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Which Battery & charger to choose?

Which Battery & charger to choose?

Old 12-27-2005, 06:12 AM
  #16  
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Size should be another consideration. The GFX is big. It's a very nice charger but my pit box is already full and having to lug that around with a couple of cars and support equipment just does not make sense. Not to mention how tight things can get on your pit table at some of these races.

If your budget is around 300 then I would go for two ICE chargers so that you can be charging one pack and breaking motors in on another or charging rx/tx batteries. Still leaves enough money for a 30 amp discharger or equalizing tray.

I totally agree on not buying a dyno. I had one of the best, a turbo 45, and although I learned quite a bit from it, it was way overkill for what racing I do. The money and time used on dynos should be spent at the track practicing, because that will make you faster than anything else. I used to think the fast guys had the best motors so when I got a chance I tested a couple of theirs to see how much better they were. My worst motors had numbers better than what they were running, but you would never know it watching them race.

Good Luck with your decision,

Greg
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Old 12-27-2005, 06:17 AM
  #17  
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i like having a "motor checker" it keeps me at ease that my motor is running within spec's...when you are fighting with the fast guys, and 1-5 seconds seperates first to third you will want a dyno to confirm your motor is withi specs.....most of the top guys at my track have a dyno....

anyway this would be my list if i was to start out new

1. APS s3 3-1 charger/dyno $150
2. Novak Smart Tray $70
3. Trninty Dynapulse Discharger $70
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Old 12-27-2005, 07:29 AM
  #18  
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Size is another reason I scrapped my Turbo 35...

Here is what I would get if I were starting out, and as no one touched on batteries yet I included those in the budget.

1. ICE Charger $130 - For charging batteries and motor break in (later on to run your lathe).
2. Integy 0-30 Discharge Tray $50 - For discharging your batteries at 30 AMPs after you race. Remove batteries from tray when lights go out.
3. Novak Smart Tray $80 - For equalizing your cells to .9v per cell right BEFORE you charge them.
4. Pyramid 20 AMP Power Supply $50 - Great, low profile power supply that is strong enough to power 2 chargers.
5. IB3800's $60 to $70 per pack - Lots of good deals to be had lately on IB3800's, you need at least 3 packs. If you can afford 5 go ahead and get 5 (1 practice pack, 3 qualifying packs, and 1 main pack). If you have less than 5 be sure to let them cool completely (2 hours or so) between uses. Aim for 1.20+ volts at 35 amps.

Batteries will always be a big part of your budget so be sure to take good care of them.
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Old 12-27-2005, 08:02 AM
  #19  
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I can save you some money here,if you get the ice(size would be the only reason I would get one) just use the 10 amp discharger (30 amp discharging isn't a have to have) and get a tekin equalizer $49,now there's some size savings, the novak is big and bulky as well and not really needed.You guys keep saying that size is the reason not to get the gfx but by the time you get all this other stuff you have taken up more room than the GFX itself,LOL not to mention all the clutter you'll have on your pit table.
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Old 12-27-2005, 01:03 PM
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The problem is you need all this stuff with the Turbo 35 GFX as well since even though it is a great piece of equipment it can't do more than one thing at a time. The Novak Smart Tray is needed as the GFX doesn't equalize each cell down to .9v. The 030 is needed as you can't charge a pack on the T35 while you discharge a different pack.
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Old 12-27-2005, 01:14 PM
  #21  
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I have a t35gfx and as it turns out I almost never use it to charge batteries. It ends up doing discharge, lathe, and motor run in duties. I end up using my pitbulls for charging.
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Old 12-27-2005, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by jamescam
Size is another reason I scrapped my Turbo 35...

Here is what I would get if I were starting out, and as no one touched on batteries yet I included those in the budget.

