Hi. I'm new to this hobby and I'm hooked. Ordering a cen colossus from Amazon! I already have a pair of traxxas 3s lipos. I think 2s is the max it can handle. Should I buy new 2s batt or upgrade the esc?

I just looked at the two brushless on the Cen site and all of the big monster trucks will handle 4S, so 3S should be fine. Pick you're truck, then on the right, click the esc manual. Look down to the batteries and look for the cells under lipos. Everything I saw on both brushless versions will handle 4S at least. The EZ Run 150 amp will handle 6S. The EZ Run 80 amp will handle 4S max. So you should be golden.

http://www.cenracing.com/cars/8th-MT.html

Eta make sure you don't throw 6S (2X3S = 6S) at a 4S Max (80 Amp) esc. That won't end well lol.

Yeah I would wait until the truck arrives, throw your 2 x 3 cell batteries in parallel (so the truck is only seeing the 11.1v) and see if your happy with it. If not ask yourself if its almost enough power or not even close. If its almost enough pick up some 2 cell packs and run them in series. If its no where near enough power I would consider picking up a new esc.

Never run different batteries in parallel. If you mix a 2 and 3s it will spike the voltage on the 2s, swell it and possibly have it catch on fire. You can hook them in series just fine but if you want to use them for more than just a test they need to be the same mah capacity as well.

Spookie, the CEN site is a little confusing. In the spec box at the top it shows the manual for the esc. The manual has instructions for both the 80amp 4s esc and the 150amp 6s esc. But if you scroll down further on the product page it appears to show that both the Colossus and the GSTe come with the 80amp. Kinda confusing.

Yardman, I personally like higher voltage and the truck is certainly tough enough to take it. The only issue (besides the esc) with going 6s is you might have to change the gearing as well. It depends on how fast the truck is on 4s because 6s will raise the top speed and it might be too high causing the motor to overheat. Normally this isn't that big of a deal you drop a few teeth on the pinion or go with a larger spur. But I'm not sure if there is a larger spur available and the stock pinion is 12t. There are pinions as small as 8t-9t available (you'd probably want 9t on 6s) but pinions that small wear quicker. Sorry but I don't know all the specs on the Colossus to do any gear calculations to try and figure out if you'd need to change the gearing.

That is true for mah and C rating, but you can mix any kind of cell counts together in series or parallel with no problem...I do it all the time, and have so for years without any issue ever raising a red flag for me???

Thats the beauty of running 2s and 3s packs - gives you any option you want up to 6s.

To the OP, the colossus appears to have a 2200kv motor. That thing will be a ripper on 4s, since you are new I would bet a single 3s will be OK for a while until you learn more about the truck. I ran a 3s on a 2200kv motor in an old emaxx for a while and it wasn't bad - but just by bumping it up to 4s was a night and day difference!

The Hobbyking 150A esc is always a decent option for a good price if you just must go 5s or 6s but I'll bet 4s will suit your needs well.

I run 4S on my 3908 E-Maxx (Castle 2200/ Mamba Monster esc). Anything more would be insane lol. Not to mention costly in parts. My top speed so far is 44mph, and then it was crazy getting there lol. So seeing a Cen, a bigger truck, almost 1/5th scale at 44mph, would be laughable lol. It would make for some awe inspring wrecks lol.


Is this what you bought? Good for 4S per specs.
http://www.amazon.com/CEN-Racing-GST.../dp/B00H4UIZVK

RC ADVENTURES - CEN Racing GST-E COLOSSUS MONSTER TRUCK 4x4 (RTR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=22&v=lQdzBfHsgPo