Whatever happened to maxamps cut throat pricing?

[Finnster]

It seems most of their customer service involves trolling the RC forums and attacking whomever questions the quality of their packs. This includes OEMs too.

I noticed a post by PdC from CC kinda blaming some MA packs for early MMM failures last year. MA jumped on his ass and he backed off. Now they won't suggest MA packs may cause failures, but they will call out zippies a bit. Mostly I think its a crock of S, and Linc summed it up well.

Get good packs from Mike and tear it up, or go cheap w/ zips and be more careful and prepare for some problems (I have 1 weak cell in 10 on my zips.)

[Finnster]

MA does have a really good business model tho. Not a particularly ethical one, but a successful one. I think if we've learned anything in this country/world in the last year, you don't have to be particularly good to make a lot of money.

[redshift]

That's a great point Finnster- there isn't as much money to be made by business with a modicum of morality.

And it's always been that way it seems- I wonder, if MA starts to go under, will they get a stimulus package because they hedged themselves out.... ok I'm done

[MetalMan]

A customer at the LHS today proceeded to ask me if we carried Maxamps... I said "No, we don't" and proceeded to bite my tongue a bit because he seemed so set on buying some Maxamps packs of capacity greater than the 5200mah we sell.

On Saturday a guy I talk with/advise a lot (he does a bunch of 1/8 conversions) brought his SH buggy into the store, and guess which battery it was holding: Maxamps 3s 8000mah... I held my tongue then too. Unfortunately I have no data (personally) to back up claims of the true inferiority of MA which is why I don't let these (:cough: ignorant :cough:) people know the truth.

[MetalMan]

Funny thing, I have dealt with MA before, but this was 2+ years ago, well before their marketing increase (and Jason...).

First up was a Maxamps 3s 4200mah 12C pack that I ran in a 1/8 buggy with a Feigao 8L and MGM Comrpo 12012, about 3 years ago (my first Lipo). As you can imagine I was pushing this battery hard and eventually it puffed.

Second was 4s 6300mah saddle style (2x 2s) about 2 years ago. This was 4s3p of 2100mah 15C cells. One parallel group puffed a couple cells, and I was talking with Austin and asked that he replace the whole pack because replacing only 3 cells would lead to an imbalance in the pack, to which he agreed. After I received the battery back from MA I was shocked to see that only the 3 cells had been replaced and discontinued use of that battery. Over the years I have used those cells for various things like transmitter batteries.

Third, also about 2 years ago, was a 4s 5000mah (pre-copper tab) battery. This one had pretty good performance but would get hot. Let's just say this battery had a cell that started leaking and that pack has resided in an ammo can for the last 1.5+ years. Didn't even bother with replacement on that one.

For the guy running 3s 8000mah in his buggy, it actually works out because the local track is an indoor 1/10 offroad (small-ish).

[Unsullied_Spy]

My first Maxamps lipo was a 2s 6k lipo, I puffed that in a 3 pound ERustler with a Mamba Max 5700 combo. 2nd Maxamps lipo was a 3s 6k lipo which never held a balance very well and the 2nd cell eventually died on me. 3rd and 4th were 2s 8k lipos and I actually got the warranty for them...I just sent them in yesterday to get replaced. I imagine they'll come up with an excuse to make me at fault for their lipos failing and try to make me pay for the replacements but I'm not having any bit of that.

[Hardstyle]

My first and my last MA lipo experience was with two 3s 8k packs, about 2 years ago exact. Not sure what C rating are them, I guess 15 to 20C. Both puffed after 10-15 charge cycles of them, other puffed a bit more. That time I used them in my old style emaxx, one pack at the time. Setup was bk6xl 12020 esc. Temps were quite good, didn't gear it too fast..

The one which puffed more I think was my fault drove the car in -20C temperature. But I had quite good insulation in it.

Funniest part is that I still have those lipos in my aluminium case charge them from time to time. Dunno what to do with them though..

[BrianG]

I'm slowly replacing my MA packs: two 2s2p 8Ah packs and two 2s 5Ah packs. Both have never puffed or anything, but I combined the 5Ah packs into one 4s 5Ah pack to use in my Slash (figured the higher voltage/lower current will be easier on them).

The 4s 5Ah pack works well in the Slash with a 2200 kv motor, geared conservatively.

But the 8Ah packs left me very disappointed. I attempted to take them apart to reconfigure into single 4s1p 4Ah packs (for the Slash). I say "attempted" because the tabs were already showing signs of tearing they are so thin. Might as well call the tabs "foil". And there was no solder connecting the 2p cells; I was able to seperate them by hand with no soldering or anything. I decided they weren't worth the effort and will just toss them. I plan to show my son first-hand the possible dangers of abusing lipos by taking the raw cells outside and puncturing them. Might overcharge a couple too. Sometimes kids need to see these things in person before they respect what can happen if things aren't treated right. But, when I took one cell outside and puctured it, it just got somewhat lukewarm, so there goes that lesson. lol, the packs aren't even good enough for an object lesson!

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by BrianG

I'm slowly replacing my MA packs: two 2s2p 8Ah packs and two 2s 5Ah packs. Both have never puffed or anything, but I combined the 5Ah packs into one 4s 5Ah pack to use in my Slash (figured the higher voltage/lower current will be easier on them).

The 4s 5Ah pack works well in the Slash with a 2200 kv motor, geared conservatively.

