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View Full Version : Just How Important Batteries Really Are:


MagicMan
2006.03.10, 12:36 AM
I've done searching for batteries on these forums, and found that not many people touch upon it. This could be for one of two reasons, either A, we have an unspoken knowledge on what batteries are best, or B, you just dont know what is best. Either way, I have built my own custom home made discharger, and had the cells voltage read with time passed until time of death (no more battery life) and built a graph indicating what batteries did what... note I have 4 different sets of all of these batteries that I am testing, took all 4, and averaged the plot points, even though each set wasn't drastically far off from eachother. I tested 4 different types of batteries. The Intellect 750's, the Rayovac/RadioShack IC3 800's, the PN 800's, and last but certainly not least, the Duracell 900's.

In light blue: Intellect
In Light gray: IC3
In Light green: Duracell
In Light orange: PN

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f198/MagicManRed/Mini-Z%2000/Graph.jpg

Now understand that this discharging is not directly related to driving a mini-z. mini-z's don't put out a 7 amp discharge and then start lowering as it goes. So what you see here on the graph lasting less than 20 minutes, DEFINATELY does not directly relate to your mini-z lasting exactly this long. This is just a good way to compare batteries, and their dumping habbits, and punch.

Now, after testing the batteries, I found absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. From personal use, I find the Intellects to be the best in heats. They give you the most punch in 7 minutes compared to any other battery. And I always said, 'the Intellect is an IC3 on steroids' note the power curve, it's always just a notch higher than the IC3. They both have exponential curves to them.

The PN is almost as good as the Intellect, also i weighed all of these batteres, oddly enough the Intellect is the heaviest. and PN's lightest. So taking that into consideration, the PN's compete closely to the Intellects, but they do not out punch them. But they seem to outlast that last bit of juice that they have. However, in real world experience, that would be time to change batteries anyway.

Now, the Duracells, I saw these in Wallmart, and remembered a horrible experience with their 750's. And noticed a new brand of 900's out. So I gave them a shot, they had awesome punch, and on their first use, they just didn't want to run down. very very awkward. So I decided to run them at a large track for a lengthened amount of time. and these babies did a straight 30 minutes without a hint of dumping. Note the 'Linear' curve in the drop of voltage over time. The curve isn't exponential. These are the Ultimate consistancy batteries to me. Awesome for endurance racing. And considering that the Duracell charger charges in 30 minutes, by the time you're poppin in your third set, your first is fully charged.

I was so happy with the duracells, I went out and bought the 2500 AA's for my TX, and I must say I'm pleased. Much better than the Energizer 2500 AA's that I owned prior.

I'd love to try out other battereis that you guys may mention on this discharger, however it seemed to have taken a dump when my friend decided to sit on it in my car. :( It wasn't his fault, I didn't remember leaving it there.

Reguardless, I hope this is all helpful to you guys.
Drive long! and hard! .... wait... maybe not... :eek:

HaCo
2006.03.10, 09:30 AM
Here is my test, voltage is much more stable, but it's over a longer period, I discharge with 1A.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6229/motortest4jz.png

michvin
2006.03.10, 10:00 AM
"the big yellow one.." was kinda expected in your signature :D :D

Spoon
2006.03.10, 10:12 AM
This is some good research and a great writeup. We should make this one a sticky...including HaCo's data.

and, I don't know why there isn't more info on batteries. I think partly people find cells that work and partly we don't know.

Also, it takes a long time and energy to test a set of batteries using a Z. You have to have access to a track that you can run solo until the batteries die and you have to actually take note of how the batteries are performing.

Mojar7070
2006.03.10, 10:56 AM
Has any of you guys ever used these batteries?? (pictures attached) They're called X1 batteries. They're 800mah. They come in 20 cells for $25 usd, pretty good if you ask me. I got them a electronics place called "Fry's Electronic" not sure if you have them at your location.

I've use all of the ones you guys tested, but by far, in my opinion these are probably the best batteries i've used. The initial punch stays through out the whole heat and doesn't lose power. The heat's last about 5 mins at my track and they have a 10 min main. I haven't done any technical research, but a lot of my testing has been on the track.

Sinister_Y
2006.03.10, 11:04 AM
Hi,

Personally, i use Intellect and GP batteries. I also have some other brands, just for test purposes, like Accupower etc... LIke mentioned, Intellect has good punch, although I do have some GP 800's that kick harder and longer than the intellects. I used to race 1/10 and know about battery matching, but sold all the stuff years ago. When I picked up R/C again, only mini-z, I bought a charger that is also a discharger and can match individual AAA cells. So, yah, a little obsessed, but hey..whatever. Put together all the cells that were similar. To do true matching you need cases of batteries and then put the closest together. I just took the sets I have (I think I have about 20 packs of cells for my mini-zs) and put the closest ones together. Everyone that I race with considers my cars fast and batteries are a big part of it. But, once you get to Fetted or AD Band cars (which I am fortunate to have both)..power isn't so much an issue, it's run time associated with that output level. For the most part, internal resistance is the culprit against bad performace figures from batteries (i.e. showed in the form of heat etc...)

Anyway, It's good all you guys did your analysis work, however, I just downloaded and viewed each manufacturer's datasheets and found that this best way to select the best manufacturer/cells. The only one I couldn't get a spec on was the intellect. I picked that up purely from these forums and one very quick guy at the track who used intellect only and thought to give it a try.

Just my 2 cents...

MagicMan
2006.03.10, 01:13 PM
Im glad to see you guys gettin into the batteries, and glad to see that this is of use, yeah I think intellects are the best for power on any race heats up to 10 minutes. and endurace goes hands down to duracel. If you guys find any new info, please post.

The Magic Man

Spoon
2006.03.10, 01:48 PM
I would also like to know if anyone has info on cycling batteries or what to do with a freshly opened set.

Do you guys cycle batteries? If so, how many times and how often?

bobbyz
2006.03.10, 01:49 PM
i agree this is good info. thanks for the research and passing it on. i have seen in the last couple weeks that 1000mah aaa batteries are available. i think gp has a set and some other brand as well. has anyone tried or got ahold of these cells yet?

Mojar7070
2006.03.10, 02:22 PM
I'm not sure if you guys do the same thing but I charge/discharge new batteries about 3-4 times. I use the Energizer 15min charger and a Novak Discharger tray (maybe extreme for 1/28th scale). I charge it full then run and discharge to .9 volts about 4-5 times. That should get the chemicals in the battery up and running.

I usually do this regiment for new batteries only.

Also, it's a good habit to have practice batteries and race batteries. If you guys don't it already.

soyverde
2006.03.10, 02:57 PM
I'm glad to see someone else picked up on the Duracell 900's, I have mentioned them a few times at the DC GTGs, and I have 5 sets now. They are a good deal at under $10, and always test out over their advertised rating on my LaCrosse BC-900 (quite often 950+). Unfortunately, it looks like they are pushing 750mAh sets now, so the 900mAhs are harder to come by. As far as cycling new sets, I usually use the refreshing settings on my charger, which will keep cycling them until it stops seeing gains. I probably cycle my batteries entirely too often once they're in use, and I'd certainly like to know if anyone knows how often one should fully cycle batteries once they're in regular use.

