Retard

hmm any other methods for the 3800s?

NitroHead

This is disturbing to hear, I just bought 8packs of SMC's for my 12th Scale Rev4. SMC provides an insert entitled, 'IB3800 Maintenance Tips' recommending use of the Integy 030 tray.

Are you sure the 030 tray keeps discharging after the light goes out on any particular cell?
(I just ordered 2 030 trays)

DENNIS STORTI

iTrader: (42)

go with the tekin i dont have one but i have a 030 an its no good for 3800 god forbid if u forget oppps unlatch that quick

koabich

The 0-30 is NOT an equalizing tray...it's a discharge tray...there is a difference. An equalizing tray brings each cell down to 5.4 volts (or what ever voltage you wan...if this feature is available) and then shuts off when the INDIVIDUAL cells reaches the set cut-off. You cannot do this with a 0-30 tray. While each cell is discharged individually, the tray keeps going all the way to ZERO AND DOES NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL YOU UNHOOK THE BATTERY. The 0-30 is the best discharge tray out there but you cannot bring each cell down to the same voltage with this tray as there are basically 2 on/off switches on the tray. 3 cells are hooked up to each switch. When you shut off one cell, 2 others also get shut off regardless of their voltage.

You want to store your cells equalized. The SMC website is correct (one would hope so as they are the authority...please do not second guess SMC). The correct order for using packs, trays, chargers, equalizers is:
1) Start with a freshly charged pack
2) Run the pack
3) I take the pack out of the car and I hook it up to my GFX and discharge it down to 5.4 volts
4) Use the equalizing tray to equalize the packs to 5.4 volts and STORE it that way until the next use...assuming that it's not going to be stored for long. I use the Novak (IMO, the best equalizer out there)
5) When you are ready to charge the pack again, take the pack out of storage and put it on the 0-30 tray for 5-10 minutes (this brings the cells voltage down low to ensure you are able to put as much energy into the pack as possible...it makes no sense to put them on an equalizing tray at this stage in the game as you already stored the cells equalized and equalizing them before a charge in no way trains the cells to remain equalized or discharge in your car evenly...storing them this does DOES however.
6) This step is optional....Once removed from the tray I let the pack sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the voltage to stabilize
7) Charge the pack
8) Start the process all over again

koabich

The 0-30 is perfect for 3800's. But like anything, if used incorrectly, it can also do damage.

The key is to not put 3800's on the tray and then forget about them...kinda like falling asleep while you are driving a car.

NitroHead

Thanks Koa, I have the Novak tray also... I could've saved some $$ and just used my GFX to discharge my cells @ 30 amps then sat them in the Novak tray.

Im new to electric racing, so Im bound to make even more mistakes!

Retard

wow..it seems its pricey to maintain the 3800s.

RC_Mice

Not really... GP and IB maintanence price is almost same.

GP (expensive battery) = Normal tray, 0.0v cut-off (cheap tray).
IB (cheap battery) = Novak SMART tray, 0.0-0.9V cut-off (expensive tray).

*Only GP cell can be discharge until 0.0V.

Retard

umm...so basically i discharge my cells with spintec then i tray it on the novak smart tray for equalizing? how much cut-off voltage must i set on the novak smart tray? if im not wrong spintec will cut-off at 0.85/cell. right now im using some gp3300s and 3800s. maybe you guys can guide me with this. im new to electric. thanks

qwerty

see the spintec thread in regards to the spintec. despite they saying it is 0.85v cut off, my and other peoples equilizing tray tell us that the cut off is infact around 0.3v/cell.

try it yourself. diacharge using your spintec, then set your novak tray to 0.9v, your lights will fick out instantly.... set your novak tray around 0.3v and the lights will flick off within 10 seconds... so the only way to equilise after you use the spintec is to either....

1. pull your batteries off the spintec (i have found) 6.9v, then it allows you enough juice to tray them to 0.9v

OR

2. leave your batteries on spintec untill it finishes, then tray them on your novak tray to anything below 0.3v ...

note: option 2 is only for GP's... as IB's dont like going below 0.9v/cell

cheers

koabich

You can maintain your cells however you see fit. You don't have to do anything other than charge and run the cells. But when you Spend $70.00 a pack and race, you want to get the absolute most from the cells for as long as you can. And like everything, there are proper ways to maintain your cells.

There is no difference in the maintenance of the Sanyo 3000, the GP 3300, GP 3700 and IB3800. There are all Nimh cells so the maintenance is the same. The only diffeence would be in the charging of the cells, speciffically in the peak detect.

koabich

Not true at all! You can charge the all cells we currently use for RC down to zero. And like all Nimh cells, including the GP 3700, you cannot store them at zero without adverse affects

koabich

Don't worry, you did not waste a dime. Those are incredible trays. As described on the SMC website and in my earlier post, throw your packs on them for 5-10 minutes before you charge them!

pony klr

TEKIN TRAY ALL THE WAY MY CELLS ARE 428 4.80+ 7.9 TO 8.2 AIR THATS AT 35 AMPS!!!!

Tres

iTrader: (14)

I agree with Pony....

The new Tekin trays are killer!