Lipo cutoff for XL-5

[Boogie]

Are you guys using a cutoff or alarm for your lipos on the xl-5? What brand or model do you use?

 

[marauder]

I'm using a Maxpro Battery Monitor 2S from hobby city. It was very inexpensive, and I have tested its accuracy with my voltmeter and it seems to be spot on. I love it now because I can run my pack down to a safe voltage without fear of over discharge. The beep is loud enough to hear while bashing, and I have yet to see the need for a voltage alarm when racing as most heats and mains aren't long enough to hurt my pack. I get 25 minutes run time hard on throttle and brake out of my pack, and that's stopping at 6.6-6.7 volts which is right at the first red light. I could run lower, but there's no need. Overall, for the money, I'm very happy with it.

Here is a video of the alarm when it's just getting at the voltage to trip the alarm.

 

[robmob]

Since I mainly only race, I have not used one.

No way I will even come close to using the capacity of the pack during a 6 minute race. I have even gone 2 heats and a main without charging and barely used 50% of the pack.

For bashing it is a must have to protect your pack though. Since I have recently switched my son to Lipo I have picked up an alarm from Maxamps which look like the one by Maxpro. I even have a second one for my Slash for when I am out bashing around with him.

 

[Boogie]

Marauder, I was just looking at that alarm, that's cool. I was wondering what it sounded like. I'm going to order a pair of those batteries with one of the max-pro 2S alarms. Do those batteries come with the balance and charging plugs/harness? It's aweful funny how similar the max-pro's look to the max-amps models, ain't it??? $16-17 difference though...

 

[robmob]

I saw the price difference and go all butt hurt for paying so much more. LMAO

Even with my discount I paid $16.99 each. Ugh!

 

[marauder]

Marauder, I was just looking at that alarm, that's cool. I was wondering what it sounded like. I'm going to order a pair of those batteries with one of the max-pro 2S alarms. Do those batteries come with the balance and charging plugs/harness? It's aweful funny how similar the max-pro's look to the max-amps models, ain't it??? $16-17 difference though...

It sounds like the video, and can be heard pretty easy over electrics but if there are nitro running you may not hear until passing close by. It's also fairly easy to see the LED through the front window on my proline body because it is not painted so I will look through at the truck when passing by on the track just to make sure it hasn't come unhooked or something. The batteries came with the charge/balance plugs, but I swapped from the knock-off dean plug to a traxxas power plug so I didn't have to modify my esc.

One day you're going to have to come out to the private track and bash with us. I will show you how it works/sounds.

 

[Boogie]

It sounds like the video, and can be heard pretty easy over electrics but if there are nitro running you may not hear until passing close by. It's also fairly easy to see the LED through the front window on my proline body because it is not painted so I will look through at the truck when passing by on the track just to make sure it hasn't come unhooked or something. The batteries came with the charge/balance plugs, but I swapped from the knock-off dean plug to a traxxas power plug so I didn't have to modify my esc.

One day you're going to have to come out to the private track and bash with us. I will show you how it works/sounds.

Cool, where is it located? I just got a brand spankin new Fabtech Slash in yesterday and I'm itching to run it on a track. I run deans on all my batteries so I've got to chop off the traxxas plug and solder on a deans to my esc. I'm either going to order two of those 4000mah 25C hardcase zippy's like yours along with that alarm, or one of the new 5000mah 30C hardcase zippy's they just started carrying. I'll probably order the two 4000mah hardcases because they're quite a bit cheaper and I need two lipos to run in one of my brushless boats as well.

 

[marauder]

Let me know when you want to get an order together. I like to save on the shipping anyway.

 

[Boogie]

Will do, hopefully in a couple days. How long did it take them to ship to you? How is that 4000mah lipo holding up, what's the runtime and temps?

 

[marauder]

Ordered on a Monday afternoon, got back same week Friday morning. This was for the fast shipping option which costs a little more but if we split among the three of us (four if I get my dad in on the order) it will be cheaper. It cost roughly $15 each shipping for the last order we made when split two ways. I'm about to make an order with a friend so let me know.

Getting ~25 minutes on a stock slash electronic/gearing setup hard on the throttle and brake. I wanted run the pack down as quick as I could and stop at the first stage of the lipo alarm.

When you say temps, are you referring to the battery or the Motor/ESC? The lipo is holding up very well, I plan to order at least 4 more if that tells you anything.

 

[Boogie]

Sounds like some good run time. I was referring to the temp on the battery. I don't think the stock setup pulls that much to heat up a lipo anyways, but just wondering.

 

[marauder]

I've never noticed them get even slightly warm in the slash, the only time I did get them warmer than ambient temp was when I had them in my rustler vxl which is geared very high and I was running in grass. Still, after all that, they were just warm. The hard case also prevents really feeling what the pack is doing. Ya just can't beat a 2s, 4000mAh lipo for $25.

 

[Boogie]

Nope, it's definitely a good deal. I'm not sure when I'll get to make an order, it may be a few weeks.

 

[marauder]

Ok, I'll let you know when we're making the order. I'm fine making the order and letting you pay when things get in too, but at the moment we're in no hurry.

 

[Boogie]

That's cool, we'll figure something out when it comes around. I just noticed they added a 4000mah 30C hardcase lipo as well...wow. They're really getting some good new packs in. The only thing I'm a little leery of is their initial issues they had when they started carrying the red hardcase 4000mah 20C lipos like yours, something about the tabs weren't soldered correctly. They obviously fixed the issue, which is good, but I'll be curious to see if they have any issues with the new packs they're carrying.

4000mah 2S 30C Hardcase
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9435&Product_Name=ZIPPY_Flightmax_4000mAh_2S1P_30C_hardcase_pack

5000mah 2S 30C Hardcase
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9436&Product_Name=ZIPPY_Flightmax_5000mAh_2S1P_30C_hardcase_pack

5000mah 2S 20C Hardcase
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9437&Product_Name=ZIPPY_Flightmax_5000mAh_2S1P_20C_hardcase_pack