When are my batteries getting flat?

[dhes2809]

Hi Guys!

I was wondering if anyone knows of anything that can tell you when your batteries are going flat in your nitro car? Mine has four AA batteries to power the receiver and two servoes but I was wondering if there was a device out there that could give you an idea of how much power they have left much like on your hand set?

Thanks

Dave

[spiff84(2)]

hi

well some AA batteries have battery power checkers built in. But you would need to take them out to check the power.

Thanks

[dhes2809]

Yes thanks but I was realy wanting something I could just mount on the car that would be there all the time and I could just keep an eye on it. I dont know if anything like this has even been made but thought the tamiyaclub guys would help me out.

[wriggleandgiggle]

You can get a device for RC planes that does just this, a green light for ok and a red'un for not alright, they are called 'onboard battery checkers' and cost around £12.99

Do you use NI-CADs or just normal duracell's, if using NIcads you only get 4.8 volts when fully charged versus duracell (or any other non rechargable batteries) 6 volts.

To get 6 volts using NICADS simply add another cell to the pack (5x1.2 volts = 6 volts.

I use this arrangment on my 1/8th scale Rally car and it works very well with quick response from the steering (You need it)

Hope this helps

[dhes2809]

Yes this sounds like just the thing Im looking for. You dont have a link I could use to find one of these by any chance do you?

[wriggleandgiggle]

I don't have a link directly, but I know that www.ripmax.com has them in the price list, but it takes some finding.

Any LHS that sells planes will sell them, probably easier to pop into your LHS and just buy one.

[BalmyBaldwin]

Try this link:

http://www.sussexmodelcentre.co.uk/proddet...asp?ProdID=1403

[dhes2809]

Thanks Lads. youve really helped me out!!![][][][]

[smallman28]

The other thing worth doing is to get a failsafe unit.

This connects in line between the throttle servo and receiver and will set the servo to a safe position if either the battery power starts to get to low or if the signal is lost from the transmitter.

The one other thing worth getting is a throttle return spring,it's all well and good having a failsafe but it wont work if the battery pack falls out,a lot of people simply use a strong elastic band capable of pulling the servo to neutral in the event of a problem.

[dhes2809]

Yes I have a failsafe and the car im using a Schumacher Fusion so it already has a throttle return spring but thanks anyway. []

[dhes2809]

Thanks again lads!

Got my tester today and installed it. Working great!

Thanks. [][][][]

[Skyline_gtr_nos]

you could have just used a cheap multimeter[8D]