R/c Lipo Batteries Different Polarity From Airsoft?

Batteries are a part of life in this electric R/C world, and knowing about them can greatly amend your hobby feel. Recently, Traxxas moved to limit the supply of their High-Current Connectors, reducing the number of battery manufacturers licensed to use the connector to only one: Traxxas. At present that purchasing a Traxxas vehicle also means using their batteries and chargers, understanding Traxxas' batteries, chargers, and accessories is important for all Traxxas owners. In this guide, nosotros'll go over Traxxas' batteries — both Nickel-Metal Hydride and Lithium-Polymer — the Traxxas iD technology, and finally, Traxxas' chargers and how to utilise them. Only start, permit's talk about the basics of batteries.

Battery Basics

When talking about batteries, nosotros need to showtime ascertain the terms by which we will hash out them. In that location are three main metrics with regards to batteries: voltage, capacity, and discharge rating. Near all batteries apply voltage and chapters, while Lithium-Polymer (LiPo for brusk) batteries also usually include the discharge rate, but Nickel-Metal Hydride (or NiMH) batteries don't. Let'southward explain each metric.

Voltage

The voltage of a battery pack is essentially going to decide how fast your vehicle will be. The more than voltage you take, the faster you're going to go.

A LiPo prison cell has a nominal — or median — voltage of three.7V. For the seven.4V bombardment above, that means that in that location are 2 cells in serial (which means the voltage gets added together). This is sometimes why yous will hear people talk nigh a "2S" battery pack - it means that in that location are 2 cells in Due southeries. Then a two-jail cell (2S) pack is seven.4V, a three-jail cell (3S) pack is 11.1V, and a 4S pack would be 14.8V.

Capacity

Think of capacity as the size of your fuel tank. We measure capacity in milliAmp hours (mAh). Since we will besides talk about another unit of measure, the Amp (Ah), it will be helpful to know that you lot tin convert from mAh to Ah hands.

The higher the capacity, the longer your vehicle will run, just at that place is a downside to large chapters batteries; the charge time increases proportionally to runtime, so if you get an actress twenty% runtime (perchance three-4 minutes), your battery volition also take xx% longer to charge, which would exist nearly sixteen minutes for a 5000mAh bombardment!

Discharge Rating (aka C-Rating)

Voltage and Chapters had a straight impact on certain aspects of the vehicle which makes them easy to empathise. The Belch Rating (future referred to as the C-Rating) is a bit harder to sympathise, and this atomic number 82 to it being the most misunderstood aspects of LiPo batteries.

The C Rating is simply a measure of how fast the battery can exist discharged safely and without harming the battery. 1 of the things that makes information technology complicated is that it'due south not a stand up-alone number; it requires you to also know the chapters of the battery to figure out the safety amp draw (the "C" in C-Rating actually stands for Capacity). One time you know the capacity, it's pretty much a plug-and-play math problem. Using the above bombardment, here's the mode you find out the maximum safe continuous amp draw.

25C = 25 10 Capacity (in Amps)
Calculating the C-Rating of our example battery: 25 10 5 = 125Ah

The resulting number is the maximum sustained load you can safely put on the battery. Going higher than that will issue in, at all-time, the degradation of the bombardment at a faster than normal pace. At worst, it could burst into flames. So our instance battery tin can handle a maximum continuous load of 125A.

Traxxas' LiPo batteries take 2 C-Ratings: a Continuous Rating (which we've been discussing), and a Flare-up Rating. The Burst rating works the same way, except it is just applicable in ten-second bursts, not continuously. For example, the Burst Rating would come up into play when accelerating a vehicle, but non when at a steady speed on a direct-away. Batteries are usually compared using the Continuous Rating, non the Outburst Rating.

Despite all of Traxxas' LiPo batteries beingness rated at 25C, information technology's worth noting for those running non-Traxxas batteries that going with a college C-Rating isn't necessarily better, as it won't increase your speed or runtime. All you need is enough to ensure the battery is above the maximum current draw of the motor and speed control — going across that is but a waste of coin, every bit high C-Ratings ordinarily come with a high price tag.

