LiPo Comparison Thread (LiPo and NiMH AAs)

[Bogda89]

@Greywolf74

Thank you very much for taking the time to perform the additional tests!

It also shows the importance of cycling batteries at 30A where the majority of batteries cycled at 30A performed better than the top performing battery at 5A

I don't use Zeee packs for stock racing where IR is critical, but I would be willing to bet that my preferred brand Trinity White Carbon (TWC) will be toward the top of the list in your results, and more importantly is that the TWC packs tend to last longer before they degrade making them more cost effective over the long haul.

Other factors to consider are manufactured date where some of the off brands you bought may have sat on the shelf for an extended period of time which can skew the results as age will degrade a battery.

I found it comical that the Max Amps was toward the bottom of the list where many people from URC would call them Max Cramps, more info here on the back story:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?3342095-MaxAmps&perpage=100#post42146361

Hi Bill, from your experience if someone races every week, 3 qualifiers plus main plus couple practices, how long do batteries last on average?

 

[bill_delong]

Hi Bill, from your experience if someone races every week, 3 qualifiers plus main plus couple practices, how long do batteries last on average?

lots of variables so I can't offer a straight answer

heat is the #1 contributor to premature battery degradation and I race in Texas outdoors where summer heat can often be over 100°F

I also cycle my packs at 40A which significantly increases heat to optimize performance at the expense of reduced longevity.

Lower quality packs tend to last about 3-4 months when I see slight swelling and IR fade where in stock racing I prefer to see IR less than 2mΩ and then I will retire a pack. For Mod classes I will continue to use a pack until it hits 7mΩ and that might take anywhere between 6 months to a year for a low quality brand. Trinity White Carbon tend to last between 1-2 years respectively (between the 2mΩ and 7mΩ range) making them more cost effective in general.

Hope this helps

 

[jojobeans]

I would tell him to return the Lectron Pro's. Look at the reviews on Amazon. Lots of complaints about them, on top of Grey's findings.

Little update, returned them and the hobby shop took them back and gave him a discount on a different batterie(s). Slim pickings, all they really had were more lectron pros. He ended up grabbing a 6s lectron pro and fully charged, IR was much lower. The pack had significantly more punch and overall his fireteam woke up a lot and these don't immediately trigger the LVC. Although the pack is still kind of warm compared to my traxxas packs in the cold weather, but within reason I would say for a 14 pound car. Hopefully Lectron pro's issues are isolated to their smaller packs maybe

 

[Greywolf74]

Little update, returned them and the hobby shop took them back and gave him a discount on a different batterie(s). Slim pickings, all they really had were more lectron pros. He ended up grabbing a 6s lectron pro and fully charged, IR was much lower. The pack had significantly more punch and overall his fireteam woke up a lot and these don't immediately trigger the LVC. Although the pack is still kind of warm compared to my traxxas packs in the cold weather, but within reason I would say for a 14 pound car. Hopefully Lectron pro's issues are isolated to their smaller packs maybe

Unless the model of Lectron pro is different they should be built with the same cells as the smaller packs. If both batteries are both the same model then Id speculate that Lectron Pro has a problem with quality control.

 

[biggman100]

Ok, so, going by all the numbers, if you were to list them in order of best to worst, what would that list look like? If I'm reading the chart you posted right, Lectron Pro should be the best, but, in the post above mine, he is having issues with them. Also, are the batteries you tested 2S, 3S, 4S, 6S, or a combination? I'm just looking for a decent, not too expensive, 2S for bashing. You asked me once if i had seen all your tests when i mentioned Zeee 2S 5200 MAH as my goto, and, i did see the tests, but, frankly, they make little sense to me.

 

[Greywolf74]

Ok, so, going by all the numbers, if you were to list them in order of best to worst, what would that list look like? If I'm reading the chart you posted right, Lectron Pro should be the best, but, in the post above mine, he is having issues with them. Also, are the batteries you tested 2S, 3S, 4S, 6S, or a combination? I'm just looking for a decent, not too expensive, 2S for bashing. You asked me once if i had seen all your tests when i mentioned Zeee 2S 5200 MAH as my goto, and, i did see the tests, but, frankly, they make little sense to me.

