Cheap 3s lipo vs expensive lipo run time

[Speedy!]

When I got my RTR Kraton I didn't know zip about lipo batteries. As a newbie there's a pretty steep learning curve to a lot of this and honestly, I just wanted simple. I didn't want to have to become a lipo engineer in order to run the rig. The shop I bought the truck from handed me the Spektrum dual battery kit and I've been pretty happy with everything except what it cost, which was over half what the truck cost!

The dummy lights on the DX3 tell me when the batteries are just about out of juice and they've been pretty accurate. If I'm across the field and see the last light blinking I know I need to be getting the truck back close to me and typically, it'll drop to the slower low voltage mode right as it gets to me, so in terms of capacity the dummy lights work OK it seems. Voltage would be nice, but a warning light would still be useful to me I think as I'd probably not get in the habit or trying to read voltage off a LCD screen or something.

When I first got the truck it seemed a charge would last me about 40 minutes, but I was driving slow then. Now that I've gotten accustomed to handling and some driving practice I spend more time ripping around and the charge seems to last about 25 minutes give or take. I'd like to have a second set of batteries for when I've traveled somewhere to run the rig to get a little more time out of the trip.

I may grab a couple of the Zee 80C 3S lipos just so I can compare them to the much more expensive Spektrum SMART 3S 50C packs I have now. Two for $69 seems like a pretty good deal compared to $89 for a single Spektrum 3S.

In an age where I can yell "hey Alexa order lunch" and have it just magically show up, it seems archaic to have to program a charger to properly charge a battery, but again I'm a newbie to all this LOL.

 

[grihn]

In an age where I can yell "hey Alexa order lunch" and have it just magically show up, it seems archaic to have to program a charger to properly charge a battery, but again I'm a newbie to all this LOL.

lol, yeah, but, you don't have to, that's where the Smart technology comes in to play! You just have to pay extra for the convenience. It's like the "Door Dash" of the LiPo world, haha. That said, I think it's good to learn the non-smart assisted ways, and once you have a general idea of what you're doing, it's really second nature. I kind of equate it to backup cameras and sensors...they're all well and good, but it's best to not rely on them 100% and still turn your head and look, that way if the technology fails you, you still know how to drive.

Honestly, I'd say having a user-friendly charger is the most important part...some are just too complicated for their own good and I think it's easy to get confused if there are too many settings/options. This is the most useful advice I got when I was getting back into the hobby.

"A LiPo battery should be charged at a maximum rate of 1C, where 'C' is the capacity of the battery in amp hours divided by hours - so a 2200mAh battery can be safely charged at 2200mA (i.e. 2.2A.) For some high performance batteries the manufacturer may also state a charge C rating above 1C (such as some Turnigy Graphene batteries), but if this is not given it is safest to assume 1C. It is important to note that headline C rating of a battery pack shows the safe continuous discharge rate of the battery - the safe charge rate is significantly lower."

I don't know whether that's the "best" or "most accurate" advice ever, but it's what I've followed for almost 3 years now and it hasn't let me down. I know some like to charge at a higher C rating to lower charge times, but supposedly that can shorten the life of your lipo, and in certain situations, can be more dangerous. Again, that's just more advice I heard from several sources I trust, and follow it...I'm no expert in the matter.

 

[Speedy!]

That's good info, thanks. Yes, one reason I'm looking at getting just some standard non SMART batteries is so it forces me to pay a little more attention and understand the charging on top of the cost difference.

 

[slick2500]

lol, yeah, but, you don't have to, that's where the Smart technology comes in to play! You just have to pay extra for the convenience. It's like the "Door Dash" of the LiPo world, haha. That said, I think it's good to learn the non-smart assisted ways, and once you have a general idea of what you're doing, it's really second nature. I kind of equate it to backup cameras and sensors...they're all well and good, but it's best to not rely on them 100% and still turn your head and look, that way if the technology fails you, you still know how to drive.

Honestly, I'd say having a user-friendly charger is the most important part...some are just too complicated for their own good and I think it's easy to get confused if there are too many settings/options. This is the most useful advice I got when I was getting back into the hobby.

