to admit I'm not the smartest guy, but I love the flexibility of swapping individual cells vs assembling packs of questionable history. Thanks for your time and consideration.

[@MrZeek101]

Another Great video always a pleasure to watch . I have most of my long range on solderd 18650s and 21700 but I have always wanted to try this thanks for the how too . Again just keep up the great videos . Take Care

[@usefulaircraft]

Thanks for the comment. I was willing to take the weight penalty for the ability to swap cells, and better isolate my packs for travel. This system has worked great for me for several years, and I wouldn't go back to lipos. You've gotta be careful when loading your packs, but for me it's well worth it.

[@SwoopsRP]

The autofocus on whatever camera you are using is super fast. Pretty wild.

[@usefulaircraft]

Osmo Pocket 3. I’m very impressed with it. Thanks for the comment!

[@douglasdarby7123]

In awe of your skills and presentation. Superb information and fabulous in all the videos and pertinent. Some clever comedy happening is always great.

[@usefulaircraft]

Thank you for your note, I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm working on an interesting new project and should have something out shortly. Thank you!

[@hubba002123]

Very nice!

[@usefulaircraft]

Thank you. I’m glad to share.

[@chiparooo]

Is there a reason you are using the Samsung 20R vs say the 30Q or 35E that have 3000mah & 3500mha respectively? I just started looking to see what is available on Amazon and saw these higher rated choices. I don’t know much about these type of batteries and was wondering your thoughts. Thanks!

[@usefulaircraft]

I bought these batteries nearly two years ago. It may have just been availability. I've not bought off Amazon, but I'm sure there are good sellers there. IMR has been my vendor, but I've got no particular loyalty to them, I'd just say shop around. I've had really great longevity from my packs, as right now I've probably got around 20 individual cells in my active circulating pool. They have lasted remarkably well, despite me oftentimes putting them in half baked planes that don't always fly great. I'll be curious to hear your experiences going forward. I'm very satisfied with my batteries. No regrets. Thanks for your comment

[@dnacannotchange]

i welded 5000 mah li -ion

[@usefulaircraft]

Nothing wrong with welded packs. I arrived at my solution after having bought welded packs and having built my own welding setup to weld my own packs. My packs suit my needs better for when I travel and I want to ensure the packs are isolated, and I do enjoy the ability to swap out cells, but a welded pack will be lighter if it's built right. At the end of the day, they both get you flying. Thanks for your comment.