What's your "budget" LiPo of choice?

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I emailed SMC asking if they will fit on the Kraton V3. If not, I told them to stop my order.

I'm not sure those will fit... they are pretty tall, especially when stacking them up. They are 37mm tall and 139mm long (so tall, but short). Whereas these are longer, but not as tall:
https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=67_99&product_id=506

Maybe they will fit...
Can anyone on here confirm if they will fit?

Luckily I ordered the batteries last night, so I'm hoping they see my email before it gets shipped.
 
Yes...I believe 20% is over...was during superbowl...but u can try...code was GAMEON. I have 2 3s 5000mah...they both fit Kraton but tight...wont fit 6000mah. The benefit of 2 3s is if you damage 1 cell/battery you only have to replace 3s battery (cheaper). Even at $120 the graphene is a great deal...the battery stays strong for the entire run + they will probably last longer
No you still have to buy 2 batteries.
And no you should never mix new and old batteries, over time your batteries lose their capacity so the older battery will drain faster than the new one. And most escs read the total voltage not the voltage of each pack or cell so the older battery could get drained below safe levels easily in this situation especially with the stock esc and its low lvc setting.
 
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Alright, so I spoke to SMC and they said I'm better off running 1x 6s battery instead of 2x 3S batteries. They also mentioned the 2 batteries that I ordered originally might not fit.

He did recommend this battery to me for the Kraton V3:

https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=67_159&product_id=467
It's probably best performance, but I'd be hesitant to spend $100 on one pack in case one of the cells died 6 months later. I'd rather spend the money on 2 3S packs and if one died, at least then I still had one that was good for other usage. Just my preference I guess.

Out of all my 2S packs, I think I have 12 or 14 SMC packs, only one has died on me after a year of use. One of my 9000mah 2S packs had a cell drop after about 14 months.

I really wish I had messed around with it a bit before running it dead/shorting it and tossing it. I had 4 of those total that were all almost the same age/usage cycles. I could have taken it apart and used it to build a couple 3S packs... I guess, now that I think about it, I still have 3 of those, I may tear those down and make 2 3S packs out of them as I no longer run them in anything. Not sure what I'd use them for... suppose if they fit in my outcast... could be the start of me running 6S in it. Would be heavy SOB's though.
 
Happy to report the 51mm wide turnigy 3s 5000mah 60c lipos fit both the nero and Kraton!

The bottom battery of the kraton has some give/stretch...which allows for batteries a tad wider.

Does anyone know if the new notorious (cough cough outcast) uses the same tray as the v3 kraton etc?
Im on the hunt for 3 or 6s lipos and digging around hobbyking turns up plenty of nice powerful batteries at 49mm wide. Sure make things easier if i knew they'd fit. Notorious on its way :)
 
Does anyone know if the new notorious (cough cough outcast) uses the same tray as the v3 kraton etc?
Im on the hunt for 3 or 6s lipos and digging around hobbyking turns up plenty of nice powerful batteries at 49mm wide. Sure make things easier if i knew they'd fit. Notorious on its way :)
All of the Notorious and Outcast models come stock with the battery tray in the V3 Kraton. When that tray came out it was released in the V1 Outcast first and then went to the rest of the vehicles from there.
 

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plz don't get me wrong as this thread is super useful but we nearly 400 replies and 20 pages in. trying to find info can be a bit of a challenge. it would be nice if we could get some replies as to members top 2-3 batteries. maybe even broken up into 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s lipos.

am i wrong??
 
plz don't get me wrong as this thread is super useful but we nearly 400 replies and 20 pages in. trying to find info can be a bit of a challenge. it would be nice if we could get some replies as to members top 2-3 batteries. maybe even broken up into 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s lipos.

am i wrong??
Maybe an active poll attached to the thread would be useful? I'm not even sure if that's possible, but basically a high level summary of what the current "hive mind" suggests while muting out all the low-level noise/chatter (which is useful considering customer service, cell quality, etc...).
 
Yeah these are good suggestions, definitely.

What I took from the thread as a "safe bet" was,
Smc
Hobby star
gensacearespammers
Hrb
And plenty of people using and happy with turnigy and zippy batteries although the consensus seems to be to go with the nano tech or graphenes
 
My choice is any of Hobbyking's range, the nano-tech, graphines or Turnigy heavy duty, best of all the heavy duties come with 10awg and XT90's..
I recently got recommended HRB's so might give a pair of them a try..??
 
