wareagle84

I know its a bit of a long read, and any help and info is appreciated.

I'm looking to upgrade to LiPo in my HPI Sprint 2 Flux and have some newb questions to help me decide what to buy. I currently have a 5000 mah nimh battery, and the runtimes just aren't long enough for me.
I'm not really concerned about weight or top speed as I mainly drift and am not involved in competitive racing. I just need longer runtimes and "better" power supply.
All of my electronics and gearing are stock, if that helps factor in answers.

What would you guys suggest as a good LiPo battery and charger setup for a drifter/basher?
Again, I'm not into competitive racing, or care about top speed, so I don't need "top of the line" stuff.
What are some trusted brands for a decent price that will work for me?
What all functions or features should I be looking for in a LiPo charger?
I know it has to be able to balance and discharge, but do I need to be concerned about anything else?
I know the Sprint 2 Flux has issues fitting certain batteries, and I think I remember reading somewhere that most hardcases won't fit, so should I be looking at softcase LiPo's only?
I plan on upgrading to the carbon main and upper decks in the near future, if that makes a difference in what batteries will fit.

poppa_duce

For a cheap, basic charger that works well, check these out.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/thac6smbachw.html

dgriffinm

good price on batteries here also, steer away from soft packs, hardcase is the way to go

banana rt

whether its good battery or charger, u should pay attention for how to maintain it well fellas.

always charge Lipos with balancer
and let it sleep with storage mode.

Johnnysplits

iTrader: (1)

I just ordered the same car and been reading up on battery options for it. A 2s hardcase lipo won't fit...need the softcase.

Dave H

Is it due to size or the square case shape that prevents hardcases from fitting? If it's the shape perhaps the Orion Rocket Sport packs are an option, they more resemble a stick pack shape. I know some guys use them in one of the Tamiya cars that won't hold the more common square packs.

Johnnysplits

iTrader: (1)

I believe it's due to the squareness. I'm gonna check out those Orion's.

wareagle84

Correct. From what I've read, the hard case LiPo's don't fit because of the squared edges the hard cases have. the front, uppermost edge of a hard case will catch the bottom of the main drive belt and it will rub causing premature wear to the belt, and possibly in the worst case scenario, it eventually rubs through the hard case and causes a major issue with the battery.
With the stock ESC and Motor, someone like me is looking for the highest maH 2S LiPo that will fit without rubbing the main belt.

What is/are the drawback(s) or running soft case LiPo's?
More likely to balloon and swell?
More likely to be damaged in an accident?

Johnnysplits

iTrader: (1)

You got it right there

wareagle84

Dave H - thanks for suggesting those Orion's. I just checked them out real quick and they should work, by the looks and measurements they provided. I believe 25mm is as thick (tall) as the S2 chassis allows for.
I'm assuming those Orion's are hard case?
I just wish they had higher maH ratings on those style, I really need longer run times.
Speaking of which...will a 4200 maH LiPo give me a longer runtime than a 4200 maH NiMH battery?
Sorry, I don't know much about LiPo's yet, but aren't they supposed to be lighter, cooler, and longer running than NiMH?

Dave H

Yeah they do sacrifice a little capacity to get the rounded edges. I believe they are hard case, but not absolutely positive.

Yes, a 4200mAh lipo will generally run longer than a 4200mAh nimh. The lipo is more efficient, less energy is lost in heat. Certainly a lot easier to maintain good runtime too! The increase depends on the load/motor used, how it's driven, etc, but 20% or more run time increase is not unusual.

Perhaps ask fit questions in this thread to help be sure before spending:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric...ght=HPI+sprint

Another thread that has some links on the subject that may be of interest:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric...ght=HPI+sprint

wareagle84

I'll check them out. thanks again!

theblitzkidd

iTrader: (11)

I have an Orion lipo, and it's a carbon 3800 and its a lot smaller than the standard size lipos!