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going LIPO - is it worth my time?

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On 2/4/2023 at 6:52 PM, Twinfan said:

Totally agree.  I don't need quicker than I can get just as easily with faster motors. or the extra hassle  :D

It’s not about quicker, but weight and duration + consistency 

 

I only would understand you are not interested in lipo tech, if you say you are 60+ years old. Elderly people tend to have difficulties to adapt to new technologies :lol:

 

otherwise I would think you are inexperienced and ignorant to something superior 

 

also I understand fear of the unknown, don’t be afraid anon. I sleep literally next to my batteries and some of them are puffed :ph34r:

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1 minute ago, Fabia130vRS said:

It’s not about quicker, but weight and duration + consistency 

 

I only would understand you are not interested in lipo tech, if you say you are 60+ years old. Elderly people tend to have difficulties to adapt to new technologies :lol:

 

otherwise I would think you are inexperienced and ignorant to something superior 

I do not race, so "weight and duration + consistency" really don't matter.  As I said earlier in this thread, racing is very different to bashing.

I am not 60+ years old, and neither am I inexperienced or ignorant.  I have decided it's not worth the hassle for me and the way I use my cars.  If it is for you then great.

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Just now, Twinfan said:

I do not race, so "weight and duration + consistency" really don't matter.  As I said earlier in this thread, racing is very different to bashing.

I am not 60+ years old, and neither am I inexperienced or ignorant.  I have decided it's not worth the hassle for me and the way I use my cars.  If it is for you then great.

Take my apologies if it came across harsh.

 

But I am reading the comments about Li-Po and it’s like a bunch of girls complaining about how dangerous something is.

 

made me wonder… 

 

I would like to hear your pro’s on NiMh batteries 

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1 hour ago, Fabia130vRS said:

Take my apologies if it came across harsh.

 

But I am reading the comments about Li-Po and it’s like a bunch of girls complaining about how dangerous something is.

 

made me wonder… 

 

I would like to hear your pro’s on NiMh batteries 

It does come across as harsh, and calling people "a bunch of girls" isn't very 2023  :rolleyes:

NiMh are cheap, easy to look after and come in packs up to 5000mAh which is plenty for bashing around with a vintage or re-re Tamiya kit.  It's as simple as that.

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1 hour ago, Fabia130vRS said:

But I am reading the comments about Li-Po and it’s like a bunch of girls complaining about how dangerous something is.

Is it not? How did UPS6 went down? Experts concluded it was caused by lipo autoignition, do you have information contradictory to that? Perhaps the pilots were charging the batteries incorrectly? Or maybe they were abusing it beyond what they are supposed to do? Or maybe poor quality cells? How do we know if the cells in our lipo are of good or poor quality? You have some special inspection method?

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4 hours ago, Fabia130vRS said:

if you say you are 60+ years old. Elderly people tend to have difficulties to adapt to new technologies :lol:

 

otherwise I would think you are inexperienced and ignorant to something superior 

 

also I understand fear of the unknown, don’t be afraid anon. I sleep literally next to my batteries and some of them are puffed :ph34r:

Hey everybody, look at the BIG MANLY MAN who sleeps next to his batteries! What a daredevil! :rolleyes::lol::lol::P

4 hours ago, Fabia130vRS said:

Take my apologies if it came across harsh.

 

But I am reading the comments about Li-Po and it’s like a bunch of girls complaining about how dangerous something is.

Your apology means nothing if the very next line is yet another insult. I guess it's hard for you to accept that people are different.

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I really would engage everybody to switch to lipo, who has at least some experience in this hobby. Often there is so much negativity about li-po that is unreal.

  1. hardcase li-po batteries of known manufacturers and in-region sellers (EU, UK, USA etc)
  2. knowledge of li-po ratings and ESC / Motors specifications
  3. basic knowledge of charging batteries (don't let your charger exceed over 1C charge ratings for example 4A = 4000mAh)
  4. lipo alarm
  5. I admit I was a bit annoyed and yes it is destructive, sorry for that, lynch me.

idiot proof charger (expensive combo): https://tamico.de/Spektrum-Ladegeraet-LiPo-Smart-PowerStage-Bundle-2S

up to 5A (any battery above, 5000mAh will be safe)

mostly other chargers are low as 1.5A or 2A (any battery above1500mAh - 1.5A / 2000mAh - 2A is safe) I have a Quanum E4 Cube 4A smart charger and imax B6 for low capacity 2s lipos and nimhs. My batteries are from 2500mAh to 5500mAh 2s-3s.

lipo alarm (in case esc does not have low voltage cut-off): https://www.ebay.com/itm/254625136230

 

For me, it's really not that hard and dangerous. I wouldn't advise children and inexperienced ones.