EMU
2006.03.10, 04:10 PM
I cycle new cells at least 5 times before I use them. I use a Duracell 30 minute charger, and Mini-discharger until the light goes out on each cell.

I have used Intellect, Powerex 800, IC3, PN 750, and the new PN 800. Right now I only use the Intellect for races and the other cells for practice. I have stopped using IC3 cells altogether. They are very picky when charging, and alot of time after charged they will not work for a few minutes if at all.

Spoon
2006.03.10, 04:58 PM
So, you guys that have race batteries and practice batteries...

Let's say you race once a week, when do you charge your race batteries? I imagine you charge them sometime shortly after the race, but then do you top them off the day before or the day of?

I know they lose some charge each day the are stored, I was just wondering how you guys resolved this.

And do you use your race batteries only for the Mains or do you also have sets for the qualifying heats?

arch2b
2006.03.10, 08:18 PM
spoon, i am going to try using my intellects for mains and ic3's for qualifiers/practice

i have already cycled my intellects twice. they will be sitting in my charger tomorrow morning as well.

EMU
2006.03.10, 08:47 PM
I usually charge them after the race, and discharge and recharge them before using the next race.

Spoon
2006.03.10, 09:14 PM
spoon, i am going to try using my intellects for mains and ic3's for qualifiers/practice

i have already cycled my intellects twice. they will be sitting in my charger tomorrow morning as well.

Yeah, I think I'll also try to use mine for the mains. I'll bring my charger and discharger and hopefully I can get through a couple of cycles. Maybe I can borrow someones discharger for a cycle or two.

Spoon
2006.03.10, 09:15 PM
I usually charge them after the race, and discharge and recharge them before using the next race.

That makes sense, thanks for the reply.

MagicMan
2006.03.10, 10:52 PM
Im not a fan of switching up batteries from qualifiers to main. If I get used to my setup with Intellects during qualify, then Intellects it is during the main as well. Any slight change will change your consistancy. If you want to change up batteries, switch up to a weaker set for your main, this tends to yeild if not more laps, the same. Grab yourself about 4 sets of batteries, preferably Intellects, discharge then at least 4 times each fully, peack charge afterwords, take them to the track, and you are set. Only time I'll ever use a different battery is during Endurance racing. (Duracell 900's)

ARN
2006.03.10, 11:05 PM
well it looks like opinions are flying all over the place with batteries...some use these, some wont use those....

I haven’t tried them all, but I know one thing...running from one type to another messes with my set-up...so what I do is use my intellects for MR-02, IC3 for F1, and GP for AWD....

Reasoning is this....
Intellects good punch, light weight, low endurance.
IC3, strong and steady.
GP, just ok and great endurance.

spoon, btw, I cycle my batteries about every three weeks if im not using them...its important to do them individually so to get the best top off for storage...niMH batteries do not like to be low on power for storage......but on another note don’t expect batteries to live storage life well either...once their woke up, its down hill from there....

most of the trouble I have had with batteries was because I discharged them on a tray without a cut-off...I have a new one now from pn and it should save me some money in the long run because it has a cut-off......

MagicMan
2006.03.10, 11:19 PM
well it looks like opinions are flying all over the place with batteries...some use these, some wont use those....

I haven’t tried them all, but I know one thing...running from one type to another messes with my set-up...so what I do is use my intellects for MR-02, IC3 for F1, and GP for AWD....

Reasoning is this....
Intellects good punch, light weight, low endurance.
IC3, strong and steady.
GP, just ok and great endurance.

spoon, btw, I cycle my batteries about every three weeks if im not using them...its important to do them individually so to get the best top off for storage...niMH batteries do not like to be low on power for storage......but on another note don’t expect batteries to live storage life well either...once their woke up, its down hill from there....

most of the trouble I have had with batteries was because I discharged them on a tray without a cut-off...I have a new one now from pn and it should save me some money in the long run because it has a cut-off......


Correction, Intellects are probably the heaviest AAA batteries you can find. Keeping that in mind, it may alter your cars handling, not to mention its high drain output. Light batteries that I've weight are the PN 780s (which are just plain crap) and the PN 800's which are great, they have the same power curve as the Intellects, but are a tad lighter, but less punch. So try them out if you can get a hold of them. Let me know how you like them. I think PN 800's would be great in an F1 considering the F1 is already hefty as it stands, and Intellects are awesome for Mini-z's because some extra weight wont hurt you to keep your tires glued to the floor at turns, with that extra punch to push you through it. IC3's render me useless, they are a weak version of the Intellect, and they are not reliable with age. As EMU stated earlier, after a while, they will charge, and then get no voltage read-out til maybe 2 minutes of standing. If you guys have had IC3's in your Mini-z, turned it on, and wondered why it wasnt doing anything, TOS those IC3's they will only waste your time and frustrate you.

Let me know if any of this is helpful, and keep me posted as to new findings or insight on batteries.

EMU
2006.03.10, 11:22 PM
Z Zaniac, the Intellects are the heaviest AAA that I have used (52g for 4)... Atomic are the lightest (43g). PN are around the same weight as the IC3 (48g).

The Intellects are the punchiest cells I have used, and the extreme punch outweighs the increase in weight. The increase in weight also makes the car have more steering than lighter cells. I am waiting on 2 sets of Atomic cells to test. My bro has a set, but I dont want to use his.

MagicMan
2006.03.10, 11:25 PM
"the big yellow one.." was kinda expected in your signature :D :D

Yes yes, I wonder how many people know of Brian Regan out there. ;)

ARN
2006.03.11, 12:08 AM
thanks for that,...that’s weird, I weighed in with the "same everything" (but batteries )at an event with intellects and I was always 2-3 grams lower...I guess I will verify when I get the chance...eitherway...my method is good to go by......
thanks,

EMU
2006.03.11, 12:23 AM
Were you weighing in with the battery clips on :p

ScottP
2006.03.11, 02:21 AM
Does the charger matter much?

When I'm home I use a Duracell 1 hour charger but when I go to the track, I use an energizer 15 min charger, would switching to a differant brand help much?

I use Team Orion 700mAh batteries as well, can anyone tell me if these are as good as most or should I try a different brand?

Is lower 650 mAh / 700 mAh or higher 2000 mAh / 2500 mAh better?

soyverde
2006.03.11, 07:26 AM
Slower charging is usually a bit gentler on the batteries (and possibly more thorough), but as long as they are not being overheated it shouldn't matter that much.

The mAh rating is a measure of how much current they can provide over time. A rating of 700 mAh means that the battery should theoretically be able to supply 700 milliamps (mA) for one hour. In my experience a good portion of the generic rechargeables do not reach their advertised mAh rating. Generally speaking, the higher the rating, the longer they will last...however as you can see by MagicMan's graph, this does not tell you how the power curve runs, and thus you do not know how much "punch" they're going to have when they are topped off. For example, the 750 mAh intellects apparently have a significantly higher output over the first 8 minutes than the Duracell 900 mAhs (though the Duracells will certainly have more useable energy over a longer time). I don't think you're going to see 2000 mAh / 2500 mAh AAA batteries any time soon, so unless you're planning on modding your chassis, that is probably a moot point.

jason barnes
2006.03.11, 10:17 AM
two cycles ........jb

MagicMan
2006.03.11, 10:33 AM
Does the charger matter much?

