Upgrade: Lipo or Brushless?

[Conrad]

Low maintenace batteries with higher average voltage or low maintenace motors with more power than brushed?

[jcb]

I chose both, although I believe you can be equally competitive with brushed and Nimh as the advantages to be had from LIPO and brushless get less as you go down the ability levels, as fast cars are not so easy to drive!!
Having said that the low maintenance and ease of use suit the club racer down to the ground, while the performance keeps top racers on their toes.

Only downside of brushless is the UK weather

[monkeynuts]

Originally Posted by jcb

Only downside of brushless is the UK weather

Why..................from an old racer used to brushes and sce's

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by monkeynuts

Why..................from an old racer used to brushes and sce's

One drop of water on a sensor wire, and it all stops working.

Saying that, I use a blob of blue tack over the sensor wire on mine, and never had a problem in some pretty heavy rain, so far that is.

[monkeynuts]

Originally Posted by JohnM

One drop of water on a sensor wire, and it all stops working.

Saying that, I use a blob of blue tack over the sensor wire on mine, and never had a problem in some pretty heavy rain, so far that is.

What on the cable from the speedo to the motor ..................if so why not a blob of silicone sealer on the back of the plugs

[bert digler]

Originally Posted by monkeynuts

What on the cable from the speedo to the motor ..................if so why not a blob of silicone sealer on the back of the plugs

silicone is better

[Chris Green]

If you had to choose between lipo or brushless, i would go brushless first.

Nimh cell maintenance although a pain in the arse, is easier than brushed motor maintenance.

[bert digler]

Originally Posted by Chris Green

If you had to choose between lipo or brushless, i would go brushless first.

Nimh cell maintenance although a pain in the arse, is easier than brushed motor maintenance.

agreed i dont miss skimming motors or arsing about with brushes mind you lipos are just as good two packs no discharging just stick em on charge job done i have time to think about doing thecar

[samd]

Probably go for lipo first if using stock motors and brushless first if using modified myself. . .

[mark christopher]

i put both , then you have an easy life, keep your brushed for extreme wet if need be

[Gayo]

I chose Lipos, I don't mind working on a brushed motor and you can get a pretty good life from good brushes (CS style) and/or good designs (Orion Revolution, Checkpoint).

Equalising, re-charge after a run, discharge before a charge... I don't miss the NIMH thing. The so-called matched cells are not matched after only some runs, cells loose performance after maybe 20 cycles no matter what voodoo you do to them.

I also feel that security is better with Lipos. There were cells exploding at every race I can think of those last years, but I still have to see a lipo failure (knock on wood )

[Conrad]

Maybe i should of phrased the original question differently, which one is the best upgrade in terms of performance?

Making brushed motors go faster is easy, give them more voltage. Current lipo's have a higher average voltage during a run than current nimh but is it a step too far and too much punishment for a brushed motor?

Brushless motors are certainly faster on the track than brushed on acceleration, top end seems about the same as a good brushed motor but is having the maximum amount of voltage available to them as important as it was to brushed?

[Mike Hudson]

I'd go brushless first then get lipo when your ready for an extra speed boost and ready to twidle with the setups on your car

[Richard Lowe]

If I had to choose one or the other it'd be brushless, a brushed motor would have a hard time in 4wd with decent LiPo's

[Ritchie T]

Depends whether you have decent nimh's really ...

[Mini-JT]

....

[CJ Weaver]

It is nice to buy both, but I think Lipo is more important than Brushless, because it is hard to deal with cells sometimes. If you get a bad cell, the pack is pretty much junk unless you have a seperate cell, but then the cell isn't matched with the other cells. Lipo is so easy and efficient. I have a friend that still runs brushed, and all he does is spray out his motors with motor spray. Lipo with brushed is nice, but when you put Lipo with Brushless, you are all set.