As FPV drone enthusiasts, we are always looking for ways to enhance flight performance. One game-changer in the FPV community has been the introduction of LiHV batteries. In this blog post, we’ll explore what LiHV batteries are, why they have become popular, how they compare to traditional LiPo batteries, and the pros and cons of using them.
Table of Contents
What Are LiHV Batteries?
LiHV stands for Lithium High Voltage. These batteries are a variation of traditional LiPo (Lithium Polymer) batteries but with a key difference in chemistry and voltage. While standard LiPo cells are charged to a maximum of 4.2V per cell, LiHV cells can be charged up to 4.35V per cell. This higher voltage translates into several performance benefits, making LiHV batteries an attractive option for certain types of FPV drones.
LiHV and LiPo Differences
Voltage
The primary difference between LiHV and LiPo batteries is the maximum voltage. LiHV cells charge up to 4.35V compared to 4.2V for LiPo cells. In FPV drone motors, the maximum RPM is proportional to the voltage applied. LiHV batteries provide a higher voltage, leading to increased thrust and faster speeds. For racing drones or high-performance acrobatic drones, this can be a significant advantage, offering quicker response times and more powerful maneuvers.
Weight and Capacity
LiHV batteries tend to have a slightly higher energy density, which means they offer more power without a significant increase in weight or size compared to equivalent LiPo batteries, potentially translating to longer flight times. Additionally, due to the higher voltage, the C rating of LiHV tends to be slightly higher than LiPo for the same size battery.
Compatibility
Despite the difference in maximum voltage, LiHV batteries are generally compatible with most FPV drones that use LiPo batteries. This makes it simple for drone pilots to switch to LiHV without needing to upgrade hardware.
Charging Requirements
Charging LiHV batteries requires a charger that supports the higher end voltage. While many modern chargers do, it’s essential to verify this before attempting to charge LiHV batteries. You can safely charge a LiHV with LiPo settings, but you won’t be using the LiHV battery to its full potential.
These chargers that I recommend can all charge LiHV batteries: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Top-LiPo-Charger-Recommendations
LiHV Batteries Testing
For this test, I selected LiHV and LiPo batteries with very similar specifications to focus on the differences between these battery types:
- GNB 2S 550mAh 90C LiPo
- GNB 2S 550mAh 100C LiHV
You can check their specs here: https://oscarliang.com/whoop-toothpick-lipo-battery/#2S-LiPoLiHV
Discharge Performance
So, how does LiHV compare to LiPo in terms of discharge performance?
In my testing, LiHV showed superior performance regarding discharge rate, with lower voltage sag under load, particularly in the first half of the pack. However, this advantage was less noticeable towards the second half of the pack. Another interesting fact is that for the same weight, the LiHV battery offers higher capacity, making it a more energy-dense battery than a typical LiPo.
- LiPo (GNB 2S 550mAh 90C LiPo):
- Weight: 30.2g
- Measured Capacity: 525mAh
- LiHV (GNB 2S 550mAh 100C LiHV):
- Weight: 29.3g
- Measured Capacity: 558mAh
These results indicate that LiHV batteries not only provide better initial performance but also pack more energy for the same weight.
Lifespan Comparison
Does LiHV have a shorter lifespan than LiPo?
In another test, I fully charged both LiHV and LiPo batteries to their maximum voltage at 2C, then discharged them at 20C until 3.3V per cell, repeating this for 100 cycles. My testing suggests that LiHV loses its ability to hold charge faster than LiPo with usage. After 100 charge cycles, LiHV loses about 5.4% of its original capacity while LiPo only loses 3.8%.
| LiPo | LiHV | |
| Cycle #0 | 525mAh | 558mAh |
| Cycle #50 | 515mAh | 545mAh |
| Cycle #100 | 505mAh | 528mAh |
* Capacity was measured by discharging the battery slowly at 2C from fully charged until 3.3V per cell.
This test took me nearly 100 hours to complete! If you find it useful, please consider subscribing to my Patreon so I can continue providing this type of content: https://www.patreon.com/oscarliang
When it comes to discharge performance, the difference is much smaller, as shown in the discharge graphs below. The main degradation seems to be in how much charge these batteries can hold—the capacity decreases with usage.
LiPo:
LiHV:
One thing we have yet to verify is how these batteries’ performance is impacted over time when not in use. I believe LiHV and LiPo batteries naturally lose their performance over time, but usage definitely accelerates this process. However, usage doesn’t seem to impact their discharge performance as much as I expected. Voltage sag is similar after 100 charge cycles, but the reduction in the charge they can hold is noticeable.
The conclusion here is, don’t worry too much about charging and discharging your batteries! While they are sitting in your drawer doing nothing, their performance slowly degrades anyway. You should use them as much as you can to get the most out of them. Get out there, fly, and have fun!
Can You Charge LiPo to 4.35V?
Absolutely NOT. You should NEVER charge a standard LiPo battery to 4.35V per cell. Traditional LiPo batteries are designed to be charged to a maximum of 4.20V per cell. Charging them beyond this voltage can lead to several serious issues, including overheating, swelling, or even catching fire. Overcharging also reduces the lifespan of the battery and can cause permanent damage.
Can You Charge LiHV to 4.20V?
Yes, it’s safe to charge a LiHV battery to 4.20V per cell, as the maximum voltage you can charge it to is 4.35V per cell. However, you are only using 90% of its capacity.
