Confused about cells

[Chris Green]

Hello everyone!

I was hoping to order my cells for the 2008 season this week. I have the money ready, and just need to decide what to go for.

I will be running a B44, and a B4 at the mid-west regionals. The B44 will be running a 5.5R, and the B4 will probably have a 6.5L in it.

I have one set of GrePow Kapow4200's, and one set of GP3700's. Both of these should be ok for both classes (The 3700's might struggle a bit, as they are old ish). So, I will need 2 more sets for this season for sure.

However, the commonly used cells are IB's and EP's. However, these cells are un-reliable at best. There are obviously other threads to discuss this, so I don't want to go into that too much.

So, what should I do?

For regionals, I understand that I can use 2007 cells. I can't find a 2007 list, so I don't know what cells are ok for me. If anyone could help me with that, I'd be grateful.

So, I could do any of the following;

1. Buy some IB4200's, look after them, and pray they don't blow up on me.

2. EP4200's, as above. there are obviously fewer explosions with these, but in comparison, not many people run them.

3. Orion SHO4200. These will probably be popular this season? they are expensive, but if they are as solid as GP3700's or similar, then that's great!

4. buy some of last season's cells from people that are running at the nationals this season? There will probably be loads of solid GP3700's and such like being sold? Possibly Batt4000's?

5. take a gamble, and buy some of the other cells on the brca approved list? So many of these are un-proven? run-time is unlikely to be an issue, but I am majorly concerned about safety.

I charge my cells in the kitchen at the moment, and I'd hate to see them explode when the missus is in there, or a member of my family (and I've recently spend £3600 on laser eye surgery for the wife, so I need to look after her peepers!). Plus, I go club racing with my dad, and 10 y/o brother. The thought of something exploding around them, or any of the other kids at a meeting is horrific.

For someone like me, there doesn't seem to be an easy option? I really don't know what to do?

I'd really appreciate some advice.

Thank you,

Chris.

[markwilliamson2001]

Hey mate,

I have some 5 or 6 run GP3700's that are in pretty good nick tbh, and have been looked after well with an equaliser, and 2 older packs of 3300's which the punch have dropped off a bit, but you will easily last with in 2wd.

I was thinking of going LiPO at leominster, so would not need all these batteries. Let me know if you want the GP3300's, as I can bring them on Friday for a tenner!

Cheers
Mark

[Chris Green]

cheers Mark,

Can you let me know what you want for them all? how many packs of 3700's have you got?

I've got some older 3300's for club racing, but I might be interested in some more. The 3700's do interest me though.

Thanks.

[markwilliamson2001]

I have one pack hardly used, but one of the cells has vented during charging, and just needs replacing, and will not currently charge. The dodgy cell was like that when I bought it, got worse after the 2nd charge, when it failed to charge the pack.

I have 5 other packs, some hardly used, some older. I don't mind letting 3 packs go to you. £15 a pack sound okay?

What are you doing about regionals this year? Would you like to pit in/ travel up together, as I am normally on my own. Also since I would have less packs, I would need to charge on the day. I know you were looking at a generator, and don't mind chipping in a bit on the day to 'steal' some of your electricity!!

Let me know
Mark

[bigred5765]

i would think no matter what you buy as long as there on the eb 2008 list will be more than upto the job

[Chris Green]

Yes, I agree Carl, I'm sure any of the 2008 cells will provide more than enough capacity for me. I guess the question for me really, is should I bother with the 2008 cells, if i don't need to?

Mark, I'd be interested in 2 packs for sure. I'm sure they'll be fine for me in 4wd too? I guess they are the ones you ran in your XX-4? i'm afraid I wouldn't be too interested in the pack with the vented cell though. As long as the pack can hold close to 3700mah in capacity after equalising, I'm happy? Sound ok?

I'll need to confirm if I can definitely run these this season first? I can't find any documentation on this yet?

Regarding the regionals, yeah, travelling / pitting together sounds good. You are only doing the 2WD rounds if I remember correctly? At the moment, I plan to do all rounds except Stoke.

