Brca battery list
 

After yesterdays announcement that only brca approved batterys can be used from next year on i have found a list here:

http://http://www.brca.org/sections/...ologation/1142

Interesting and worrying is that although the 4000 and 5300 version the hpi plazma are listed. The 30000 i use is not and i cannot think that the brca only caters for the more professional drivers and not the hobby drivers like me.

Also i do not think that the 3000 version of this line will be any less safe then the bigger capacity versions.

Although i can understand why this is done i am disappointed by the choice the list offers.
Tve

link correction for approved Batteries and motors: http://www.brca.org/content/homologa...-updates/14218

I dont see the Turnigy 5300 on the list that a lot of us are using although it is ROAR approved :(


Terry

ROAR does not equal BRCA

Like i said terry. Its all about the money!!! Tve

I guess since the batteries have to be submitted to the BRCA for "testing" plus some cash, the companies that do submit their batteries, just choose the ones they think people are most likely to race with, which generally are 4,000+mAh.

I have emailed Hobbyking regarding their batteries, I'm sure many have in the past before so possibly wont get anywhere, but it has been forwarded onto the Product Team. It may push them to do it if more clubs take this stance on non-approved batteries, as I assume battery sales will drop. Obviously we dont know if its just a case that they're never been sent for testing or some other reason why they've failed. I run them without issues & certainly dont see them being anymore unsafe than other (more expensive) brands.

Oh bugger! All my and my boys batts are turnigy. Just to be clear any motor is still ok? And the li-fe Batt in my tx is ok too?

Oops..... looks like I have been looking at the archived list. The other list has 17 pages not 10 so a bit more choice. TvE.

PS my 3000 is still not listed :-(

Is there any restriction on which LiPo you use in your TX or are these considered safe for some reason?


Terry

Does anyone know what their criteria is for testing and to what standard. It would be interesting to know and ultimately reassure us of the safety of the product. :)

Its alright I have found it. http://www.brca.org/content/regulations/1398

Just some clarification for you.

Brca battery rule until now I have remainded quiet on this issue but after talking to Chris last night if you all had LISTENED he was pointing out there might be a potential that they bring in a rule that brca approved batteries have to be used then it would be better to know now if you were thinking of buying new batteries rather then not mentioning it and the BRCA create a rule and people have just purchased new batteries. He was trying to just give people a little heads up just incase or what i call trying to help but again people only LISTENED to what they wanted to hear AGAIN !!

Any questions please feel free to ask as I am also your BRCA club rep for the Southwest.

Martin

It would be a much better idea to phase it in giving BRCA members a season or two which would enable them to exhaust their existing batteries. Once they are exhausted they can then purchase the batteries on the list.

This would create very little financial impact and reduce the environmental impact of thousands of perfectly good batteries being thrown away.

This would be a much more responsible way of switching over to the new battery ruling,

Maybe as our rep you could put this forward to them Martin. :thumbsup:

If the rule is raised I will ask the question.

Thanks Martin. :thumbsup:

Terry,

The reason they have overlooked TX Lipo's is because there's no performance advantage to gain from overcharging them.

But that raises the question with Lipo safety that I have always believed. There is nothing wrong with any lipo, the problem is the person who is charging it. I thought I had an issue with a lipo as you know but after carrying out tests there was nothing wrong with the battery and Schumacher admitted it was a software problem in the esc that caused the fire.

They only go bang when charged for a performance advantage. If they do go bang when charging normally and there is a fire, then it's a legal issue between you and the retailer or/and the manufacturer. :)

Hopefully the batteries on the list will reduce such things happening but it wont stop people from charging them incorrectly. I would also imagine the BRCA would also now be held for account if such batteries do fail and claims made would be easier. They would have no cop outs so its not all a bad thing. If it does come into force then it should be done reasonably without being abrupt and expensive. :)

I agree Martin, full Kudos to Chris for making everyone aware that this MAY happen sometime next year. Now moving forward, I and no doubt quite a few other people that will read this want to know is whether this is just a BRCA preferred list or is there a real safety issue?

If there is a safety issue then I guess we can all happily take our dangerous LiPo's back to the model shop for a refund :thumbsup:


Cheers, Terry

The whole argument is not really a valid one, if the BRCA who supply the club's insurance say they have to be on the list then that's what has to happen. People here seem to think that the TRCCC club are doing it and that's juts not the case. You are effectively arguing that I don't need any full size car insurance as I don't plan on crashing it, or having it stolen.

I believe the BRCA AGM is coming up, if you're really against it then as BRCA members that's the place to go and voice your opinion.

Steve

If they do make it a rule for next year I hope there would be some kind of clause for new people that turn up/join the local club, could be a little daunting turning up an being told they need to spend more money getting new Lipo's

@Steve. No I think we all know its nothing to do with TRCCC but as we the TRCCC are with the BRCA I guess they will have to do what the BRCA wants. I'm more concerned that there is some safety issue that the BRCA will not share with us. If its just a BRCA preferred list then Im not that bothered.


Terry

The only compliance by law that deems a battery safe within the EU is the ce marking. So the BRCA must be testing to a higher standard than the regulator.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think from reading the link above and what I personally know about the system) that the only thing that the BRCA "test" is the size of the products.