When I'm home I use a Duracell 1 hour charger but when I go to the track, I use an energizer 15 min charger, would switching to a differant brand help much?

I use Team Orion 700mAh batteries as well, can anyone tell me if these are as good as most or should I try a different brand?

Is lower 650 mAh / 700 mAh or higher 2000 mAh / 2500 mAh better?


Glad you asked about chargers.. they are just as important as the batteries. Me and my Racing friends have come to the conclusion that the Duracell 30 min charger is the best charger out. It charges each individual cell seperately, and has seperate LED's telling you when each cell is done, and as the Energizer 15 minute charger, this too also has a fan. I like the Duracell charger because it doesn't over charge. You can charge Intellects in it and Duracell's obviously also. I do my PN's as well, and a whole mess of other batteries. The 15 minute Energizer, certain batteries just don't make it alive in there after a while. That thing really pumps out some amps. 3 and change I believe. I also do my Intellects in there during races. I like getting them used to high discharge/charge. Over time, it DOES hurt the cell, that I'm fully aware of, but whats 10 bucks every 6 months? At least the batteries will go out with a kick. But generally, if you want to spend around 40 on a charger that will treat all your batteries fairly well. The 30 min Duracell is awesome. I do NOT recommend charging Duracells in the Energizer 15 min charger, OR IC3's. IC3's actually only do well in their own charger. Also powerizers are bad for the Energizer charger. I also don't trust it with PN's. So be careful if you own this charger. The reason I don't speak of the Energizer AAA batteries, is because they are flat out garbage. Your Orion 700's aren't the greatest in the world. If you have yourself a Energizer 15 minute charger, grab yourself as many sets of Intellects as you can, at most 3-4, at least 1-2. Let me know how you like them! :D

ARN
2006.03.11, 10:35 AM
Glad you asked about chargers.. they are just as important as the batteries. Me and my Racing friends have come to the conclusion that the Duracell 30 min charger is the best charger out. It charges each individual cell seperately, and has seperate LED's telling you when each cell is done, and as the Energizer 15 minute charger, this too also has a fan. I like the Duracell charger because it doesn't over charge. You can charge Intellects in it and Duracell's obviously also. I do my PN's as well, and a whole mess of other batteries. The 15 minute Energizer, certain batteries just don't make it alive in there after a while. That thing really pumps out some amps. 3 and change I believe. I also do my Intellects in there during races. I like getting them used to high discharge/charge. Over time, it DOES hurt the cell, that I'm fully aware of, but whats 10 bucks every 6 months? At least the batteries will go out with a kick. But generally, if you want to spend around 40 on a charger that will treat all your batteries fairly well. The 30 min Duracell is awesome. I do NOT recommend charging Duracells in the Energizer 15 min charger, OR IC3's. IC3's actually only do well in their own charger. Also powerizers are bad for the Energizer charger. I also don't trust it with PN's. So be careful if you own this charger. The reason I don't speak of the Energizer AAA batteries, is because they are flat out garbage. Your Orion 700's aren't the greatest in the world. If you have yourself a Energizer 15 minute charger, grab yourself as many sets of Intellects as you can, at most 3-4, at least 1-2. Let me know how you like them! :D

amen to that, once i finally got a ice all was so much better...

MagicMan
2006.03.11, 10:40 AM
I forgot to mention a couple of things... 1 about the Engergizer 15 minu charger, and 2 about peak chargers.

1, if you are experimenting with different batteries in the Energizer charger, put the back of your fingers to the batteries every few minutes, if they get too hot, TAKE THEM OUT! Intellects do produce some heat, but they handle it. Just wanted to forewarn you guys.

2, peak chargers. Intellects supposedly work best peak charged. I'm sure they do, but I'm not one to go out and spend hundreds on power supplies, dischargers and chargers. I'm for them! just dont have $$ to spend like that. But if you do... go for it.

tudor_47
2006.03.16, 03:47 AM
The Intellects batteries sounds interesting...

any links to supplier? preferably one who will sell or export to Europe...

arch2b
2006.03.16, 05:10 AM
the shop here has them and sells to europe all the time

EMU
2006.03.16, 08:07 AM
I got mine from a couple HK sites, although the price here is almost as good.
http://shop.tinyrc.com/product.php?productid=17354&cat=0&page=1

HaCo
2006.03.31, 10:03 AM
Test-Update:
http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=batttest4ui.png

These Ansmann batteries perform excellent in the test!!!

imxlr8ed
2006.03.31, 11:28 AM
I'm running Walmartian Rayovacs charged on this, with a computer fan and a 12volt doing the cooling.

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/la_crosse_bc-900_battery_charger.php

The refresh cycle is perfect for starting new cells. It takes a little bit to figure out the buttons, but once you do it a few times, it's simple. This is what GTA.45 is using as well.

Oh yeah... the Lacrosse AAA batts you get with this work great too !

NT2
2006.03.31, 11:41 AM
Interesting read regarding the batteries, regarding the 15min chargers, is the verdict out on which is better, the Energizer 15 min or the Duracell 15Min?

They look so similar, they could easily pass as a rebadge, or are they really different?

MagicMan
2006.03.31, 01:00 PM
Interesting read regarding the batteries, regarding the 15min chargers, is the verdict out on which is better, the Energizer 15 min or the Duracell 15Min?

They look so similar, they could easily pass as a rebadge, or are they really different?

Duracell made a 15 min? I thought they only made a 30. Hmmm. In my opinion, my favorite is the Durecell 30 Min. Doesn't over-amp the batteries during charge, and it has an individual LED letting you know which battery is charged. Also has a fan.

Put a link here for the Duracell 15 min, because I never heard of it. I'm interested to see it.

NT2
2006.03.31, 01:11 PM
Duracell made a 15 min? I thought they only made a 30. Hmmm. In my opinion, my favorite is the Durecell 30 Min. Doesn't over-amp the batteries during charge, and it has an individual LED letting you know which battery is charged. Also has a fan.

Put a link here for the Duracell 15 min, because I never heard of it. I'm interested to see it.

Model CEF15NC

http://www.duracell.com/products/rechargeable.asp?id=42&

Available at Circuit City
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Duracell-15-Minute-Battery-Charger-with-4-AA-Batteries-CEF15NC-/sem/rpsm/oid/144348/catOid/-12929/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

MagicMan
2006.03.31, 01:22 PM
Model CEF15NC

http://www.duracell.com/products/rechargeable.asp?id=42&

Available at Circuit City
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Duracell-15-Minute-Battery-Charger-with-4-AA-Batteries-CEF15NC-/sem/rpsm/oid/144348/catOid/-12929/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do


I'm picking one up today! LOL, I'll let you know how it is :-D

NT2
2006.03.31, 02:46 PM
I'm picking one up today! LOL, I'll let you know how it is :-D

Great, if possible, could we compare it to the Energizer, I would be curious to see how they differ.

