I certainly see subtle yet distinct differences in on track performance, most noticeable in the ability of a stock motor to clear large jumps. The key is not the max amp draw with a hot modified or a speed run car, but rather maintaining voltage under the moderate load of a stock motor.

Here is some independent data, just one example of many sources that suggest lipos differ in their performance, even at relatively mild loads:

http://www.teamvirusracing.com/node/750

Inconsistent? hardly. I will say however, that i take none of this serious.

and like i said, id be willing to bet that if someones batteries were switched, without them knowing, the results would be the same. Ive seen it happen before

i guess by your logic and findings, we should all be running maxamps crap right? we'd all be the fastest on the planet!

None of that info means ANYTHING.

Until the day comes, where i see someone do a test with batteries of the same MAH rating, and C rating for comparision...i will never beleive those tests.

None of them are factual, or even half scientific, didnt any of these idiots go to school?

How about this one.

Batt 1: Zippy 4s 5000mah 30C
Batt 2: Turnigy 4s 5000 30C

Batt 2 has a significant advantage in punch over batt 1. I don't have a way to measure it, but that is what I can feel running them. It also has better runtime, with the same amount of charges on them.

Since you say you can't feel the difference, me saying I can feel the difference on two equally rated packs should be good enough for you.

Ugh.

Something factual, and scientific cannot be proven just because of ones "sense"

They would need to be put on a datalogger, and ran EXACTLY the same way, under the same conditions etc etc...

Numbers dont lie, people do.

I really don't know with 17.5 motors because I've never ran on in my SC10 our shortcourse class is open and I've ran 24c and 40c rated batteries and have noticed that my 24c packs run just as strong as the 40c so I've been racing with 24c against others who run anything from 35c to 50c, I have yet to see a distinct advantage they have over me, until then I will continue using my 24c.

Thank you!


All of this is no different from the people who got screwed into buying maxamps crap, and they SWEAR that their 160c batteries are the real deal, or that their junk has never been faster until they bought maxamps.

It's a placebo effect, People are paying more, and consequently expecting more, so they subconsciously "THINK AND FEEL" more power/runtime etc etc...

It's no different then car guys who toss a air filter on, or a flowmaster, again, they expect something, and then claim to feel something more, when its been proven before on dynos, theres no added power, and the LITTLE bit that sometime's does get added, is by no means measurable by a human.

Picking apart other peoples testing and ignoring the actual math of it all is really just trying to start a war... There are LOTS of numbers out there to support the suggestion that cheaper packs do NOT live up to their C rating and that SOME more expensive packs DO live up to their claimed C rating... there are people out there smarter than you or I doing these tests for NO biased reason other than curiosity.

Using Maxamps as an example of an "expensive" pack is just silly... everyone knows their stuff is overrated and under delivers FOR WHAT IT COSTS (in caps because its an important point)

But, packs like SPC, SMC and ProMatch are all mid priced and, in independent tests, DO provide their claimed C rating.

So, IF you can accept that these packs DO deliver the C rating they claim and IF you can accept that high performance brushless systems can draw 160+ amps and IF you can understand the math in regards to a batteries ability to supply amps based on its C rating and capacity... youd be able to clearly see that yes... high C rated packs (given the C rating is real) DO provide more performance. The question of weather or not the average person can FEEL it is so subjective is worthless to argue.

On the other hand... if you CANT accept the points listed above... theres really no point in anyone posting because minds have been made up long before anyone posted and some just want to argue.

The independent testers I have spoken with all agreed Turnigy and Zippy packs do not deliver their claimed C rating... same goes for Maxamps. So, if the argument is between maxamps and Zippy/turnigy... go with the cheaper option.

I have been racing for quite a while and do pretty well. I have never seen a single instance where changing any 1 thing on any car I've ever owned or driven made a consistent 3 second per lap difference. I can run a set of bald tires and back that up with a brand new set and it won't make a 3 second difference, I've done it just to see. Made a difference, but not 3 seconds.
Especially something as minor as a C rating. A 5000mah battery with a 25C rating can supply a steady 125 amps of current. Same battery with a 50c rating can supply 250 amps of steady current. You show me a single offroad track where your average current draw is more than 125 amps and I'll reprint the bible with what you are saying in it.

For the original poster, think about it like this.
In most racing scenarios, brushless put far more power to the ground than your average driver is capable of handling. So to compensate, people turn down the ESC to limit the amount of power being supplied to the motor. That then makes the higher C rating completely pointless, even if you could tell a difference. For the record, I won't waste my money on anything higher than a 40C battery for 1/8th offroad. I tend to go with 25C or 30C, just whatever I can find the best deal on at the time.

There hasnt been a test YET on this planet that has had a true scientific test, NOR has there been one that has been able to test FULL c capacity, highest pure solid amp draw that ive seen is 30 or 40 amps, i cant recall.

regaurdless...all of these tests have a few things in common..

they DONT keep variables the same {mah content/c rating}
the lower MAH content batteries suffer from higher voltage drop{this is perfectly normal}
the higher MAH content batteries have lower voltage drop{again, perfectly normal}

They dont show any info that is worth a damn in a COMPARISION!, all that info is good for, is to see how an individual battery performs, nothing more, nothing less.

