Battery questions?

[majikmike]

I'm looking at going to lipo but I saw another type of batt. called li-Ion or A123 batts. The ads I've seen say they are more stable and safer then lipo. Anyone know whats up with these batteries or have some experience with them...thanks for the help.

[evst 360]

They are more stable, and overall better than lipos. The only downside is that the cells are 3.3 volts each, so you have to settle for 6.6 or 9.9 volts. They do have thing that you can hook up between the batt and esc to make the current 7.2v. I've heard alot of good about them, and would have them if they didnt cost so much.

[t3oc45]

They're a little lesser terms of power/density to lipos. Yet, they are a little more convenient with the whole getup available from a123 ( and it seems like their system works well from what i've seen from others) . They do seem a bit pricey, though.

[SS Pede]

Size can be an issue too, though A123 is working on at least one new pack that will be a more normal size than the current ones.

A123's don't have as high capacities as some LiPo packs. However, you can recharge the packs in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on which pack you have. And same with LiPo's, you don't have to wait for them to cool before you recharge them after a run.

The voltage is a bit lower, which reduces top speed a bit. I hear that punch is about the same as other good batteries. And because A123s can push a lot of current, you can gear them a bit higher to gain your top speed back.

One big thing compared to LiPo's, in the durability sense, is that you don't need a low voltage cutoff with A123s. When they drop off in power, just stop running them. They don't get permanently damaged if they get below a certain voltage (though I think A123 recommends keeping them above 2 volts per cell).

Note: I don't own A123s, I have just researched them to possibly purchase them later. So I don't have first hand experience, I have just read of other people's experiences.