1. ICE Charger $130 - For charging batteries and motor break in (later on to run your lathe).
2. Integy 0-30 Discharge Tray $50 - For discharging your batteries at 30 AMPs after you race. Remove batteries from tray when lights go out.
3. Novak Smart Tray $80 - For equalizing your cells to .9v per cell right BEFORE you charge them.
4. Pyramid 20 AMP Power Supply $50 - Great, low profile power supply that is strong enough to power 2 chargers.
5. IB3800's $60 to $70 per pack - Lots of good deals to be had lately on IB3800's, you need at least 3 packs. If you can afford 5 go ahead and get 5 (1 practice pack, 3 qualifying packs, and 1 main pack). If you have less than 5 be sure to let them cool completely (2 hours or so) between uses. Aim for 1.20+ volts at 35 amps.

Batteries will always be a big part of your budget so be sure to take good care of them.


seems good, but you don't want to use the 030 with IB3800 batts... The IBs DO NOT like to be drained completely like the 030 does... IBs seem to prefer .9v but some use the Tekin tray (.5v) with no apparent problems...

if you do go IBs, go for a Reactor 30 discharger...



so heres my list (modified yours):

1. ICE Charger $125 charging, motor run-in, lathe?

2. Integy Reactor 30 Discharger $37.99 - For discharging your batteries at 30 AMPs until 5.4v after race...

3. Novak Smart Tray $69.99 - For equalizing your cells to .9v per cell right BEFORE you charge them.

4. Pyramid 20 AMP Power Supply $50 - Great, low profile power supply that is strong enough to power 2 chargers.

5. IB3800's... really good deals here: http://www.promatchracing.com/main.htm

they also have some great 3600s for practice packs or stock racing...
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Old 12-27-2005, 02:26 PM
  #23  
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Who says that you can't wait until you're finished doing your charging to do your discharging,with a GFX and a Tekin EQ tray your battery duties are done.You don't need all that other stuff.As for the 0-30 you don't really need it if you've got the GFX.If you're in the belief (I'm not anymore) that you need to dump at 30 amps just use the GFX it will discharge up to 35 amps down to .09 per cell,leave your packs there and then on race day use the Tekin to equalize your batteries before you throw them on the gfx for charging.
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Old 12-27-2005, 03:03 PM
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if you want a ICE type charger with backlight go for the new robitronic overloader, it also has 20amp discharge. sj electronics also do the same charger in the asia pacific market called the supernova competition.
as for a equilizing/discharge tray i recommend the TEAMWAVE lightning.
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Old 12-27-2005, 04:28 PM
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Originally Posted by killer89
seems good, but you don't want to use the 030 with IB3800 batts... The IBs DO NOT like to be drained completely like the 030 does...
SMC recommends the 030 for discharging IB3800s but removing them from the 030 when the lights go out. Axxis Racing is also coming out with a conversion kit that keeps the 030 from draining past .85v.
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Old 12-27-2005, 07:10 PM
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Yes the 0-30 is recommended because everybody had them from the 3300 days,which needed the deadshort capability.Axxis is coming out with the cutoff to save the racers some money and help prevent the deadshorting troubles that racers seem to be having using it with the 38's.I have a 0-30 also but have quit using it since getting a Tekin battery doctor.I will keep the 0-30 in case the next type of batteries that come out need to be deadshorted,LOL I figure I'm covered for a while on discharging batteries,at least until Axxis comes out with the next generation discharger.
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Old 12-27-2005, 08:06 PM
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Hyper do you prefer the Tekin Battery Doctor over the Novak Smart Tray? The Tekin goes down to .5v while the Novak is adjustable from .1 to .9v, however the Novak is polarized which has caused me to fry a pack or two when I first got it.
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Old 12-27-2005, 11:18 PM
  #28  
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I never really considered the Novak because I have gfx's and don't need the cutoff feature,I was using the 0-30 on my 33's to get to deadshort,then on the 38's to get to .07 which is lights out same as the Tekin,but I can eq safely at 2 amps down to .05 on the tekin,something you can't do with the 0-30.I've also learned that the high amp dump really isn't good for your batteries,10,15 or 20 amp dump is fine,main reason being heat,30 and 35 amp dumping creates a lot of heat in your cells,another reason I quit using the 0-30.I know that a lot of people don't see it this way but for now it's the way I'm going with.
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