austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

Lilredmachine-

Without getting in to to many details here on a public forum with all our competitors watching, I never said we had exclusive rights to a manufactuer and that they only build for us.

We do have cells made exclusively for us that no other companies can get. At least that is our requirement and agreement for all of our manufacturers when we work with them. We have specific requirements and testing that we do and we spend a massive amount of time and energy on R and D to stay on the cutting edge.

As an example, one of those requirements is the thickness and width of the tabs on the cells. If you ever take one of our packs apart, you will find that our tabs are a different width, thickness, and even a different material than any other cells I have seen. Just like the wire on the pack, the wider and thicker the tabs and the better job you do of joining those tabs together, the lower the resistance and the better the pack performs. It's not that we have "magical cells" that nobody can get, it is more that we pay a premium for the manufacturers to build them our way and there is simply no other manufacturers that have our same requirements and that are willing to pay the same premium that we are.

Our cost on the loose cells is actually much higher than the retail price that some places are charging for the same capacity pre-built packs. As an EXAMPLE, there might be a 2 cell pack that some companies are charging $25 for and those same capacity cells might cost us $20.00 per cell to get as loose cells to our specs. We also have very strict QC and discharge standards and multiple manufacturers to keep them all honest. In the end, our packs perform better, have higher usable capacity, and offer many more life cycles than other manufacturers. If they don't meet the standards, they get sent back before our customers ever see them.

We are a very good customer for these manufacturers. We place orders every 3 weeks which falls in line with the "Just in Time" business model that they use. We pay up front before delivery instead of requiring terms. Smaller, more frequent orders mean that they know what is coming and it helps the manufacturers plan ahead. It is a win-win all the way around because there are way less returns due to cells just sitting on the shelf and self-discharging or going out of balance after sitting on the shelf for 2 years. The failure rate of our packs is very, very low and I believe that time on the shelf plays an important role in that.

On that note, if you guys are purchasing packs elsewhere be absolutely sure that you balance the pack before charging it the first time and run several cycles on it before you stick it in a high amp draw application.

-A

2walla

My Feedback: (10)

I have tried many different brands of batteries and I have had the overall best results as far as longevity and power delivery with thunderpower,HECELL batteries and now as to power delivery with t turnigy cells. The maxamps batteries I have tried have not delivered the performance they should have. The 30c ones I have are pretty much spanked by the 20c ones I got from HK. I can't say anything about longevity but I will not buy anymore high priced cells as the turningy ones I have all seem to deliver at or above the stated ratings.

rc18junky

i got to say i am a little freaked to see the factory is a 2 car shed i was thinking the factory was a big place where everyone was in clean suits like you see in intel commercials . i wish he would have gotten pix of austin house it must be a mansion for the price they sell the battery's for, but none of us know the industry as austin does i know the produce business and in produce there is number 1 and number 2 produce. number 1 produce is fruit or vegetables that are picture perfect with out a mark on them fresh picked. number 2 produce is fruit and vegetables that are all scored up buy the machines that harvest them or might be a little older and have some rot on them which is turned into processed foods never making it on the plate in restaurants as stemmed on whole zucchini for instanced. for all we know the lipo industry has the same kind of standards firsts and seconds and maxamps uses first only. im thinking in HK there is a room in the factory where there are assessed and the number 1 cell go to company's like maxamps and thunder power ect at a higher price

Ron W3FJW

rc18junky

many idea but none of us know for sure

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

Wow! A shed? Really?

Our current building is much larger than the commercial location that we use to have. It has 4 offices upstairs, a production department, and a shipping department. We also have other buildings here on the property to store boxes and shipping supplies.

You really wish you had gotten pix of my house? Really? Good grief.

And you think I owe you? Dang. I don't even know what to say... Maybe I could just get an appraisal done for you. I will make sure and have them include my car and my wife's mini van

You all know what opinions are like. I guess we all have one. I am wrapping up for the night. Thanks for staying mostly civil and thanks for the brave MaxAmps customers willing to step into the lion's den for us...We will be here for you if you ever need us.