 

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3 hours ago, Twinfan said:

It does come across as harsh, and calling people "a bunch of girls" isn't very 2023  :rolleyes:

NiMh are cheap, easy to look after and come in packs up to 5000mAh which is plenty for bashing around with a vintage or re-re Tamiya kit.  It's as simple as that.

how long do you charge these 1400-2000-2400mAh nimhs?

is it worth it? and how many do you have in use?

 

I guess all that could be replaced with 2 mid size'd lipos. Charged in less than an hour.

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I have several NiMH batteries and three 5000mAhs are usually more than enough for an hour in the park, even for the more battery-heavy cars.

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Just now, Twinfan said:

I have several NiMH batteries and three 5000mAhs are usually more than enough for an hour in the park, even for the more battery-heavy cars.

I used a LRP 5000mAh NiMH in a lunchbox, it had a brushless 4300k motor and the 19T hornet pinion.

Here I noticed the biggest difference, what a monster the car was on 3s 4000mAh (that is the same usual battery size) vs the heavy 5000mAh NiMH (because of the weight and output, it would hardly lift the front wheels after the battery voltage drops)

 

So basically switching to lipo will eventually open you also the door to 3s 11.1V. Not sure how brushed setups will handle it... but yes it is an individual thing to personal preferences. But people make it sound like it's something illegal. :lol:

I just don't see a point here unless it is year correct and requests NiMH. Don't mind me here...

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Given the limitations of the Lunch Box chassis, 11.1V and a 4300k motor sounds undriveable to me and a recipe for repairs.  I'm perfectly happy with less brute force and greater longevity of parts.

You don't see the point in not doing what you did, which is fine by me, so why not do the same and acknowledge other people's views accepting that we're all different as El Gecko suggests?

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16 minutes ago, Twinfan said:

Given the limitations of the Lunch Box chassis, 11.1V and a 4300k to me sounds undriveable and a recipe for repairs.  I'm perfectly happy with less brute force and greater longevity of parts.

Never mind 3S or brushless, by going 2S on my LB, I had to knock it's Sport Tuned down to a silver can or it just flips over all the time.

Granted that lipo is more powerful and last longer, but it is no less dangerous in 2023 or 2016 (year of Samsung Note 7). Being aware of the risks and assessing it for oneself is the key, not just saying they are safe. One particular annoyance is the "get from a reputable brand" advice, as already pointed out, no company seem to put the names of the cells manufacturers on their lipo, so what is under that expensive sticker is unknown. Also, pretty sure Samsung is a reputable brand, or at least was.

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On 2/6/2023 at 4:35 PM, alvinlwh said:

Also, pretty sure Samsung is a reputable brand, or at least was.

And Boeing, and GS Yuasa all overseen by a government regulator.

 

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16 minutes ago, Keracticus Pots said:

And Boeing, and GS Yuasa

Ohhh... Now you reminded me, 787s...

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First of all: each to their own. If you're happy with Nimh, fine by me.

I'm not a racer but drive my cars on a circuit once in a while and do postal racing + a lot off driving around what could be referred to as moderate bashing. My first Lipo's are still going strong after several years while the new Nimh packs I got around the same time have lost a fair deal of their capacity. I charge them normally at 1C but sometimes as much as 2C, they're 30 or 50C rated. All new batteries I get are Lipo, even on crawlers you can't ignore the performance improvement.

Strange how Lipo's become a thing when it's RC related but (almost) everyone is walking around with a smartphone in their pocket or next to their bed while sleeping. Mine has a 3500Mah lipo in it.

I keep mine in Ammo boxes in the basement, placed upon the brick floor now (no longer on a wooden rack) and there's a smoke detector in the basement. (as on any floor in the house) I'm not worried. 

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