Advice on lipo batteries/charger
 

I'm in the process of getting two Rustler VXL's for my son and me. I need advice on what kind of lipo system I should get.

I need a charger that will charge both of our batteries at the same time, otherwise I will have to invest in two chargers, which I don't really want to do. I'm guessing it should also balance? I'm not sure if they even make a charger that charges two batteries and balances both.

Also, what kind of batteries should I get? Super high speed isn't terribly important, but long runtimes definitely is! I'm thinking 2s would be fine for us.

Finally I'm looking to keep the final price for the charger and two batteries in the $300 range. Possible? Thanks for any help you can throw my way!

re lipo batteries/charger
 

a really good charger to buy for charging lipos is the duratrax ice. it enables you to charge lipos up to 8 amps but the only downfall about this charger is that it requires you to purchase a power supply.

unfortuantely most good lipo chargers require the purchase of a power supply.

another great lipo charger is the thunder power charger. it also needs a power supply.

as far as lipos go you will get plenty of runtime using a couple of 2s lipos 5000mah.

if your budget is under 300 you might want to buy the charger and power supply off of ebay or from another rc enthusiast.

the duratrax ice sells for around 120 plus the cost of a decent power supply( prices range for these depending on how many amps capacity it is)

have fun with your brushless

Thanks
 

Thanks for the reply. Do the Ice chargers charge 2 batteries at once? I was under the impression that they only charged one (or at least couldn't find anywhere that said they charged two). If not, do they make a quality charger that does do two at once? I also should have mentioned that I'm looking for something that's not over-complicated, so my 15 YO son could use it as well.

As for the lipo batteries, does brand make a lot of difference, or as long as the stats are there, you're okay? Sorry I'm asking a lot of noob questions, but I've been trying to research for awhile and there is sooo much info it overwhelms, and is hard to find info specific to a particular application.

and dont forget if you choose the ice charger you will need a balancer too...

What you need it the Hyperion eos0610i duo charger. It is the only one I know that will charge 2 packs at the same time. It is also a balance charger.


http://rc-mushroom.com/product_info....ducts_id=14854


It is kind of spendy though and does require a power supply.

You could also just buy 2 of these.
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...Lipoly_Charger


They are a knock off of a hyperion charger and have a powersupply built in.

my 2 cents , i have teen agers also , my advise is to keep the chargers and batterys the same , we use triton 2 chargers , and orion 4800 lipos , yes this is over your budget , but if you purchase 2 resonable priced chargers and say 2 max amps lipos the settings and charging are allways the same this is my attempt at idiot proofing lipos , ray

yeah buying other peoples stuff off here is a way to keep cost low, you can find ice chargers for around $80, and even an orion lipo for around $80 too...

(line drop, im selling a pair of orion 4800s for $165 shipped)

I'll throw in another vote the Duratrax ICE. It's what I use on my Lipos. As far the Lipos go, I'm a huge fan of the Trakpower 4900mAh 2S Lipos:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXRWF7&P=ML

I've got 5 of these packs I run in my various vehicles and have been super happy with them.

Pretty much all the recommendations on here so far are pretty good. If you want any specific questions answered, shoot me a PM and I'll be glad to help.

I'm not too sure as to how good this charger is but it will charge two batteries at once. http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...oducts_id/4023

I run Orion Lipo's and they have proven to work excellent for me! Also there is no need to balance them.

Batteries
 

I appreciate everyone's input and suggestions!

I took the advice on here and picked up a couple used batteries. I got two 6000 mAh MaxAmp lipos from rctazmanmc for $130 shipped including a lipo charging bag. Good deal?

For a charger, I'm looking at the MRC Super Brain 977 Pro Dual Output AC/DC Peak Charger. Anyone know anything about this charger? Is it alright, or should I skip it? It does two batteries at once, which is what I'm looking for.

The MRC chargers aren't the best in the world. There are even some Lipo manufacturers (Orion, I believe) that recommend against using them with their batteries.

Oh, BTW, I sent you a PM earlier.

the 977 doesn't say it charges lipo...?

Good call
 

An excellent point, and a solid argument against getting this charger. I guess I should learn to read!

It looks like I'll have to just pick up two single battery chargers. Maybe it'll work better that way anyway. If my charger ever malfunctions, I'll still have one charger, and it won't ruin both batteries.

I'm going to take a closer look at those Duratrax Ice chargers. Maybe see if I can pick up a couple used. Good advice on getting the same setup for both Ray. Idiot proofing is definitely what I need!

check out maxamps.com some good chargers and batteries for a good price

check out maxamps.com some good chargers and batteries for a good price.
+1 I run a 3s 5000 LiPo in my Pede and it is a beater.