What batteries are you running?

[sikbrik]

With my controller, if I want lipo and want to keep the voltage cutoff as a helper, I'm best with a 16s pack. For that reason, I've been trying to stay with 4x4s. I could match mAh and use 2x6s and 1x2s or even 2x1s and still only have 3 or 4 packs in series.

TL;DR, I'm watching 4s sales

---------- Post added at 08:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------

But yeah, that deal sold out quickly... awesome if you can snag them when they pop up

 

[Quinc]

hobbyking Use the coupon code GAMEON during checkout for 20% off storewide

 

[Panhead5496]

Since I do a lot of RCing and buy lots of lipos, let me give a little input.

Lipos are not dangerous is properly cared for. Balance charge every time at 1c (you get the C by dividing the capacity by 1000...a 3500mah lipo would be 3.5c...a 4200mah would be 4.2c...etc). Do not over discharge them. Let them cool before charging. And do NOT store them fully charged. If you really want to extend their life, do a few charge/discharge cycles on your charger before you use them.

C ratings on lipos (the supposed "burst power level", if you will) are often times VERY overrated! You have some companies out there (Looking at you here MaxAmps) who sell batteries with insanely high C ratings (over 100c supposedly). Do they perform better than a 20c lipo? Sure. Better than a 50c pack? That is debatable. I have had some of the 2s 5000mah Turnigy Nano Tech 90c "race packs"...and to be honest, they were not that impressive. I had a set of "budget" $20 5000mah 25c packs that, in my trucks, performed just as well as the 90c.

From reading on an RC forum, there are really only a few plants in the world that MAKE the cells for lipos. So if you pay $30 or $130 you might be getting a cell that came from the same place. There is a good deal of speculation on this, but it is thought that some brands are getting their batteries all from the same place.

With that said, the lipos that are my favorite are the blue Turnigy and Floureons (off eBay). I have a set of blue Turnigy that I bought back in 2015 that still balance charge up to the exact way they did when new, and have IR readings just like new. My Floureons also are very good lipos. I know a guy who tested Floureons, Turnigy HeavyDuty, and GensAce in a RC boat and actually got his highest speed with the Floureons.

As long as you treat them well lipos can last a long time with 0 issues.

 

[voided]

I run Ford C-Max batteries.. they are made by Panasonic.. the base model is 5.5ah cells that are 3.7 nominal and 4.2max . They state 100amp discharge and 150amp max.. nice thing is how they are built, connected and arranging them is simple..

Just picked up 3 complete packs to build a few 72v packs and some 48v packs for my power racing series build..

 

[garolittle]

Cheyout our project using Leaf modules at VenomKarts.com. Go kart to be finished by March 31, 2019.

BATTERIES: 7 Nissan Leaf battery modules (7.8V each) connected in series for 54V nominal (approximately 58 amp hours). The picture of the go kart frame shows the proposed placement of the battery modules (4 on one side and 3 on the other side).

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BMS): Orion Jr. BMS with pre-wired CANBUS harness, voltage tap harness, shunt resistor (500A) and basic analog display

MOTOR: Motenergy ME0708 Permanent Magnet Direct Current (DC) Motor, 48V, 8 hp cont, 15 hp pk (300 amps max/150 amps continuous)

CONTROLLER: Alltrax SR-48300 48V/300A. The charge controller would go in front of the driver (under the steering wheel).

WIRING: 4 AWG gauge wire to/from charge controller, motor, and battery pack

THROTTLE: EZ-GO Pot Box

CONTACTOR:
Gigavac GV200QA-1 48V 500 Amp

Stay tuned for more updates.

 

[sikbrik]

Quinc found me a sweet deal on the lipos I've been looking at. Ordered today! Kart may be ready for spring thaw

 

[Panhead5496]

Quinc found me a sweet deal on the lipos I've been looking at. Ordered today! Kart may be ready for spring thaw

What did you go with?? Where did you get them?? I'm always looking for good deals on lipos

 

[Quinc]

What did you go with?? Where did you get them?? I'm always looking for good deals on lipos

hobbyking.com is having a 50% off sale.

 

[Panhead5496]

WHOA! I have not seen that!

 

[sikbrik]

What did you go with?? Where did you get them?? I'm always looking for good deals on lipos

I went with 8 of the Turnigy 8ah 4s batteries. They say constant discharge of 12c with up to 20c burst, which I'd never need. A lot of the good deals are gone now...they had 5ah 4s for $10!!

I'm planning on running 4 in series, not sure if I'll run 2 sets parallel or just keep a set charging while we use the other set. Depends what kind of runtime we get. I guess if I'm drawing 16a on average, it'll run for about 30 minutes on one set. He'll be pulled over by the local constabulary by then! (just kidding) At about 8lbs with the box, compared to 45lbs of SLA, I view that as the big win.

