lipo advice and help please

[levontraut]

Hi Guys.

a few times i have seen the guys run lipos in there buggys. the size of life packs etc.... can you guys please point me in the right direction so it will fit in my truggy and buggy.


i have no idea what they look like and size it is or if it is a little 1s or 2s etc....

all advice and links will be greatly apreciated.

cheers
levon

[Jaf]

I assume you mean as a receiver pack!?!?

If so, you will need a 2S LiPo, LiPo compatible charger, balance leads and possibly a Voltage Regulator.

LiPo = 3.7v per cell nominal (7.4v for a 2S pack) and 4.2v per cell (8.4v for a 2S pack) fully charged.

I'd imagine if you have seen guys run them....they will look just like those! or very similar to the style of LiFe or NiMh pack you use (as they need to fit in the same battery box)...

LiFe give some of the advantages (if they are advantages) of LiPo without some of the downsides....so you need to consider if you really want/need LiPo.



There are stick type packs like this LRP2400


There are also hump style packs like this LRP2500:



There are also smaller ones like this LRP1700:



If you do a little research (i.e. look at these batteries on JEModels website) it gives the dimensions of each of these packs....you can then work out what will fit in your buggy (as you haven't said what you now have).Don't forget.....if you do not have High Voltage compatible servos and receivers.....you will also need to consider using a LiPo regulator so will have to work out where you can stick this and how much room it will take up etc....

[Escobar]

if you go down the LiFe route then check out Vapextech.

Much cheaper and last just as good.

[levontraut]

if you go down the LiFe route then check out Vapextech.

Much cheaper and last just as good.

i have 2 of the life battries already.






can a mod please delete this thread!!

cheers

[levontraut]

if you go down the LiFe route then check out Vapextech.

Much cheaper and last just as good.

i have 2 of the life battries already.

I assume you mean as a receiver pack!?!?

If so, you will need a 2S LiPo, LiPo compatible charger, balance leads and possibly a Voltage Regulator.

LiPo = 3.7v per cell nominal (7.4v for a 2S pack) and 4.2v per cell (8.4v for a 2S pack) fully charged.

I'd imagine if you have seen guys run them....they will look just like those! or very similar to the style of LiFe or NiMh pack you use (as they need to fit in the same battery box)...

LiFe give some of the advantages (if they are advantages) of LiPo without some of the downsides....so you need to consider if you really want/need LiPo.



There are stick type packs like this LRP2400


There are also hump style packs like this LRP2500:



There are also smaller ones like this LRP1700:



If you do a little research (i.e. look at these batteries on JEModels website) it gives the dimensions of each of these packs....you can then work out what will fit in your buggy (as you haven't said what you now have).Don't forget.....if you do not have High Voltage compatible servos and receivers.....you will also need to consider using a LiPo regulator so will have to work out where you can stick this and how much room it will take up etc....

cheers dude.

is it worth the money going from life to lipo?

[Jaf]

Changing from LiFe to LiPo isn't going to magically make you 2 seconds a lap faster. If you are on LiFe already, the only real differences are the capacity of the packs and the extra voltage. The voltage may speed your servos up.....but most are plenty fast enough anyway.... I've actually turned my servo speeds down as I couldn't drive the car with them at full speed! Extra voltage can kill servos and receivers if they are not rated high enough. If they aren't....you should run a voltage regulator to regulate it down to 6v or you'll possibly burn things out and need to spend £££ to replace them unless you spend the £££ to upgrade your servos etc to start with. If you run a regulator to reduce the voltage, all you are gaining will be a higher capacity. If you add a voltage regulator....you are adding another potential point of failure and DNFs.

If you are replacing your servos etc and want to run HV servos and you can go LiPo without needing regulators etc....then maybe it is the right route for you to take.

If your equipment is ok and there is no need to replace servos/receiver with HV compatible ones....then I really don't think it is worth the £££ it will cost. Add to that the fact LiPos are more volatile in their chemisty and need to be cared for more as there is an increased risky of fires etc.

Your best bet is to stop worrying about what everybody else is running and using and don't waste money buying things that don't really make any difference. By all means spend money on hopups/aftermarket parts IF there is a weak point on your car which is causing you DNF's and reducing your tracktime and enjoyment. Other than that, spend your £££ on fuel, tyres, clutch and maybe a few tuning options (springs, oils etc) and get some track time in and have some fun...

[mugenmark]

it only worth changeing if you want/need to run hv servos,if not you need a regulator and that one more expense/thing to go wrong,i have had regs go wrong on me.

[levontraut]

well i was hopeing to get a single lipo that will last me a while and the entrie day .. that i do nto have to charge or keep an eye on... that is all.

the rest of my kit can handle the power.

spektrum and savox on on my truggy

[Jaf]

If your receiver and servos are capable of handling upto 8.4v (not all Savox servos are), then yes, a LiPo may do that for you......depending on how much free practice you do, how many rounds of qualifying, the length of the qualifiers, the length of the finals, how many finals you may need to do etc etc...

How long you will get from 1 pack will depend on the size of pack and servo draw etc... If your End Points aren't set properly and your servo is straining etc...it will draw more power.

Personally, I wouldn't like to rely on 1 battery pack. If you pack swells or you damage a wire or something you could be in the poop.

I run a LRP 2400 LiPo and it should be ok for the full day....but I still run 1 pack for practice/qualifying and put another in for finals. That way I don't have to worry about how much longer the battery will last if I bump up a couple of times... Plus, if something does go wrong with 1 pack, I'm still covered.

LiPos should not drop below 3v per cell....so you do still need to worry/keep an eye on them.

Although it is not really necessary....I always balance charge my receiver packs.