The LiPo Battery: Advantages & Precautions

     The LiPo battery has quickly gained popularity in the Airsoft community due to several advantages it provides over standard 8.4v and 9.6v batteries. While there are pros, there are also cons as well. In this article we will examine both.

PROS:
1. Lightening fast trigger response. The LiPo battery has a high energy output, which allows the maximum amount of electricity to be released. This is especially nice for players with semi-only AEG's who still need to be able to compete with full auto fire.
2. Increased rate of fire. This is always nice, especially when you are playing in a woodland environment where you engage at longer distances, and when you have to punch through thick undergrowth.
3. Consistent output. Unlike NiMh batteries, the LiPo will provide the same output right up until it dies.
4. Small size. Many LiPo's provide a high Mah count while still maintaining a relatively small size. This is handy when your battery space is limited.

These are the advantages, and also what everyone focuses on. However, there are several things about the Lipo which may be sufficient reason to steer clear.

CONS:
1. Increased wear on gearbox components. Airsoft guns are machines. As machines get used they wear out; the more use, the faster the decline. Using a LiPo can as much as double the amount of wear that would be caused by a standard battery pack. This will affect pretty much every internal part of your Airsoft gun, especially the electrical components. Because the LiPo provides such a high electrical current, if one is not careful heat can build up to such an extent that wires actually melt together (yes, it has happened). Such an intense current also fries trigger contacts rather quickly. (Installing a mosfet chip to regulate the current can help to minimize these risks, but it will never completely eliminate them. In fact, in the case of the melted wires mentioned above, a mosfet chip was being used but still failed to prevent overheating. Thankfully in this instance, although the chip itself was fried, it did prevent a short which very likely would have caused the battery itself to catch on fire)

2. Over-draining the battery can kill it. Because of the makeup of the cells in a LiPo battery, each cell must maintain a minimum charge. If it drops below this minimum the pack can bloat and be rendered unusable.
3. LiPo's require a special charger. These special chargers designed ensure that each cell will charge at an equal rate. If it were not for this "balance" feature, the battery could catch on fire.

CONCLUSION:
If you are still set on getting a LiPo, here is what you need to do prepare your gun for the added strain.

1. Install a quality Mosfet. Without this, something is definitely going to fry.

2. Make sure your gun has a strong gearbox. Version 3 gearboxes will hold up much better that even re-enforced Version 2's.

3. Rewire your gun with the largest gauge wire you can fit and switch your connectors to Deans. This will increase the efficiency of the electrical flow and help to prevent bottle necks.

4. Correct the angle of engagement where the piston meshes with the sector gear. If you don't do this you'll just keep stripping pistons.

5. Get a good motor that can handle the increased voltage without excessive heating.

6. Go easy on the trigger - keep full auto to short bursts and don't go crazy with rapid semi-firing.

If you have decided you would rather not go with a LiPo but still want to increase your rate-of-fire, check out my article, "Increasing ROF Without a LiPo".