I was able to find a lot of info regarding the Energizer on CandlePowerForums, but not much on the Duracell.

By the way, I think the Duracell is around $28 at Walmart.

soyverde
2006.03.31, 02:58 PM
I'm running Walmartian Rayovacs charged on this, with a computer fan and a 12volt doing the cooling.

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/la_crosse_bc-900_battery_charger.php

The refresh cycle is perfect for starting new cells. It takes a little bit to figure out the buttons, but once you do it a few times, it's simple. This is what GTA.45 is using as well.

Oh yeah... the Lacrosse AAA batts you get with this work great too !

imxlr8ed: I love my BC-900, but after reading about quite a few problems here (http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/search.php?searchid=864562), I've stopped recommending it so heavily. I currently have a heat sync mounted to it, run it on top of a metal surface, in a well ventilated/cooled area, and never leave it refreshing unattended. It is amazing at reconditioning batteries that I otherwise would have left for dead, but I am pretty wary of it at the moment (though I do have a v.33, which supposedly is not as dangerous as v.32). For anyone who still cares to pick one up, it is listed at $37.99 right now at Amazon, with free shipping (and a great return policy if the buttons melt and the batteries explode :D).

imxlr8ed
2006.03.31, 03:20 PM
imxlr8ed: I love my BC-900, but after reading about quite a few problems here (http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/search.php?searchid=864562), I've stopped recommending it so heavily.

Yeah, I know... it is a little dangerous for the batts, but since I've been using it with a fan running directly on top of it, I haven't had any more issues. My nephew has fried one of the ports on his using the refresh cycle (he wasn't using a fan). I still think it's a great deal for what it is, I can hang with the "superchargers" (i.e. Ice, Superbrains, Novaks...) and they have no real power advantage over me. One of my newbies just got a new one a little while ago and his speeds have definitely increased due to better charging. For him, getting a good charger, full set of nimh AAs for his controller, and a set of AAAs for his car was a great deal for that price.

If anything, it's a great starter charger. :)

bobbyz
2006.03.31, 06:59 PM
i just bought the duracell 15m and i like it. so far i've charged rayovacs and energizers in it with no problems. they don't even get hot. i saw the duracell 900mah, but wanted to try the charger first. it has a fan directly under the batts. it's sooo nice compared to the 2++ hour chargers. i am contemplating buying another. i'd like to hear anyone elses feedback on this charger too though.

EMU
2006.03.31, 11:15 PM
Magic got the charger, used it at the track today. The fan is more powerful than the Energizer and duracell 30 minute charger. Also a disappointing note is that there are not individual LEDs for each cell, which is one large plus for the Duracell 30 minute charger since you can see some variance on each cell.

For the first day of use, its a good charger. He noticed a little more punch from his cells than the Energizer 15 minute, which may mean that the charger detects peak slightly higher than the Energizer...

NT2
2006.03.31, 11:22 PM
Well, I could not decide so I got both to compare, I noticed that while charging in the Duracell, the charging was faster and the batteries were cooler, whereas when charging with the Energizer, the charging took a bit longer and the batteries were warmer; however, after the charging was complete and the fan shut off in both, I took a voltage reading from each cell, and the batteries charged in the Energizer read a higher voltage. :confused: :confused: :confused:

EMU
2006.03.31, 11:26 PM
Interesting. We didnt really test the charger much, we were there to race :p Which Magic won as usual :rolleyes:

I am sure that Magic will do a few tests with the charger. The Energizer charger heats the cells more than I would like. I think I need to setup a charging/discharging fan to keep the batteries cool. I could use a 120mm fan that I have around. If I run it off of a 12v adaptor... it should work fine.

dean
2006.04.01, 06:02 PM
Hey MagicMan ,Ive seen Brian Regan at least 3 times at the Local Comedy club here.
Rooty tooty Aim and shooty, LMAO
PS.. Great thread :p
My batteries have had it, time to get some here at the shop. ;)

MagicMan
2006.04.02, 09:18 PM
Hey MagicMan ,Ive seen Brian Regan at least 3 times at the Local Comedy club here.
Rooty tooty Aim and shooty, LMAO
PS.. Great thread :p
My batteries have had it, time to get some here at the shop. ;)

Brian Regan is the MAN. I have a crap load of comedy on dvd, he's one of my favorites. I can name many more, but wouldn't know where to start :-D


Well, I could not decide so I got both to compare, I noticed that while charging in the Duracell, the charging was faster and the batteries were cooler, whereas when charging with the Energizer, the charging took a bit longer and the batteries were warmer; however, after the charging was complete and the fan shut off in both, I took a voltage reading from each cell, and the batteries charged in the Energizer read a higher voltage. :confused: :confused: :confused:

Some info for you; the reason that the energizer charger charge read higher, is because it finished last. So while the duracell was finished and the batteries were sitting, the read out on the multimeter will read lower as the voltage drops on the battery. I know this because I did the same thing, the read outs were identical. And YES you are correct, the duracell charges faster, and due to its more powerful fan, the batteries stay WAY cooler. Which is a +++++. It IS a tad picky with Intellects, it blinked on me a couple times, I threw them in the energizer, and it didn't. Then back in the duracell, and it went away. As EMU said, the charger doesn't have individual LED's for each battery, which still leaves me to say the 30 min charger is still my favorite, and probably will be in a long time.


i just bought the duracell 15m and i like it. so far i've charged rayovacs and energizers in it with no problems. they don't even get hot. i saw the duracell 900mah, but wanted to try the charger first. it has a fan directly under the batts. it's sooo nice compared to the 2++ hour chargers. i am contemplating buying another. i'd like to hear anyone elses feedback on this charger too though.


If your rayovacs are normal Nimh, cool, if NOT, and they are IC3's do NOTTTTTTT charge them in there. In fact you shouldn't charge them in ANYTHING but the IC3 15 minute chargers. Either that, or just throw them away. If I had to give an award to the worste battery brand/company, it would go to all IC3 technology batteries. I don't want to get into why, because I've mentioned it before, but I'm sure EMU will see this post and explain why. Other than that, the duracell 900's you mentioned: They are not very punchy HOWEVER, they are definately not weak either. This battery gets the award for the most consistant battery I've ever seen, and it also gets the award for the best endurance battery. In comparison to some crappy 1000mah's and 1100mah's with absolytely NO punch, these duracell 900's have KILLER punch for such a high Mah battery, that they win hands down on endurance. They feel like a slightly filed down version of an 800mah IC3, except with a LOT more life. This battery is probably 2nd place on my list to use for a Mini-Z. First is intellect. Every other battery falls somewhere in between, so to me it doesn't make sense because you should either want PUNCH, or ENDURANCE. intellect=PUNCH/QUALIFIES-MAINS duracell900=ENDURANCE/CONSISTANCY.



OVERALL:

The Duracell 15 minute charger is great. it get's an A from me.

Pros: Fast charge, batteries stay COOL as hell for the amps it's pushing out, charges 'almost' anything (duracell,energizer,intellect,panasonic,pn800,dura cell750,any quality name battery). Do NOT put IC3's in this. Adapter does NOT take up 3 plugs, it has a normal plug. Cable comes from the charger, to an adapter, than another cable that plugs into the adapter, into a normal size plug for the wall to not interfear with the possibilities of you plugging more things into your surge/extension.