LiHV Is Not for Everyone
There’s a concern about the longevity of LiHV – its performance degrades faster than a typical LiPo. Also, as you go up in cell count, the benefit of the higher voltage becomes smaller. Therefore, LiHV is mostly popular for micro drones that uses low cell count batteries, such as Tiny Whoops and 2S Toothpicks, where the higher voltage can make a noticeable difference.
Final Thoughts
LiHV batteries have become a popular choice in the FPV drone community for their ability to provide longer flight times and enhanced performance, especially for micro drones. While they offer several advantages over traditional LiPo batteries, it’s important to recognize the charging requirements and potential lifespan trade-offs. For drone enthusiasts looking to push the boundaries of their flying experience, LiHV batteries are definitely worth considering.
For LiHV battery recommendations for micro drones, check out this post: https://oscarliang.com/whoop-toothpick-lipo-battery/
As always, when working with high-performance batteries, safety should be a top priority. Ensure you use compatible chargers and follow best practices for battery care and maintenance to enjoy the benefits of LiHV batteries while keeping your equipment and yourself safe.
23 comments
Hi!
I have a 3S/4S BetaFPV HX115HD and it’s only been run on standard LiPos until now. The FC is from a time when as far as I know there haven’t been any LiHV batteries around yet…
Do you think it’s safe to use it with a 4S LiHV battery? :-) or might it be damaged since it’s only been designed for up to 16.8 and not 17.4 Volts? Don’t know if 0.6V can make the difference ;-)
4S LiPo is 16.8V, 4S LiHV is 17.4V, the difference is less than one volt, so I don’t think it would be a problem.
From my experience with LiHV (mainly small packs, 1S and 2S for toothpicks and whoops) nothing even comes close in performance in the micro world.. Longevity is same as other micro quad batteries for me or can even be longer because they are not hot when landing
About the graph in the fast flying test section. What does the X value 0 – 140 means? I can’t seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance
That’s time, in seconds.
What amperage should LiHV batteries charge at? For example a 1500mAh LiPo would charge at 1.5 amps. How a bout a 3500 mAh LiHV? Thanks
Same rules for LiPo applies to LiHV, so 1C is totally safe.
hi, can i use Li-ion batteries instead of Li HV battery, Because Li HV batteries are rarely available in India
Big issue if HVLi batteries don’t last more than 40 cycles.
I’m asking myself if there is a better performance on charging HVLi like LiPo compared to a LiPo of the same specs and quality. What do you think?
Have had Bolt LIHV batteries for 2 years with no issues. Recently I went to 4.35V and they are much better than at 4.2V. For a start, they take their full capacity and the increased flight time is almost double. The quad goes better and faster. The video is better as the camera doesn’t get a voltage lag fuzzies until the battery is spent. VTx has better range …..
It doesn’t make sense to under charge LiHV batteries and the only reason I did was my chargers were old and incapable of 4.35V. I also use standard LiPOs with better specs and they don’t come close to the Bold LiHVs on either charge voltage. With very little difference in price LiHV batteries are way better, even if they do a few less charge cycles.
Hi;
So I am about to purchase a
G7 5S 2400mAh Si-Graphene HvLi 90Cmax (4.35V)
for long range. With normal batteries I land at 3.5v per cell. At what voltage per cell should I land?
Thanks so much for any help.
HvLi can get more charge on them however discharge level is the same as Lipo, so if you land at 3.5v on lipo you should land as well at 3.5v on HvLi.
Regards,
same, at 3.5V/cell.
so Dji has a secret technology about LiHV batteries, because my phantom battery has 100 cycles and is not swollen and with great power.
Hyperion HVLI LiPo battery was the worst battery i ever own… They all puff really really fast… some even after a fisrt charge! Just brought some great Pulse battery and don’t waste your money and time on hyperion product.
Is there any down side to just charging a LiHV like a standard LiPo?
yes, you won’t be using the battery to its full potential, it’s like charging a normal 1300mah lipo to only 16V. Not only losing top voltage you are also losing on capacity (and flight time)
Would you still benefit from the improved chemistry though?
If I charged an HV lipo with standard voltage charge would this be any different from changing a standard Lipo? Is the power more consistent even with an undercharged HV lipo?
Any idea on how to get the voltage telemetry on my Taranis/X4R-SB to show the LiHV voltage properly? When I run a fully charged LiHV at 17.4V on my quad, it shows as 16.8V on the Taranis.
Since the lihv packs max charge is higher, does it mean that the minimum is also higher? Or do you still land your copter @ 3.5-3.6
The minimum voltage should be the same as standard lipo, this is what i am using anyway and seems to work fine for me.
I saw in an article that the lower voltage is the same as standard Lipo. However, I already know that the full voltage and the low voltage limits on Lipo batteries are a compromise. The higher you charge them, the fewer cycles you’ll get out of them. The same with how low you discharge them. The fully discharged and fully charged voltages were chosen to maximize the live of the battery while also maximizing the capacity. I’ve seen claims that if you charge your Lipos to 4.1v, instead of 4.2v you’ll get 50% more cycles out of them. But, the capacity will be significantly reduced.
So, the question is, how much does charging a LiHV battery to 4.2v instead of 4.35v effect the capacity and how much does it effect the cycles?
I’ve got no complaints from skipping the ‘priming/ cycling’ process. And IMO it’s not worth the time/ work to do it as the gains do not seem worth it. interesting article from a website i encourage all RC people to read! batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prime_batteries