Maxamps and Neuenergy lipo testing

Trinity LiPro's are the worst I have run. fresh pack in a Traxxas VXL will trigger the LVC 50% power mode when punching the throttle to full. Even the MA batteries did not do this. We tested 3 Trinity LiPro's on 2 different VXL's to make sure it was not a isolated issue.

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by Dewmerz

Trinity LiPro's are the worst I have run. fresh pack in a Traxxas VXL will trigger the LVC 50% power mode when punching the throttle to full. Even the MA batteries did not do this. We tested 3 Trinity LiPro's on 2 different VXL's to make sure it was not a isolated issue.

I had the same issue with a maxamps 4000 pack. When it was fully charged it was fine, but it did it after a few mins.

Originally Posted by lincpimp

Thats sucks, I'll hand you an oar, as we are in the same boat!

What size pack is it?

it was one of my 2s packs, it may not be as bad as i thought, but well see once i put a charge back in it

This is what I'm using. It's very simple. It is just a ammeter and a voltmeter with adjustable load. You just hook your battery up to it and turn the knob. As amps go up volts go down, just watch the gauges. You can adjust it for any load you want. If you want to do a long test like 40 amps for 10 minutes I would put a fan on it

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by Cowboy

This is what I'm using. It's very simple. It is just a ammeter and a voltmeter with adjustable load. You just hook your battery up to it and turn the knob. As amps go up volts go down, just watch the gauges. You can adjust it for any load you want. If you want to do a long test like 40 amps for 10 minutes I would put a fan on it

Nifty. That looks like a good piece of equipment.

[VintageMA]

Some more MaxAmps 5Ah 3S pack puffing.....

I've got 2 3S MaxAmps 5Ah packs that I've been using for not even a year. They've got maybe 30 - 40 cycles each. Since I've put in the RCM extended chassis on my CRT.5 and went up to 30 series tires my Amp draw has gone way up and runtime gone way down. I know peaks are hitting the high 90s, but the packs are lasting no more that 10 minutes. That's an average of (60/10)*5=30Amps.

30 Amps continuous (really a 6C rating) and at the end of one run a pack was reading 130* and was puffed out on both side. The puffing went down as the pack cooled - but I sat there and watched th pack for about 30 minutes - I was afraid to put the pack in the car for the ride home.

Very disappointing - I have already ordered a 3S 3900 (25C) Neu pack - so we'll see how much better it does when it comes in.

[kulangflow]

Both of my 3s 5K MaxAmps packs have puffed. Neither had more than 15 cycles, and both were taken care of very well with regard to charging and storage. Neither was ever even run to LVC.

On the other hand, I have 4 2s 6K packs and they're all doing great after lots of cycles.

I got two flights on a MA 4s1550 before it puffed, bought a FP evo20 4s 1500 the same day to compare. The MA has been dead for over a year and the FP evo is still fine. At this point I dont care if they do hold voltage at rated amps if they dont last they aren't worth the few bucks saved.

If you guys ever come across DN Power packs avoid those also, buddy bought two, one puffed after the first flight the other puffed in storage with less then 10 flights on it.

We have both decided that it isn't worth the few bucks saved on these so called bargain brands.

[suicideneil]

I was just looking at that car battery load tester- $520 is rather a lot of money, but worth it if you owned a garage I suppose. Would it be possible to build something similar using a normal battery discharger, perhaps modified so you can vary the discharge rate (load?), and add a voltameter & ameter shunts somewhere in the circuit? Beyond me, but there are lots of clever electrical guys around here that might have some thoughts.

[lincpimp]

Just thought that I would let you guys know that my maxamps 4200 3s pack let go. 3 out of the 6 cells (2100, 3s2p configuration) died. Well 2 just died with no apparent reason, or damage, and the third puffed like a balloon, but still had decent voltage. Oh well, the 3 good cells are now a 3s1p 2100 pack. I will set the crt.5 up for a full size tray and test it with some of my other 3s packs.

[bdebde]

Don't breath on those MA packs... they may puff!

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by bdebde

Don't breath on those MA packs... they may puff!

Oh no, I was pushing them hard. 82 amp rated pack trying to turn a novak hv6.5 motor in a crt.5. That is a heavy truck, and geared for 40mph. Way too much load for a 82amp rated pack. I think I need and 8000 3s maxcraps pack, maybe 160amps would be enough for this beast...

[sikeston34m]

Originally Posted by lincpimp

Oh no, I was pushing them hard. 82 amp rated pack trying to turn a novak hv6.5 motor in a crt.5. That is a heavy truck, and geared for 40mph. Way too much load for a 82amp rated pack. I think I need and 8000 3s maxcraps pack, maybe 160amps would be enough for this beast...

160 amps is just the Continous Rating. Those 8000mah packs are good for a 400 amp Burst Rating.

It says so on the website! *rolling eyes*

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by sikeston34m

160 amps is just the Continous Rating. Those 8000mah packs are good for a 400 amp Burst Rating.

It says so on the website! *rolling eyes*

Only 400 amps, the crt.5 can easily pull that. I think that maxamps are underestimating their cells a bit. 400 amps at 11.1v is about 6hp. A trx 3.3 can make that easy...

[VintageMA]

Well.... here's my very techincal prrof of concept on MaxAmps vs. Neu cells.

I've been running a 4S 5000mAh MaxAmps in my XB8EC and got a 5S 3900mAh Neu pack in preparation for the MMM.

Though I would try out the 5S pack in the MM to see how it would work or i I would send the MM up in smoke. Needless to say it works fine and temp were no higher than 130* (w/ ccbec, fan and no extra caps).

I had lowered the gearing on the XB8 from 17/48 to 15/48 in preparation for the new pack and with the Maxamps 4S 5Ah pack I was getting about 10 minutes before the pack would dump (pack less than 3 months and 10 cycles).

I ran it today with the Neu pack and WOW unbelievable. I ran the car VERY HARD for 15 minutes and the pack hadn't even dumped yet. First time I ever saw a 1/8 buggy pull a full wheelie .

Anyway - you would think with same gearing a buggy on 5S would pull more Amps and last last time with a lower rated pack than on 4S, but the 5S pack only pulled 3.355Ah during the run and took 3470mA back in the charge.
This is compared to the MaxAmps 5K pack dumping around ~3.5Ah in a run and taking back over 4 during charge.

Needless to say - MaxAmps are going up on e-bay after this experience.