A high-quality LiPo battery is an integral part of a great RC setup. This quality can be determined from the C rating of the battery. Anyway the meaning of this rating can be confusing.
So, which one’s better between 20C vs 30C vs 40C vs 50C LiPo?
Discharge rate is such a factor. With a higher C rating the discharge rate increases. So 50C LiPo has the highest rate. There are other factors like temperature and resistance. They also become better with an increased rating.
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Still, there are lots of details on the C ratings. Below I have covered the topic completely. Please keep reading!
Short Comparison
Not many alternatives of Lipo batteries can power a RC motor with such high scale energy. But there are huge differences between the batteries. And these differences are largely dependent on the C rating of the battery.
Source: vdr.one
You will need a great amount of time to analyze the differences. So, it is as time-consuming as comparing lipo battery cells. But I will help you save some time. I have made the following comparison table. Have a look at it.
| Factors | 20c | 30c | 40c | 50c |
| Discharge Rate | 20 Times The Packs Capacity | 30 Times The Packs Capacity | 40 Times The Packs Capacity | 50 Times The Packs Capacity |
| NominalVoltage | 3.7 V | 3.7 V | 3.7 V | 3.7 V |
| Functioning Temperature | Highest | Less Than 20c | Less Than 30c | Less Than 40c |
| Battery Size(For Same Capacity) | Smallest | Bigger Than 20C | Bigger Than 30C | Bigger Than 40C |
| Internal Resistance(For Same Capacity) | Highest | Less Than 20c | Less Than 30c | Less Than 40c |
| Charging Time | Depends on The Capacity and Charge Rating of the LiPo | |||
| Price(For 5000mAh) | Around $30 | Around $50 | Around $60 | Around $80 |
You can understand the differences between various C ratings from the above table. Yet if you want to know more, stay with me. In the following sections, I will discuss the differences in more detail.
Extended Comparison
Since you are here, you probably have quite a curiosity on this topic. I will help you out!. No worries! The detailed comparison is provided here. This part is important even while you compare between 3650, 3660, and 3670 brushless motors.
Now, here, I will answer all your questions like what does 50C mean on a LiPo battery. So get ready for a journey through the land of C ratings.
Discharge Rate
Batteries are used to supply current to various devices. But there is a limit to the current that the batteries can provide. If this limit is crossed, they will get damaged. And the maximum current extracted within this limit is called the discharge rate.
This is a very important aspect of LiPo batteries. Because the power of any device is dependent on this current. We can take the motor of the RC plane as an example. With more discharge rate this motor will generate more speed.
The discharge rate can be easily found from the C rating of the battery. The discharging amount is the multiplication of the C rating and capacity of the battery. Let us see an example. I’ll find out the discharge rate of a battery with a capacity of 2200 mAh.
Let’s assume that the C rating is 20. Here, the discharge rate is 2200 mAh×20=2.2A×20=44A. This means the battery can provide 44 amps of current continuously without damaging itself. One thing is clear from the calculation. The discharge rate increases proportionally with the C rating.
So in between 20C vs 30C lipo, the discharge rate is more in 30c lipo. Similarly this rate increases at 40c and increases more at 50c LiPo.
Nominal Voltage
The batteries give voltage as the output when they are charged. All batteries have a default voltage. This voltage is known as the nominal voltage. Voltage is one of the deciding factors for batteries. But it’s not important in C ratings.
Because irrespective of the C ratings all the batteries have the same nominal voltage. And this voltage is 3.7 Volts. That means to get an output of 7.4 volts you will need LiPo batteries. So in this aspect, 50C vs 30C LiPo will work similarly.
Functioning Temperature
Another crucial factor of the LiPo batteries is the functioning temperature. The performance of the battery is largely dependent on its temperature. With an increase in temperature, the activity of the battery reduces significantly.
The functioning temperature decreases with increasing C ratings. That means in between 50C VS 20C LiPo the temperature is low the 50c. So the 50c will perform more. 20C LiPo will have the highest temperature. And then comes 30C, 40C, and 50C.
Source: grepow.com
Internal Resistance
All batteries come with some form of internal resistance. There is no way to get rid of this resistance. The internal resistance hurts the battery. It decreases the amount of current supplied to some extent.
