Nitro vs. Electric
#1
Nitro vs. Electric
Yes, it's one of those topics. Which one is easier to maintain, handle, and drive hard with that will last long in the long run?
#2
R/C Tech Elite Member
iTrader: (45)
in the electric off road forum i'd say most people will vote electric. convert your RC8B, you'll love it. once i rebuilt my savage as an electric there was no looking back. electric is just so much cleaner and easier than maintaining nitro. your neighbors will thank you too. altho you'll always miss that smell of burning nitro.
#5
Tech Regular
i quit running nitro 3 yrs ago and havnt looked back there is a new learning curve but once you grasp it (its not hard) you'll never look at nitro again. sooo much more fun to show up to the track and just charge a battery and go racin. and same if yer just a basher just plug-n-play.
#6
Tech Lord
iTrader: (32)
in the electric off road forum i'd say most people will vote electric. convert your RC8B, you'll love it. once i rebuilt my savage as an electric there was no looking back. electric is just so much cleaner and easier than maintaining nitro. your neighbors will thank you too. altho you'll always miss that smell of burning nitro.
#8
Tech Addict
fill n go is false.
you still have batteries in the truck / car to power the reveicer and servos how many times Have I filled the truck and batteries have failed on me. or batteries getting low on power.
what I didnt like about nitro was the checklist before playing and after playing
batteries in remote - check
spare glow plug - check
nitro - check
batteries in the truck - check
batteries in the starting unit - check
batteries in the glow plug igniter - check
a small screw driver to tune RTR cheap engines constantly - check
After run oil - check
air filter oil - check
clutch springs - check
clutch shoes - check
brake disks - check
brake bads -check
While on the other hand with the new technology of batteries and motors of electric you will get twice the torque resulting in much more acceleration and power with ton more speed
find out yourself on youtube nitro vs electric
electric is a true plug and play
I play 30-40 min per batteries with a racing speeds of 90km/h with my 4x4 sc
and charge times is about the same
when I am done I remove the battery and I put the truck on my self. Final
you still have batteries in the truck / car to power the reveicer and servos how many times Have I filled the truck and batteries have failed on me. or batteries getting low on power.
what I didnt like about nitro was the checklist before playing and after playing
batteries in remote - check
spare glow plug - check
nitro - check
batteries in the truck - check
batteries in the starting unit - check
batteries in the glow plug igniter - check
a small screw driver to tune RTR cheap engines constantly - check
After run oil - check
air filter oil - check
clutch springs - check
clutch shoes - check
brake disks - check
brake bads -check
While on the other hand with the new technology of batteries and motors of electric you will get twice the torque resulting in much more acceleration and power with ton more speed
find out yourself on youtube nitro vs electric
electric is a true plug and play
I play 30-40 min per batteries with a racing speeds of 90km/h with my 4x4 sc
and charge times is about the same
when I am done I remove the battery and I put the truck on my self. Final
#9
You forgot....... Starter box battery charged --- check
Edit....oops you already have it
Edit....oops you already have it
#12
I've ran them both in club racing. Electric is more expensive to get into at a competition level because ESC/MOTOR/LIPO is a little more than SERVO/ENGINE/RXPACK in general, unless of course you run a $500 nitro motor that is. Nitro will cost you in fuel over time.
Nitro was more reliable and easy to drive by far. There's way more years of development in the power delivery of nitro motors and clutch design. Also, the nitro just seemed to always work -- the electric had little issues that are being solved, may already have been solved, but haven't been issues for a decade in nitro. Things such as electronics mounting, cooling, torque control, throttle profile, the longevity of the lipos (My reedy 4s puffed, others did last year as well), the longevity of the ESCs (many people simply smoked them last year and tried different brands), transponders not counting or servos not working right due to BEC circuitry acting funny (castle, tekin) requiring the use of big CAPS for killing glitching and cutting.
The only real difference in maintenance is maintaining your engine tune. The rest is all very similar. I spent just as much time cleaning my electric as my nitro. If you run a round really rich, you will get more oil on one side of your nitro, but that's about it.
I think, in the end, electric will be easier and just as well refined, but its not as well refined AT THE MOMENT. Unfortunately, it will never be able to those long mains and compete in the weight department with the heavy battery required to run 15 min or more -- you really cant compete with the energy density of a FUEL and the act of refueling.