"A LiPo battery should be charged at a maximum rate of 1C, where 'C' is the capacity of the battery in amp hours divided by hours - so a 2200mAh battery can be safely charged at 2200mA (i.e. 2.2A.) For some high performance batteries the manufacturer may also state a charge C rating above 1C (such as some Turnigy Graphene batteries), but if this is not given it is safest to assume 1C. It is important to note that headline C rating of a battery pack shows the safe continuous discharge rate of the battery - the safe charge rate is significantly lower."

I don't know whether that's the "best" or "most accurate" advice ever, but it's what I've followed for almost 3 years now and it hasn't let me down. I know some like to charge at a higher C rating to lower charge times, but supposedly that can shorten the life of your lipo, and in certain situations, can be more dangerous. Again, that's just more advice I heard from several sources I trust, and follow it...I'm no expert in the matter.

My truck has a backup camera but I never use it.

 

[Speedy!]

I'm assuming the non SMART packs like Zeee won't transmit capacity level back to my DX3 Tx?

Will the truck still go in to low voltage mode when the packs get down around the LVC like 3.4V/cell or whatever? I think the answer to that is yes since that's controlled at the ESC, but I don't see that documented in ESC configuration anywhere in the manuals I have for the SR315.

 

[Senton_Prime]

I'm assuming the non SMART packs like Zeee won't transmit capacity level back to my DX3 Tx?

Will the truck still go in to low voltage mode when the packs get down around the LVC like 3.4V/cell or whatever? I think the answer to that is yes since that's controlled at the ESC, but I don't see that documented in ESC configuration anywhere in the manuals I have for the SR315.

Yes it still will.. Its programmed into your esc!

 

[Speedy!]

Put this together so I could see it at quick glance. I think I'm gonna give the Zeee 6000mAh ones a shot.

Manufacturer	C Rating	mAh	Weight	L x W x H Dimensions (mm)	Case	Price	Notes
Spektrum 3S	50C	5000​	13.2oz/375gr	138.5 x 45.6 x 35	hard	$89.99​	2 required for 6S; expensive; SMART
Zeee 3S	80C	5200​	13.4oz/380gr	138 x 47 x 37	hard	$68.99 (for 2)	2 required for 6S; good price
Zeee 3S	80C	6000​	14.4oz/410gr	138 x 47 x 37	hard	$80.99 (for 2)	2 required for 6S; good price
SMC 3S DV Extreme	135C	5200​	14.6oz/416gr	139 x 47 x 38	hard	$44.95​	2 required for 6S good price
SMC 3S DV Extreme	135C	6200​	17.7oz/502gr	160 x 51 x 30	soft	$53.95​	2 required
SMC 3S Graphene Extreme V2	120C	5200​	12oz/339gr	139 x 47 x 25	hard	$59.95​	2 required; light weight
Zeee 6S	100C	6000​	29.38oz/833gr	155 x 48 x 51.5	soft	$82.99​	only one required
SMC 6S DV Extreme	135C	6300​	33.8oz/961oz	165 x 47 x62.5	soft	$109.95​	only one required; SMC says fits 6S Arrma vehicles
SMC 6S Graphene Extreme V2	120C	5200​	22.1oz/627gr	139 x 48 x 48	hard	$113.95​	only one required
SMC 6S True Spec Extreme V2	40C	5300​	24.1oz/684gr	160 x 46 x 46	soft	$109.95​	only one required

 

[MambaSenton]

Zeee 6s 100c n don’t look back

 

[slick2500]

I forgot to post this https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?1767093-Battery-Load-Test-Comparisons

 

[Speedy!]

Well, was still thinking about the two Zeee 3S 6000mAh packs and they're 10% off today so I pulled the trigger. Two of them for $72.99 figured it was worth a try.

 

[MambaSenton]

Well, was still thinking about the two Zeee 3S 6000mAh packs and they're 10% off today so I pulled the trigger. Two of them for $72.99 figured it was worth a try.

You won’t be disappointed. 8000mah 100c 3s hard case has been great to me I’m about to order their 5500 mah 120c hard case for some spares!

 

[SrC]

That's good info, thanks. Yes, one reason I'm looking at getting just some standard non SMART batteries is so it forces me to pay a little more attention and understand the charging on top of the cost difference.