Lectron Pros are horrible. They have really high IRs. or at least the two I tested did. the main thing to look at is the VUL (voltage under load). Find one with the highest voltage under load rating that fits in to your price range. Generally the packs with the highest VUL are gonna have good IRs. The rest of the numbers arent nearly as important.

The best budget performers are pretty much Liperior, Liperior Pro, Zippy Compact, Regular Turnigy, and CNHL G+ series in no particular order. Any of those that fit in to your budget are going to be some of the better budget lipos on my spreadsheet

 

[Lukedavis]

Lectron Pros are horrible. They have really high IRs. or at least the two I tested did. the main thing to look at is the VUL (voltage under load). Find one with the highest voltage under load rating that fits in to your price range. Generally the packs with the highest VUL are gonna have good IRs. The rest of the numbers arent nearly as important.

The best budget performers are pretty much Liperior, Liperior Pro, Zippy Compact, Regular Turnigy, and CNHL G+ series in no particular order. Any of those that fit in to your budget are going to be some of the better budget lipos on my spreadsheet

How do you find the VUL?

 

[Greywolf74]

How do you find the VUL?

Click on my google drive link in the OP and look at the speadsheet titled "LiPo Shoot Out 22 January 2023 (AVG VUL)"

 

[Lukedavis]

Click on my google drive link in the OP and look at the speadsheet titled "LiPo Shoot Out 22 January 2023 (AVG VUL)"

Okay thank you
Would an LiHV 3s Lipo work on a traxxas vxl-3s system?

 

[Greywolf74]

Okay thank you
Would an LiHV 3s Lipo work on a traxxas vxl-3s system?

Since there only an additional .15V/C I would think it would be ok but you might want to ask Traxxas themselves or get an opinion from someone that has first hand experience using LiHV on that ESC

 

[Lukedavis]

Since there only an additional .15V/C I would think it would be ok but you might want to ask Traxxas themselves or get an opinion from someone that has first hand experience using LiHV on that ESC

Okay thank you

Okay thank you

Do they make the car preform better than a regular Lipo?

Since there only an additional .15V/C I would think it would be ok but you might want to ask Traxxas themselves or get an opinion from someone that has first hand experience using LiHV on that ESC

Traxxas just said that they haven’t tried with that type of battery

 

[Greywolf74]

Do they make the car preform better than a regular Lipo?

Sort of but really only to racers. The theory is that with the LiPo starting out with a higher than normal voltage it will therefore maintain a higher voltage under load through the course of a race. At least compared to a regular lipo. The higher your voltage is, the more RPM you can get out of the motor. So, for example, if your racing 1/8 scale buggy on 4S and your battery is maintaining a higher voltage under load than your opponent then you're theoretically going to be faster than he is. On 4S you're starting out with .6V more than an opponent who is running a regular lipo. Make sense?

Traxxas just said that they haven’t tried with that type of battery

LOL. Yeah IDK on 3S your only adding an extra .45V but that ESC isnt exactly known for last long when being run on a regular 3S soooooo

 

[Lukedavis]

Sort of but really only to racers. The theory is that with the LiPo starting out with a higher than normal voltage it will therefore maintain a higher voltage under load through the course of a race. At least compared to a regular lipo. The higher your voltage is, the more RPM you can get out of the motor. So, for example, if your racing 1/8 scale buggy on 4S and your battery is maintaining a higher voltage under load than your opponent then you're theoretically going to be faster than he is. On 4S you're starting out with .6V more than an opponent who is running a regular lipo. Make sense?


