lipo batteries for gp

[Gravelwasher]

I have some LiPO batteries for radio controlled vehicles and would like to know if anyone has figured out a way to use them with a GP3000? I have seen some pics of people using 3s 5000mah 11.1volt packs , but I have not been able to find anyone who knows what components to use to get it all working. I am thinking of a voltage regulator that will take input of 12volts and output 6.7 volts and have a safety so it will not harm the detector, would also need an audio jack/booster for headphones. Not exactly sure what an audio booster consists of? I have seen a LM350 adjustable three terminal positive voltage regulator that looks like it would work, but I have no 1st person knowledge on these, any help would be greatly appreciated. Basically I would like the simplest safest method for using a 11.1 volt lipo battery. Thanks!!

voltage regulator.pdf

[nuggethunting]

Hello Gravelwasher,

I don't know anyone using a system like that, but it's possible I guess. The GP3000 has an onboard regulator, so it will only allow a certain voltage to cross the circuit board. The larger battery will just allow more detecting time, but not so much more power being regulated. On the older SD non-regulated units, some have used 12+ volts to increase the strenght of the magnetic field, hoping for more depth. The higher voltage on non-regulated systems could over-stress the circuits and cause damage or burn up the unit all together.

Hope this helps a bit,

Rob Allison

[FlakMagnet]

gravelwasher,

I have a question,

It seems as though the hoops you'd have to jump through

to get this to work are time consuming and potentially expensive.

Why not just get a battery that's ready to go?

It's none of my business but I can't help but wonder.

Good luck with it.

[adam]

Pretty sure thats the same type of set up that they sell on Bill & lindas Prospecting Page

http://www.billandli...m/forsale1.html

[Gravelwasher]

Flakmagnet, the reason I would like to build one is I already have the lipos on hand and a voltage regulator sounds like a fun project to build, plus it would be really light weight. I found a guy running them on a gp4500 but he dosent say what he puts in his....http://detectormods.maxforum.org/2012/04/16/gp-extreme-battery-upgrade/ all the way at the bottom is a pic of the set up. I saw the one on Bill and Lindas page and it is close but pricey, I do electronics stuff for work so I dont mind tinkering a bit. On the subject of the GP3000 having its own limiter, I would rather have a safety fuse in between so if it does pop I dont have to send it to Minelab, just for peace of mind. Thanks for all the input so far thanks, Gravelwasher

[wes]

You dont need the booster amp unless you want to run an external speaker.

I had a small Li battery pack made by Reeds from Austarlia mounted on the side of a 3000. It had a tiny 3 prong regulator and looked pretty simple.

[FlakMagnet]

Hi Gravelwasher,

I wish you well with your mod. I really like Bill and Linda's battery setup

have always thought it looked like a great alternative.

Let us know how it goes.

[Gravelwasher]

Went out yesterday for a kayak trip below Engelbright dam on the mighty Yuba river, went about ten miles down. Was a nice easy float only one roll over by my brother in his new kayak. Saw so many tailing piles, boggled my mind, made me wonder what the 1850's miners would think of the magnitude of volume processed by the dredges that worked here. Manage to do a few pans and found color in each, granted it was all micro fines and foil like flakes, but still nice to see some color.

Will keep ya posted on the lipo, hopefully I will find a set up that works and let you all know what parts it takes. The other part of this is charging and I have a great charger from doing rc cars, it can even charge my led batteries and works off a power supply or wall socket making it quite versatile. I have seen some voltage step down set ups for 11.1 to 9.6volts using just a diode or two to drop the voltage, not sure how much heat would build up on the aprox. 6 volt drop I am looking for. I was also thinking of taking apart the dome top of a minelab battery and using the audio jack set up?

Looks like another nice day better get out and get some swinging in.....

[frank c]

Pretty sure thats the same type of set up that they sell on Bill & lindas Prospecting Page

http://www.billandli...m/forsale1.html

ADAM, I 've been usin that setup on my GP and likin it.

One of my buddys has it on his 4500 for quite some time also.

[Gravelwasher]

Hello Frank,

I like the simple look of the lipos, what is the voltage on your set up and can you please explain some of the components of how it works, like does it use a voltage regulator or have any fuses. Also how do the headphones fit into the process? Thanks!

[wes]

GW, A diode is what was used in the aftermarket batterypack I had. They had it screwed to the aluminum housing which acted as a heat sink.

[Gravelwasher]

Thanks Wes, I have read good things about the Reeds unit. A step down regulator is usually easy, I figured a few people must have done this with a 11.1 battery pack, as they dont cost a bunch and hold a good deal of mobile power in a light weight package. I have enough stuff to haul in my pack besides a lead battery but will keep at it until I get some sort of step down for my lipos.

So any of you not find gold yet? How does your family view your minelab purchase, I think my family thinks I am nuts, well there right I do have the fever..lol I imagine this will change when I can show more than square nails and bullets for my efforts. I usually make it out once a week to prospect and I used to sluice and pan and always came home with gold. Now I am swinging the gp3000 and coming home with junk but having a great time doing it, just the wife thinks I must be doing it wrong..lol I told her most likely two years before I find a nugget. How long did it take you to find the first one? Well no detector finds but heres some au that I panned out.

[wes]

Ya just keep digging targets and enjoy your time outdoors.

The cool thing is, once you find a piece it will probably be a nice size chunk when you least expect it.

[Gravelwasher]

My plans exactly!! Thanks for the encouragement, cant wait to get out this Saturday, got my lead brick all charged up.

