BRCA EB Battery Regs Announced

[DaveG28]

Originally Posted by SHY

100% sure they were hardcased?

Not these by any chance?

As far as I could tell the one's I saw in Craggs B44 had less blue! Looked like the LRP stickers had been added afterrwards to bare packs. It looked like hard case where I saw them from, similar looking case design to Trakpowers but black.

[DaveG28]

I'd be screwed with 200-2500, I put back in 2700 after the worksop final and it still wasn't fully charged, with a 6.5 indoors!!

[SHY]

Well, I for sure hope you're right! Would make things so much easier!

But again, if you are... I still cannot understand why there's no information around...

We'll just have to wait patiently in the dark for a few more weeks, with our fingers crossed...

[Kopite]

Originally Posted by DaveG28

I'd be screwed with 200-2500, I put back in 2700 after the worksop final and it still wasn't fully charged, with a 6.5 indoors!!

you must be a throttle jammer!!

[Belsten]

I cant be 100% sure as I didnt see them up close. There was deffo a fair amount of blue on them. Pretty sure it was bradders running the reedys as they have black shrink dont they ?
Craggys certainly didnt have those big LRP stickers pictured

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by Adam Skelding

As Terry.sc has said, the BRCA have made an error, let's hope they learn from it.

They could restore some confidence in themselve's by granting a Years grace for those TrakPowers and other LiPo that are just over size (in mm not capacity). By 2010 legal size should be available.

12th Section allowed 2007 cells to be run @ 2008 Nationals to keep the numbers up. See here

If all goes t*ts up and they don't we can still use TrakPower's etc as a practice pack

[Adam Skelding]

Originally Posted by Kopite

you must be a throttle jammer!!

Indeed. I only used 1800 max all day from TP3200's with a 5.5 in.

I've only once used more than 2000 and that was in a 6 minute practice

[Cockerill]

Originally Posted by Adam Skelding

Indeed. I only used 1800 max all day from TP3200's with a 5.5 in.

I've only once used more than 2000 and that was in a 6 minute practice

I don't think I've ever used less than 2000, and that includes when I break it before the run

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by Cockerill

I don't think I've ever used less than 2000, and that includes when I break it before the run

but tom your allways on maximum attack!

[super__dan]

Tom, you're an animal, I didn't check this weekend but at previous rounds I was using 1200 - 1400mah!

[Cockerill]

The only time I checked I used 2600 out of a 3600 in 4wd with a 6.5

[ianjoyner]

Does anyone know how the TrakPower and Orion stick packs are with respect to this rule?

"The two halves of the case must be factory sealed in a way that any
attempt to open the case will destroy the case."

As I understood both of their cases can be fairly easily opened.

[Mike Hudson]

they would have to be factory glued or sealed another way which neither of them have done as far as im aware

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by Mike Hudson

they would have to be factory glued or sealed another way which neither of them have done as far as im aware

Originally Posted by ianjoyner

Does anyone know how the TrakPower and Orion stick packs are with respect to this rule?

"The two halves of the case must be factory sealed in a way that any
attempt to open the case will destroy the case."

As I understood both of their cases can be fairly easily opened.

Quick Fix
Could be sealed with nail varnish over sticker with suitable wording placed on both ends of case etc just like the do for tyres, chassis etc @ controlled events. Easliy checked at scrutineering and easy to monitor if the scrucineers are on the ball.

[SHY]

Well, the TrakPowers ideally should have been glued together, then shrinkwrapped (or skip the shrinkwrap). As long as you keep the shrinkwrap on they should be safe enough. I still think they should start glueing the halves together in the future though.

I'm not sure how they handhold this in the US, maybe they demand that the shrinkwrap is not removed. And there's the "ROAR approved" sticker, I don't recall right now - is it outside or inside the shrinkwrap? (I think it's on the outside)

I managed to dump with new & matched 4600 cells this summer... with 5 cells and 5,5 in 4WD on the wet clay track (=Nutella) in Vaasa, Finland. Barely made it with 6 cells

[DaveG28]

Originally Posted by Kopite

you must be a throttle jammer!!

I know, I had my car dump once or twice in the summer using Orion 4200 minh! I keep sh*****g myself when people suggest longer races now we have good capacity batteries!

I'm not an animal like Tom though, loved his madness at Broxtowe, and unlike Tom I throttle jam without being good enough to go faster!!

