Anyone got some pointers for a newbie on 4 cell spec battery maintenance? just getting started and want to get max performance and life out of my batteries.

Have you looked at Spec battery charging thread below ?

I'm assuming your using Trinity Spec packs , either 4 or 6 cell.

Bottom line ,,, you can't abuse these like the old scr packs.

Charge at a modest 5 amps , discharge after race at 10-15 amps.

Never " cycle " discharge any higher as the cell temps skyrocket.

I'd use either a bc-112 on pf 1 or a converted Bc-210 for 4 cell.

Never deep discharge , bring entire pack down to .75 per cell and don't hold it there,,,,,,, just do it with a half dozen 1154 bulbs and let it bounce back.

I shouldn't say it but ,,,,,,,,,,if you were running good cells like the Sanyo Red SCR's then you'd dead short , ect , ect.

Just my opinion :)

i had a pack that was headed for the garbage, was only good for about 2 1/2 minutes, i dead shorted it and its one of the best packs outta the 10 or 12 i got right now !!

what do u use to dead short the batteries , i have the light bar but im still having problems with the spec packs

Thats why I gave up racing for almost three years, moved here to NC and they were mostly racing spec, bought four packs and got only one decent pack out of the bunch so I just quit racing, brushless has gotten me interested again. Ralf

kill em dead with the lights, make sure its waaaaaay dead on the lights, and i just made a jumper with my sermos connectors. plug it in and then the majic happens !! they will get pretty warm, but it worked on a few packs.

Dead shorting will bring up the MILLAMPS but u will loooooooose run time and U cant a fored to lose run time in spec classes.... Just be genital with them and they will come around.... 4.5 Amp charge and 10 amp disscharge u can go up to
5 amp on the charge. At home I charge at 4.5 amps and when I get to the track i peek at 5 amps just another thing the faster u put in the faster it will go out...... Just my .02
Have FUN and GOOD luck L8er JW#62

Just be genital with them and they will come around

LOL! Too Funny!!

LOL! Too Funny!! OH YAH,could interpret that some different ways!!!!!.But we get the idea :dude: :thumbsup: :cool: :wave:

To try to help everyone with their spec packs this is the info I got out of my GFX this weekend after cycling. I drop them down to about 1v per pack before I charge them, and they are all the new red spec packs. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks
Joel White

Spec 1
Dischg Time 599 Dischg Ave Volts 4.63 Charge Time 1634 Cutoff Volts 3.60
Peak Charge Volts 6.74 Relative Res 150 Actual Res 40.5 Dischg Amps 10.0
Delay1 120 Delay2 120 Charge 1 Amps 4.0 Charge 2 Amps 5.0
Peak 1 Det 0.030 Peak 2 Det 0.040 mAHr 1663 mWHr 7704 Dischg Ave @1V 4.66
TurboFlex 1 ON Level 3 TurboFlex 2 OFF Level 6

Spec 2
Dischg Time 579 Dischg Ave Volts 4.48 Charge Time 1706 Cutoff Volts 3.60
Peak Charge Volts 6.97 Relative Res 172 Actual Res 42.6 Dischg Amps 10.0
Delay1 120 Delay2 120 Charge 1 Amps 4.0 Charge 2 Amps 5.0
Peak 1 Det 0.030 Peak 2 Det 0.040 mAHr 1608 mWHr 7213 Dischg Ave @1V 4.58
TurboFlex 1 ON Level 3 TurboFlex 2 OFF Level 6

Spec 3
Dischg Time 544 Dischg Ave Volts 4.51 Charge Time 1813 Cutoff Volts 3.60
Peak Charge Volts 6.68 Relative Res 156 Actual Res 44.6 Dischg Amps 10.0
Delay1 120 Delay2 120 Charge 1 Amps 4.0 Charge 2 Amps 5.0
Peak 1 Det 0.030 Peak 2 Det 0.040 mAHr 1511 mWHr 6820 Dischg Ave @1V 4.56
TurboFlex 1 ON Level 3 TurboFlex 2 OFF Level 6

OK Just to jumpstart this tread again I did make some tests with older (yellow) 4-cell spec packs last summer. Charge at 4A run for about 5 minutes with a very low geared pan car then discharge at 10A - all with an Intellipeak charger/discharger. Did it for a total of 3 runs. Nothing fancy at all.

With newer red cells I just don't know if batts would react the same. Maybe the more you apply tricks the more you may see differences.