NiMHs Batteries vs. LiPo Batteries

Lifespan

NiMH batteries can run a thou or more cycles before they aren't capable of storing energy, making them a great option if you're on a budget and tin can't afford to replace batteries oft. LiPos, on the other hand, final, on boilerplate, betwixt 100 and 200 cycles, so it's likely you're going to replace them more than ofttimes, but the upside in efficiency and power are worth it to most people. Even so, y'all should know when you buy a LiPo that it won't final forever.

Efficiency

Think of NiMHs every bit incandescent light bulbs — much of their stored free energy is wasted as heat when running your truck. LiPos are more like LED bulbs that rarely get hot, or even warm. LiPos are the clear winner here; their chemistry allows them to run around 33% longer than a NiMH with the same chapters, and they are largely available in higher standard capacities than NiMHs. LiPos are likewise lighter than their NiMH counterparts, and that adds to their efficiency factor likewise.

Functioning

NiMHs don't study their Discharge Ratings on the package, then there's no way to know exactly how much energy they tin can put out, only there is certainly less punch with a NiMH than a LiPo. Additionally, a NiMH battery's discharge bend is like a gentle hill, and midway through a run, y'all'll notice your truck isn't as fast equally it started. This isn't the case with LiPos, because they maintain a pretty steady voltage throughout the run, right upwardly until information technology's depleted, This means more consistent and faster overall runs.

Care and Handling

With a few exceptions, NiMH batteries are pretty hard to kill. You can run them into the basis repeatedly and still accept them piece of work just fine, making them great for beginners and kids. LiPo batteries are a lot more sensitive, and crave special care across just charging correctly to stay in good health. LiPos also pose more of a fire run a risk than NiMH batteries, though fires are very rare with the modern chargers, speed controls, and especially Traxxas' iD technology (more on that later).

Using Your Batteries

One key difference between NiMHs and LiPos is how the electronic speed command (ESC) on your vehicle needs to be set up up. LiPo batteries cannot be completely discharged, as this will permanently harm the battery, and so a depression-voltage cutoff needs to be enabled on the ESC to prevent the vehicle from draining the bombardment besides far. On Traxxas speed controls, they refer information technology as LiPo Mode when the depression-voltage cutoff is enabled, and NiMH Mode when information technology is not. This is toggled dorsum-and-forth using the method described in the video to the right.

When in LiPo Fashion, the speed control has a two-stage cutoff. The start stage will reduce power to approximately 50% of normal — enough y'all should notice it. This is when yous should stop using the vehicle. If you keep going, you will hitting the second stage, which disables the motor altogether, and the LED on the speed control will slowly blink red. This is the indication you are dangerously close to harming your battery. Unplug the battery and get it on the charger.

If yous use a NiMH battery when your ESC is in LiPo Mode, the speed control will very quickly enter the second stage; this is because the standard Traxxas NiMH is an 8.4V battery which, when fully charged, can look similar a very low 3S LiPo to the ESC, which would so kick into depression-voltage cutoff. Make sure to run in NiMH Style with NiMHs and LiPo Manner with LiPos.

If you purchased a Traxxas vehicle that came with a NiMH battery and later cull to upgrade to LiPos, you may be tempted to go back and along betwixt the NiMH and LiPo batteries. We exercise not recommend this. About people will fail to remember to change the mode of the speed control at some point, and if the ESC is left in NiMH Mode when running a LiPo bombardment, the all-time case scenario is permanently ruining the battery; the worst case is a burn down. When making the switch from NiMHs to LiPos, commit to LiPos completely unless y'all're 100% sure you tin recall to change the setting every time.

Expect for LiPo Harm

LiPo batteries tin be fire hazards. Different NiMH batteries with their hard metal casing, LiPos accept a thin foil wrapper effectually each cell. While this can brand the cells easier to puncture (which isn't expert), it as well allows you lot to monitor the health of the battery. Never run a LiPo that has been punctured, crushed, deformed, swollen, or appears damaged in anyway. Make sure to inspect your LiPo batteries carefully before charging; look for any loose leads or connectors, damaged wire insulation, impact damage, fluid leaks, swelling (a sign of internal damage), prison cell deformity, or any other irregularity. If you see anything like the weather listed, don't accuse or utilise the bombardment. Bring it in to your local hobby shop and they should be able to dispose of it safely for you.