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by SHY

And there's the "ROAR approved" sticker, I don't recall right now - is it outside or inside the shrinkwrap? (I think it's on the outside)

Mine's on the inside under heatshrink but not across the join, just checked

[SHY]

We're running 7 minute heats in Norway from the start of the outdoor season! Most likely we'll increase this even more in the years to come!

Keep in mind that LiPo got approx. 40% longer effective runtimes than NiMH (with equal stated capacity). I haven't checked but going flat out with a B44 with 5,5 and 4800 LiPos it must be somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes runtime...

You guys can't do this simply cause you're overpopulated!

And we allow ROAR and EFRA approved LiPos... it's gonna be great!!!

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by SHY

ROAR: (US & Canada)
Length 139mm, width 47mm, height 25,1mm
Relaxed rules for saddles
No capacity limitations

EFRA: (Europe, rules & approvals by the EB)
Lenght 139mm, width 47mm, height 23,5mm
Saddles combined length max 139mm
Max capacity 5500 mAh

Btw. does anyone know the situation in FEMCA (Far East) and FAMAR (South America)? And what will the situation be for IFMAR (Worlds)?

You'll love this- ROAR lipo battery rules for 2009.

The case shall consist of two (2) halves with each half being constructed from a single mold that is not easily pliable and retains it shape without any exterior or interior support. Both the top and bottom sections of the case must be secured together by glue, double-sided tape or heat seal with a label across the seam stating "ROAR Approved" in such a manner that separation of the case to remove or replace the cells will destroy the case and/or label and render it unusable in competition. The case must be installed by the manufacturer or Value added manufacturer no end User installed cases are acceptable. The case will protect the cells from damage on all sides and will completely cover all cells having only openings for wire connections. Any modification to the factory approved hard case will make the pack ineligible for participation in ROAR events. Approved batteries will be required to have a label stating "ROAR Approved" across the seam. ROAR will have a grandfather clause until Jan 2009 for all approved cells at competition on the Label rule.

So any pack which does not have a ROAR Approved label over the case join is rendered illegal for use in ROAR events.

8.3.2.3 Lipo case dimensions:
8.3.2.3.1 The maximum 2s brick/stick style case size shall be as follows: Length: 139mm max Width: 47mm max Height: 25.1mm max
8.3.2.3.2 The maximum 2s saddle case dimensions shall be as follows: Length: 71mm max Width: 48mm max Height: 32mm max
8.3.2.3.3 The maximum 4s brick/stick style case shall be as follows: Length: 160 mm Width: 52mm Height: 52mm

Looks like ROAR have fixed the "allow oversize packs" dispensation from last year, even though last years packs which were ROAR legal are no longer legal if they don't have the right sticker on the side of the case.

AFAIK FEMCA doesn't allow lipos, I know that Tamiya have missed lipos entirely and released a LiFe pack last year. Lipos aren't yet legal for IFMAR meetings either, usually new rules are created by national organisations, then after some time they work their way up to IFMAR. Lipos are unlikely to be legal for the next 1/10th worlds as IFMAR rules state batteries must be submitted for IFMAR approval 8 months before the event.

[Richard Lowe]

Why don't we all just run illegal cells at this years nationals, they can't DQ everyone

The dimension rules should be relaxed a little IMO, but just for the coming season, given the uproar this rule seems to have caused a lot of people are upset. The only two reasons that seem to have been given for the rule have based their argument on safety and car fitment. I can't see how either of these are an issue given the number of people already running 'illegal' cells over the winter with no issues.

With a lot of cars these days they can be made to fit pretty easily by just bolting things on (such as the Diggity Designs kit for the BJ4/B44), how is this any different to fitting things like different springs or shock oil?

How about lower end cars that might come with a plastic motor mount, where you need to fit a metal one that doesn't melt to run quicker motors - should we ban anything faster than say a 10.5? It's no secret that in the past (this is not a dig at you guys Paul/Chazz, the new moulds are really nice ) you had to be pretty handy with a dremel to run an X-Factory car, why was that car allowed in any way shape or form?!

Similar kind of sillyness has come from the BRCA in the past, the main one I can think of was the banning of cut and shut front tyres for tiverton because some people couldn't do it reliably. This might sound a bit harsh but go and figure it out, thats all part of racing! Learning new skills is part of the fun, I can't see how cars these days can be much more 'plug and play' than they already are; it's getting a bit dull.

That un-named BRCA official really doesn't want us running LiPo does he/she...