helpppppppppppppppp

[realbuz]

Alright, I haven't played with a RC since my late radio shack yellow 4x4 about 18 years ago that was running on 4 C size batteries..

I've been reading a lot latery about rc and crawler. Then I saw this summit coming. I thought it might be a very good starting point to get back into the game.

Having a all around vehicule could suit more my current playing time window and terrain.

What I want is maximum runtime. So I started reading about Lipo batts which seems to be the best choice to runtime right now.

With a few days of reading and searching, I cannot seem to find the best "battery starter kit".

If someone could tell me ALL that is needed and recomment specific product I would very appreciate.

To what I understand, here is what I need to run Lipo on the summit.

2 battery pack (very unsure which capacity/size/brand) (I do not want to run the engine over it's advertised rating and damage it).

1 or 2 ? low voltage cutoff (does it go between the batt and the summit connector ?) (I understand it's used to protect the lipo for discharing to a critically low level and damaging them)

1 or 2 ? balancer ... are there charger already coming with this or it has to be independant, do I need one or two, which model, how do I connect it to the battery/charger ? (I understand it's used to make sure all the cell in the pack are charged evenly)

charger, having one with the possibility to charge both pack at the same time would be great. I understand the 240 (dont remember brand) does not have one of the recommended feature compared to the 230. Is there a good charger that will do both pack and has all the required features ?

how do I connect everything in the summit once I have all the is needed ?

any help/pointer would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Simon

[egnix]

I'm also new to lipo's, but since no one else has responded yet, I'll answer what I can.

You need 2 batteries. Obviously, the higher the capacity, the better. That's why I'm leaning towards going the route of 2 8000mah LiPos. Since no one has a Summit yet, runtimes can only be guesses. From what I've read in the e-revo forum, I'm hoping for 30-40minutes from the 8000mah LiPos.

As far as size goes, according to Traxxas:

Maximum Internal Dimensions: 29mm x 156mm x 50mm LiPo battery size
It will fit two 3s 5000 mAh LiPo packs or two 2s 8000 mAh LiPo packs
However, keep in mind the stock speed control only handles 16.8V, so you can't use two 3s lipos with it (3 x 3.7v x 2 = 22.2V).

As far as brands, do some searching. The lipos I'm looking at are from SPC.

Lipo cutoff: Some people don't use them and just stop running when they notice a drop in power. I wouldn't take that chance. ;)
It seems like a number of e-revo folk who run the stock speed control (same that is in the summit) put a lipo cutoff on the back that connect to the "right side" battery connector on the esc. Supposedly the esc is powered from only this battery, so it drains faster than the other battery. Therefore, you could probably assume the "right" battery will hit the cutoff limit before the "left battery". I'm going to do what a few others do and play it safe and (in addition to the cutoff on the "right" battery") put an alarm/led on the left battery. That way, in case the "left" battery gets low first (due to battery wear over time), it will alarm me and I can stop the truck.

Balancing: You should always balance Lipos with every charge. Some chargers have built-in balancers while other chargers allow you to plug in an external balancer. Searching should give you a lot of decent options.

Personally, I've ordered a Hyperion 0610i Duo 2. It's quite pricey, but worth the money from what I've read. It can charge 2 batteries at once at 10A each (I don't recall the upper voltage limit when charging at 10A. Though charging 2 7.4 8000mah at 8A each is well under it's max).

Find the e-revo FAQ for some helpful information since the Summit is based off of the e-revo.

[trxbeast193]

http://www.scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/_wiring.html use this website for your wiring info its good. use a lipo cutoff, best way to protect your $ in your truck. you can get good batts from spc, some say maxamps but they are expensive, you can get the *****s from *********.com. the higher "C" rating the better. also the higher mah rating the higher runtime. thats why the spc 2s 8000s are good. the hyperions are good chargers and the 0610i and duo have built in balancers. there is also chargers from ********* and then there is the onyx 230. that charges but does not balance.
balancers: popular ones are blinky balancer and there is also a hyperion one.
good luck!

[FireWire79]

This is the charger that I used. (http://www.maxamps.com/EOS0606i-AC-DC.htm)

It worked out well and I was able to make an adapter to charge both of my LiPos at the same time, as well as balance them. Not the fastest charge in the world, but it got it done. And the harness cost me about $15 to make.