This year I'm running both 1/8 e and nitro again. I do love how well my 1/8 E drives, and the not messing with tune is nice, but there is still WAY more competition to be had in nitro locally.
Nitro was more reliable and easy to drive by far. There's way more years of development in the power delivery of nitro motors and clutch design. Also, the nitro just seemed to always work -- the electric had little issues that are being solved, may already have been solved, but haven't been issues for a decade in nitro. Things such as electronics mounting, cooling, torque control, throttle profile, the longevity of the lipos (My reedy 4s puffed, others did last year as well), the longevity of the ESCs (many people simply smoked them last year and tried different brands), transponders not counting or servos not working right due to BEC circuitry acting funny (castle, tekin) requiring the use of big CAPS for killing glitching and cutting.
The only real difference in maintenance is maintaining your engine tune. The rest is all very similar. I spent just as much time cleaning my electric as my nitro. If you run a round really rich, you will get more oil on one side of your nitro, but that's about it.
I think, in the end, electric will be easier and just as well refined, but its not as well refined AT THE MOMENT. Unfortunately, it will never be able to those long mains and compete in the weight department with the heavy battery required to run 15 min or more -- you really cant compete with the energy density of a FUEL and the act of refueling.
This year I'm running both 1/8 e and nitro again. I do love how well my 1/8 E drives, and the not messing with tune is nice, but there is still WAY more competition to be had in nitro locally.
#13
nitro costs a lot more need things like a fuel bottle or gun, starter box and batteries, reciever packs glow plugs and a pit guy if you race. There is a greater feeling of accomplishment imo when you race nitro and it seems more realistic due to the sounds of the engines, outside of that electric can be as fast as you want it and once you get your gearing and temps correct a brushless motor can last longer than a nitro. If you race by yourself (no pitman) I would run electric.
#14
I have run both....
Nitro is a pain. You have to carry so many items and worry about charging too many items
Charge the starter box battery,
charge the glow plug igniter
Charge the receiver pack
Get the fuel
Make sure your air filter is clean
Don't get me wrong, nitro is super fun and nothing beats the sounds and smoke like a real car but it is just to much work to run.
On my electric, I just charge my lipos and go. Super easy. As far as lipos puffing, I think the turnigy lipos last more than a gallon of nitro fuel and cost about the same.....
Nitro is a pain. You have to carry so many items and worry about charging too many items
Charge the starter box battery,
charge the glow plug igniter
Charge the receiver pack
Get the fuel
Make sure your air filter is clean
Don't get me wrong, nitro is super fun and nothing beats the sounds and smoke like a real car but it is just to much work to run.
On my electric, I just charge my lipos and go. Super easy. As far as lipos puffing, I think the turnigy lipos last more than a gallon of nitro fuel and cost about the same.....
#15
Tech Addict
I can't stand the sound and smell of nitro. That sound is annoying to me.
Can't stand at this one place that I USED to race at, be going pretty good in the main when next thing I know, directly below me a couple people decide to start up their nitro engines and tune them and rev them up to no end. I just want to get off the drivers stand and chunk their car in the trash. It should be against the rules at any track for nitro people to start their car during electric races. Epically when they rev it up to no end.
At that track I always had to marshal the nitro races. Which I really don't mind, it's just seems that all the nitro racers were absolutely TERRIBLE! Will never let off the throttle and just hold it wide open, while the electric 1/8 buggy class is a really good class and very competitive. Very little wrecking going in their. Understand that you don't want to let the nitro engine die, but calm down with the throttle. If you hold it wide open I'm not getting to your car any quicker. I might just leave it there.
Can't stand at this one place that I USED to race at, be going pretty good in the main when next thing I know, directly below me a couple people decide to start up their nitro engines and tune them and rev them up to no end. I just want to get off the drivers stand and chunk their car in the trash. It should be against the rules at any track for nitro people to start their car during electric races. Epically when they rev it up to no end.
At that track I always had to marshal the nitro races. Which I really don't mind, it's just seems that all the nitro racers were absolutely TERRIBLE! Will never let off the throttle and just hold it wide open, while the electric 1/8 buggy class is a really good class and very competitive. Very little wrecking going in their. Understand that you don't want to let the nitro engine die, but calm down with the throttle. If you hold it wide open I'm not getting to your car any quicker. I might just leave it there.