BR,

-Austin

rc18junky

lol i like you also austin lol you dont hold back i like that lol you should have quoted me lol

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know how to use that freaking quote thing. Dang. You are right, I should have....

qoisdhc oqina

My Feedback: (-1)

Top right it says quote Even someone from china can figure that out...

rc18junky

instead of writing in the box below click the quote button on the post you want to single out you see it it is in the right hand top lol like i said i like you

rc18junky

this just might just top your get rid of mrgoodbar thread its close but austin is a good guy

qoisdhc oqina

My Feedback: (-1)

Nah that one was pretty good lol Austin has a reason to be here, and a reason to be a smart ass.Btw, love the comments Austin lol keep em comin

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

Nice one! I got it now[:@]

rc18junky

yea we doing the same thing to him as we did the novak rep a year ago lol but i think the novak rep got i trouble for posting bad comments about castle creations

qoisdhc oqina

My Feedback: (-1)

Sounds like you need someone with more computer expertise in the company...Hmmm can you say employee discount??? Lol

strtzpmp

so austin what u wrote about the 4 offices upstairs and 2 car garage and stuff and $30 solder guns and 13 bucks for 100 cells tabes and 10g wire for 10 bucks for a 250ft roll really makes you charge that much? wow a a123 4s1p pack is almost 150-170 bucks....i just made one with 2x's the cells and mah for 30 bucks off ebay and buying even more would be cheaper.....i have almost as nice house and dont sell anything for 200 bucks each like its a hit of crack and the person was binging....you thin k its highest QC and american made...its probably a low grad+wasted friends that work and work off ebay with photoshop and shrink wrap....i could do the same in my basement with a fumehoog and paint booth/helping hands kit/ 220w soldering gun for soo much less.....but i guess it would be a lower quality business becuase my basement isnt a 2 car garage made just for battery pack building and a name in mags right....i actually thought maxamps was factory with actuall workers with high standards and at least a forklift lol....but i guess that engine crane will work just fine.....im gunna start my own vacuum form bodies/ a123 pack building business and make rollcages too just cuase i can make a body machine and own a soldering and welding set....but im not in it just for some change but for the people in rc too...i like when people get something there happy with with a good price also....that'll be my slogan

nx113

No more beating a dead horse please. How about we call out a BMW or Infinity rep and tell them Kia is better!

gtcuppels

My Feedback: (49)

Why are you guys bashing an american company that suports the hobby. When you need help do you really think that the chinese resellers are going to answer the phone even if they did do you think you are going to understand them. If we keep this anti-American sediment going all the jobs will be in China and the phones will answered in India.If you want to buy overseas it is your business but you do not have to bash an all American company while you do buy there. What we need to do as a group is buy american If we do not stop the bull their will be no american companies to support the hobby then you can pack your stuff up and go to China to race ect

rc18junky

i don't see it as bashing maxamps the company just there prices and the prices is what will do them in. if they were cheaper so we all can afford to buy from them not just a select few with unlimited funds we would not have to go to HK. as you see maxamps don't have much overhead to justify the super high prices running the company out of his house


a Lipo 4200 3S 11.1V Flight Battery Pack is 174.99 a fair price would be 80.00 for a assembled in shed usa product i would pay that, the matching pack for hobbyking is 33.00 there over 5 times the price for the same 30c pack

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

rc18junky- In all seriousness, I get what you are saying for sure.

I understand that they seem the same to you but I can assure you that they are not. Not the same capacity, not the same voltage under load, not the same life cycles. Not even close.

There is no way we could be in business at $80.00 on our 4200 3S pack. We have the prices set as low as we possibly can with the membership program, overhead, and cost of goods. We can not lower them any more and still be in business to support our customers when they need it. We will be here for the long haul. We have seen half a dozen or more american competitors go out of business over the last few years. We are still going strong because of our business model, the quality of our products, our warranty, and our customer service. People are willing to pay more for quality, freshness, performance, service, a 3 year 300 cycle warranty, authentic plugs and taps of your choice installed for you, quick shipping, and no hassle. Not to mention the safety concerns regarding building a lipo pack correctly. I have talked with customers who purchased packs elsewhere and found wires taped to the tabs rather than soldered.

Like I have said in this thread several times. Some people see the value in what we do. Some people don't. It is OK if you don't.

The ones that don't may see the value when they order a pack elsewhere and it arrives dead or lasts for 5 cycles. Over time we will earn more and more customers when they get left high and dry elsewhere. We get calls every day from customers who have had bad experiences elsewhere and are tired of wasting their money on cheap packs.

Thank you again to the guys standing up for us here. It makes my day to see people stepping in and defending us.

-Austin

samguan

How about $120? Still can't survive at this price?

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

samguan-

Canadian or Euro? Depends on the day I guess

How do you like your SC10? I am thinking of picking one up for testing...

rc18junky

austin you said you were going to bed lol

austinelse

My Feedback: (1)

I have not had this much fun in a while. Can't help myself... I have to jog to work in the morning so I should really get to bed Have a good night!

rc18junky

jog that funny maybe around the big wheel to the shop door lol