LOL. Yeah IDK on 3S your only adding an extra .45V but that ESC isnt exactly known for last long when being run on a regular 3S soooooo

Lol

Sort of but really only to racers. The theory is that with the LiPo starting out with a higher than normal voltage it will therefore maintain a higher voltage under load through the course of a race. At least compared to a regular lipo. The higher your voltage is, the more RPM you can get out of the motor. So, for example, if your racing 1/8 scale buggy on 4S and your battery is maintaining a higher voltage under load than your opponent then you're theoretically going to be faster than he is. On 4S you're starting out with .6V more than an opponent who is running a regular lipo. Make sense?


LOL. Yeah IDK on 3S your only adding an extra .45V but that ESC isnt exactly known for last long when being run on a regular 3S soooooo

It also gets really hot and the dude on the traxxas website said that I need to replace the esc. It’s brand fricking new. I’m just going to buy a fan to put on it. I also need a new motor because the one I have is screwed up. I will get a LiHV battery just for funsies

Sort of but really only to racers. The theory is that with the LiPo starting out with a higher than normal voltage it will therefore maintain a higher voltage under load through the course of a race. At least compared to a regular lipo. The higher your voltage is, the more RPM you can get out of the motor. So, for example, if your racing 1/8 scale buggy on 4S and your battery is maintaining a higher voltage under load than your opponent then you're theoretically going to be faster than he is. On 4S you're starting out with .6V more than an opponent who is running a regular lipo. Make sense?


LOL. Yeah IDK on 3S your only adding an extra .45V but that ESC isnt exactly known for last long when being run on a regular 3S soooooo

I can’t find lectron pro batteries in any of the data sheets

 

[biggman100]

Lectron Pros are horrible. They have really high IRs. or at least the two I tested did. the main thing to look at is the VUL (voltage under load). Find one with the highest voltage under load rating that fits in to your price range. Generally the packs with the highest VUL are gonna have good IRs. The rest of the numbers arent nearly as important.

The best budget performers are pretty much Liperior, Liperior Pro, Zippy Compact, Regular Turnigy, and CNHL G+ series in no particular order. Any of those that fit in to your budget are going to be some of the better budget lipos on my spreadsheet

These are two that i found: https://rcbattery.com/liperior-5000mah-2s-40c-7-4v-lipo-battery-with-xt90-plug.html
https://rcbattery.com/liperior-5000mah-2s-50c-7-4v-lipo-battery-with-xt90-plug.html
My biggest problem is completely starting over lipo wise, and, since they couldnt verify the fire we had wasn't from that, being leery, but, for what I'm trying to do, nimh's get too expensive and dont work as well. They also have these, so, I'm not sure if i should spend the little extra on them or not: https://rcbattery.com/liperior-endu...-4v-hardcase-lipo-battery-with-xt60-plug.html

 

[Greywolf74]

I can’t find lectron pro batteries in any of the data sheets

Its on there. If your looking at the VUL sheet its the second to the last lipo on this list. #57

These are two that i found: https://rcbattery.com/liperior-5000mah-2s-40c-7-4v-lipo-battery-with-xt90-plug.html
https://rcbattery.com/liperior-5000mah-2s-50c-7-4v-lipo-battery-with-xt90-plug.html
My biggest problem is completely starting over lipo wise, and, since they couldnt verify the fire we had wasn't from that, being leery, but, for what I'm trying to do, nimh's get too expensive and dont work as well. They also have these, so, I'm not sure if i should spend the little extra on them or not: https://rcbattery.com/liperior-endu...-4v-hardcase-lipo-battery-with-xt60-plug.html

The regular yellow packs are good. The endurance packs are not very good compared to the regular and pro packs.

 

[Greywolf74]

The 6 month low self discharge test results for the rechargable AA batteries are now available in the word document "Rechargable AAs 04 March 2023 - Copy"

 

[Bogda89]

Awesome video.

 

[WickedFog]

Awesome video.

That is very cool. I read through Joe's thread on RCGroups a long time ago

 

[Chubaka]

Awesome video.

Thanks to you, I'm not getting crap done. Great info though.

 

[Greywolf74]

The 9 month low self discharge test results for the rechargable AA batteries are now available in the word document "Rechargable AAs 31 May 2023 - Copy"