I have every right to pick apart peoples testing, as its invalid, usually biased, and unscientific!

I dont know about you, but i dont beleive someones claims about potential products, unless there are FACTS behind it. I dont need to hear about how someones uncles brothers cousin has a thunderpower battery in it, and its the fastest thing on earth.

There are two batteries on the market right now WORTH buying, thats turnigy, and gensace. PERIOD.

Until maxcraps/thunderpower/smc{junk i might add}/venom etc etc can prove their claims, and substantiate the astronomically high prices...they will NEVER see a dime of my money.

I found these Lipo tests to be some of the better ones. Kinda shows that the whole more money equals more battery isn't always true.That said I refuse to spend 100.00 on a battery. I never have and probably never will. I have bought several of the lower cost brands turnegy, zippy, and gen's ace. I do have to say my gens ace 3s 40-50c 5000mah vs my 3s zippy 20c 5000mah the winner is GensAce The packs are similar in price actually I paid more for the zippy at the time. I can feel a pretty good difference in the Packs, the Gen's has more punch, and just has a more consistent power band, the zippy sometimes almost feels like it has turbo lag or something. Who knows just thought I chime in on the subject the apparently none of us are qualifies to comment on. LOL
I guess I should compare a 20c gens ace vs a 40c gens ace to get a real result on c ratings but I don't have that option.

Well..you take it serious enough to pull stuff apart and "laugh" at people that disagree with you though their findings. I bet your that guy that also thinks what’s read on a Dyno is FACT vs. on track testing.

I expressed "MY" experience with the TP pack 50C vs. the cheap 30c pack, in "my" experience LT's were 2.5-3 seconds faster per lap using the TP pack. The LT's don’t lie and "I" don't care why they are faster. In "this" case using the packs "I" have shown a LT difference on high grip tracks. On low grip tracks "I" did not see an improvement in LT's.

You keep saying MOST people wont notice a difference. Which could be true, but what does that mean? There is no difference or they can’t tell the difference. So if you put someone behind the wheel of say a F458 and a POS Camaro and they cant drive it faster the Camaro is just as good of a platform? Please..or you throw someone into a sound room that has a set of B&W 801 Matrix Series 2 vs. some random POS speakers and they cant tell the difference in the sound stage.. so then there is no difference?

You are correct, logic has certainly stepped aside and has been omitted from that train of thought.

"I" don’t know nor care about other packs. "I" don’t believe marketing hypes. "I" ran what "I" ran and that’s what “I” found. When “I” see it each and every time “I” run. Then yea for "me" it’s a fact….but maybe it’s my fault.. I should waste a bunch of time pulling stuff apart ..Sitting on my bench….Be that guy at the track and not drive..and that will give me the answers to things I don’t care about.

I’m not advocating people need to spend more money on batteries. I simply don’t care what people spend their money on, or if a bus hits them, again I don’t care.

I posted what “I” have seen using the two different batteries, nothing more.

And i bet You'd be wrong, i use a dyno for tuning only, nothing more, nothing less, as there are inconsistency's in car dynos, but they are helpful for loading the chassis to simulate real driving loads to aid while tuning.

Nobody is going to beleive you gained 3 seconds in laptimes just from a 20c higher "RATED" battery.

Any platform can be made to handle and out perform, so this little theory of yours go's out the window...i know PLENTY of camaro's that would hand a F458 its behind on a platter, in fact i OWN a camaro that i wouldnt mind putting up against an F458, it wouldnt have a chance.{see my sig}

You're missing what ive pointed out, and noticed in my own findings.

I dont pull packs apart for the hell of it, i pull them apart to CHECK them for crappy soldering joints, etc etc. Im not risking my 2500 dollar SC8E to burning to the ground or my 2500 dollar BAJA 5sc burning to the ground, because of someones soldering jobs. Ive seen others have issues before, i eliminate the majority of that risk on my end, by inspecting each and every battery i buy, you'd be amazed at what you'd find

3seconds difference though, im still laughing at that. THESE are the kind of statements that make me question and doubt EVERYTHING.

You're basing you're opinion on feel, so that makes my opinion based on feel just as valid as yours.

For a stock class where amp draw is low, there is not much of a difference. The 17.5 TC Spec class @ IIC last year was won with 24C packs. In fact in stock, some feel lower C packs are better because they hold heat better, which makes the pack run better. For mod, I do feel that bigger C rated packs are more consistent throughout the run (not necessarily any faster on a hotlap, though).

The extra punch associated with a given pack is due to internal resistance, not C rating (although generally more C's = lower IR, but now always). This is why a "crappy" brand 50C may feel slower than a "good brand" 30C, because the cells of the good brand have lower IR.