I have a couple but don't like that style of connection / bullets into the battery. More to get loose and unable to stack.
I have a couple 2s that will only run in my Traxxas Slash and barely in my BRCC.
That style of pack is often seen in racing from my experience and in center mounted battery trays.
I give those a thumbs down but I do like the Floureon 3s packs I have that are built differently (no small bullets.) After over 18 months, my 3s Floureon packs are still going but starting to puff from abuse and leaving charged for too long.
disclaimer: I'm pretty bad at taking care of my LiPo collection.
 
I have 3 of them and as @crimsonfancy said they do not work in the 6s vehicles, if you try to stack them the leads will break the battery.
View attachment 33069
I have a couple but don't like that style of connection / bullets into the battery. More to get loose and unable to stack.
I have a couple 2s that will only run in my Traxxas Slash and barely in my BRCC.
That style of pack is often seen in racing from my experience and in center mounted battery trays.
I give those a thumbs down but I do like the Floureon 3s packs I have that are built differently (no small bullets.) After over 18 months, my 3s Floureon packs are still going but starting to puff from abuse and leaving charged for too long.
disclaimer: I'm pretty bad at taking care of my LiPo collection.

Cheers for the replies... so the floureons are all good as long as you go the packs that don't have the removable leads/bullet connection style...

Are the HRB brand lipos better?.. both seem to be around the same price here in Australia..
 
Cheers for the replies... so the floureons are all good as long as you go the packs that don't have the removable leads/bullet connection style...

Are the HRB brand lipos better?.. both seem to be around the same price here in Australia..
I do not have personal experience with HRB and I don't recognize the brand. I would buy Floureon again though and probably will in time.
I also have experience with PowerHobby and I like them just as much. Not sure if these are considered "budget" but I like em and I'd buy them at deals or sales.
Another brand I have mixed feelings about that I'd assume are in the same cost range is Lectron Pro. These are slightly higher in cost vs Floureon and have given me less confidence. I got some brand new 3s with the MT10E and one cell was struggling. Contacted the dealer and he wasn't so helpful. Eventually the pack came back and hasn't puffed but Im still hesitant to get more.
I'd buy Floureon again, YES.

My favorite LiPo of all though are SMC and growing into Turnigy Heavy Duty as well. These again, are not considered budget class.

The budget LiPos I own are Floureon and while I have a couple I don't like, its not due to broken chemistry or durability. I made a mistake when I ordered and when I tried to return they offered a discount that I took em up on. More cost and pain in the arse to return and learned my lesson...in that I should pay more attention to what Im buying even though I trust the brand. Design was what failed me...not the brand whatsoever.
 
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Cheers for the replies... so the floureons are all good as long as you go the packs that don't have the removable leads/bullet connection style...

Are the HRB brand lipos better?.. both seem to be around the same price here in Australia..


From what I have seen and hear they both seem to be about the same.
 
I don't run budget or cheap lipos. Like anything else u get what u pay for.
I use SMC, good lipos, good price.
gensacearespammers would probably be 2nd.
20190316_235401.jpg
 
I don't run budget or cheap lipos. Like anything else u get what u pay for.
I use SMC, good lipos, good price.
gensacearespammers would probably be 2nd.View attachment 33083
My gensacearespammers 2s are the oldest packs I have and they still get plenty use. I loan em out to the neighbor kid (boss's son) that doesn't have a charger and he abuses them on his Arrma $99 brushed truck. I charge em back up and give em away to him again. So far he hasn't broken the thing but I told him and his daddy that I'll fix it when it happens. gensacearespammers are probably my second fav too after SMC.
 
My gensacearespammers 2s are the oldest packs I have and they still get plenty use. I loan em out to the neighbor kid (boss's son) that doesn't have a charger and he abuses them on his Arrma $99 brushed truck. I charge em back up and give em away to him again. So far he hasn't broken the thing but I told him and his daddy that I'll fix it when it happens. gensacearespammers are probably my second fav too after SMC.
Yep, if I wasn't queer for SMC, I'd definitely go with the gens. Heard only good things about them from people who USE them.
 
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