Cons: Intellects got some blinking for me, it only happened once, could've just been me. It only has ONE led telling you it's charging, so if you don't SEAT one battery properly, you'll only have 3 good cells in your race and you wont know why.


The Energizer 15 minute charger gets a B+.

Pros: Fast charge, charges almost anything. Do NOT put IC3's in this.

Cons: Batteries get HOT (NOT good for life time). Silly adapter that takes up 3 spaces. It only has ONE led telling you it's charging, so if you don't SEAT one battery properly, you'll only have 3 good cells in your race and you wont know why. Fan is not strong enough in my opinion.

The Duracell 30 Minute charger gets an A+.

Pros: Fairly fast charge, charges almost anything (Does not over heat the batteries, fan is strong enough, I believe it varies with the heat of the battery). Has heat safety sensors. Has individual led's for each battery letting you know if you seated it properly, and letting you know also when each battery is done. Has a switch for AA/AAA charge, which is nifty if you think about it, because the ones that work off of springs, (energizer 15 and duracell 15) tend to tear the batteries wrap, this one never will. The AA's go in softly and the wrap will never tear, and if you do AAA's, just flip the switch, and all the batteries are then released and you don't have to pry them out and risk ruining the wrap. Cable comes from the charger, to an adapter, than another cable that plugs into the adapter, into a normal size plug for the wall to not interfear with the possibilities of you plugging more things into your surge/extension. Do NOT put IC3's in this.

Cons: Doesn't charge in 15 minutes... .. . yep that's it.

EMU
2006.04.02, 09:36 PM
Great write up Magic :D

As Magic mentioned, we do not recommend the IC3 cells. We have had too many issues with cells dyeing for no reason. The shrink wrap still almost perfectly intact, after a charge, sometimes the cells do not work. After 5 minutes from the charge, they may work. So you have to continuously test them to see if they are ready to race. Something you do not want to do if you only have a minute before your race starts.

Out of 2 sets of IC3's only 5 of them work. 3 of them do not work anymore at all, and out of the 5 that work, a couple need a few minutes before they can be used after a charge. I gave my batteries away. And the IC3 charger should only be used in coordination with IC3's. I messed up a set of PN 780 cells in the IC3 charger by letting them charge overnight. When I woke up in the morning, they were steaming hot and have never worked well since. I occasionally use them for a headlamp... but I wouldnt use them in a car again.

To me, the IC3 technology is too unreliable, some may have good results with it... but I am sure in time, they will be looking to replace dead cells or change to a better charger with better cells.

I agree entirely with Magic's ratings on the chargers and his batteries. I am going to have him test 2 sets of my Atomic 800 cells to add to the list.

Magic, you should put some of the charts of the battery discharges into your gallery, so you can easily add different cells as you test them and have a chart for each individual cell.

lfisminiz
2006.04.03, 08:26 PM
Imglad you joined this forum. Your knowledge of mini-z is good reading. As a matter of fact all the N.Y. gang i like to read your threads. The question i have about chargers is...whats your opinion on chargers like the Maha type peak chargers. I have 1 that charges 8, individually. Takes about 1 hr. I have 2 others that charge 4 at a time individually. Takes about 90 min. to charge. Seems like there as good as anything out. Is it the longer charging time or something else?

EMU
2006.04.03, 11:52 PM
The Maha chargers are great for charging batteries. However, the low charge amp rate will not give the batteries as much punch, but will give them a little longer discharge. The Maha chargers are great for digital camera batteries, since they will lengthen the discharge rate rather than increase it like a high amp charge would.

The Maha chargers are also good because the will recondition the cells, and increase the overall life of them. I started out with 2 Maha chargers and Maha Powerex cells when I started racing, still have one of the chargers, but the other I lost... I think they were the 90 minute chargers, I used to charge 2 cells in each charger to make it charge faster (which it did).

The Maha chargers I would rate a B. They are great for practice cells, but for race cells where you really want punch, they dont give enough amperage during the charge, and will not have as much punch as chargers that give more amperage and charge faster.

These chargers are high quality, and are great to charge the cells the day before the race and recondition them so you have good cells to go to the race and discharge and recharge before the race starts. I do not like to race on the first cycle of a battery set, I usually charge, practice discharge a set and charge it and use that set for the first race/heat while I am discharging my other cells and recharge them before the next race... I have 3 dischargers, 2 are the small black 'mini-dischargers' that are sold and RC Mart, and I have one PN discharger. I usually discharge in the small discharger until the lights fade (I pull out each cell individually when the light is almost out, so I know they are about the same level) then I put them into the PN discharger to finish them off, since it has the .7v cutoff. Then I charge them up and get ready to race. This way I know that they are ready to go when I get on the track...

I prefer the Duracell 30 minute charger over the Energizer 15 minute, since I know that each cell is topped off, and if there is a cell that is not seated correctly, you know immeadiately which one it is. I have occasionally had a cell that was not fully charged on the Energizer. The Energizer light had blinked, and I removed a couple cells, until I found the one that made the light stop blinking and I reseated them and the light did not blink. I then used the mini-discharger to test each cell, (didnt want to pull out the multimeter) and one cell was dimm. So I discharged the whole set again and recharged it and they were fine. The Energizer charger is sometimes picky with how you put the cells in. If you put them in too fast, it may blink and not charge correctly.

Regardless what charger you use, you should allways test your batteries before a race to make sure that all the cells are charged fully.

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 12:07 AM
The Maha chargers are great for charging batteries. However, the low charge amp rate will not give the batteries as much punch, but will give them a little longer discharge. The Maha chargers are great for digital camera batteries, since they will lengthen the discharge rate rather than increase it like a high amp charge would.

The Maha chargers are also good because the will recondition the cells, and increase the overall life of them. I started out with 2 Maha chargers and Maha Powerex cells when I started racing, still have one of the chargers, but the other I lost... I think they were the 90 minute chargers, I used to charge 2 cells in each charger to make it charge faster (which it did).

The Maha chargers I would rate a B. They are great for practice cells, but for race cells where you really want punch, they dont give enough amperage during the charge, and will not have as much punch as chargers that give more amperage and charge faster.

These chargers are high quality, and are great to charge the cells the day before the race and recondition them so you have good cells to go to the race and discharge and recharge before the race starts. I do not like to race on the first cycle of a battery set, I usually charge, practice discharge a set and charge it and use that set for the first race/heat while I am discharging my other cells and recharge them before the next race... I have 3 dischargers, 2 are the small black 'mini-dischargers' that are sold and RC Mart, and I have one PN discharger. I usually discharge in the small discharger until the lights fade (I pull out each cell individually when the light is almost out, so I know they are about the same level) then I put them into the PN discharger to finish them off, since it has the .7v cutoff. Then I charge them up and get ready to race. This way I know that they are ready to go when I get on the track...

