NiCad or NiMH

[turtle(2)]

What would be better for me:[?]

2400 mAh NiCad "Rocket pack" from Orion price £18

OR[?]

3000 mAh NiMH "Max Pack" from Modelsport price £18

I race a TT-01 every friday at an indoor circuit in Dorset. I need at least 5 min runtime for the race but would like more so i can have fun on the road during the week and at weekends. I will soon be using a 27 turn stock motor and will soon be using an ESC. (its all on the Christmas List![])

Thanks Lots, appreciate any reply! []

[Top Force Racer]

All things being equal, the 3000mah NiMH will give you longer run times. However, you should have a quality charger capable of charging NiMH packs. If you are serious about racing, I wouldn't buy either of them. I would opt for some good quality matched packs instead. If you put a gun to my head, I would go for the 2400s for stock racing. They give you a little more punch tan the 3000s, which I would use for modified motors. When you're just bashing around, make sure you don't use your expensive batteries. Get some cheap packs like 1500-1900mah NiCDs.

[Scorchio]

Hope this helps

Ni Cad= Fast acceleration, and extremely nasty manufacture enviromentaly speaking (mercury in rivers).

NiMH= not so good on acceleration, great run time, cell can take more charge cycles, enviromentaly freindly and generally longer lifespan.

I tend to use Nimh on the ruff stuff and when I fancy a bit of wheelspin action round a car park NiCad (Top Force Racers cheap packs).

Sorry top force we type in sync LOL

[sosidge]

NiCd's are more durable than NiMH's, NiMH's go off after fewer cycles - and the latest 3300 NiMH's are more than a match for NiCd's when it comes to punch. But I wouldn't buy an £18 pack, they're no-name cells that just don't perform in a car. make sure you know that you're buying a Sanyo or GP cell.

[BiggusDitchus]

Thats exactly what I said on messenger, better off spending same on the 2400 Rocket packs, I have a few and they good cells.. Generally speaking stick to SANYO nicad or nimh cells

[Jozza(2)]

I've just bought a few Orion rocket packs (2400s) and they work fine on the Baja Champ. The nicads tend to be more punchy (particularly at the cheaper end of the scale) and so long as they are taken care of (make sure they are always properly discharged), will probably outlast Nimhs. 2400's will be fine for a 5 min race on a stock motor.

The ESC will improve your runtime, my lad has just fitted one to the Mad Bull and it lasted a good few mins longer than the other non-ESC Mad Bull which we've got.

[Top Force Racer]

Panasonic also makes good cells. I think we need to focus on how serious you'll be with stock racing. Most companies sell different classes of batteries, for example spec, club, racer, team, and worlds. Each successive class of battery is more expensive, but they generally offer more capacity, and most likely have been conditioned. This conditioning can include matching the cells so that each cell shares similar characteristics and run times, and voltage enhancements. The higher level batteries could easily cost you more than $100 U.S. Most racer and team models go for $50-80. Are you prepare or willing to spend this much? If not, I would recommend spec and club level batteries that generally cost $40 and less. If you're sold on Team Orion, I would recommend the 2400mah Spec Pack Pack. They are made from voltage enhanced Sanyo cells and they should be fairly affordable.

After some thinking, it might be better for you to go with the Rocket Pack. Team Orion has a solid reputation and I think more practice will get you around the track faster than fancy batteries.

[mud4fun]

quote:Jozza said: 2400's will be fine for a 5 min race on a stock motor.

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id="quote">id="quote">LOL, They'll do a lot better, my thundershot with a 14x2 motor lasts 5+ mins with a sanyo 2400, with stock motor it lasts 20+ mins!!! []

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My personal preference is to NiCD as it does give noticable gains in acceleration over NiMH. I'd take a 2400NiCD over a 3000NiMH any day.

[turtle(2)]

Thanks guys.

Im not taking it too seriosly at the moment and i dont want to spend too much. So i think i will go for the NiCads. I already have NiCads so i will also get a discharger too. Has anyone got any discharger recommendations?

Thanks again

[Top Force Racer]

If you're looking for a dedicated discharger, and not a new charger with a discharge function then Deans makes a nice 20amp bulb discharger that comes either in kit or factory assembled forms (the factory assembled form is nearly 2x more expensive). You could make a bulb discharger yourself with some common items. Here a link: http://www.balakracing.com/bulbdischarger.htm

Yes, the Deans costs more, but for what it's worth, it does double as a car stand.

[Scorchio]

quote:Originally posted by sosidge

NiCd's are more durable than NiMH's, NiMH's go off after fewer cycles

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id="quote">id="quote">

[:I] Last time I listen to a shop assistant.

[Jozza(2)]

quote:Originally posted by mud4fun

quote:Jozza said: 2400's will be fine for a 5 min race on a stock motor.

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id="quote">id="quote">LOL, They'll do a lot better, my thundershot with a 14x2 motor lasts 5+ mins with a sanyo 2400, with stock motor it lasts 20+ mins!!! []

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id="quote">id="quote">

I agree with that mud4fun, I chucked one of the Orion 2400 sticks into my little Mini Cooper Racing, and it lasted until I got bored, and then my son had a go [8D]. Total runtime was over 35mins on tarmac before it ran out of juice.

The higher level cars we use at the club tend to eat more juice though, but after a 5 minute run, a 2400 stick will still have about 700mAh left in it.