So less internal resistance is preferable for batteries. With more C ratings the internal resistance decreases. That means a 25C battery has more resistance between 25C vs 30C lipo. The least internal resistance is present in 50C LiPo.
Let me make a series of all the C-rated LiPo in ascending order of resistance. The serial will be 50C, 40C, 30C, and 20C.
Battery Size
The battery size can be very important in some cases. A large battery will take up more space. As a result, the internal space of the RC plane will decrease. This can reduce the specifications of the device.
The battery size is proportional to the C rating of the LiPo battery. Among 50C vs 60C LiPo batteries, the size of 60c will be bigger. This size system prevails in all other C ratings of LiPo batteries. So the LiPo size in descending order is 50C, 40C, 30C, and 20C.
Charging Time
Another important characteristic of LiPo batteries is their charging time. This time is also dependent on the C rating. But the dependency is not direct.
So, how many amps to charge an 11.1V LiPo?
The usual charging system varies between 1C. The calculation is similar to the discharging calculation. Suppose the battery capacity is 2200 mAh. Then the charging rate is 2200 mAh×1c=2.2 Amps. So the battery can be charged by giving it a supply of 2.2 Amps. This is common for most LiPo batteries.
However, some batteries have a charge rating of 2 to 5C. So while choosing a battery you have to check the charge rating specifically. Only then you will be able to get the required charger. But don’t mix up this rating with the C rating.
I have some suggestions for LiPo battery chargers for you. Check them out!
| Image | Product Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | LiPo Charger Lipo Battery Balance Charger RC | Check Current Price |
  | Tenergy TB6-B Balance Charger Discharger | Check Current Price |
  | HTRC LiPo Charger RC Balance Fast Charger Discharger | Check Current Price |
These products are very safe to use. They retain the quality of the battery for a long time. Try them ASAP!
Source: thedronegirl.com
Price (For 5000 mAh)
The price of LiPo batteries varies a lot. This variation takes place because of the different capacities of the battery. For a clear understanding, I’ll discuss the price of different models of 5000 mAh battery. The models will have various C ratings.
The price of the LiPo increases with higher C ratings. Because of the ability and performance of the battery increase with higher ratings. The price of 20C vs 30C LiPo Airsoft also varies for this reason.
The price of a 5000 mAh 20C battery is usually around $20-30. For the same capacity and 30C rating, the price might rise all the way up to $50. Let’s increase the C rating more while keeping the capacity the same. Then the price will increase again.
You can get a 40C battery for around $60. And for 50C you will have to pay somewhere above 80 bucks. You can see that the price rises for a higher rating with the same capacity.
This is the end of the discussion on LiPo with different ratings. By reading this guide, you can choose batteries for your Arma Typhoon 3s battery for Arma Typhon 3s or other models. If you still need more guidance, go through the next section. I will give my views on the matter there.
The Upshot Discussion
The benefits of the LiPo batteries increase with higher C ratings. You will get more of everything by getting a battery with a top-notch rating.
The 50C battery comes with many benefits. You will get more power supply and speed from this LiPo battery. The functioning temperature and internal resistance are also low. However, the size of the battery will be bigger.
You can get smaller batteries by choosing a low rating. But that will have side effects and will be weaker than the 50C. Anyway, the price will be less too. So you have to make sure of your preferences first.
Only then you will be able to choose the best LiPo for your work.
FAQs
What does 50C mean on a LiPo battery?
50C on a LiPo battery means that the discharge rate is 50 times its capacity. The discharge rate of the Lithium Polymer batteries depends on the C rating of the battery. The higher the C rating the higher the discharge rate. And higher discharge rate means the supply of current is more.
What is the C rating on LiPo?
The C rating on LiPo is nothing but an indication of the discharge rate of the battery. It is the code for the specifications of the battery. By using it the discharge rate of the battery can be calculated. Also, it’s possible to compare batteries based on their ratings.
What C rating do I need?
The C rating you need is completely dependent on your preferences for the battery. Specifications are different for different C rating batteries. They have their positives and negatives. However, in a usual sense higher C ratings have more positive factors. But the price will increase because of it.
Conclusion
This is all I have on 20C vs 30C vs 40C vs 50C LiPo. I hope that now you will be able to select a battery easily.
Only a higher C rating will not be enough for a superb performance. You will also have to increase the capacity of the battery.