Now I have extra SLAs to cram into the PowerWheels...hmm...

Anyway, thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll post back once I know how it all works out and maybe do an SLA comparison on the same kart.

 

[Quinc]

Looking forward to your results! Buy a decent charger and power supply along with a parallel charging board etc so that you can charge them all at once vs one at a time.

 

[sikbrik]

I went with Turnigy Reaktor 300W 20A AC/DC Synchronous Balance Charger. Also grabbed a decent quality xt90 parallel board for charging four of them at 5a and I might grab a second one so I can run a slow 1a balance charge on all 8 at once.

Let me know if I'm heading down the wrong path here. I didn't want to spend $250 on an 80amp charger because I don't currently have an 80a breaker on any available circuits.

If all goes to plan, when I move the "shop" into the new garage (next fall) vs the current basement, then I can upgrade.

 

[Quinc]

I went with Turnigy Reaktor 300W 20A AC/DC Synchronous Balance Charger. Also grabbed a decent quality xt90 parallel board for charging four of them at 5a and I might grab a second one so I can run a slow 1a balance charge on all 8 at once.

Let me know if I'm heading down the wrong path here. I didn't want to spend $250 on an 80amp charger because I don't currently have an 80a breaker on any available circuits.

If all goes to plan, when I move the "shop" into the new garage (next fall) vs the current basement, then I can upgrade.

I was lucky enough that I live next to amainhobbies so I went in the store and told the tech what i wanted and he was able to explain to me everything and tell me what i needed etc. The part I was most confused about was after dropping 200$ on a charger i still had to buy a power supply.

Anyway one major benefit to the lipos is you can charge them extremely fast. (compared to lead) So if you want to ride multiple times a day or go to the track you will want at least another charger. Or if you are good at the current chargers charge rate that is fine too.

*Make sure and charge the batteries in Storage Mode if you are not going to use them after 3-4 days.

** The batteries ship undercharged so bring them up to storage mode soon as you get them.

 

[Panhead5496]

I was lucky enough that I live next to amainhobbies so I went in the store

So if you want to ride multiple times a day or go to the track you will want at least another charger. Or if you are good at the current chargers charge rate that is fine too.

LUCKY! If I lived that close to Amain I'd be (even more) broke lol! RC is my favorite hobby

One thing to add is to make sure the lipos cool before you charge them. After having a load on them, lipos drop down in voltage then come back up a little bit after they "rest". Charging a warm/hot lipo is not a good idea, as if nothing else it's going to shorten their lifespan drastically. Lipos are great for power but just a liiiiiittle bit finicky

 

[Quinc]

LUCKY! If I lived that close to Amain I'd be (even more) broke lol! RC is my favorite hobby

It is pretty cool, they have tracks setup in the store and you can demo r/c and rock crawlers etc and a couple big outdoor tracks that you can go use for the day etc.

One thing to add is to make sure the lipos cool before you charge them. After having a load on them, lipos drop down in voltage then come back up a little bit after they "rest". Charging a warm/hot lipo is not a good idea, as if nothing else it's going to shorten their lifespan drastically. Lipos are great for power but just a liiiiiittle bit finicky

After all the riding i have done my lipos have not gotten the slightest bit warm. But then again they are wired for 500a continues and I am maybe getting 200a bursts out of them at times.

 

[Panhead5496]

It is pretty cool, they have tracks setup in the store and you can demo r/c and rock crawlers etc and a couple big outdoor tracks that you can go use for the day etc.



After all the riding i have done my lipos have not gotten the slightest bit warm. But then again they are wired for 500a continues and I am maybe getting 200a bursts out of them at times.

I'm sure it is...I'm jealous I would love to race but it gets expensive lol.

As for the lipos, I guess you aren't pulling enough amps for them to heat up?

 

[sikbrik]

Making progress on the battery pack...just needs to be wired up.

 

[itsid]

that box looks like a heat trap...
especially with all the insulation foam around the packs...
please be very careful, overheating batteries is never a good thing,
overheating LiPos can be a very bad thing and if there are no temp fuses preinstalled
(or they fail tripping) you literally burned money; and maybe yourself.

'sid

 

[sikbrik]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on temps during testing. Trying to balance abrasion/damage protection with short wiring runs. The foam could come out and box be vented if it gets warm.

 

[Quinc]

Your Batteries are configured for a continues 190 amps and you will only be running 30-40amps with your motor/controller combo. I doubt your batteries will raise in temp at all. But any excuse to use your temp gun. Take a before and after and let us know.