# Shipping cost for LiPo batteries, LiFePO4, safety, etc.



## PStechPaul (May 1, 2012)

OK, I just placed the order with HobbyKing:

4x #Z42002S-30-2P/14065 ZIPPY Flightmax 4200mAh 2S2P 30C LiFePo4 Pack = $77.68
1x #LPGUARD18x22/4134 Lithium Polymer Charge Pack 18x22cm Sack = $1.99
1x #LPGUARD25x33/4364 Lithium Polymer Charge Pack 25x33cm JUMBO Sack = $2.73
2x #T5000.1S.40/18562 Turnigy 5000mAh 1S 40C Lipoly (Single Cell) = $23.20

VISA / MASTERCARD (*No Paypal*) + $1.50
UPS Express 3 Day (USA) 2kg $44.69
Taxes: $0.00
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Total: $151.79
​I accidentally clicked on the "No Paypal" option at checkout so the $1.50 will be credited back to me as "points" toward future purchases. If I had re-ordered, I would have lost the special discount on the batteries which are normally $20.53 and I got them for $19.42. So I spent close to an hour with customer support chat to save $4. Well, while I was waiting on chat, I checked eBay for any better deals and the best I could find was this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIY-KIT-24V...US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2c670e8287

It's 240 Wh for $203 and includes a 7A charger with BMS. If you knock off $20 for the charger it's still $0.76/Wh. And the shipping is $85 and a warranty is $35 so that's $303. My deal is about 1/3 that for 105 Wh. Maybe the Jameco Prismatic cells are the better deal at about $1/Wh if there is no shipping penalty. Bottom lines are tricky. 

So if I got 48 of these I'd have 307V and 1.351 kWh for about $1400 with shipping. For a really good EV at 200 Wh/mile it would go a little over 6 miles. I'd really need full size cells and packs if I did that. So, what's the going rate for LiFePO4? $1.50/Ah or $0.50/Wh? Alittle better. I'll see how this little pack works on my tractor. Maybe I'll get 10 minutes running at 400 watts which is 4C? What's Peukert's number for LiFePO4? If I use the maximum of 30C that will give me about 3000 watts or 4HP for a few seconds. Maybe enough to get a little feeling of the potential power. 

I think I'll still use lead-acid for the tractor. $250 for 3600 W-Hr seems pretty good. I'll usually be running at about 0.1C so I should get an honest ten hours of run time! Even doing work at 2HP would be about 0.5C so at least 1/2 hour and maybe 1 hour?


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