E'er Unplug

When you're done using your batteries, make sure to unplug them from the vehicle. Even if the truck is off, the completed circuit created when the battery is plugged in will bleed the battery over time, which can damage your batteries and potentially cause a burn down. It doesn't affair whether you're using NiMHs or LiPos, and this goes for the charger as well; don't just leave the battery connectedness to the charger when you've finished charging. Stay safe and always unplug!

Traxxas Charger Comparison

                                                  Batteries Charged at In one case                    1                  
                    NiMH Prison cell Count                    four - 8                  
                    LiPo Cell Count                    2 - 3                  
                    Charge Charge per unit Range                    1Ah - 4Ah                  
                    Traxxas iD Uniform                    Aye                  
                    In-Depth Display                    No                  
                    Bluetooth Capable                    No                  
                          

Ez-Peak Live

                                                  Batteries Charged at Once                    1                  
                    NiMH Cell Count                    5 - viii                  
                    LiPo Cell Count                    two - 4                  
                    Charge Rate Range                    1Ah - 12Ah                  
                    Traxxas iD Compatible                    Yeah                  
                    In-Depth Brandish                    Yes*                  
                    Bluetooth Capable                    Yeah*                  
                    Price                    $99.99                  
                          

                                                  Batteries Charged at One time                    two                  
                    NiMH Prison cell Count                    5 - eight                  
                    LiPo Cell Count                    ii - 3                  
                    Charge Rate Range                    1Ah - 8Ah†                  
                    Traxxas iD Compatible                    Yes                  
                    In-Depth Display                    No                  
                    Bluetooth Capable                    No                  
                          

Ez-Peak Alive Dual

                                                  Batteries Charged at In one case                    2                  
                    NiMH Cell Count                    5 - 8                  
                    LiPo Cell Count                    2 - 4                  
                    Charge Rate Range                    1Ah - 12Ah                  
                    Traxxas iD Compatible                    Yes                  
                    In-Depth Display                    Aye*                  
                    Bluetooth Capable                    Yes*                  
                    Price                    $179.99                  
                          

*Requires compatible smartphone or tablet (not included) and Traxxas Ez-Peak Alive app.
† 4A Max when charging two batteries at a time.

Well-nigh Traxxas' iD Engineering

A few years ago, Traxxas updated their proprietary high-electric current connectors to the vaguely football-shaped iD connectors. This update was a significant i, as it was the manufacture's first look at the futurity of R/C battery charging engineering science, as for the first fourth dimension in the hobby, wireless communications technology was built into the connectors and the residual wires of LiPo batteries were integrated into a single connection. The future Traxxas promised with their iD tech was in one case where LiPo batteries were no more difficult to employ than NiMHs, as the charger would automatically identify the battery upon connection, and configure itself accordingly. No more complicated menus, no more guesswork — just smooth, automatic operation.

Hither's the kicker: it actually works.

I spent an afternoon reading the patent on this engineering science (and so you lot didn't have to), and as best I can understand it, the iD technology operates in two ways. First the charger looks for a battery connection, both in the master positive and negative terminals and in the residuum terminals. If it sees a connection on the main terminals and not the balance terminals, it defaults to the NiMH setting (because NiMHs don't have residuum wires). From there, if it sees connection on the outset balance final, information technology sets information technology up as a 2S LiPo. If there'southward a connection on the first and second remainder terminals, it configures itself equally a 3S LiPo, and and so on and so forth.

Additionally, Traxxas has inserted a unique RFID bit into each battery connector, which can business firm information like bombardment chemical science (NiMH or LiPo), jail cell count, capacity, proper charge rate, number of charges, the battery's function number, and more. This data is communicated to the charger, which tin can set charge parameters with the data, in doing so, providing a fill-in for the simple detection of electrical connections on the terminals. All of which means you tin only plug your battery into the charger and it magically but works without the disruptive instructions and endless menus of other charging systems.