It's real easy to just want to drive the rig. Lipo's being the drudgery, Lipos being a supposed nuisance to charge? Smart being the answer??? Not.
RC rigs, Air or surface, is ALL about the Lipo, Amps. and Volts. Better understand that First. It's absolutely Part and Parcel to this Hobby. No getting around it. All Chargers are user freindly once you learn them. If you don't want to learn it, then maybe you are in the wrong Hobby? I find that many Smart users don't understand them any more than standard Lipo charging. Set and forget Smart charging will work until there are lipo issues. then what? You are at square one. Trying to understand where the problem is. Because things became Dumb real fast. Smart chips embedded in the lipos fail at times. They are programmable, yet many won't look into this. They just want set and forget. Because that is what they paid for?
Instant gratification to want to bash is secondary. Don't put the cart before the horse. Your rig won't move until you understand the care and feeding of your lipos. And they work properly. A 1C charge rate is the standard charge rate for RC Lipo's. Track guys will charge at a higher rate to warm up the lipos for more punch, faster amp delivery. They won't even care if the Mfr states a Higher than 1C rate is capable or not. They get less use out of the lipos before tossing them.
It is well known that 1C makes the lipo's last much longer over the long haul. I charge at 1C always. I am getting approx 50 cycles out my lipos before they start to peter out . IR's shoot up. Cells won't balance well any longer. Lipo capacity diminishes. 50 cycles is not alot considering their price, while technology says you will get way much more life out of them.. But Mfr's are using Lab test data in a controlled environment to determine this. Real world use, gets way less cycles. IMHO. Charging Less than a 1C rate, .5 C for example, consistently done this way, will get you even more life cycles out of them. Just that you will be taking way much longer to charge them. Especially high Capacity Lipos. A 1C rate is the norm for Basher Rigs. The best balance of charging speed and longest cycle life.

 

[Senton_Prime]

It's real easy to just want to drive the rig. Lipo's being the drudgery, Lipos being a supposed nuisance to charge? Smart being the answer??? Not.
RC rigs, Air or surface, is ALL about the Lipo, Amps. and Volts. Better understand that First. It's absolutely Part and Parcel to this Hobby. No getting around it. All Chargers are user freindly once you learn them. If you don't want to learn it, then maybe you are in the wrong Hobby? I find that many Smart users don't understand them any more than standard Lipo charging. Set and forget Smart charging will work until there are lipo issues. then what? You are at square one. Trying to understand where the problem is. Because things became Dumb real fast. Smart chips embedded in the lipos fail at times. They are programmable, yet many won't look into this. They just want set and forget. Because that is what they paid for?
Instant gratification to want to bash is secondary. Don't put the cart before the horse. Your rig won't move until you understand the care and feeding of your lipos. And they work properly. A 1C charge rate is the standard charge rate for RC Lipo's. Track guys will charge at a higher rate to warm up the lipos for more punch, faster amp delivery. They won't even care if the Mfr states a Higher than 1C rate is capable or not. They get less use out of the lipos before tossing them.
It is well known that 1C makes the lipo's last much longer over the long haul. I charge at 1C always. I am getting approx 50 cycles out my lipos before they start to peter out . IR's shoot up. Cells won't balance well any longer. Lipo capacity diminishes. 50 cycles is not alot considering their price, while technology says you will get way much more life out of them.. But Mfr's are using Lab test data in a controlled environment to determine this. Real world use, gets way less cycles. IMHO. Charging Less than a 1C rate, .5 C for example, consistently done this way, will get you even more life cycles out of them. Just that you will be taking way much longer to charge them. Especially high Capacity Lipos. A 1C rate is the norm for Basher Rigs. The best balance of charging speed and longest cycle life.

Haa 50 cycles.. and u hating on spektrum and the whole smart setups!! @SrC got that tripled with my spektrums!!

 

[Speedy!]

Well my Zeee lipos showed up yesterday. They're 6000mAh and I charged them at 5A. Oddly, my Spektrum S2100 smart charger defaults to 12A! Did it twice on the initial charge and again after running the Zeees this evening and setting them to storage charge. Gotta pay attention to that for sure, but now I've learned something and saved a few bucks. The Zeees worked well and lasted right at 30 min.