Lets Talk About Batteries
 

What batteries are you using? Anyone using Graphene?

turnigy 4s and 2s. they are great and half the price

there's been a bunch of tests saying the Graphene Turnigy batteries are identical to the Ultimates - so I would just get the Ultimates. In fact I did order some to try out - iI'm sick of spending $75-100 per 2s lipo and have it be so disposable when my friends are racing just fine with cheaper batteries.

What are the Ultimates? Where can I get them?

Turnigy Nano-tech Ultimate. Hobbyking sells them.

Are they really as good as the Graphene's? I am about to buy two new packs need to decide on which ones???

From all accounts I've heard, they're basically indistinguishable. Take that with a grain of salt, I've not personally used either pack.

I have a 6K Ultimate and Graphene. The 6K Ultimate was 305 grams, and the Graphene was 295 grams. On the track they do feel the same.

I always figured the Graphene's were just a marketing gimmick. My 7500mah 90c's Ultimate's lasted 2 years racing and bashing in both my eBuggy and eTruggy without any puffing, balancing issues, or any loss of power as far as I could tell. The only thing that happened is that the bullets started to get too hot and melt the plastic case.

Bought a new set of 4600mah 90c Ultimate's (shorties for less weight) and cannot tell a single difference in power.

Ok so where can I see these test or post?

I just ordered the new Graphene batteries from Hobbyking. I'm a big fan of Nano tech ultimate but since graphene battery is on sale 50% off the regular price might as well grab one cant go wrong with that.

I've run all 3 of the HK shorties. My Graphene 4600 does pull harder than the Ultimate in my 2wd stock buggy. My Ultimate puffed hard enough to split the case on both sides. It was 2 years old, so about the same life span as my old SMC 1/12th scale packs. My Graphene is over a year old and has been great. My 4200 A-Spec has almost as much punch as the Graphene. Both are showing that 1.5 mm rise in the case that makes me watch them for puffing.
I've since switched to New Wave Cells for a few bucks more and they are fast, but I feel they are more stable and never seem to puff. I've even run the New Wave 3500 in my wheeler with a mod motor and still no signs of puffing.

what about SMC & Gens ace batteries, seen some shootouts and they seem to finish right with the rest according to the testers, but I have never ran either one.

SMC batteries are top notch! The cells have all been very close in voltage whenever I check, and IR is very good as well. You also get great customer service from a USA company.

I need 6s packs for a 12s setup, so SMC doesn't do me any good they don't make a big enough pack.