Will lipo's help?

[dobber]

I have just got a new buggy having been away from rc for 9 years and so have old esc and motor. Would a lipo battery pack be of much benefit? I will upgrade motor and esc in acouple of months.

Thoughts please

[Dazzler]

I'd be inclined to stick with your old batteries too until you get the brushless set-up. Will save messing around with a lipo cut-off for such a short period. The extra power you can get out of them is also likely to fry your old gear, leaving you with nothing, potentially damaging the lipo in the process.

[Chris56]

Originally Posted by dobber

I have just got a new buggy having been away from rc for 9 years and so have old esc and motor. Would a lipo battery pack be of much benefit? I will upgrade motor and esc in acouple of months.

Thoughts please

Hi mate, there are pros and cons to converting to LIPOs.

LIPOs are a benefit in the following ways:
1) They operate at 7.4v and not 7.2v
2) They have a much flatter voltage drop curve (ie the voltage doesn't drop quickly like a nimh/nicad)
3) They don't have a "memory" like old Nicads so you don't need to (or mustn't) fully discharge them
4) they are lighter.

On the downside:
1) They cost more
2) You need a charger that will do lipos
3) If you fully discharge them or over charge them, they can explode
4) If you use an old esc, you need a low voltage cutoff device to prevent fully discharging the LIPOs (most brushless escs have this fitted inside)

Hope this helps - has the X4 arrived yet?

[dobber]

Originally Posted by Chris56

Hi mate, there are pros and cons to converting to LIPOs.

LIPOs are a benefit in the following ways:
1) They operate at 7.4v and not 7.2v
2) They have a much flatter voltage drop curve (ie the voltage doesn't drop quickly like a nimh/nicad)
3) They don't have a "memory" like old Nicads so you don't need to (or mustn't) fully discharge them
4) they are lighter.

On the downside:
1) They cost more
2) You need a charger that will do lipos
3) If you fully discharge them or over charge them, they can explode
4) If you use an old esc, you need a low voltage cutoff device to prevent fully discharging the LIPOs (most brushless escs have this fitted inside)

Hope this helps - has the X4 arrived yet?

Sadly it's not arrived yet and thanks for the info.

I'm going to be running my old gear for a few months but thought if I could I'd get some lipo that I've seen selling for £30 (Orion saddle lipo's) which I thought was good. Just got a charger that will do all types of battery too so I'm sorted there.

[Chris56]

Originally Posted by dobber

Sadly it's not arrived yet and thanks for the info.

I'm going to be running my old gear for a few months but thought if I could I'd get some lipo that I've seen selling for £30 (Orion saddle lipo's) which I thought was good. Just got a charger that will do all types of battery too so I'm sorted there.

Ok mate, if it doesn't arrive tomorrow let me know and i'll play hell!

The Orion LIPOs are certainly very good. The old gear should do you fine for a few months - i know plenty of people who still run brushed setups and keep up with the big guys just fine

[Col]

Originally Posted by Chris56

1) They cost more

I'll disagree with that point...

I have 1 pack of lipo cells (ib4200 35c). They are 2 yrs and 3 months old and I run them at 2/3 club nights per month. They retailed at £80ish when new. Before them I used to run 5 packs of SMC 4200's at a cost of £60 EACH that needed replacing every year!

£300 per year vs £40 over 2 years

[Chris56]

Originally Posted by Col

I'll disagree with that point...

I have 1 pack of lipo cells (ib4200 35c). They are 2 yrs and 3 months old and I run them at 2/3 club nights per month. They retailed at £80ish when new. Before them I used to run 5 packs of SMC 4200's at a cost of £60 EACH that needed replacing every year!

£300 per year vs £40 over 2 years

I agree that if you are investing in new cells, nimhs are a bit of a false economy. If you can secure a used set of nimhs for free, however (which you have been able to do)
, then they are cheaper!
When your new nimhs stop working, i would upgrade to lipos - especially if you upgrade the motor/esc to brushless

[dobber]

Originally Posted by Chris56

I agree that if you are investing in new cells, nimhs are a bit of a false economy. If you can secure a used set of nimhs for free, however (which you have been able to do)
, then they are cheaper!
When your new nimhs stop working, i would upgrade to lipos - especially if you upgrade the motor/esc to brushless

Which is exactly what I'm doing (cheers Chris!)