But the 8Ah packs left me very disappointed. I attempted to take them apart to reconfigure into single 4s1p 4Ah packs (for the Slash). I say "attempted" because the tabs were already showing signs of tearing they are so thin. Might as well call the tabs "foil". And there was no solder connecting the 2p cells; I was able to seperate them by hand with no soldering or anything. I decided they weren't worth the effort and will just toss them. I plan to show my son first-hand the possible dangers of abusing lipos by taking the raw cells outside and puncturing them. Might overcharge a couple too. Sometimes kids need to see these things in person before they respect what can happen if things aren't treated right. But, when I took one cell outside and puctured it, it just got somewhat lukewarm, so there goes that lesson. lol, the packs aren't even good enough for an object lesson!

Can you imagine taking apart a 5s pack made out of 2p maxamps cells... That is 10 cells to separate, 20 tabs to tin, and a bunch of "lets be careful and not damage the paper thin tabs"... Then you have to attach the main leads, and tape them so that the tape takes the load when you let the pack hang off the wires. And you have to attach the balancer harness... And then tape it all up well and shrink it...

[BrianG]

For the time it would take me to do that at my hourly rate, it would be cheaper to junk them lol.

It should be interesting to see what happens when SMC(9000 28C) & Thunder Power(8000 22C) offering high capacity batteries at a decent price.

Yikes!I just looked at maxamps & a price of one 8000 is $189.SMC(9000 28C soft case) pack are going to be $125 & Thunder Power(8000 22C hardcase) packs are going be around $159

[Unsullied_Spy]

Originally Posted by Erevocanuck

Yikes!I just looked at maxamps & a price of one 8000 is $189.SMC(9000 28C soft case) pack are going to be $125 & Thunder Power(8000 22C hardcase) packs are going be around $159

I'd pay $125 or $159 for either of those, that kind of run time would be awesome (not to mention the amps...)

[emaxxnitro]

crapo ma hydrogen fun! well not really....

[emaxxnitro]

its fun to chat with jason.
bill:
Question
why are max amps packs so expencive compaired to enderland cells.


Jason Melville:
Welcome to MaxAmps.com live help. How can I help you?


Jason Melville:
Do they make every pack fresh when you order?


Jason Melville:
do they offer a 3yr/300 cycle available extended warranty?


bill:
i guess not but the quality and ratings are true,


Jason Melville:
Our quality will surpass and are rating are very true. We also offer the largest selection of packs out there and everyone is water tight. To put it simply nobody offers anything close to what we do.


bill:
but lipos are air tight anyways. also whats max amps answer to thunder powers new 40c packs.


Jason Melville:
I'm not talking air tight...........WATER TIGHT. Li-Po cells have a foam seal at the tabs if water get past that seal it can cause a fire that water only feeds.


bill:
yeah i know the burnin of lithium metal reacts with hydrogen , and boom


bill:
what about neu energys 50c packs that can be had for the same price as your 6500 30c's


Jason Melville:
I can't comment on either packs. Haven't used them and don't plan on it either.


Jason Melville:
If you don't feel ours are worth the money then fine I'm not going to sit and argue about it. They don't sell fresh made packs so you really can't even start to compare products. We deal in Li-po's and chargers that's it. The other companies are trying to sell just about everything under the sun because they can't make it with batteries alone. We can.


bill:
man im sorry . i just puffed som 8000pacs in my rustler with a mm 5700. im not in a real good mood, i was just looking into new pacs


Jason Melville:
I would suggest you get a data logger first. Find out what your gearing is doing before you go and buy another pack of any brand and wreck that as well.


Jason Melville:
Here's the link to the Eagle Tree Systems Micro Data Logger V3: http://www.eagletreesystems.com/MicroPower/micro.htm


Jason Melville:
That's a great little tool that will and can save you a lot of trouble.


bill:
i might, geared at 15/90 and about 35mph is all i get. temps esc 120 motor 170 and well lipos 130


Jason Melville:
you should be 18/90 for on road speed runs.


bill:
the packs have about 130 charges therew them and no warranty so i am discharing them in salt water.


Jason Melville:
your gearing is pulling to many amps if the packs hit 130.


Jason Melville:
your basically screaming the system to try to get more.


bill:
it actualy does, it nutralizes the ions


Jason Melville:
don't waste the time with Salt water that a myth. Discharge the packs with a 12 volt car bulb once the bulb is barely glowing cut off the leads and either take it to a battery re cycleror toss it in the trash.


bill:
( between you and me ) i bury them


Jason Melville:
at less than a volt the chemicals become inert and harmless.


Jason Melville:
they are safe for disposal in the trash at less than a volt.


bill:
so waht cells would you suggest? the 8400 35's?


bill:
they will be better than the old 18 c packs?


Jason Melville:
Not needed our 30C 5250's will do the same with out the weight penalty. I do all the cell testing for us and we actually underrated these cells. They can easily do 35C or 40C. But you won't see that with a 5700 and a rustler.


bill:
what about in my erevo with aneu motor and a mmm?


Jason Melville:
Our old packs were 20 and had thinner tabs. Our new cells have copper tabs that are 3 times thicker than others and they are nickel coated as well.


bill:
so they are like enderlands. with a tab on each side of the cell?


Jason Melville:
in the revo look at the 6500's for a 4S set up or the 3S 5250's for a 6S set-up.


Jason Melville:
Nope.


bill:
i have some zippys for the 6s and the are pretty good. gotme to 74.5 mph.


bill:
kinda like a rubber dip? thats pretty cool, looks like i will put the 6500's in my list of possible cells.


Jason Melville:
tabs are on the one end part of the water tight seal process also helps to ensure that tabs will never come in contact with each other.


bill:
nice for the info and i will deffent ly think about it. but if i do i will get the warrnty .


Jason Melville:
ok thanks.