For 4WD, I hope to do 4 out of 5 rounds. Do you know if it is 3 rounds that count?

Thank you.

[bigred5765]

as long as your region allows you to use 2007 cells you should be OK
but remember, end of year finals, Juniors, vets and f2.3.4.5's will all be 2008 cells only

[MattW]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

a
but remember, end of year finals, Juniors, vets and f2.3.4.5's will all be 2008 cells only

NO, fairly sure that isn't correct - as they are extension's of regional series.

There are very few 2008 cells actually available at this point in time. All the IB's and EP's are different cells, and i haven't seen any of them yet. The Orion SHO seems solid, but isn't a true 4200. So far, i think they would be my choice for the 08 season. Shame they won't be legal for Indoor finals though. They will have been available long enough - and ironically by time indoor finals actually run, i can't imagine it will be that easy to buy any cells from the 07 list!!

[Chris Green]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

but remember, end of year finals, Juniors, vets and f2.3.4.5's will all be 2008 cells only

How can I confirm this?

Thank you.

[bigred5765]

its given away in the fact that they are brca nationals, junior finals and brca f2.3.4.5's
brca sectioned events must conform to brca rules,
sorry edited my post

[alrg500]

I am sure its been said on another thread that you will be able to run 2007 and previous cells at the end of season nationals.

[bigred5765]

thats right as end of year means just that
end of 2007 season indoor finals
f2,3,4,5's and juniors are all 2008 nationals so must use new cells

[Chris Green]

Right, so if I wanted to enter the end of season finals for 2008, they'd be held at the start of 2009? and I'd need to use 2008 cells, off the latest list.

That's a shame. I'd have to buy new cells for one meeting?

What is the end of season finals for anyway? Does it help with License grading?

[bigred5765]

yip
yip
and what about f2'3'4'5's and or juniors
sorry no idea how old you are

[alrg500]

As per Charlie Frazer on page 11 of the 2008 cells thread, you can use 2007 or earlier cells at this years end of season finals.

Chris
End of season finals have no affect on your grading, you get that from your regionals, well worth doing though and they are a good introduction to how nationals work.

[Chris Green]

Originally Posted by alrg500

As per Charlie Frazer on page 11 of the 2008 cells thread, you can use 2007 or earlier cells at this years end of season finals.

Chris
End of season finals have no affect on your grading, you get that from your regionals, well worth doing though and they are a good introduction to how nationals work.

Cheers for that.

Does that mean the end of season finals that are at the end of the 2008 season?

Not sure if the end of season event for 2007 has happened already?

It seems that you and Carl are saying different things?

If I can use 2007 cells at the 2008 end of season meeting, that makes my mind up really. I'll let everyone else do the research on the 2008 cells, and choose new ones for next season instead (2009).

I'll use 3700's for regionals instead, makes sense I guess.

[Chris Harte]

I think what he means is that the 2007 cells can be used from April 2007 to 31 March 2008 and the 2008 cells can be used from April 2008 to 31 March 2009. Basically the cell list is the year of racing.

Thats how I interprets it.

[josh_smaxx]

Originally Posted by Chris Harte

I think what he means is that the 2007 cells can be used from April 2007 to 31 March 2008 and the 2008 cells have to be used from April 2008 to 31 March 2009. Basically the cell list is the year of racing.

Thats how I interprets it.

Nearly oh and thats for nationals, add one year to those dates for regionals

[bigred5765]

no were both saying the same thing
the 2007 end of year finals happen in 2008 thats because march 2008 is the end of the 2007 racing season indoors,and the start of the 2008 outdoor season,
last years cells can be used for 2008 regionals if your region decides to do that check first,any brca sectioned national event IE Juniors f2,3,4,5 and 2008 end of season finals will have to be new cells

[alrg500]

Not sure we are?

My view on what Charlie is saying is you can use old cells at the 2008 F2'&F3's which happen in Sept 2008.
I reckon this is because they are regional finals and you can use old cells at regional level all this year(2008)

So for everything that Chris is doing you can use the old cells.

I have to say that we could do with some official line on all this as it is all very confusing and everyones ideas seemed to be on how they read things.