Electric 1/8th Buggies

[James]

What do we all think of these then?

And what do we know? anyone with much experience of them...what are the current limitations?

I like the idea a lot - convenience of electric; no need for pit men, very strong and can handle large jumps..

James

[nevens]

I have no experience so far but I've been reading and participating in rctech forum about this.

My view:

Pros:
- very strong cars
- quite large autonomy (around 20 minutes with 6000mAh packs)
- smoke the nitros

Cons:
- no esc designed for this purpose; most guys are using a MambaMax above it's specs (4s while it's aimed to handle 2s, meaning 14.8v instead of 7.4) with holes and fans; Tekin and Castle should have a specific in coming months
- cost (conversion kit + 1 battery + esc + motor + ubec > $800 USD); then you add the car, servo, battery charger,...
- not much available in Europe so import taxes

[DCM]

Tekin are working on a unit right now.

Converting a chassis normaly is just the centre mount and removing breaks. Big cost is the motor and cells.

[nevens]

Originally Posted by DCM

Tekin are working on a unit right now.

Converting a chassis normaly is just the centre mount and removing breaks. Big cost is the motor and cells.

Yes, but I quote a Tekin employee (posted yesterday):
Don't get too far ahead of yourself, these are still in the first stages of development. We're working like crazy to get all the FX and R1 series out as it is.
This ESC is announced for months now...

Anyway, to put numbers on my previous post, conversion is about $135, battery $250, motor $250, ESC tbd

[antnee]

Originally Posted by nevens

Yes, but I quote a Tekin employee (posted yesterday)
Anyway, to put numbers on my previous post, conversion is about $135, battery $250, motor $250, ESC tbd

some of your figures are a bit out, the mamba max esc can handle 12cells/3s lipo, but people have run it on 4/5s with ubec's

esc- the BK Electronics 12020 Warrior Car Controller handles 20cells and it $195,
the prefered choice is Quark Monster Pro 125B Brushless Sensorless Speed Controller which is $275, that is a good esc. which can take 6cell lipo.

motor- the Feigao/Nemesis/Wanderer "XL" brushless motors in usually 7xl form are fine for it, thats $92 from rcmonster

battery is dependant on what you go for, maxamps and flightpower are the best
quick prices
Lipo 6300HV 4S3P 14.8V Pack $280
Lipo 6300HV 18.5V Pack $320
Lipo 10000mah 4S 14.8V Pack $250
Lipo 10000mah 5S 18.5V Pack $300
Lipo 10000mah 6S 22.2V Pack $350

for conversion take out any nitro bits so all that should be left is the steering servo and a receiver. mock up where everything will go, then get hold of some aluminum and make a motor mount. secure everything else, jobs a good 'un

[nevens]

Originally Posted by antnee

some of your figures are a bit out, the mamba max esc can handle 12cells/3s lipo, but people have run it on 4/5s with ubec's

esc- the BK Electronics 12020 Warrior Car Controller handles 20cells and it $195,
the prefered choice is Quark Monster Pro 125B Brushless Sensorless Speed Controller which is $275, that is a good esc. which can take 6cell lipo.

motor- the Feigao/Nemesis/Wanderer "XL" brushless motors in usually 7xl form are fine for it, thats $92 from rcmonster

battery is dependant on what you go for, maxamps and flightpower are the best
quick prices
Lipo 6300HV 4S3P 14.8V Pack $280
Lipo 6300HV 18.5V Pack $320
Lipo 10000mah 4S 14.8V Pack $250
Lipo 10000mah 5S 18.5V Pack $300
Lipo 10000mah 6S 22.2V Pack $350

for conversion take out any nitro bits so all that should be left is the steering servo and a receiver. mock up where everything will go, then get hold of some aluminum and make a motor mount. secure everything else, jobs a good 'un

You're correct about MambaMax, it's 3s. Thanks for mentionning the others.

The prices I gave were relative to what I understood to be the standard racing package from rctech.
1. 4s batteries (and ok the Mamba can take it with mods but you can also read that quite a few fried nevertheless...)
2. NeuMotor type 1512 http://www.neumotors.com/20061222/15...es%20data.html
3. A manufactured conversion kit like this http://www.rcproductdesigns.com/OneEigthScalekits.htm

Now you can always to cheaper... and maybe not worse after all!

[gramey]

I've haven't had anything to do with them although I have read several posts on different forums about them. I started racing 1/10 electric TC, bought myself a 1/8 nitro buggy just to bash with. When our club built a track for 1/10 electric off road I sold the nitro and bought an electric 1/10.
I just found it too sterile and sold it and went and bought a 1/8 nitro truggy which I now race.
I just love the sound and the smell, even though my brushless 1/10 could keep with the nitro it just wasn't the same to me.
There are pro's & con's for both but being a big kid I'd rather sacrifice the speed and cleanliness of an electric for the good old sound and smell of a nitro in off road.

[nevens]

Originally Posted by gramey

I've haven't had anything to do with them although I have read several posts on different forums about them. I started racing 1/10 electric TC, bought myself a 1/8 nitro buggy just to bash with. When our club built a track for 1/10 electric off road I sold the nitro and bought an electric 1/10.
I just found it too sterile and sold it and went and bought a 1/8 nitro truggy which I now race.
I just love the sound and the smell, even though my brushless 1/10 could keep with the nitro it just wasn't the same to me.
There are pro's & con's for both but being a big kid I'd rather sacrifice the speed and cleanliness of an electric for the good old sound and smell of a nitro in off road.

You can't beat that

I think that when the esc's will be there, the electric version will save all the engine setup trouble. I don't run nitro but this seems to be the biggest frustration of the guys that do. I come and run pack after pack in 1/10 while they have sometimes trouble to run 5 minutes in a row (or even at all). Anyway, currently 1/8 brushless is as much trouble as the hardware is not ready yet...

[racingdwarf]

After 10years of going home smelling of nitro with a head ache, sore eyes the 1/8th bug wore off.

Why spend time and money trying to put a motor were the engine should be? I'm now off to the shed to strap my RB C6 into my B4

[nevens]

Originally Posted by racingdwarf

After 10years of going home smelling of nitro with a head ache, sore eyes the 1/8th bug wore off.

Why spend time and money trying to put a motor were the engine should be? I'm now off to the shed to strap my RB C6 into my B4

Take a picture before it blows