My recent use of NiMH batteries. I have like 5 packs from last season, and two new packs I purchased this season. I tend to run a single pack twice a race day, and usualy only race one day a week. I use one pack for practice, two for racing. I generaly only run one class, but if I raced two, I'd probably need two more packs for the second class. I typicaly spend no more then $11 a cell, and try to buy $10 a cell packs... If these were 6 cell, I'd say I'd have about $350 worth from last year, and $140 for this year. As it turned out 3 of my packs from last year still have better voltage then my two newest packs, so I haven't even been runing my new packs except for practice. Two packs from last year really fell off, one was a pack that was un-matched, the other was from a well known matcher that I will NEVER buy from again, the 3 good packs are SMC cells. The two packs I purhcased this year were never that great, they have tons of run time, but no voltage in the first 5 minutes where it's needed(I'll probably never buy from this matcher again either)

So, your right I do end up spending ALOT of money on batteries. More then I'd like to that's for sure. At this point LiPo doesn't seem to change this much, and at first glance it's probablya little more expesive, unless I really could use just two packs per car, etc... but then it also looks like a single LiPo pack is more costly at this point in time and then I'd have a serious issue if/when I'd go buy a pack only to find out it's not as good as I thought it was... So buying cheaper single Nickle based packs seems less risky form that last perspective...

I run LiPol on my electronics, but still prefer Nitro.. I run my nitro car for up to 15hrs on the weekends, and I would have to own a TON of LiPols to keep up for 15hrs..
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But, then this is a NiMH -> LiPol subject, I would say dump NiMH and get LiPol.. nicd/nimh are old technology :-)

So who marshels for you for 15 hours? Maybe I'm so used to 4 minute races, that I just really don't see the apeal to racing for more time. But I've always been a electric guy, and well back in the days of 1200mAh cells, the whole game was to see if you could last for 4 minutes... You kept gearing up till you dumped, then backed off a tooth or two.

I know I don't like marsheling for lengend cars cause they run 5 minutes... I'd really be bored and looking for a way out if I had to marshel for 20 minutes...

I finally got a chance to work on the 2s2p 8800mah pack in the T3. There are probably prettier ways i could have went about it but I was trying to get a run in before it got dark. But I didnt:-( will try tomorrow though. Anyways this is what I did.
1. I went ahead and cut the shrink on the packs pulled the 12ga wiring off went with 14ga. I ran the wiring outside the pack directly off the board. On the current Poly-Quest PQ2s-4400N's there is no way i coud have the wiring down the pack and out the otherside.
2. I am choosing to run the packs seperate into a paralled circuit board until I decide exactly what I am after. I did shrink wrap the packs together so they are not falling apart with deans on each pack.
3. I used a circular file and filed out a 1/4 inch of my battery tray so the wires can run right out. Whalla packs fit right in.
4. For the moment I am using Velcro straps to hold the battery in place although I might change it to a battery bar when Hank makes them.
Battery fits right in the tray snug with the foam padding still on the packs.
I will keep you updated and let you know how they run as soon as I can.

Also thinking if i were to lay packs sideways I could probably get 3 of the PQ2s-3100n's in there for a total of 9100mah But I will save that for another day:-)

Hope to hear more suggestions soon.
If you have any questions let me know.

Thanks
Robert
www.purehobby.com

I run LiPol on my electronics, but still prefer Nitro.. I run my nitro car for up to 15hrs on the weekends, and I would have to own a TON of LiPols to keep up for 15hrs..
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But, then this is a NiMH -> LiPol subject, I would say dump NiMH and get LiPol.. nicd/nimh are old technology :-)

This guys big time busted!

It takes more batteries to run a gas truck than it does an electric! Starter box would be dead after the several hundred flame outs in that 15 hours of running along with the glow ignitor battery and the temp gun being constantly stuck in the head of the motor, but the real catch is the TX and RX batteries he limited too maybe 45 minutes to an hour when the fail safe does not work and the gas truck runs a way flips and blows a motor before the 5 people trying to catch finally do!

You need more batteries and chargers to run a gas by far than electric.

15 hours and you have to pinch the motor. Please tell your stories to someone who doesn't see it everyweek. Gas has caused more racers to quit dut to these headaches and they didn't want to run electric due to the nickel battery shuffle and the com cutter dance along with brushes wearing out.

Now that has changed thanks to Li-Po and Brushless! I can take 2 8000 mah li-pos and 1 charger going non-stop except for the battery change every 30 minutes and the TX battery change every 1 1/2 hours.

A quick calculation shows that to run 15 hours would take at least 2.5 gallons of fuel. This is figuring 7 minutes to run a 75CC tank dry which is what most 1/10 scales run on a full tank... you can do the math from there.

Just the cost of fuel would be $40 and after 2.5 gal of fuel the vast majority of engines would require an overhaul. Another $40 (at least) to rebuild the engine and you have at least $80 for that weekend of running. Even if you pinch the engine... that can be done only so many times... add in the cost of clutches, engine bearings, etc.... well....?!?!?!?!

wkstill is pretty quiet. I am waiting for him to point out that he said "up to 15 hours".... I agree. he is pretty busted.

Lipos are not for everyone just like some prefer electric over gas and vice versa. But my experience this weekend with the lipos was great! I like the fact that It kept on running until i was ready to take a break. Well I left one thing out so by my second run I realized how important that padding was in the front of the battery:-( (which I left out) I hit a curb at well over half throttle and bent one pack pretty good. Probably still usable but i am going to try another pack.
8800mah worked for me but once again it may not be for everybody. I use a 540 7turn feigao/ 75amp mgm esc works great . I also use the 3300mah GP's but just not as much run time as I would like.

Robert
www.purehobby.com