The one thing I wonder: Do all these 1A dischargers any good? I mean even after using your pack for runs during a day then put discharger on it, it might take hours before pack completely discharges correctly. It also tells me the longer it discharges, running time gets higher while power goes down.

On the other hand I'd not try a 30A discharger with 4cell spec probably too high it would toast it or make some wonderful fireworks.

I still have all my spec stuff so I could do some testing again and play with gearing to check runtime.

Stephane Courchesne
Drummond,Quebec (Canada)

I just got my first "official" 1600 spec pack to run in street spec. I plan to try treating it like some 1500 NiCds ai ran in a different spec class that required 1500 batteries.

I charge them at 4.5 to 5A. After I run them, I dicharge them on a string of lights (10 bulbs - Deans discharger) until the black box cuts off.

Then I start my special procedure: On the 6 cell pack, I dicharge them to 6 volts at ever decreasing amp rates. I start at 3A, then 1.5 and keep cutting it in half or so until I have taken it down to 6V at .1A (yes, one tenth Amp). So far, I have gotten two years out of a pair of 1500 NiCd Piranha packs and they still cycle out to within 10% of what they started at.

I store them in between races as they end up after the .1A discharge.

Okay very interesting...here is what I do......and I haven't seen any fireworks or had one pop yet....

New packs.....

Charge at 4 amps for 600 seconds.....discharge at 18 amps to 3.6......

take them ALL the way down with 2-3 bulbs till the lights go out.......

Charge at 7 amps.....0.04 cutoff.......get them warm.....

Belive it or not I am still running packs that are a season old in my legends car and my stuff is fast.....

Now old packs I do the samething but to dead short them I let the bulbs sit on longer...then when I charge them I have to put charger on Long lock out....

Now during the week cycle them on Monday at 18 amps to 4.00 volts....take all the way down with lights......cycle on wednesday.....cycle on friday....and race them.....

I have found the abuse doesn't kill them it makes them better.....

Im still runnin 3 year old packs. I charge on an indy at 6a then give them a hit at 6.8 (cause thats as high as it goes) or so before I run. I ran last sat. and I havent discharged them yet. When I do it will be with 12 bulbs untill the lights are out.
When I used my turbo charger(that just broke):cry: I charge at 6.5 and peak at 7.5 with plenty of heat. I only use them for qualifying but they are strong all the way. The new packs are not going to last as long because the numbers are too high when they peak already. old packs are peaking at 7.3 to 7.7 the new ones peak at 8.4 with only 3 runs apiece on them. Nothing like improving something and making it worse.

darrel, you have a picture of the back of your turbocharger?

I just grabbed one off ebay, but the wires were cut.

Cannot tell which goes to power supply and which to battery to be charged, let alone positive or negative leads.

I think the ribbed portion of the lamp cord is positve as it leads to the fuses.

Thanks for your help, after 16 years away from RC Carpet Oval, I'm jumping back in Legends.

Swore I'd never got back to Bojunk.....well I was wrong :)

hmmmm...that funny my packs peak at 6.8 to 7.2 and have plenty of rip for the Legends bojunk....lol


Kris

darrel, you have a picture of the back of your turbocharger?

I just grabbed one off ebay, but the wires were cut.

Cannot tell which goes to power supply and which to battery to be charged, let alone positive or negative leads.

I think the ribbed portion of the lamp cord is positve as it leads to the fuses.

Thanks for your help, after 16 years away from RC Carpet Oval, I'm jumping back in Legends.

Swore I'd never got back to Bojunk.....well I was wrong :)
Sorry I didnt get back sooner I just noticed your question.
Looking at the charger from the back with the wires on the right it goes like this.
the top wire is the power supply pos. the 2nd wire is the power supply neg.
3rd down is the batt. pos. and the last is the batt. neg.
I hope this helps you out. good luck with it its a great charger, at least it has been for me for the last 18 years.

well, I opened it up.......thats never good right????????

I'd planned on adding 12g Novak leads.....in place of 18g lamp cord.....right.

Followong "common" sense the 15 amp fuse is input, 12VDC+ would go stright to fused, so the "ribbed" part of the lamp cord was 12VDC+......

I had to enlarge the opening on the back panel for the larger wire.....overall in the process I broke the leads for the temp sensor (thermistor) that was glued to the heat sink on top of the case.

I'll get pics this weekend, but from Ebay wins, I have FOUR Novak chargers, so I'll be find if I killed the CETC.........I hope not though!

no updates, I guess my guess shall test a power supply.
+ = - right?

no updates, I guess my guess shall test a power supply.
+ = - right?