[Gravelwasher]

I may have found a product that will work it has a variable input, variable output, that includes the 11.1v input and 6.7v output....Castle Creations CC-BEC RX Battery Eliminator Circuit

What the heck is a BEC? CC BEC Battery Eliminator Circuit is a little device that eliminates the need for a receiver and servo battery pack. It draws higher voltage from the motor batteries and drops it to a voltage level that is suitable for your receiver and servos. This is required in applications which draw high power for multiple servos or use more than 3S motor packs, as most ESCs with linear BECs are not designed for these applications. The CC BEC uses a Switch Rate method that is vastly more efficient than common circuits that sweat off much of your power through a heat sink.

Peak Current Output: 10 amps

Continuous Current Output: @12 Volts input 7amps, @ 24volts input 5 amps **

Output Voltage: 5.1 volts out of the package, user may set output voltage from 4.8 to 9 using the Castle Link (sold separately).

Input Voltage: 5 to 25.2v (2S to 6S LiPo)

Length: 1.2" (30mm), Width: .6" (15mm), Height: 4" (10mm)

Weight: 0.4 oz (11 grams)

Well I have contacted castle to see what they think of the idea, so I will let you all know as soon as I hear back. Looks promising to me, as it would allow different voltages/batteries to be used.

[tundra]

Gravelwasher

ak Nuggethunter LOL

Any good voltage setup should work fine you should try and find our how

mutch current draw your machine takes as a good sized Lipo is capable

of enough current to make toast,I would find out the draw and then double the

size of the fuse on the outward side of the regulator to detector...

To get the right voltage you have to tinker with the resistor value or use a variable

pot and then check the output voltage with a voltmeter.

The battery for the minelab 4500 is $500.00 instead of replacing the lipos when they

die you have to buy the whole thing amp reg charger...RETARDED that's what I think

all for the sake of 4 C sized Lipos.

Happy huntin

Rodd

[Gravelwasher]

Found a lm2596 voltage regulator pre assembled on the bay for four bucks, now just waiting to test it. I couldent even buy the parts for that price, so I will give it a try. It may be a while before I get it as it is coming from China. I have heard the lm2941 voltage regulator will work with the minelabs with the addition of a couple capacitors.

[frank c]

Ya gotta KNOW what yer doin when ya play around with this stuff.

I say that because of the liability involved.

Think what it costs to replace that GP or GPX detector if ya fry it.

[pkirkll]

I may have found a product that will work it has a variable input, variable output, that includes the 11.1v input and 6.7v output....Castle Creations CC-BEC RX Battery Eliminator Circuit

What the heck is a BEC? CC BEC Battery Eliminator Circuit is a little device that eliminates the need for a receiver and servo battery pack. It draws higher voltage from the motor batteries and drops it to a voltage level that is suitable for your receiver and servos. This is required in applications which draw high power for multiple servos or use more than 3S motor packs, as most ESCs with linear BECs are not designed for these applications. The CC BEC uses a Switch Rate method that is vastly more efficient than common circuits that sweat off much of your power through a heat sink.

Peak Current Output: 10 amps

Continuous Current Output: @12 Volts input 7amps, @ 24volts input 5 amps **

Output Voltage: 5.1 volts out of the package, user may set output voltage from 4.8 to 9 using the Castle Link (sold separately).

Input Voltage: 5 to 25.2v (2S to 6S LiPo)

Length: 1.2" (30mm), Width: .6" (15mm), Height: 4" (10mm)

Weight: 0.4 oz (11 grams)

Well I have contacted castle to see what they think of the idea, so I will let you all know as soon as I hear back. Looks promising to me, as it would allow different voltages/batteries to be used.

Same idea the guys are using for electric powered recumbent trikes.... i have 10- 6 ah 7.2volt Turnigy Hobby batteries--expensive and RC batteries are dangerous to charge and discharge...one of my first ten puffed on the first recharge,,,,now it is a fire waiting to happen. The A123 batteries from the tool market are much better quality..Like an old Makita pack...if you can do electronic those are safer i think...imho---

remember with LiPo you have to keep them charged above a certain voltage, like 3.5 and not over 8.2.... or you will have problems with fire or puffing of packs---- you also cant store them at full voltage so everytime you want to go out to play you have to charge them all up on a special charger that will keep all the cells balanced. -If that isnt enough to discourage you i dont know what is,,,,i will buy no more of them because they are too labor intensive,,,not plug and play at all.... plus a few have had some bad fires---check endlesssphere forums.... maybe LiFEPO4 a little heavier but safer and many charge cycles------- now you see what i have been doing since i havent been able to go detecting!!!!! electric mountain bikes!

[frank c]

Heres a great read for the topic here

http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/rc-lipo-batteries.html

[pkirkll]

"RC LiPo batteries require unique and proper care if they are going to last for any length of time more so than any other battery technology. Charging, discharging, and storage all affect the lifespan – get it wrong and a LiPo is garbage in as little as one mistake."

I would never use them in my detector.... too weird...bike yes...i just want to find a pair of asbestos cycle shorts,, again,, i have head the A123 are much more stable than ones like Turnigy.... or Hobby

[El Dorado]

ADAM, I 've been usin that setup on my GP and likin it.

One of my buddys has it on his 4500 for quite some time also.

X3..... very light weight and smaller than other options

[Gravelwasher]

Well thanks for all the replies much appreciated. I have recieved the cheap voltage regulator and it was cheap inded, dident function like it should have on the test bench so it never made it to my GP. I have gotten used to the big lead brick and it is performing well for me so I am running with it for now. Thanks again, Gravelwasher Jay

[frank c]

Gravelwasher I just found the voltage on the ones I'm using are 7.4 I believe its a 5000mha I don't know anything else about whats wired in along with it.

I get about 5 hrs outta one

[DolanDave]

Here is a good schematic to go by: