Outta control

I posted this question on the Traxxas website but they don't allow mention of other brands, so.....

I like the new Traxxas chargers but their benefits are limited to the Traxxas brand LIPO batteries.

I know Traxxas batteries are a tad more expensive than some bargain competing brands, but...

How do Traxxas LIPOs stand up to other brands in terms of longevity, conservative ratings, bang for the buck and overall user experience?

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Funny how the Traxxas forums don't like people talking about other brands. You might wanna go over to Big Squid RC and search for "Lipo battery shootout". He's got some real testing results of various maker's packs. From what I remember, the Traxxas packs are were pretty good as far as power delivery, and the ratings on the labels were conservative when compared to actual test results. (The tests showed better results than the label states)

I think the idea of the no-balance-plug "ID" Lipos are a good idea, incorporating the balance taps in the power plug. But why don't they make a charger that can do more than 4 Amps?? I mean c'mon, 5000mah lipos are common as dirt. 4Amps isn't even a 1C charge rate. 6000mah and 7200mah Lipos are on the shelves. You should have a charger that can do up to 8Amps for those packs. (Oh, the "1C" is not to be confused with the Discharge rating on the label, i.e. 30C, 50C, etc.) Lipos are usually charged at a 1C charge rate, meaning that if you have a 5000mah pack, you'd charge it at 5 Amps. A 6000mah pack at 6Amps. And a 7200mah pack at 7.2Amps. See how that works?

Longevity and bang for the buck? Hard to say from my experience, as I've never tried Traxxas Lipos. And there are lots of variables. I think all battery packs (pick your chemistry) have a number of charge/discharge cycles they can do before the chemistry starts to break down and you start to loose capacity. I've been using Gens Ace Lipos for several years and one of my older 5000mah packs only holds about 3400mah now. So I use it just for short fun runs. So, how long does a lipo last? Hard to say, cuz it depends on how often you run the car and charge/discharge the battery. For the first couple years, I ran my car(s) every single day. Then my friend would come up with his RC and we'd race all day long, about every other week. That's a lot of run time. So, based on MY experience, and MY usage, I'd guess an average lifetime of a heavily-used lipo pack to be several years. If you only ran a couple times a week, tho, that amount of time would significantly increase.

I also recently ordered a couple of 7200mah 60C 2S Lipos from SMC. GREAT packs. I dunno if it's because they're new, or because they have a higher rating than the Gens packs I have, but those SMC Lipos REALLY light up my SCT with the Novak Ballistic 550 sensored motor. And, you can get them with Traxxas connectors already installed. I got the 7200mah packs for the same price as the Gens 5000mah packs. Like, $45ea. (But their prices may be going up)

So go over to Big Squid and look at his Lipo Shootout.

Foxy

A battery is a battery, as long as it's from a brand whose ratings you can trust, pay as little as you can, there is almost no advantage to buying expensive batteries or employing higher power batteries beyond the requirements of the model (in other words, if a 4000mAh 40C battery lasts long enough to complete the race and delivers enough amps for the application without struggling, then why pay triple for a 5600mAh 100C.?)

As for traxxas and their ecosystem which seems bent on locking you in with proprietary features (hey, it worked for Apple), if you feel that this is a philosophy you support and you are willing to pay extra to have access to these features, then you've answered your own question. If not, then I've answered it for you above.

john01374

I'm personally a fan of SPC and Turnigy. now that the 5200Mah hard packs are available from the CA warehouse I see no reason to buy anything more expensive. I've been running their batteries for a few yrs now with no issues what so ever.

Outta control

Nothing that an adapter or a little soldering can't fix.

Outta control

Thanks. I was looking at the new Dual charger. It does 8 amps when charging one battery, or max of 4 each if charging 2 at a time. Yes, there are some batteries that come out a bit better for a lower price. I've also heard really good things about SMC.

Here's the thing. You've seen the progression and regression of human activity and capabilities from infancy to old age. The kid starts out in diapers, then rides a trike, then a two wheeler then a car. Then when we approach our 60's we get a 2 wheeler, then a trike and then in diapers. The mind is the same way. Traxxas markets its new charger to be goof proof - child proof so they don't blow themselves up or ruin batteries. I'm approaching 70 and figure the same things that benefit kids could benefit the geezers. I think just as long as Traxxas LIPOs are in the ballpark of being decent, I may try their system. I already own a couple of Rage 80 watt chargers that seem fairly goof proof. But I also like new tech which is an aspect of the hobby I like.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Ha ha, I like your analogy! Just a heads up though, if your Rage chargers are not specifically LIPO chargers, DO NOT use them on LIPO batteries, or you will have a fire. Go with the Traxxas dual charger. I DO like their new plug idea, I just wish their charger had more oomph for faster charge times.

Have you read up on the care and feeding of Lipo batteries? They don't like to be left fully charged. Use the Storage function on the charger. It automatically charges or drains the pack to 3.80V which is the chemistry's resting voltage. And always use Balance mode to charge so that each cell is at the same level.

Outta control

Yes, old geezers can blow themselves up just as readily as an 8-year old. The Rage chargers I have are 6 amps each and have specific LIPO balance and fast charge settings. Thanks for the heads up.