I am going to get some SPC 2s2p 8000mah LiPos as well as some as 5000mah ones that I plan on getting wet, as that way I wont feel as bad if they get ruined, but I will be taking some steps to protect them. (IE large heat shrink, electrical tape and some RTV sealant)

[Greatscott]

Questions like these, dear friends, are what local hobby shops are for...

[dodge_guy43]

Questions like these, dear friends, are what local hobby shops are for...


I feel not only questions like these, but all questions are ment for this forum though!

-Bob-

[jknapp4877]

Well said Dodge guy. These forums are here for that exact purpose, asking questions, showing off new parts and tracks and so on......

Contrary to what you may think greatscott, not all of us have a LHS we can run to and ask questions. What did you think these forums were for, so people like you can show the rest of us that you know it all already? I've been in this hobby for close to 30 years and I can guarantee I don't know it all and neither does anyone else.

Sorry for the thread hijacking guys, but people like him just get my blood boiling.....

[FireWire79]

Its sad when I know more than the people at the local hobby store. It seems like all they know is whats on the front of the box.

I asked them why the slash was so popular, guess what they said. "Because we sell a lot of them." I mean come on. I asked if it could handle the kind of driving that I do, and they know me as a hardcore basher, and they said "Yeah. It'll be fine."

Fortunately for me, I came here and looked around in the forums and found that the Slash was not for me, and saved about $200+.

Just because you have a LHS doesn't mean jack. Look at Hobbytown USA. No offense to them, but they service so many hobbies that each employee can only know so much about each one, and rarely will you find one that is an expert on any one of the hobbies in of it self.

[jmorgan5118]

My LHS is very knowledgable about tuning nitro engines, I can call him with any question and he will get you going again. Electric trucks are a different story. He is a little slow on some things. He swears by venom batteries, he says that they are the best.

[MR. Clean]

My LHS is very knowledgable about tuning nitro engines, I can call him with any question and he will get you going again. Electric trucks are a different story. He is a little slow on some things. He swears by venom batteries, he says that they are the best.

From what I heard, their lipo aint too bad, and Ive had sucess with their NiMh.


OP: what do you mean by "an all around vehicle"?

[Jeephound79]

If looking at Lipo, make sure you get a hard case. These things get quirky if you bang them up. Then go my theory in life. "Get the highest MAh for the lowest $

[jmorgan5118]

right now spc has a 7.4 volt 5000 mah 15C for around $55. I know it has a lower discharge rate, but why would you want a high discharge rate on a crawler?

[FireWire79]

You really shouldn't need a 15c or 25c discharge rate on a brushed motor. It is overkill. You should be able to get away with 15c easy, and some of the 12c e-bay lipos will work.

The brushless systems are high drain and they run fine on 15c packs, so you can get cheap when it comes to the brushed system. I will be in fact running the SPC 5k and 8k versions in my Summit.

Now to find a good charger for up to 4s LiPos...... /grrr

[trxbeast193]

yes but if you want to upgrade to bl its nice to not have to buy new batts. and the higher c, the better they handle the current

[aggie rustler]

Questions like these, dear friends, are what local hobby shops are for...

Sure....here is how it would go at my LHS: either they would not have the Summit in stock, and they talk him into some nitro piece of .... car from an inferior manufacturer or if they do have it in stock, and he comes out with 2 venom 1500 mah nimh batteries!

Unfortunately electric stuff is still foreign to most of the LHS staff out there.

To answer your question though...egnix had some pretty good advice...spc, hyperion, maxamps. Get 2 sets of lipos if you have the $. You will wish you had. Remember time flies when you are having fun, charge one set while you are bashing with the other.

[egnix]

If looking at Lipo, make sure you get a hard case. These things get quirky if you bang them up. Then go my theory in life. "Get the highest MAh for the lowest $

What do you mean by "quirky"?

I could understand the benefit of a hard case if your battery is exposed and subject to hit by things. But in the Summit's case, the battery compartment is enclosed. I don't see how it could be damaged (outside of something severe that punctures the battery compartment.

[FireWire79]

You should be fine without a hard cased LiPo. The battery bays do a fine job of protecting the batteries themselves. I have heard of someone denting their LiPos while they were in an E-Revo, but even they didn't know how that happened.

Keep in mind that the Summit will not be running as fast as the E-Revo and should be subject to "softer" crashes due to decreased speeds. Just be safe and have fun. I will be running my LiPos underwater, so wish me the best of luck with that. (Think I will be trying that with some super cheapos of E-Bay, after I do some precautionary measures of course)