syndr0me

iTrader: (32)

Chuck,

Voltage regulators don't work out, there's too much energy to dissipate. As for chargers, the Hyperion line is nice. The 0606I line has a built in balancer, and is available with or without a built-in power supply. Whatever you choose, I'd spend a little extra to get one with a built-in balancer. You may not need it very often, but they're nice to have.

http://www.allerc.com/index.php?cPat...er&filter_id=3

I saw on RedRC that Trinity is coming out with an AC/DC LiPo charger/balancer. This is pretty clearly the same hardware as Hyperion's stuff, though I'm not sure about the software. I personally use the DUO version of the 0606I, and LOVE it. Dual chargers is very useful.



One nice thing about ROAR's embracing LiPo is that it's created a lot more awareness about battery safety, and charging responsibly. How many near misses did we have with exploding NiMH that could have resulted in serious injury? I think charging our batteries in some kind of bunker is a very good thing, NiMH, LiPo or whatever.

yyhayyim

iTrader: (26)

Hey Chuck...the Sphere TC, NOvak GTB, Speed Passion GT, Mamba Max, Losi, Tekin, etc, all have Lipo Voltage Cut-off built in and work great. THe Sphere TC is set at 6.0v which is good. No need for voltage regulators.

Regards

Yohan

chuckharrisjr

iTrader: (30)

Thanks for the info guys I appreciate it, I am going from running 1/8 nitro the past couple years to onroad 1/10. I used some lipo reciever packs with regulators, didnt know about the electric stuff. What do you guys consider the top of the line in lipo packs?
Thanks again...Yohan did you get my pm about the 25 bucks? Send me your email sir.

BadSign

iTrader: (15)

Has anyone considered micro sized LiPo for a 4 cell replacement ? I know the voltage would be all wrong, but maybe with a less powerful motor- say a 21.5rather than 17.5/27T ?

Fred_B

iTrader: (1)

I've tried both 3.7 and 7.4 volt LiPo's in 12th and neither one of them runs properly. If you run 7.4v you'll have people dumping because you can only fit around 2700 mAh into a saddle pack car. With 3.7v the cars are slower (not as much as you'd think) and you have plenty of runtime (over 5000 mAh) but you have to run a receiver pack.

Personally, I think that the last thing that we need is to have a different "stock" or "spec" motor than the 10th classes. It's just one more motor that people will need to buy.

I would prefer running 7.4v with a limit on capacity (say 2000 mAh) to force the speeds back down. Use the same motors as all the other classes and just limit the size of the tank. Race strategy (like we had in the old days) is something that I miss. Good arguments can be made for both voltages.

r0adrunn3r

iTrader: (3)

I have used two Trakpower 4900 packs for the past 2 years.

Hopefully next year in Australia, we will have them approved for race meets. It is looking good, I see a lot of people using LiPo's are club meets. The price of a pack has almost halfed since I brought mine from Singapore.

I have seen one (soft pack) puff up after it was over discharged, that was it. However in the same time I have seen a NiMH explode, the cap of a cell ended 30 feet away! It was a load bang... and that was in the hand of an experienced racer.

My 2 packs are as good today as they were when I got them. I check the voltage of each cell before each club day and the cells are still within 0.01v of each other in both packs.

I just love the convenience of LiPo's. At club days I run 3 cars off the two packs - no problems at all. Next top them up after each run. Too easy!

The Bear

iTrader: (13)

As the poster child for improper battery care, the smc5000 has withstood a horrible horrible horrible beating from me. Charge for each run with too many amps and no cycling unless you count leaving it plugged in for a couple days. Still delivering way more than enough punch. Can't wait till 'they' get lipo 1/12th packs figured out.

MTX3-B

iTrader: (5)

I have been using Orion 3200 for almost more than a year now with no major problems save for that one occassion when i bashed it with my M03 in a rain. The cells went out of balance, way way out of proportion with readings around 0.20 to 0.30V. Luckily i managed to balance it with the trakpower balancer and it is consistently showing 0.01 to 0.02V.

The Yeah Racing 3200 was really a stunner. Value for money and i can safely say to my surprise that it is a little bit punchier than my Orion. Perhaps it will survive the test of time as i had it almost four months ago.

I would like to get some of your inputs. Do you think LiPo users like me be at disadvantage competing against NiMh users at the standard minimum weight? Btw, i race in M03 with a sport tuned motor. I always feel that the NiMh users have the advantage as their voltage is far more superior especially in sport tuned motors and 23t stock...with a mind boggling charge rate of 8.0amps (for some of the top racers) with the latest IB4600 batts, LiPo (for the max 3200 mAh 20/25C) will never be able to match up to that. So i was thinking to compensate that, the weight limit for LiPo users ought to be reduced accordingly.

In any case, i am so glad i switched to LiPo. Never looking back at NiMh...

Regards,
Ezme

Verndog

iTrader: (16)

The LRP Sphere Comp does not have low voltage cutoff and I do not believe the TC does either. It has auto lipo recognition so there is nothing to change when going from one to another.

IMO low voltage cutoff just creates possible issues with blackouts in some conditions and speedo's, and there is no need. You will feel the loss of power well before you get to 6.0V and then you stop (or on radio timer), at least I sure can.

STLNLST

iTrader: (32)

With lipo's it's better to have the low cut off because it's not good to ever dump a lipo and as easy as it sounds....racers are still too dumb to pull off when they feel the car slowing down or pay attention to a timer. Cruel but true. You just keep up that killer work on the lipo weights
***here's a long distance pat on the back*********

Rick Hohwart

Both of these LRP speedos have a low voltage cutoff. The user has to select LiPo mode which cuts off at 6.0V.

Verndog

iTrader: (16)

Interesting. I've never pushed mine to that point, but there have been several threads with this coming up and it was stated by several that Sphere either didn't have it or it didn't work.

I also see nothing in the documention on it. Did they recently implement this on newer speed controls, or did the original Sphere comp. 2007 have it also?

Rick Hohwart

Both of the following list the LiPo/NiMH mode as a programmable feature but they do fail to indicate the cutoff voltage of 6.0V:

Sphere Competition TC Spec

Sphere Competition 07

Although I have not pushed my LiPo to the cutoff point, I did mistakenly run my 1/12 4-cell car in LiPo mode and the cutoff did work.

Verndog

iTrader: (16)

OK...I read the manual again and agree, they dont mention any cutoff. You also state you have to select "lipo" mode. But on my 2007 Sphere comp, mode 1 Yellow value 1 is auto Lipo/NiMh, and I've gone back and forth in this mode without having to select "LiPo" mode, in fact there is no stictly LiPo mode, value 2 is 4-7 cell NiMh racing mode.

Rick Hohwart

You do have to select value 1 LiPo/NIMH mode to activate the cutoff. NiMH will work in that mode but one may not want a cutoff using NiMh (1/12 and to finish races if dumping) so you have the option to remove the cutoff completely.