Lipo Batteries and charger

[novicelad 787]

Hi All

I want to dabble with LIPO but confusing myself, seems more complicated than it needs be?

I keep hearing people talking about cheap batteries and chargers but then I hear about fires and stuff and I get scared.

What I want to do is run my LB on Lipo, I have the TBLE02s ESC in it at the moment.

So I need a battery with a tamiya connection and I guess I will also need a voltage alarm which I found plenty of on Ebay for a few pound, but also the battery needs to fit.

I also want a charger but dont want to spend the earth something like this OK?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/iMAX-B3-Pro-Compact-2S-3S-Lipo-Balance-Battery-Charger-Discharger-UK-Plug-/252629872452?_trksid=p2349526.m2548.l4275

If so what battery will be best with this sort of charger?

What capacity battery will out perform my current 3300 nimh's?

Cheers 

 

[Wooders28 4723]

2 hours ago, novicelad said:

I keep hearing people talking about cheap batteries and chargers but then I hear about fires and stuff and I get scared.

I've heard of cheap charger copies being sold, but not heard any horror stories, and the fires I've personally heard of, have been whist charging at higher charge rates, so I would say, if you follow the basic guidelines, you'll be fine.

Charging wise, I went for the Imax b6, which are cheap enough, but these are ones that get copied, I know I few people with these and no problems, if I got one again, I'd go for an Imax b6ac , which has a 240v transformer built in (rather than having to use a 240 - 12v adapter) 

 

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/112197343516?_mwBanner=1

 

3 hours ago, novicelad said:

So I need a battery with a tamiya connection

I don't know of any lipo's that have the tamiya connection as they are rubbish and melt when you pass any decent current through them, so I'd go for dean connections, it'll mean swapping the esc connector, but connections are cheap,and it's not too bad of a job.

3 hours ago, novicelad said:

What capacity battery will out perform my current 3300 nimh's?

Pretty much any hard case, stick lipo will be out perform tbh, but these look good for the money.

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/peak-power-plant-lipo-2s-7-4v-4000mah-45c-deans/rc-car-products/405505

[novicelad 787]

Thanks for all this info

[DaveBuildsRC 210]

On 2017-09-21 at 1:45 PM, novicelad said:

Thanks for all this info

Get one of these. No soldering and adapters. Venom lipo comes with a universal plug which lets you switch between Tamiya , deans and a few others . 

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Venom-4000mah-2s-20c-Hardcase-/302459408376?hash=item466bfc4ff8%3Ag%3AenYAAOSwak5ZwazA&_trkparms=pageci%3A496b9c56-9f3d-11e7-b19b-74dbd1800a01%7Cparentrq%3Aa7675ebd15e0abc229f547a1ffe2b53c%7Ciid%3A20

[novicelad 787]

Cheers Guys

OK I looked at changing the ESC from Tamiya to Deans looks quite simple, but I have a TBLE02s which I think is not the greatest ESC so want to replace.

What I would like is a similar ESC that will run brushed as well but with the deans connector, any ideas? 

[Backlash 481]

If you don't want to change the Tamiya Plugs over on your ESC's then the other option is to make or buy a Tamiya to Deans adaptor.. An adaptor is not ideal as it still uses the Tamiya plug, but it will get you up and running in the short term..

None of the cars that I run have Tamiya connectors.. 95% of them use Deans type connectors, because that is what was most popular at my local race track... I have used both Genuine Deans and the T plug knockoffs, and while the Deans seem to be better quality, and less likely to melt when soldering the wires to them, they all seem to work quite well..

The XT60 connectors seem to be quite popular these days if you want to use something other than Deans...

 

[Dirt-540 68]

From my personal experiece;

Tamiya connectors are great, tho only for brushed really. I've had problems twice now and ended up changing to deans, all since going brushless and lipo.

Eventually probably like most (and me) you'll end up buying various adaptors, they're good to have. I bought a bargain battery a while back and it just so happened I had an adaptor at my disposal already. Don't buy them until you need them though, and don't buy battery just because it fits your plug. 

[Wooders28 4723]

5 hours ago, novicelad said:

What I would like is a similar ESC that will run brushed as well but with the deans connector, any ideas? 

For the cost of brushed esc's  (ie lipo compatable, with lipo cut off,1060 esc's are £13) i would get a dedicated brushless esc.

If you've soldered a dean's plug on the esc you've got, you'll have the heat shrink etc, so any other will be a breeze too! 👍

Another thing I'd recommend, is a 2s lipo balance extension lead, makes using a charge sack much easier.

[Jonathon Gillham 4607]

It hasn't been mentioned but not sure if you know about the C rating of the battery, or discharge rate. If you aren't racing you don't need the 100C rated batteries but I would try for at least around 40C - 60C if possible. You can get some which are 20C which isn't much more than NiMH, and there is more to it than just the C rating but I have managed to max out a NiMH, ie no matter what I do the car won't go faster, then put in a 110C lipo and gain 50% as the battery is able to deliver whats being asked. 

I chose XT60 on the advice of a friend who knows far more than me as they can handle higher currents, but deans work well. If you're really keen solder bullets to your esc and plug directly into the battery, I don't have any plugs on my racecars, motor wired to esc and bullet plugs on the battery wires. You can also get a charging loom thing for the charger which has the balance cable included, as Wooders said the length of cable and balance board can be a problem, this loom means you don't have to worry. Expensive though!

If you haven't got a source for cheap plugs locally then try banggood.com the prices include shipping and they are amazing compared to what we pay here in New Zealand and quality is good. Perfect for all those little things like plugs, wire, adapters, discharge leads etc - I even got a multimeter for NZD $4 delivered when my old one packed up, or 10 servo extension cables for $3, cheaper to buy 10 from there than 2 locally.

[DaveBuildsRC 210]

Adapters are great too. Got a 1500mah 2s lipo with deans and using deans to tamiya for nephews grasshopper 2. He has tble 02s it works great and no problems.

[Macinnis 226]

Venom makes lipo batteries with universal plugs.  I have had good success with them.