Need Help: Battery Options for 3PK
 

Ok, I've been searching around for a rechargeable battery solution for my 3PK and have only succeeded in confusing myself more. My 3PK came with the dry cell holder instead of the NiCd battery pack and charger.

The ultimate setup I have in mind would be a set of NiMH AA cells to fill the dry cell holder and a charger I can plug into the wall and charger jack on the Tx. Equally as good would be a set of NiMH AA batts either in a custom built pack or in the dry cell holder and be able to charge it with my Duratrax Ice.

I was also looking at the following battery kit but was hoping for more capacity.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXSD23&P=0

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question but I'm retarded when it comes to electricity.

buy the dry cell holder from tower and buy some 2700 or 2800 AA nimh... that is what i did..
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXEYM7&P=7


or go with team muchmore's li-on pack for the 3pk
http://teammuchmore.com/product_info...roducts_id=311

go lipo
 

my suggestion is go with the Lipo if you can spend the $$$.
I had a rechargable AA pack made and still had to charge often.
then went lipo and the transmitter weighs half as much.

and if you have the ice charger..you'll be all set to charge it...but you have to take the battery out of the transmitter. Good news is you'll only have to charge the pack about 1 time every month if not longer.

I've never had a problem with my lipo batteries.

I already have the dry cell holder. How do you charge the NiMH batts? I don't have the charger. I can get one if that's best.

What LiPo do you have, olhipster1? I'm certainly not above spending the $$ to save some weight.

Are there any other LiPo options? Who sells the MM LiPo and what's needed to charge it?

since the dry cell holder has a servo lead that plugs into the radio, i just take the tray out and charge them through the lead

Lipo
 

Lipo, I had one made at a hobby shop...any place that sell heli's or planes should be able to make one to fit...but you should have to do that anymore there a few companies now that make the pack specifically for the 3pk..such as the Much More one (link below prior post).

all you really need is a charger that can handle lipo charging, i.e.; Ice charger, Integy 16x8 and there are a few more out there. do a search for lipo charging and I'm sure you'll find what's out there.


lipo pack shouldn't cost more than $55 bucks.

I found this one for $40. I would need to figure out what kind of connector it has so I can charge it on my Ice charger.
http://www.htbatteries.com/Public_html/Tx%20packs.htm


Team Brood carries the VXR Lipo packs and have one for $35 but they say you have to use their voltage regulator with it which is 30 more bucks. Why would you have to use the voltage reg with this one and not the previous none? I'd still have to figure out the connector situation to charge it on the Ice too.
http://www.teambrood.com/catalog/pro...roducts_id=679


Anyone have experience with either of these?

I charge my pack through the radio.. I bought an adapter for the ice that plugs into the radio chagre plug and the manual for the 3pk says it can take 3amps and I never go that high, 1.1a at most..

look on ebay you can find packs buit up for 20 bucks including packaging.

Get rid of the battery holder and solder up your own (9) AA cell NimH battery pack (11.25V as opposed to 10V) Solder an old servo lead on. Cover the battery with heat shrink. Then grind down the 2 plastic stoppers in the controls battery compartment. Done!

I built myself a 9 cell AA pack. It works great and lasts a long time between charges.

If you build it in the formation in the attached picture (8 cells "stick pack" style and the 9th cell on the end), you should not need to grind or modify anything inside your radio. This way you can keep 8 alkaline AA batteries in your "dry-cell" holder and use them as a back up in case something happens to your rechargeable pack. Not only did I not have to grind anything for this pack to fit, I have to use a small piece of foam in the battery compartment to keep it from rattling around.