It'due south worth noting that modernistic Traxxas LiPos with the iD engineering aren't usable on non-Traxxas iD chargers. Traxxas does non license their patented iD technology to anyone to make adapters, either. If y'all look online for adapters, you can certainly find them — the problem is that, without the actual Traxxas license, there's no Traxxas-level quality control, and these adapters may not provide the quality connectedness your batteries need or could be shoddily-fabricated. We do not recommend using these knock-off adapters and connectors, as they could very well cost you more than money in the long run, as Traxxas doesn't warranty batteries charged with other chargers or adapters.

Fake Peaking: A NiMH Problem

Picture it: you've left your NiMH battery on the shelf all winter, merely spring has finally arrived, and you're ready to get your truck out and tear upward the cul de sac. You start charging the bombardment, but information technology'due south done much quicker than yous thought it should be. Shrugging, yous take your truck exterior and drive information technology around, merely to take the battery die within a few minutes. You get inside and accuse it again, just the same thing keeps happening fourth dimension and over again. What gives?

NiMH batteries, while very robust in terms of taking abuse, can suffer from false peaking. NiMHs are like runners who sabbatum on the couch all wintertime; they can't just go run a marathon without reconditioning. In the same way, NiMH batteries left unused for a long time won't operate similar a battery in peak condition. NiMH chargers look for a specific difference between a voltage peak and valley while charging. If the difference is large enough, the charger thinks the battery to exist fully charged. The trouble is that dormant batteries tin sometimes fool the charger into thinking the battery is total when it isn't. Don't despair, though — this can be fixed!

All you demand to do is ensure a total charge on the battery. You can do this past charging your battery the normal way. Proceed a close centre on it; check in every five minutes or so. When the charger says information technology's full, experience the battery'south temperature. If information technology's nevertheless room temp, unplug the battery, plug information technology back in, and outset the accuse over again. Repeat this until the battery is warm to the touch. You tin can too employ time to determine how full information technology is; the standard 3000mAh 8.4V NiMH battery Traxxas ships with its trucks should take about 45 minutes to accuse fully with Traxxas chargers — if the charge fourth dimension is significantly less than that, it'south probably false peaked. Repeat the charge until the cumulative accuse time is around 45 minutes.

The event should go away within four to five cycles. Y'all won't live with false peaking forever!

LiPos Are A Tiny Bit More than Complicated

When you plug your Traxxas LiPo into your Traxxas Ez-Acme charger it defaults to residue mode. Balancing is a fancy term for when the charger makes sure each prison cell within the battery is charged to the same voltage; to do this, the charger needs to see more than just the primary positive and negative wires. Y'all may have noticed an extra wire or two running up alongside the large primary wires of your bombardment. These are the residual leads. When yous plug the bombardment into the charger, the charger sees the incoming voltage from each cell and is able to modulate the free energy going to each one and ensure each gets a total accuse.

While the Ez-Peak Alive and Live Dual chargers apply Bluetooth to connect to your telephone and display plenty of data near the battery including each cell's voltage, the less expensive Ez-Top Plus and Plus Dual don't show much information at all. This is why we recommend Traxxas' LiPo jail cell voltage checker (#2968X). Information technology includes an adapter and device to allow you to read each cell'southward voltage, serving every bit a style to run into how much of your battery is left when you're out driving around.

Finally, even though Traxxas' iD engineering is actually adept, at that place is ever a adventure of something bad happening with any LiPo battery. Nosotros recommend keeping your LiPos in a charging bag when charging or storing your batteries. A charging bag is a Kevlar-lined pouch, usually with a Velcro enclosure that will contain a burn should one occur. These bags tin can vary in price depending on the size and manufacturer; ours sell for about $ten and tin can concur a couple batteries at a time. Alternatively, charge your batteries on something non-flammable, like a ceramic tile or in a blossom pot.