Dude, Your scarin' me!:eek::eek:

EricL

:wave::wave::wave:

wanna buy the charger?

No magical electrical smoke was released. Using it right now to pull packs down @ 4 amps after 30 amp discharge cycling my 3300 mah practice packs.

WOW on the voltage and long run time!

where can i buy the new 1900 mAh spec packs???

wanna buy the charger?

No magical electrical smoke was released. Using it right now to pull packs down @ 4 amps after 30 amp discharge cycling my 3300 mah practice packs.

WOW on the voltage and long run time!

hmmmm how much you want chip



I proly need to buy a couple of extra packs of batteries too. usin 1 for legends and 1 for pan. not getting very good results! ran this last wk and got my speed up finally~! but loosing pwr in the long run!

im having the same issues i get plenty of speed for the first 3 or 4 laps but then my pack just dumps an i can run full around the track .any advice to charging ? or issues it migt be ?
Rob landers

im having the same issues i get plenty of speed for the first 3 or 4 laps but then my pack just dumps an i can run full around the track .any advice to charging ? or issues it migt be ?
Rob landers Try lowering your rollout,that solved my problem with the Trinity Spec Batteries.

what are you numbers u get from your turbo 35 i really cant play to much with roll out cuz trhe class is limited ... to pinions an spur gears

Ok,We were only limited with the spur gear,we can use any pinion,and i went down four teeth on pinion and it made a big difference.Maybe more to it than just gear ratio perhaps?????

well im just curiouse how much the trinity 4 cell packs can take an what a good dischage time is for em .. if u have this info please share :)

My packs will go to 360 to 400 sec,any less than that they go inna junk pile!!!!!!! And with the roll out im now running that time is not an issue,now the issue is getting high voltage.

you can get the 1900s directly from trinity www.teamtrinity.com

are u discharging at 20 amps ?

No, 15

1900 is probably a misprint, the 4 cell is still listed as 1600.

1900 is probably a misprint, the 4 cell is still listed as 1600. Ditto,thats what I heard also!!!!!!!(Trinity)

how many amps to u push into your packs an what do they peak at ?

also are u running with 3.60 cut on on 4 cell ?

Im Charging at 7amps dischargeing at 15 amps,with 3.60 cutoff.Each pack is a little different so i grade them in what order i use them,save the best one for main.I cycle all my spec packs midweek and grade them then for the weekend.

1900 is probably a misprint, the 4 cell is still listed as 1600.
That is correct. Trinity confirmed last Fall that 1900 is a misprint.

so what are u getting for peak numbers off your packs Sandy ?>

Rob,My packs will peak at the mid 7 volt range,like 7.47v.,i dont take much stock in that reading,all my spec. 1600s are in that range.What i pay attention to is the ave volts in the discharge mode and the internal resistence.The higher volts ave. and the lower IR are your answer.I just bought a brand new 1600 Spec pack and its complete junk,low voltage and high IR,not even good for a practice pack.Im gonna leave it on the pit bench near some of my competion and the'll think somebody must of forgot it and they will think they got a hot item LOL LOL.

Rob,what are you guys useinn for a motor in your spec class????

we are running the trinity spec motors the 21 turn thanks for your help on this it should improve my racing ...

Rob,make sure your amp draw on your motor isnt to high also.

alot of people tend to take the high amp draw motors most of mine run around 2.60 with out a load ..think i have a old spec motor that is around 3.6 amp draw with around 16k rpm but its a old can an arm i broke the can open to cut it :\

I guess thats an old motor if you had to break it open.I have the new style with the removeable end bell. That sounds good for amp draw,will they let you change brushs and springs????

I cycled my 4 packs last week @ 20 amps, 3.60v cutoff

Pack 1 = 260 sec. my weak one, now in a Legends Breakout car
Pack 2 = 286 sec
Pack 3 = 293 sec, better voltage than #4 by .04v
Pack 4 = 297 sec

I charge at 5-6 amps, repeak @ 7-8 smps.

i have a couple new motors i havnt even changed to F brushes an dynoed yet .. springs have to stay standard black =\
also found out thet breakneck speedway is having a race up coming in april on the 27th ..

is that the track in Jay???

yah that is the track in jay they probly will be running sk ... thier they did thier last race what are some of your IR of yoru packs ?

sandy u run a KSKT ? an which one do u runn been thinkin about trying to pick one up an thinkin of a solid ..