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Tamiya ESCs and Batteries

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I am considering getting Tamiya's ESC TEU-302 and according to Tamiya, "This item will run LiPo's but has no LiPo cutoff." I currently have Tamiya 6.6V LF 1100 and 2200 batteries and I'm a bit naïve when get comes to the different types. I also have a Hobby People battery charger that charges many different types but no indication it charges LF batteries and I'm not completely confident I'm choosing the correct setting when charging them.

What kind of batteries are Tamiya 6.6V LF batteries? Are they LiPo? (Tamiya's website about these batteries leave a lot to be desired in terms of info.)

Does "cutoff" mean exactly what it implies–– the RC car stops running when the batteries reach a certain voltage? So if it doesn't have a "cutoff" the RC car will continue until the batteries are dead, which is bad, right?

If the batteries are not LiPo, will the TEU-302 ESC cutoff for Tamiya's LF batteries?

I hope I'm making sense. I appreciated any feedback about the ESC and LF batteries.

-- Jeff

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LF, a.k.a. LiFe batteries, are not LiPo batteries. The internal chemistry is similar, but not the same. As such, the battery characteristics are not the same either. LiFe batteries can safely discharge to a lower level than LiPo batteries.

Tamiya ESCs with a LF cutoff will indeed stop the car from running before the battery level gets too low for LiFe batteries. However by the time it kicks in, LiPo batteries would already be discharged to dangerously low levels.

However to the best of my knowledge, the 302 doesn't have a LF cutoff, just a feature that slows the car when battery voltage drops to the level where servo(s) and receiver are at risk of browning out (which is dangerously low for both LiPo and LiFe batteries).

It is for this reason that a stand-alone LiPo alarm is a good idea when running Tamiya ESCs with LiPo batteries, even if they have a built-in LF cutoff. However if you are running LiFe batteries, the ESC's built-in cutoff will work just fine, if it has one that is. In your case, a stand-alone alarm would be a good idea whether you are running LiFe or LiPo batteries.

Unfortunately I can't offer any advice on charging them though. Anyone else want to step in and answer that one?

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The TEU-302BK does not feature a low voltage cutoff, neither LiPo nor LiFe. The car just slows down when the NiMH or NiCd battery capacity gets low, so it couldn't transfer enough current to the motor for top speed.

TEU-302BK: 17 Turns limit (120 A). 100% Forward / 50% Reverse (Reverse disengageable). Driving frequency 500 Hz / 1 kHz / 2 kHz. Battery input 6.6V - 8.4V. Battery Eleminator Circuit (BEC) output 6V/2A.

Please see also this post for detailed informations on Tamiya electronic speed controllers for brushed motors:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=71440&p=512768

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hi , which hobby people charger , they do 2 , one does li-po/ni-mh , the other does LiFepo4 , lipo , li-ion , etc , if you have the former then you cannot charge LiFepo4 as you will be putting too much voltage into the pack which at best will damage the battery, at worst it will risk a fire ,

as for the esc , the 302 is well respected but compared to the current crop of esc's from the likes of hobbywing the 302 is getting long in the tooth and IMO is long over due for replacement , my guess is that tamiya are just clearing out old stock before releasing its modern equivalent ,

i would advise you get a modern multi chemistry digital charger (they can be had very cheaply these days) and look for an esc that is easily programmable to allow you to quickly change battery cut off voltages , some are happy with brushed systems but brushless is far more efficient and in some ways safer than brushed ,

take your time and examine your options before committing funds to what is a rather redundant technology , i still use some brushed set ups but i also use lipo alarms which are soldered into the esc battery wires , they are cheap and readily available and have bright LED's that show the state of the pack and then sound very loudly when near the safe cut off .

have fun :)

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I'm moving from old style NiMH batteries to LiPo as they're so much lighter and have better discharge/powering characteristics. I went through the same dithering about ESCs some months ago and have been moving to ESCs that can support both battery types. It doesn't make a lot of sense to buy ESCs that aren't able to properly support LiPo - Tamiya need to have a word with themselves. You can get cut off alarms, etc, but if you're buying from scratch, why would you want to compromise/complicate your build?

Brushless is definitely better, but for vintage models and crawling, I'm sticking with brushed. I don't see the motor technology as a reason to go with one battery technology over the other (although a NiMH on a brushless doesn't make a lot of sense)

FWIW, I've just ordered a second one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371067406965

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Best value ESC right now is the Hobbywing Quicrun 1060, it handles LiPo, is waterproof and does motors down to 12T.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RC-Model-QUICRUN-WP1060-R-C-Hobby-Brushed-Motor-ESC-Speed-Controllers-SE025-/251588464070?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a93d74dc6

And that's a pretty good ESC. Basically identical to the one Axial is putting in their new RTR's, minus the drag brake. (SCX10 Deadbolt, Falken Tires Jeep)

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According to the Quicrun WP1060 manual, the LiPo cutoff on 2s LiPo begins at 6.5V (output power will be halved) and fully kicks in at 6V (car stops without resume). I appreciate that the ESC uses 'double-click' reverse and manually programmable throttle endpoint settings, just like I'm used to with Tamiya ESCs. It seems like the on-off switch can be screwed to the chassis instead of just using double-sided tape, another pro. Unfortunately, it copies another trademark from Tamiya: 50% reverse power. Sometimes, I miss the 100% reverse from the good old TEU-101BK, that thing was just perfect for all kinds of silly driving stunts.

I may give the WP1060 a try in future builds.

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Wow! Thank you all very much for the great information and the links. I think I'll just stick to the Tamiya ESC 105 for the time being.

ALFAGTA: To answer your question about which charger I have, I have the Hobby People Activator 50 AC/DC 6A Multi-Chemisty Cycler. Unfortunately it doesn't have a balance connector that will fit my LF batteries. Because of this I purchased a Tamiya LF-6.6V Battery DC Charger. The Tamiya charger works well enough.

Again, thank you everyone for the replies.

-- Jeff

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