What is this?
New technology?
Yes. I believe they are smaller than LiIon batteries. Cordless renovations has them and I believe they are explained on their site.
Terry
Just make sure that you install them right side up, so the juice doesn’t drain out. 
I’m so far behind in battery tech that it’s not funny. Every time I think I’m ready to spend some coin and upgrade my old 1800mah NiCads, something newer and shinier comes out. ARGH
These look really sweet, small, can squeeze them in most anywhere. I don’t see them yet on www.all-battery.com. I wonder why that is?
I suppose you need all new chargers for this.
I dunno.
Doesn’t say on Rick’s site. (Or I missed it…been known to do that a lot 
)
Bob, I went from Ni-cad to Nimh just to save weight and memory problems.
I have one Li-ion. I bought two and one failed right after purchase. None of my 4 year old Nimh’s have failed.
John Bouck said:
I suppose you need all new chargers for this. I dunno. Doesn't say on Rick's site. (Or I missed it.....been known to do that a lot :) )Bob, I went from Ni-cad to Nimh just to save weight and memory problems.
I have one Li-ion. I bought two and one failed right after purchase. None of my 4 year old Nimh’s have failed.
I asked Rick about that a few months ago. He said that the prismatic battery was a LiPo in a different wrapper. The chemistry is the same, so you should be able to use the same charger.
If you don’t have a charger for the NimH units please get one! They don’t charge the way NiCads do and will blow if you use the wrong charger! Bob, I have 4.5 AmpHours of batteries in my 3T Shay and get about 4 hrs of run out of it.
Paul
Unlike Li-Ion batteries you cannot just use two wires with Li-Po batteries. Li-Po battery packs MUST have each cell in the pack monitored during the charging process. That requires a specialised charger and means at least a common wire for the pack and one wire for each cell. If you do not do that you will be playing with fire. Literally.
It appears that Rick’s packs, at least, have a built in chip or board that monitors that. Does that take care of the requirement, Tony, or is there something else required. I think that the Tenergy Vantage B6s Plus Advanced Balancing Charger should fill the bill. It is on sale on All-Battery.com for $39.99. That is about half the price that i’ve seen advertized anywhere else.
Wait for Tony’s answer, because there are those who will not trust me with a light switch, though I am getting better.
Just be aware when looking at chargers like this one … It runs off of 12VDC ! So you now need to add the cost / hassle of either connecting a 12V battery or a DC power supply. These are designed for the R/C car and airplane guys that charge in the field from their car or an auxiliary 12V battery.
I have yet to hear of Li-Po batteries that have on board IC monitoring. That seems to be the norm with Li-Ion but not with Li-Po. Still, I will stand corrected if I am wrong.
My reading about Li-Po batteries always says they must have the monitoring cables that also plug into the charger as well as the + and - wires.
Unfortunately I cannot comment on anything Mr IZZY might want to convince you is a good thing going. 
Yes LiPo batteries need monitored when being charged and used. When properly charged they are a nice alternative for RC planes cars and boats because they have a high discharge rate and are capable of giving the power that the high RPM motors demand but, they have no ‘safety’ for going too low or high on charge. When they do they go boom.
LiIon battery packs are a different animal. They have a lower discharge rate and monitor themselves for over charge and discharge.
Steve, are you sure the Lithium Prismatic batteries are the same as LiPo? I thought they were the same as LiIon? Ah, who knows. Right now I’m happy with my LiIon batteries they have served me well so far.
Terry
I think the Lithium Prismatic batteries go by the ‘LiFe’ name in most of the battery stores like all battery and battery space. The LiFe battery is supposed to be safer with no rare metals and non hazardous to the environment. Believe what you will.
Actually, its all PFM to me.
Maybe its time to go back to wind up clockwork.
Del Tapparo said:Sneaky little buggers, aren't they?