I prefer the Duracell 30 minute charger over the Energizer 15 minute, since I know that each cell is topped off. I have occasionally had a cell that was not fully charged on the Energizer. The Energizer light had blinked, and I removed a couple cells, until I found the one that made the light stop blinking and I reseated them and the light did not blink. I then used the mini-discharger to test each cell, (didnt want to pull out the multimeter) and one cell was dimm. So I discharged the whole set again and recharged it and they were fine. The Energizer charger is sometimes picky with how you put the cells in. If you put them in too fast, it may blink and not charge correctly.

Regardless what charger you use, you should allways test your batteries before a race to make sure that all the cells are charged fully.


Need I add on to this? I think he said it all : D only difference is that I'd give it a B- 90 minutes? That's a no-no in my book. But maybe I spoiled myself with 15-30 minute chargers.. or maybe I'm a tuff grader ;) If you want endurance batteries, Duracell 900's on the 30 min Charger. Oddly enough, the 900's on an RCP track last just over 30 minutes, so while your one set is charging and finished, your car set is run down. Reason I'm mentioning this is because for me, a Maha charger renders useless because I know what to do for endurance. And if I want punch: Intellect in a 15 min.

But as EMU said... Those Maha's are great for digital equipment. Do NOT throw them away, or sell them or lose them. You can definately put those to use, and EMU made a good point with using them for your TX batteries. :p

builthatch
2006.04.04, 12:07 AM
The Maha chargers are great for charging batteries. However, the low charge amp rate will not give the batteries as much punch, but will give them a little longer discharge. The Maha chargers are great for digital camera batteries, since they will lengthen the discharge rate rather than increase it like a high amp charge would.

The Maha chargers are also good because the will recondition the cells, and increase the overall life of them. I started out with 2 Maha chargers and Maha Powerex cells when I started racing, still have one of the chargers, but the other I lost... I think they were the 90 minute chargers, I used to charge 2 cells in each charger to make it charge faster (which it did).

The Maha chargers I would rate a B. They are great for practice cells, but for race cells where you really want punch, they dont give enough amperage during the charge, and will not have as much punch as chargers that give more amperage and charge faster.

I think that the Maha chargers are ideal for charging TX batteries, and digital camera batteries (which is what the target is).

weird. i've run the same 4 radioshack rebadged ic3 AAA's for months with consistent runtime (using the 05bb and stock board), level power and many times have charged them back to back to back with no problems. tho i do not run traditional computer timed lap times as a gauge, they have been great for me. perfectly consistent. I also use two IC3 AA's in my digi camera with no issue. i have had to use AAA/AA CS super-thin heat shrink on them to keep the labels from peeling, which helps the black portion stay intact (i of course did not cover this part!). They seem to be great with my new Magic fet job and Atomic Z2 jet engine.

i guess i've been lucky? would be nice since i always get boned elsewhere in this hobby ; )

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 12:11 AM
weird. i've run the same 4 radioshack rebadged ic3 AAA's for months with consistent runtime (using the 05bb and stock board), level power and many times have charged them back to back to back with no problems. tho i do not run lap times as a gauge, they have been great for me. perfectly consistent. I also use two IC3 AA's in my digi camera with no issue. i have had to use AAA/AA CS super-thin heat shrink on them to keep the labels from peeling, which helps the black portion stay intact (i of course did not cover this part!). They seem to be great with my new Magic fet job and Atomic Z2 jet engine.

i guess i've been lucky? would be nice since i always get boned elsewhere in this hobby ; )


LOL I sure know the feeling of having things NOT go your way. Yeah, if it works for you.... hey don't change a thing ;)

DogbreathRacing
2006.04.04, 05:03 AM
I have a series of 90 min smart chargers and will charge all my packs the night before on these. They get a good full charge at lower amps and stay very cool. Then just before they hit the track they get topped off in a 15 min Energizer charger. They get slightly warm and the top off only takes between 1-3 minutes.
Using this method I get good punch and run time from all my cells.

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 02:58 PM
I have a series of 90 min smart chargers and will charge all my packs the night before on these. They get a good full charge at lower amps and stay very cool. Then just before they hit the track they get topped off in a 15 min Energizer charger. They get slightly warm and the top off only takes between 1-3 minutes.
Using this method I get good punch and run time from all my cells.

I heard that topping off after a peak/full charge is no good. Somethin about the battery life, either its life on the runtime, or its long term life. But don't take my word for it, I don't remember where or from who I heard this... If anyone heard similarly, give some feedback.


Oh, guys, I decided to read the back of the Duracell 15 min and the Energizer 15 min chargers, and I'm sure most of you have done this already, and for those that didn't, the Duracell 15 min charges AAA at 3.5A max, AA at 8.3A max. The Energizer does AAA at 3A and AA at 7.5A. So this would explain why the Duracell charges faster than the Energizer. Now, with that much more power on the charge, you'd probably guess that the Duracell would heat up the batteries more than that Energizer that puts them to near flame. But no, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, the Duracell fan is WAY more powerful, I haven't pushed that much air in 15 minutes since my last visit to White Castle.

stepchild
2006.04.04, 05:34 PM
Where are you getting your Duracell chargers?

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 05:37 PM
Where are you getting your Duracell chargers?

Best Buy/Wall Mart. I'm sure you can do a search online.

stepchild
2006.04.04, 05:39 PM
Best Buy/Wall Mart. I'm sure you can do a search online.
I tried Walmart. Online and even went there. But couldn't find any. I'll have to try best buy.

Thanks

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 05:43 PM
I tried Walmart. Online and even went there. But couldn't find any. I'll have to try best buy.

Thanks

I got mine a couple days ago at a Best Buy. Good luck, and let me know how it goes once you go there.

stepchild
2006.04.04, 05:46 PM
I got mine a couple days ago at a Best Buy. Good luck, and let me know how it goes once you go there.
Checking online it looks like my local BB has the 15 min charger. But they don't even show the 30 min.

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 05:48 PM
Checking online it looks like my local BB has the 15 min charger. But they don't even show the 30 min.

Yeah, lately I've been hearing that the 30 min charger is VERY hard to find. Try Ebay. It seems to almost be discontinued or something. THey are probably not gonna bother making it anymore due to the fact that they have the 30 min out now.

stepchild
2006.04.04, 05:51 PM
Yeah, lately I've been hearing that the 30 min charger is VERY hard to find. Try Ebay. It seems to almost be discontinued or something. THey are probably not gonna bother making it anymore due to the fact that they have the 30 min out now.
Good point.

I checked circuit city and they have the 15 min for $5 less then BB. I'll to check them out also.

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 05:55 PM
Good point.

I checked circuit city and they have the 15 min for $5 less then BB. I'll to check them out also.


Sounds good. No matter where you go , you'll end up paying between 35-45 bucks. Once again, good luck. Let me know how it goes once you get it and test them out.

stepchild
2006.04.04, 05:55 PM
I found the 30 min charger at amazon. IT's going for $28.99. Is this about right?

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 05:58 PM
I found the 30 min charger at amazon. IT's going for $28.99. Is this about right?