G

Graham I believe they do a paperwork audit trail and the sample is used to take weights, dimensions and label design. Paperwork trail is done to ensure that the manufacturer have had it tested to comply with NATO regulations, this must also be done to allow transportation.... I am not sure if they also check that the distributor has the relevant public liability insurance.

As for clubs having to run to EB list, unless it is stipulated in the General Rules, then there is no requirement, which would require a proposal and it passed at the AGM.

When would the brca 2015 lipo battery's list be available so people can go out and buy them as I'm looking to regionals next season so I get the right one's!!

I believe (but don't hold me to it) it is sometime in January.

Yeah, agree, forgot the weight bit and label.

My point - they don't "test" them to see if they are "safe".

Just saying. :)

G

This may be of interest

http://www.brca.org/content/battery-...procedure/1399

and this is the ROAR test but may give an idea of some of the testing.

http://centralbooking.org/cbs/index....ent&Itemid=109

Terry

I have been talking to 2 people that are better informed on this and it seems at the moment a least this is NOT a safety issue. That means that it is unlikely to effect insurance and so will not be mandatory at club level. The club will have to decide if they want to ban them or anything else for that matter.

However Chris is spot on in saying if you are going to by new cells use the list as this will future proof you just in case the unlikely happens. Or a least wait until closer to the start of next season.

I would say dont panic buy new cells if yours are not on the list as this seems very unlikely.:)


Terry

Exactomondo G-Man!!

Yet another great way to encourage new racers.

let them go buy lots of nice new fancy stuff .....just to be told when they turn up to race
"er you cant race here matey you got the wrong batteries.....they're just not on the list "

I've kind of come to the conclusion over the past few years that the BRCA (despite what they say) are'nt interested in new and club racers, despite what they like to preach.

They still like to hark on about "run by volunteers for free" but these great volunteers seem to have forgotten grass roots club racing.

How many of you guys remember the hose pipe tracks at Blundels and the tarmac track at Verbeer....that was rc racing at its best. Race what you got and who cares if your tyres where bald !

Im sorry to say but I disagree with you and so would many other TRCCC would never turn anyone away to race battery rule or not !!! I myself would lend anyone anything if they needed it to race! I am a BRCA rep and love grass roots racing its the future of the hobby and there is nothing better than seeing someone come up through club racing to start racing regionals and then racing at nationals! Also club racing at tiverton there is no rules but you know that right?? Whatever your opinion is of the BRCA please don't tar us all with the same brush :(

He does have a point though mowan, I would quite happily say every club would help out a new member but when new people turn up to a club having already spent £30 on a new set of lipos (more if you have bought more then one set) to be told ur not technically allowed to use them is costly for a new starter an can potentially but more people off

Cant we just vote to ban the battery rule at the next brca agm? If its not about insurance I dont really see the need for it?

I second that dwp102.

My experience so far regarding other rules at the club seem to be very lax with answers of, go get a life and get out more as this is only club racing. So what's the difference here?

A vote at the AGM would be a good idea. The BRCA are hardly going to ring the police and get us all arrested are they? If other clubs vote against it then the BRCA would have to change the ruling. Thats if it goes ahead. :)

Has anyone read this????
http://www.brca.org/sites/www.brca.o...014%20Fnl..pdf

25.3 ?????????????????????????????????????????

Mowen, what that means is, the BRCA battery list will only apply to any 'national' event, leaving regions to choose as to whether they wish to run the list or not, which is how it should be.

I think that it would be section suicide to force racers to run EB list batteries at club level, I for one would have to buy at least 5-6 packs of batteries and many club racers locally would have to re-invest as if it went into the General Rules, there would be no way around it, and would affect ALL electric classes.

I know what it means thanks :thumbsup:
I just thought maybe some should see it before pointing the gun :thumbsup:

Let me see if I'm on the same wave length, 25.3 may mean at regional events we have the choice to run what lipos we want?

Erm, yeap, but a regional could, if it wishes, choose to run the EB list, which is different to what we have now where they HAVE to run to the full list.

So why was the south west reginals enforcing the battery rule then?

also if the brca say that only batteries used on the list can be used for club racing this will KILL the sport. Second if it does come into force how will it be enforced? Scrutineering before each heat?

This year 2014 ! we enforced the battery rule because the south west regionls is a Brca sanctioned event?

So in the brca handbook we have first
15.1 All BRCA Sanctioned events will be run to BRCA rules.

Then we have this!25.2 The description, specification and types of rechargeable batteries approved for use in Off-Road Sanctioned events can be found in the section entitled ‘BRCA Electric Board’ (EB).

25.3 Cells and batteries can only be used if they are included on the BRCA (EB) homologation list at the time of the event.

25.4 Entrants must be prepared to open packs on demand of the race Scrutineer to demonstrate the eligibility of the rechargeable batteries.

25.5 All competitors at BRCA Off-Road sanctioned events must comply with BRCA Electric Board rules, in particular rules 3.6 to 3.10 inclusive.

So we did our region to the rules as specified ! as also explained in this thread about the 4th post down
http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144218

Because this year (2014) you had to, the proposal you have seen is for a change in rules for next year (2015).