Just be aware when looking at chargers like this one .... It runs off of 12VDC ! So you now need to add the cost / hassle of either connecting a 12V battery or a DC power supply. These are designed for the R/C car and airplane guys that charge in the field from their car or an auxiliary 12V battery.
Fortunately, they do offer a power supply for only $14.99. At $55.00, that is still a pretty good price.
My reading from The Battery University was not very helpful.
Steve Featherkile said:Del Tapparo said:Sneaky little buggers, aren't they?
Just be aware when looking at chargers like this one .... It runs off of 12VDC ! So you now need to add the cost / hassle of either connecting a 12V battery or a DC power supply. These are designed for the R/C car and airplane guys that charge in the field from their car or an auxiliary 12V battery.My reading from The Battery University was not very helpful.
Thats because they use words with more then four letters Steve.
I like the Li-ions batteries they seem to work very well for me. When I find something I like I tend to stick with that. Why change something that works. Steve if they made clock work so it runs for an hour at a time at a slow speed I would go that route.
Admittedly I am a track powered guy, though I am considering battery power for a couple of loco’s (more running options are better). As an avid R/C airplane guy I have a hard time understanding why anyone would use lithium cells in a model train (with the possible exception of limited space). R/C planes require very high output light weight cells, trains don’t. For train operation Ni-Cads or NiMH cells are so well proven and so safe to use. Run times are measured in hours, quick chargers are readily available. Nickel based cells are typically so much cheaper
If you’ve ever had a lithium pack swell and out-gas (I have) you would be wary of them from then on.
Just my opinion, I will plug a NiCd pack in the charger and leave the house, I would never do the same with any lithium technology (Li-ion, Li-poly, etc.). I am not saying I fear them, just for trains I do not see any advantage that out-weighs the admittedly small increase in risk. If you need the space in the loco I’d go with a battery car (my choice). I’d save small high power lithium for when there is no alternative (street car?).
Again I state I do not currently run battery, but I have dozens of lithium packs I run/charge weekly. I think they’re great for my R/C use but I will not be putting them in any trains anytime soon.
LiPo for our trains is not a good idea (in my opinion). We have no need for such high discharge rates and unless you add something to the loco there is no way to monitor the voltage in the battery to have it shut down at low voltage.
otoh LiIon are great for locos. The have the same power in a smaller space than NiCad or NiMH, no memory, loooong shelf life and ‘most’ have on board voltage protection. There are a few made without onboard protection but they are for specific applications. I have heard the argument about not trusting the onboard circuit, but the same people have no problem trusting the onboard circuit in the ‘smart’ chargers, their cell phones, laptops and such. I have had 3 battery packs epicly fail. 2 were NiMH and that was due to charger failure, it didn’t go into trickle mode when it should have. The other was a LiPo and admittedly I abused the hell out of it and then it got ‘puffy’ and leaked out.
I’m not trying to convert anyone from track to battery power or to have them change battery chemistry, run what you like, are comfortable with, can afford etc etc…
Terry
Terry Burr said:There is a reason you are not allowed to transport these devices in your checked airline bags. I do not "trust" any lithium technology charging unattended, be it power tools, laptop, or cell phone. I charge all my Li-polys in a ceramic container since the near explosion. All my other lithium based batteries are charged on a stone surface.
...I have heard the argument about not trusting the onboard circuit, but the same people have no problem trusting the onboard circuit in the 'smart' chargers, their cell phones, laptops and such...
A nice alternative I am considering for my battery cars are Sanyo Eneloop cells (NiMH), they hold an 80% charge for a year. They exhibit no “memory” (“Memory” has long been an argument against Ni-based cells but even the experts disagree on its impact). I have been using these for years in my R/C aircraft for receiver packs. Sadly, they don’t exactly give these away.
Just my opinion, I do not see an up-side to the lithium technology that provides a cost/runtime advantage over NiCd. I don’t see harm if one chooses to use them either…Just not worth the added risk or expense for me.