Does cold outside really affect battery run time?

[shingo]

If the RC and battery are at room temperature and you run it outside at around let's say 20F, will the outside temperature affect the run time?

If yes I don't understand, because if you don't let the car and battery cool down before you start it, the temperature of the ESC, motor, battery, oil won't cool because of the outside temperature. The temperature will just not rise as much as if it were hotter.

Am I right?

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Motors and ESCs run more efficiently cold. Thus you could do more work with less power. Batteries run best "warm" I believe the ideal temp for a battery is around 95-105 when talking about outputting the power best. (electrons flow easier at these temps)

Overall running in cool temps is ideal, so that you don't run into scenarios of overtemped ESCs or motors.
You could certainly gear up more aggressively in cold temps.

-Liberty

 

[adidas303]

I've looked into this as well being that winter is coming up on us soon, would like to play in the snow as well! I found this to be really helpful...

https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/discharging_at_high_and_low_temperatures ?

 

[DoNoHarm]

Batteries have been proven to perform way worse during temperatures around freezing and below. Exocaged rc has a fantastic video series on testing batteries in the cold and warm. A cold battery delivers quite a bit less amps than a warm pack, and also has much worse runtime.

 

[shingo]

Batteries have been proven to perform way worse during temperatures around freezing and below. Exocaged rc has a fantastic video series on testing batteries in the cold and warm. A cold battery delivers quite a bit less amps than a warm pack, and also has much worse runtime.

Yes a cold battery does, but what about a battery that is stored at room temperature and then use right away outside. It won't be able to cool down because of power the power output

 

[adidas303]

I don't see an issue with that, leave the heater running in the car for them or like a old cooler you can put some hand warmer packs in with the batteries in their own bag/case in the cooler!!! ?

 

[Dutch213]

My cold plastic parts fail way before the battery ever does. Lol

 

[WTF MIKE]

That explains why all my batteries sucked balls in my infraction

 

[olds97_lss]

My cold plastic parts fail way before the battery ever does. Lol

HA!

I have noticed the run time drop quite a bit by the time I run a second set of packs. The first set is usually pretty normal. Then if I don't destroy the truck, I have the second set which have been sitting there getting colder and colder in the trunk of my car.

Regardless, I'd rather run an electric any day of the week over nitro in the cold.

 

[Dutch213]

HA!

I have noticed the run time drop quite a bit by the time I run a second set of packs. The first set is usually pretty normal. Then if I don't destroy the truck, I have the second set which have been sitting there getting colder and colder in the trunk of my car.

Regardless, I'd rather run an electric any day of the week over nitro in the cold.

i was just messing around... well not really, i do break super quick in winter. But, my cordless tool batteries (milwaukee) suck in winter... half the life as normal...