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Calcimator

RC Battery Sizing Calculator

Calculate the right LiPo battery capacity, C rating, and weight for your RC vehicle or aircraft.

Inputs

Results

Required Capacity (mAh)

3,003

Min C Rating Needed

7.5

Est. Battery Weight (g)208
Energy Density (Wh/kg)160.3
Full Throttle Time (min)8
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Motor Power (watts), Desired Run Time (minutes), and Cell Count (S).
  2. Set Max Discharge Rate (C) and Motor Efficiency (%).
  3. Review Required Capacity (mAh) and Min C Rating Needed.
  4. Use Est. Battery Weight (g) and Energy Density (Wh/kg) to inform your decision.
  5. Use the chart to visualize the results and explore different scenarios by adjusting inputs.

How the result changes with Cell Count (S)

Cell Count (S)Required Capacity (mAh)Min C Rating Needed
2.14,2907.5
4.851,8587.5
8.151,1057.5
118197.5

What each input means

Motor Power (watts)
Maximum power draw of your motor in watts
Desired Run Time (minutes)
Desired flight or run time in minutes
Cell Count (S)
Number of LiPo cells in series (3S = 11.1V, 4S = 14.8V)
Max Discharge Rate (C)
Battery's maximum continuous discharge C rating
Motor Efficiency (%)
Motor efficiency percentage (typically 75-90% for brushless)

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Motor Power (watts) = 200, Desired Run Time (minutes) = 8, Cell Count (S) = 3, Max Discharge Rate (C) = 30 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Required Capacity
    Required Capacity
    3003 = 3003
  3. Calculate Min C Rating Needed
    Min C Rating Needed
    7.5 = 7.5
  4. Calculate Est. Battery Weight
    Est. Battery Weight
    208 = 208
  5. Calculate Energy Density
    Energy Density
    160.3 = 160.3

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