That's VERY right, grab it!!! If it's white, that's the one. Link me and I'll tell you... Hey why dontcha Instant message me on AIM or something. Instead of putting all of these short posts on here. MagicManRed

stepchild
2006.04.04, 06:09 PM
That's VERY right, grab it!!! If it's white, that's the one. Link me and I'll tell you... Hey why dontcha Instant message me on AIM or something. Instead of putting all of these short posts on here. MagicManRed

Here's the link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255IU0/qid=1144191842/sr=8-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-0438144-9587241?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=3760901

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 06:13 PM
Here's the link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255IU0/qid=1144191842/sr=8-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-0438144-9587241?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=3760901


That's the one Grab it! Enjoy

lfisminiz
2006.04.04, 09:15 PM
Thanks for your explanation on chargers. It helped alot!! ;)

MagicMan
2006.04.04, 09:45 PM
Some other threads I posted for info other than batteries:

http://www.minizracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21350

:D

lfisminiz
2006.04.06, 09:04 PM
Thanks for the heads up on 30 min charger. Just recieved my 2 from the amazon link. ;)

EMU
2006.04.07, 01:19 AM
Let us know how you like them.

lfisminiz
2006.04.07, 11:48 PM
Charger seems real good. I discharged a set of intellects on Pn discharger. Then charged them up on the duracell 30 min charger. Everything went good and they seemed to have good zip, especially on my xspeed awd. :)

MagicMan
2006.04.08, 06:08 AM
Charger seems real good. I discharged a set of intellects on Pn discharger. Then charged them up on the duracell 30 min charger. Everything went good and they seemed to have good zip, especially on my xspeed awd. :)

That's awesome! I'm glade you like it. Darn best charger out there in me and Emu's opinion. :D

HaCo
2006.04.14, 11:44 AM
Another update on the tests...
http://members.chello.be/hannu.coopman/batt_test.png

Sanyo 1000mAhs just beat all the other batteries!

I just bought this loader:
http://www.conrad.be/scripts/wgate/zcop_be/!?perform_special_action=Produktdetail&product_show_id=512168&p_page_to_display=fromoutside

It loads every cell seperatly.
I read an article (hard copy) yesterday, that a every NimH cell automaticly (while in stock) discharges different, even from the same type. This means that when you stock them for a while, you should put them back on the same level. This can be done by charging them very very slow, in this way the cells get loaded to the same level. That's why I bought this charger, it loads every cell seperatly, so I don't have to worry about levels. It loads with 850mA/h, for me that is fast enough...

I wish I could test one of these Intellect cells, i wonder how they compare with the other ones I tested...

builthatch
2006.06.01, 12:33 AM
As EMU stated earlier, after a while, they will charge, and then get no voltage read-out til maybe 2 minutes of standing. If you guys have had IC3's in your Mini-z, turned it on, and wondered why it wasnt doing anything, TOS those IC3's they will only waste your time and frustrate you.


hmm...interesting. i've been using my ic3's for a few months and the past couple days i'll charge them...then charge them again, take them out and put them in the car. turn the car on and...nothing. if i take them out and put them in, after a few seconds, they seem to work. it's happened twice so far in the past two days....and, it's not like something is loose; once the car runs, it runs and i can go out and do 75-100 laps (about 10-15 minutes of running) on the RCP with no notice of the issue they had when i first put them in. Could this be what you are talking about?

EMU
2006.06.01, 12:47 AM
That is EXACTLY what we are talking about. Gradually it will take longer and longer between when they are charged, and when they can be used. Till they reach the point of no return... and they will just not work anymore :(

builthatch
2006.06.01, 01:21 AM
That is EXACTLY what we are talking about. Gradually it will take longer and longer between when they are charged, and when they can be used. Till they reach the point of no return... and they will just not work anymore :(

gotcha....curious why that is?

anyway, so it seems i'm on the hunt for some new batteries- i will order intellects from the site store, however-

i see the 30 minute charger is still avail from the source using Amazon, but, there seems to be some confusion on the 900mah batteries- i guess duracell is using the same part number for their 900mah AAA and their 750mah AAA!

DC2400B4N is the part number...i am worried to order them from that link as it seems some people have gotten 900mah, but i am not sure what i will get lol

anyone know for sure what chains or reliable online sources are carrying the 900mah units?

EMU
2006.06.01, 02:07 AM
I think Magic got his at Circuit City...

For a modified car, I only use Intellect cells. Any other cell, and it is a very noticeable performance drop. With Intellect cells, you can unleash the beast motors ;)

If you want to tame the motor a little, then I would suggest a longer lasting battery with less punch like the D900's or the PN800's.

builthatch
2006.06.01, 12:35 PM
I think Magic got his at Circuit City...

For a modified car, I only use Intellect cells. Any other cell, and it is a very noticeable performance drop. With Intellect cells, you can unleash the beast motors ;)

If you want to tame the motor a little, then I would suggest a longer lasting battery with less punch like the D900's or the PN800's.

EMU, does this look like the same 30 minute charger? I can't see if it has the 4 lights, but i'm pretty sure it does...

http://cgi.e b a y.com/NEW-AC-DC-30-MINUTE-DURACELL-AA-AAA-BATTERY-CHARGER_W0QQitemZ7624859659QQcategoryZ43447QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i can't seem to find the 30 minute readily avail locally....

EMU
2006.06.01, 12:43 PM
EMU, does this look like the same 30 minute charger? I can't see if it has the 4 lights, but i'm pretty sure it does...

http://cgi.e b a y.com/NEW-AC-DC-30-MINUTE-DURACELL-AA-AAA-BATTERY-CHARGER_W0QQitemZ7624859659QQcategoryZ43447QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i can't seem to find the 30 minute readily avail locally....
It looks like the same charger, although the packaging is different than mine was. I got mine a while ago, and I know that they came out with a newer one that uses red LEDs instead of the amber LEDs that I have. That is probably when they changed the packaging as well. As far as I know, they only make one 30 minute charger. The 15 minute charger has 1 LED.

MINIz guy11
2006.06.01, 02:14 PM
hey, i decided to get the duracell 30 min one in replace of my energizer 15min one. is $16.53 shipped a good deal?

builthatch
2006.06.01, 02:28 PM
hey, i decided to get the duracell 30 min one in replace of my energizer 15min one. is $16.53 shipped a good deal?

surely. where is such a price (link)?

