How are we going to get 12th scale into the lipo arena(sp?)? Or will lipo finally kill 12th scale, yet 12th scale is a regional thing and car count vary but it is fun to run.

How are we going to get 12th scale into the lipo arena(sp?)? Or will lipo finally kill 12th scale, yet 12th scale is a regional thing and car count vary but it is fun to run.

You can if you get the right cell configuation on the battery to fit.

Something like this:

http://www.maxamps.com/proddetail.php?prod=Lipo-2200-74-Saddle&cat=13

The hard part will be if 1/12th can decide on a voltage. 7.4 volts will create a rocketship, but will 3.7 volts be enough? A 4 cell pack NiMh is about 4.8 volts. Question is will any of the electronics run on 3.7 volts?

RPM, I agree that cell config will be the key for 12th scale, but most of the places that are running lipo in cars seem to have a rule about hard cased cells. Maybe someone will come up with the layout that you linked to in a hard case. that would be great.

Fishrc, as you stated voltage is an issue, 3.7 will not run the electronics, 7.4 is just way to much. Back in the day I used to run 12th scale mod 6 cell on caps, those suckers where quick. But with the coming wave of Brushless, going to a higher wind for a 12th scale with 7.4 volts could make them driveable.

I feel the same way as Ron does. 6cell 12th was fast and that was not with the battries we have today. We also ran 5mins too.
The Saddle pack is great for the on-road group, but not for the Oval crowd.
Even if it is 7.4 volts. Limiting the motor size will keep 12th alive and may add more to the game.

21.5 or 17.5 as we get more drivers back and the control of the cars then maybe up to 13.5 and higher.

There's been some discussion about this on other boards...and one of the things that has been proposed is a "NEW" 1/12th scale car that uses the split pack 7.4v LIPO and the use of a smaller B/L motor. (LIke NOVAK's smaller sensored ESC and B/L motor for 1/18th scale.)

I believe there have been a few tests done with these and they RIP things up pretty good...and they make the already super light weight 1/12th scale car...EVEN LIGHTER.

...for 1/12th scale, I'm sure somebody could fairly easily design a case for something similar to those maxamps split pack lipos..

Joe, thats good to hear, would hate to loose 12th scale to technology progessing and leaving the little rockets behind.

Mr. Crow, how's it going in your little corner of this world?

Ron, Getting by day by day.

I would try a 2-Cell A123 battyery pack. The working voltage would be 6.6V, or .8V less than a standard LiPO and with the reduce capacity/size it would be a fair starting point to be equal with 4-Cells running 17.5 if you are running a 21.5. As long as they don't make you add 100g to be equal to a 4-Cell NiMH.

This is my thoughts on how 1/12 will survive the LiPo invasion:
First RUN 380 motors! (The smaller size should reduce the torque and this means similar gearing like 27T~10T brushed motors)

As a result of running 380 motors:

The motor pod and read axle are now more compact and have less mass.

Swith to LiFEPO4 (A123) then LiPO when all the bugs are really worked out. A123 systems are just about bombproof!

As a result in smaller motor/pod and LiFePO4/LiPO battery, the car weighs less

Since the car weighs less less power is needed to run the car as same speeds

Less Current draw reduces theESC's and the size of batteries needed.

This all boils down to a 1:12 weighing <650g and they can use the new NOVAK Mongose system, MAMBA MAX, TEKIN RAGE with two A123 cells, or 5-cell 2/3A batteries. When LiPo's prove more stable than LiFe based batteries, then the extra .8~10V can be brought into the picture, since we all love the extra speed.