My Brushless E-Maxx project!

[Tempted]

Did you check the voltage with a multimeter? Also, if you are worried about heat between the motor and cells, try off setting the cells a bit. Instead of gluing them in the center, glue them right over top of the outside set of cells. As for the Depot wires, check the temps at the wires for the first few runs to make sure they are conducting right. A good, high quality sub-woofer wire can be found at most speaker shops and work great.