2019.01.11, 08:51 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 14
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Should I remove batteries between uses?
So I’ve searched and searched and couldn’t find a good technical answer.
Yes, I know the Kyosho manual says to remove the batteries after each use, but I also found this thread saying
“Can I use alkaline battery in my car?
Sure, but the car will go slow...and DO remember to remove the batteries once you are done.”
This kind of insinuates that with nimh, I DON’T need to remove the batters when I’m done.
What says the brain trust????
__________________
Andrew, Basement Racer
32332W-B McLaren F1 GTR White
KS Comp Med Slick Fronts, Super Soft Radial Rears
Silver Carbon T-Plate #3
Shield Hub Dry Ball Bearing Set
Interchangeable Front body Mount
Alum Battery Covers
Precision Gear Differential 64P 53T
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2019.01.11, 11:38 PM
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#2
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bitPimp
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 668
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Always take the batteries out of your car. It's not the end of the world if you leave them in for a short period, but they can over-drain and leak, and contribute to electrical corrosion on the board.
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2019.01.11, 11:41 PM
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#3
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EMUracing
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 7,417
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Always remove the batteries from the car. Dont want to corrode the cells and contacts if there is a leak...
Even when the power switch is off, there will be a low power draw because the circuit is still closed. This will damage the cells, and there is also a possibility that it could damage the electronics as well.
The car is only truly off when the cells are removed, as there is still power going through the board even with the switch off.
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EMUracing
Micro RC Syndicate /DG Designs /GSR /Reflex Racing /Fast By Faqish /MurderTown Racing
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2019.01.12, 08:01 AM
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 14
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Does anyone have an electrical diagram? If one side of the circuit goes through the switch, then the circuit can’t be completed... as long as this is a normal switch.
On some of my larger RCs, the esc controls on/off, so it does constantly draw power keeping the esc Alice enough to monitor for switch press.
__________________
Andrew, Basement Racer
32332W-B McLaren F1 GTR White
KS Comp Med Slick Fronts, Super Soft Radial Rears
Silver Carbon T-Plate #3
Shield Hub Dry Ball Bearing Set
Interchangeable Front body Mount
Alum Battery Covers
Precision Gear Differential 64P 53T
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2019.01.12, 08:32 AM
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#5
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EMUracing
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 7,417
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No, I dont have an electrical diagram. I do know that there have been Mini-Z cars that have blown their fets in the pits with the switch off... since then, I always remove a cell if my car is not in use to ensure that the circuit is not closed.
__________________
EMUracing
Micro RC Syndicate /DG Designs /GSR /Reflex Racing /Fast By Faqish /MurderTown Racing
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2019.01.12, 08:53 AM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 14
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That’s good enough for me.
__________________
Andrew, Basement Racer
32332W-B McLaren F1 GTR White
KS Comp Med Slick Fronts, Super Soft Radial Rears
Silver Carbon T-Plate #3
Shield Hub Dry Ball Bearing Set
Interchangeable Front body Mount
Alum Battery Covers
Precision Gear Differential 64P 53T
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2019.01.12, 11:33 AM
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#7
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bitPimp
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 668
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZacMaster
Does anyone have an electrical diagram? If one side of the circuit goes through the switch, then the circuit can’t be completed... as long as this is a normal switch.
On some of my larger RCs, the esc controls on/off, so it does constantly draw power keeping the esc Alice enough to monitor for switch press.
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I don't have a diagram either, but I can tell you the switch occurs on-board, not prior to the board. The power leads connect directly to the board, and there are two switch contacts. To me, this means that if batteries are in, power is flowing to some part of the board
I actually did leave some batteries in an iWaver a long time ago, and they did that thing like you see in old toys or flashlights that batteries do, where there was a bunch of fuzzy white-ish corrosion at one of the battery terminals, and you could see more of it right where the power lead attached to the board
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2019.01.12, 12:00 PM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFly
I don't have a diagram either, but I can tell you the switch occurs on-board, not prior to the board. The power leads connect directly to the board, and there are two switch contacts. To me, this means that if batteries are in, power is flowing to some part of the board.
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Well, a quick look at the board proves you are right.
The red and black wires come from the batteries (in series), and the two paired black wires go to the switch. It appears one doesn’t need to remove all the batteries, just one will do. Thanks for the insight, everyone.
__________________
Andrew, Basement Racer
32332W-B McLaren F1 GTR White
KS Comp Med Slick Fronts, Super Soft Radial Rears
Silver Carbon T-Plate #3
Shield Hub Dry Ball Bearing Set
Interchangeable Front body Mount
Alum Battery Covers
Precision Gear Differential 64P 53T
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2019.01.12, 12:47 PM
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#9
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Redline
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Greater Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 218
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I'll add my $0.02 here....
The switch is a physical disconnect which de-energizes the car. It's not like bigger 10th and 8th scale stuff where you press a button to power up. In those cases, you would be correct to say it is powered at all times because there is a circuit connected across the battery so long as it is plugged in. It's a very low draw but because there is a complete circuit, there is still *some* draw.
Mini-Z is different - The switch is a physical disconnect. You can actually rewire the cars with only three wires rather than 4 and it works perfectly normally, better in fact if you use upgraded wiring as it reduces series resistance/I2R losses, particularly on the screw terminals that stock cars use. Though I should note this is really only noticeable with particularly fast motors and strong batteries. Look at the picture above. The pad in the center which has two wires soldered to it is completely isolated from the rest of the board. Kyosho only did this 4 wire arrangement to make it easy to remove the electronics package without soldering. This is tricky to explain with words so I made a crude diagram below. Pardon my (lack) of artistic talent. The first diagram shows stock wiring with the screw terminals. The second diagram shows how I wire all my cars, usually with 22-20 Ga silicone wire.
In either case though, when the switch is open, power is physically disconnected from the car (open circuit) and current does not flow.
I completely agree that batteries should be removed from the car when it's not being driven, but factually, so long as the car is switched off, the batteries do not drain.
Last edited by TeeSquared; 2019.02.04 at 12:26 AM.
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2019.01.12, 12:50 PM
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#10
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Redline
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Greater Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 218
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This image should also clarify the stock wiring diagram.
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2019.01.12, 01:02 PM
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#11
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Redline
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Greater Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 218
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And finally, here is an example of the upgraded wiring described on a Mini-Z F1 MF015 chassis.
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2019.01.22, 09:43 PM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: makati, philippines
Posts: 8,702
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genius.... nice diagram... nice to see it on an actual car (in this case an F1) i guess it would be easier to illustrate compared to the mr03 chassis... so i guess if you have good soldering skills... it would be great wiring it as you pointed out... is there any benefit to this type of wiring?
i guess you could also totally eliminate the switch and wire them directly to the battery...
thanks for the great tip...
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2019.01.23, 12:06 AM
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#13
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EMUracing
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 7,417
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TeeSquared, great info about the switch. So, all power goes through the switch, no wonder my switch blew up using lipo a few years ago, since then I always remove it on cars with lipo. And when bypassing the switch, I assume that soldering a single wire to the 2nd terminal for the switch would be appropriate rather than just bridging the terminals. Great to know.
__________________
EMUracing
Micro RC Syndicate /DG Designs /GSR /Reflex Racing /Fast By Faqish /MurderTown Racing
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