Did you all know that Duracell released 1000mah's a few weeks ago? they have shipped and should be stocked in the bigger chains. I'm curious about these vs. the 900's. I called customer service today to ask a few questions i have about their sh*t, including why their website is so lame.

builthatch
2006.06.01, 03:46 PM
i found out some very interesting info regarding the IC3's today and why they might be acting this way....

before i go on, how have you guys been charging these? Meaning, do you run them down and charge them up before storage and then re-peak before you use them, or have you been using them and leaving them discharged until you need them again, even if it's a week or more? Give me some details and i might be able to shed some light on this once i gather more info....

arch2b
2006.06.01, 03:53 PM
i've exprienced the ic3 problem in both instances. therfore i don't believe it has anything to do with either situration per sae.... you know more than me about this though i'm sure.

builthatch
2006.06.01, 04:04 PM
i've exprienced the ic3 problem in both instances. therfore i don't believe it has anything to do with either situration per sae.... you know more than me about this though i'm sure.

haha, i don't know that much, trust me. I am willing to research so hopefully i'll learn some things! I spoke to RUF about these a little bit since he is pretty familiar with the theories behind the IC3 aside from his favoring them, then i talked to a tech at Rayovac who really seemed to know what is going on as opposed to referring to their computer screen and reading script (that is SO common nowadays it's sad). Anyway, they suggested that the IC3's protection feature, a safety switch, which is actuated by internal pressure (usually related to internal resistance/heat), can be engaged pretty easily in high use environments, especially over time, and more likely if the batteries are charged twice (re-peaked) OR charged with power in them. THis doesn't mean that they are suggesting running them to "0", but i did get the impression that if the battery is recharged and it's got a certain amount of power left in it before charging, that it's very easy to trip this safety feature....i do not know where that point is on the capacity range, but that is the impression i got from the conversation. They were very particular about not charging them for storage. They said only charge them before use if they've been used. They lose something like 1.5% of their total charge every couple days or something, so if you do repeak them, you are most assuredly going to eventually engage the safety feature. Interestingly, and i'm not that familiar with battery technology, but...they said that the battery can feel just "warm" or ambient temp, yet still have the switch engaged...the internal chemistry and process won't necessarily be able to be felt with your hands when the battery is overcharging/ cutoff occurs.

I was also told that the amount of charges under normal, prescribed charging and moderate discharge is about 500 times...that also might account for the issues since we are using them harshly in the grand scheme of their design and also discharging them pretty harshly vs. say....a digital camera!

let me know what you think....

MINIz guy11
2006.06.01, 09:36 PM
my price was from a ebay seller. its going to be 20.03 after shipping insurance which i might get if its needed. is it?

builthatch
2006.06.01, 10:22 PM
my price was from a ebay seller. its going to be 20.03 after shipping insurance which i might get if its needed. is it?

i've never seen one that cheap. are you sure it's the 30 minute duracell charger? i haven't seen one like this but does it not include batteries?

builthatch
2006.06.01, 10:52 PM
ok, so i bought into this battery stuff-

tonight i went to the stores to find another set of ic3; i went to best buy, circuit city, target, office depot, toys r us, walmart...NOTHING! so i figure the 8$ for the radio shack ones is what i will do possibly, as my charger and only set of ic3's came from there in the first place. Rayovac said as long as Rayovac is mentioned on the packaging in some capacity, then they were manufactured by them for RS.

but-

i went ahead and ordered the fabled Duracell 30 minute piece for $27.50 shipped...then i ordered 2 sets of the Intellects from the shop. I found a few of the 900mah Duracells avail around here, so i will hold off for now since they are pretty plentiful, but i want to see how these Intellects handle my mini-96, 7T and Atomic Z2....

i'd love to see what's up with these new Duracell 1000mah AAA's that Duracell told me about today, but i can't find them.

MINIz guy11
2006.06.02, 06:42 AM
it came with 4 AA batts. i think its a pretty good deal since you got yours for 27.50

builthatch
2006.06.02, 09:41 AM
it came with 4 AA batts. i think its a pretty good deal since you got yours for 27.50

defintely- post the link to the auction so i can see why i missed it- i looked the night before last and yesterday before i settled on mine and didn't see anything cheaper than mine that was new in box.

MINIz guy11
2006.06.03, 11:33 AM
well, im too late for paying so cant get it. just earch up duracell charger on
e b a y

builthatch
2006.06.03, 01:07 PM
well, im too late for paying so cant get it. just earch up duracell charger on
e b a y

yeah, i did for a few days...didnt see a 30 min for anything close to that price.

builthatch
2006.06.04, 08:38 PM
I think I got mine for $15.00 with shipping include from eBay also. It's quite a deal. Comes with 4 AA batteries. You should definitely check eBay out. They have some sweet deals on batteries. :D
a 30 minute duracell charger, the white one with individual lights, new, for 15$ shipped!??

builthatch
2006.06.04, 11:22 PM
ahh, gotcha. yeah i'm very partial to stuff being NIP ; ).

Always been like that, i think because i have bad luck even with new stuff, so imagine something used and/or opened! lol

BTW, i found out (not sure if it's been mentioned) that Rayovac indeed has stopped making IC3 and once Radio Shack runs out of their stock, that will be it for them too, since they were manufactured for RS by Rayovac.

I went to RS to purchase a few sets since they are so cheap at approx. $7 per set of 4.

The reason Rayovac gave? They didn't sell enough as per their super high volume requirements.

Biff
2006.06.05, 10:16 AM
Anybody try these yet?

http://www.batteriesandbutter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GP100AAAHC&Category_Code=rcaaa

builthatch
2006.06.05, 10:19 PM
Anybody try these yet?

http://www.batteriesandbutter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GP100AAAHC&Category_Code=rcaaa

i am also curious about the new Duracell 1000mah...for endurance racing of course.

well, i got my Duracell 30 min charger today- it's black! Anyway, it's very nice- i charged my new intellects and first charge those things are CRRAZY! I know magic claimed they are punchy as all hell then dip off, but for a first charge they seemed very punchy for VERY long...mind you i have my new expanded rcp setup so it's very fast and wide but with the narrow hairpins...with a setup like mine it's alot of timing on a track like this and the punch seemed to stay put as the turn and trigger timing didn't have to be altered from lap bunch to lap bunch (if that makes any sense). i am very impressed with these batteries and the damn charger. VERY IMPRESSED...

youpey
2006.08.17, 01:42 PM
i have the duracell 15 minute charger. i charge each battery individually because i find they dont always charge at the same rate. when doing it one at a time i get full peak for each battery although it takes a lot longer. i will probably pick up the duracell 30 minute one if it has seperate circuits for each battery...ultimately the 30 minute one will be faster then the 15 minute one due to the fact i do each one individually.

i use the duracell nimh 1000 they are A++++ for power and speed, although i have only compared it to standard non rechargeable radio shack batts. the radio shack version was complete garbage. i get about 45 minutes of racing time with the 1000, there is definite power loss by that time, but not to the point where the car wont move anymore. mostly stop at that point because my fiance has had enough of racing because it is so friggen hot out

PaulBoth
2006.08.18, 08:21 AM
If someone wants one of these 30 minute chargers, search for this # on the bay: 160018705824

Oh, and I have this Energizer 30 minute charger that works somewhat well (other than over-heating the batteries in my opinion - no fan) CH30MNCP4. I don't think it's available anymore... but with a small fan, it does a decent job while at the track. (At home I use my ICE set with a very small delta peak to individually get the cells to their best and then discharge them on a novak tray to equalize.)

PB

EDIT: Added stuff in italics...

youpey
2006.08.18, 03:05 PM
i just won the duracell 30 minute charger, the one with the 4 lights for 9.00 shipped. i am siked. i have the 15 minute duracell also, so now i can charge a whole bunch of stuff...i dont really like the 15 minute one though.

youpey
2006.08.23, 08:29 AM
the duracell 30 minute charger is amazing. it did all the batteries and since every slot has its own light, it does each battery seperately. i love it, well worth the 8 and change dollars i paid for it