Storing Your Batteries

NiMH batteries, due to their hardy nature, don't have whatever special storage requirements, but every bit with all batteries, extreme temperatures — hot or cold — tin damage them, so make sure to shop them inside and in a temperature-controlled surroundings. We recommend using your NiMH batteries at least once a month to assistance prevent the fake peaking trouble.

Unlike NiMH batteries, LiPos have to be put into a storage mode. This entails having your charger get the voltage of each jail cell in the LiPo downward to 3.85V. One time this is done, you should keep your batteries in a fireproof container at standard room temperature (60ºF to 80ºF). Leaving them in the cold, like out in the garage during winter, can harm the batteries, as can excessively warm environments. Make sure non to leave your LiPos in a hot auto in the summertime!

Each Traxxas charger offers a LiPo storage mode — so apply it! Improper storage is the number one reason people have trouble with LiPo batteries nowadays, and if you're not taking care of your batteries, yous're just throwing money away. Traxxas does offer a one yr warranty on their LiPo batteries, but it doesn't cover negligence — and brand no fault, non making an endeavor to store your batteries properly is negligent behavior. So accept care of your batteries, even if it takes a fiddling more time at the end of the mean solar day — it'southward worth it!

Choosing the Right Equipment for Your Traxxas Vehicle

This is the most mutual pairing we sell. The standard Traxxas Ez-Height Plus is a unproblematic-to-utilize charger, and the bread-and-butter 2S 5000mAh LiPo is a groovy mid-range workhorse of a battery. Together, they get yous running with the LiPo battery for the lowest possible price.

Perfect for Off-Road Employ
Typical speeds of 40MPH - 45MPH*
Charge time effectually 1hr 20min

Or switch to the Ez-Height Alive charger for charge times as fast as 30min!

Works swell with the follow vehicles:

            Rustler
Rustler VXL
Rustler 4x4
Rustler 4x4 VXL
          
            Stampede
Stampede VXL
Stampede 4x4
Stampede 4x4 VXL
          
            Slash
Slash VXL
Slash 4x4
Slash 4x4 VXL
          
            All TRX4 Models
          

*Typical speeds for vehicles running VXL-3S brushless motor systems. Brushed systems will exist box-advertised speeds.

This is your typical high-speed combo. The higher voltage of the 3S LiPo increases maximum RPM resulting in highway speeds — but be careful! These iii prison cell batteries aren't meant for running in grass and will crusade the motor and speed command to heat up dramatically — then poof! Your electronics go upwards in smoke.

This pack is shorter than normal to accommodate the shorter wheelbase of the Rustler and Stampede vehicles, simply it will also work fine with the Slash models too.

A long-altitude speed-run battery - On-Road but!
Typical speeds of 50MPH - 65MPH
Charge fourth dimension effectually 1hr 20min

Or switch to the Ez-Peak Live charger for charge times as fast as 30min!

Works great with the following vehicles:

            Rustler VXL
Rustler 4x4 VXL*
          
            Stampede VXL
Stampede 4x4 VXL
          
            Slash VXL
Slash 4x4 VXL
          
            Maxx
All TRX4 Models
          

*Rustler 4x4 VXL requires bombardment agree down #6725 (sold seperately)

This is your typical loftier-speed philharmonic. The higher voltage of the 3S LiPo increases maximum RPM resulting in highway speeds — but be careful! These three jail cell batteries aren't meant for running in grass and will cause the motor and speed command to oestrus upwards dramatically — then poof! Your electronics go up in smoke.

This pack is longer than normal, and so it won't piece of work in trucks like the Rustler or Stampede, merely it's bully for the Slash or TRX-four trucks!

A long-altitude speed-run battery - On-Road only!
Typical speeds of 50MPH - 65MPH
Charge time around 1hr 20min

Or switch to the Ez-Peak Live charger for charge times as fast as 30min!

Works great with the following vehicles:

            Slash VXL
Slash 4x4 VXL
          
            Maxx
All TRX4 Models
          

Ez-Peak Alive (2971) & 4S 14.8v 5000mAh Traxxas LiPo (2889X)

The Traxxas Maxx is unique amidst its 1/10th scale kin: it can run a 4S LiPo! This is the battery you're looking for if you desire the Maxx to be speedy, as it can get the truck upward to 55MPH with stock gearing! The Ez-Superlative Live is necessary hither, every bit neither the Ez-Pinnacle Plus or the Ez-Peak Dual tin can charge the bigger 4S battery pack — but with the Ez-Height Live, you get much faster charge times and Bluetooth connectivity to your telephone or tablet, putting loads of of import information at your fingertips.

A speed pack and charger for the Maxx 1/10th calibration monster truck.
Typical speeds of 50MPH - 55MPH
Charge fourth dimension around 40min

Works great with the following vehicles:

Maxx

Ez-Pinnacle Dual (2972) & 2x 2S 7.4v 5000mAh Traxxas LiPos (2842X)

For those Eastward-Revo and Acme users out there. This dual battery and charger setup is perfect for those bigger trucks, especially if off-route is your thing. This setup limits your acme speed, merely on the flip side, you get plenty of torque to ravage your backyard with. The Ez-Pinnacle Dual allows you to accuse both of your batteries at the same time, meaning you get to play more than often!

The perfect off-road setup for an Due east-Revo VXL or Summit
E-Revo VXL: typical speeds of 40MPH - 45MPH
Peak: typical speeds of 25MPH - 35MPH
Accuse time around 1hr 20min

Or switch to the Ez-Elevation Live Dual charger for charge times equally fast equally 30min!

Works groovy with the post-obit vehicles:

          E-Revo VXL
Summit
        

Ez-Acme Dual (2972) & 2x 3S 11.1v 5000mAh Traxxas LiPos (2872X)

If you want to become fast — I mean really fast — with your East-Revo VXL, this is the setup you're looking for. Dual 3S LiPos will give your E-Revo VXL highway speed, merely don't effort those speeds off-road; the motor and speed control aren't designed to take the kind of current that comes with these high-speed batteries combined with the strain of driving off-road. Go along it on pavement, and get out your buddies in the dust!

If you want depression speed grunt power in your X-Maxx, however, this is the perfect combo for you lot!

For on-road tiptop-speed runs in an E-Revo
- Typical speeds of 55MPH to 65MPH
For any application in a X-Maxx
- Typical speeds of 30MPH to 35MPH
Charge time around 1hr 20min

Or switch to the Ez-Peak Alive Dual charger for charge times as fast as 30min!

Works great with the post-obit vehicles:

          Due east-Revo VXL
X-Maxx
        

Ez-Superlative Live Dual (2973) & 2X 4S fourteen.8v 5000mAh Traxxas LiPos (2889X)

The ultimate X-Maxx setup. Push your truck to 55MPH and over with these dual 4S LiPos. The Ez-Elevation Live Dual is critical here, considering information technology's the only charger than can accuse two Traxxas 4S LiPo batteries at the same time. With the same Bluetooth connection as the single-port Ez-Summit Live, the Live Dual charger is the elevation-of-the-line charger for Traxxas' top-of-the-line truck.

For any application in a Ten-Maxx
Typical speeds of 50MPH - 55MPH
Charge time effectually 40min

Works great with the following vehicles:

X-Maxx

That's information technology!

You've learned the basic necessities to take intendance of your batteries and help them live longer lives — saving y'all money, time, and stress. Traxxas' iD system has taken well-nigh of the frustration out of charging and using batteries in the radio-controlled hobby, simply just considering information technology's easy doesn't mean you shouldn't empathize the fundamentals. Having a foundation in the basics of batteries allows you to keep building your knowledge and increment the corporeality of fun you tin can have in the hobby. If you want a deeper swoop into the ins and outs of LiPo batteries, bank check out our more-advanced Guide to Understanding LiPo Batteries.

As always, if you have questions, reach out to your local hobby shop or Traxxas. Whoever y'all contact, they should exist set and willing to assist yous, because it'southward in anybody's best interest for you to enjoy the hobby!