Batteries?

[jstolz]

It is about time to choose new batteries for the racing season. Last season I ran GP3300's. There are so many new batteries out there to choose from. I have heard good and bad things about the IB's. GP is coming out with 4300's. I am not sure what batteries I should go with. What batteris are you guys thinking about using for the new season?

Jay

:blink:

 

[Capt Ron]

i ran matched cells purchased from Fuller, GP3300 and GP3700's for two years and never had a battery problem...

Sport, Oval, or SAWS

a few months ago i tried batteries from a different source and of different type cell and it was a disaster!

the cause of the problems i experienced remain a mystery to this day...

Ray Fuller has since stoped selling matched cells so i purchased a Turbo Matcher, i am buying virgin cells and matching them myself...

i've run both GP3700's and IB3800's thru the matcher, seperated them into [cell count] packs and will assemble these packs next week...

i'll use them at the I.M.P.B.A. "Fast Electric-II" SAWS in Valdosta, Ga. [March 3, 4, and 5] and see what happens!

Ron

 

[raptor347]

It is about time to choose new batteries for the racing season. Last season I ran GP3300's. There are so many new batteries out there to choose from. I have heard good and bad things about the IB's. GP is coming out with 4300's. I am not sure what batteries I should go with. What batteris are you guys thinking about using for the new season?

Jay

:blink:

Of what's easily available, I'd probably go with the IB3800's. I ran GP 3700's, IB 3800's and Elite 3600's at the race in Pheonix. Performance was a toss up between the IB's and elite cells. I don't have enough time on the Elite cells to comment on the life span, but so far not bad at all. I think Alan N was running IP 4200's (correct me if I'm wrong Alan) and they ran quite well. A couple guys were running IB 4200's and they looked good also.

You won't go wrong with any of the newer cells. The earlier problems appear to be sorted out.

Brian Buaas

 

[Darin Jordan]

Has anyone tried the IP3800's???

I'm in the same boat... I'm going to need to buy some bat's soon, and I have IB3800s and IP3800s available... not sure which is better, if there is a better, or ???

If all else fails, I'll go with the IB3800s and just live with the decision!

 

[AlanN]

I have had good luck with the IB 3800's. They don't like too high of an amp pull though. Primarily a weak link in 6-8 cell setups. Since the 12 cells and higher setups are easier on the cells I have no prob running the IB 3800's in those hulls. Ask Brian....those were a yr old IB's in my P sport.

The IB 4200 I have were only used a few times and I really have not had the time to give them a full evaluation. I did not notice any major weakness in these either.

The IP3800 I ran worked fine.

GB3700 I have had were absolutly no good. I don't know why....I prob got a bad batch but they were zapped and matched. Although many a racer has told me that they were the best cells they used last year. Mine just blew chunks and a 12 cell pack just plain ol blew on me in a mild setup.

I think the best bet is to buy a cell type that has been around for a yr or so. Picking anew one could really be a gamble. It seems like China could use a lesson in repeatability and QC control.

So put those chips on the table and roll the wheel...some of all the cells used have been good and bad...hope we all get a lucky ticket.

 

[Darin Jordan]

So put those chips on the table and roll the wheel...some of all the cells used have been good and bad...hope we all get a lucky ticket.

Sound advice Alan! I think I'll buy a couple packs of each and spread my risk!

I have access to some matched IP3800s, so I may try some of those, and the rest will be IB3800s or the Elite 3600s... Unless of course something better comes out in the next two weeks! h34r:

We start racing here in another month, so we should have more info shortly after that to feedback...

Thanks,

 

[Scott_T]

I'm glad the Elite 3600s have been mentioned here. I saw them a while back on the net, and hadn't heard a peep about them. Good price though!

So if anyone has much experience with them, please post it.

Last cells I bought were Fine Design GP3700 matched stick packs, and they've been very good.

 

[raptor347]

I'm glad the Elite 3600s have been mentioned here. I saw them a while back on the net, and hadn't heard a peep about them. Good price though!

So if anyone has much experience with them, please post it.

Last cells I bought were Fine Design GP3700 matched stick packs, and they've been very good.

I ran the elites in my n2 Sport boat at the Phoenix race, Alan can comment on how it ran. I felt they ran very well, I just can't comment on the durability yet. I sent a set to Steve Neu for testing, and they tested very well. I think he's going to put some info on them in his next column in the E-flight mag, after a bit more testing. I'll let him comment on them in the near future.

Brian Buaas

 

[Scott_T]

Thanks Brian.

I'm not in an immedtiate need of cells, so I'll keep an eye out for results.

 

[Andrewg]

IME the IB 3800 is a significant improvement over the GP3700's especially at race amps (80A+). Higher voltage especially in the second half of the discharge (we do full discharge because we run 1 mile rather than 1/2 mile races but use sprint setups).

A good investment is a battery discharge system you can use on your computer - it gives an immediate visual means of detecting which packs have poor/dud cells or need cycling - you will be surprised how much improvement you can achieve from a cell pack by knowing when it is reaching its peak after cycling or how it comapres to others.

Also there are big savings are in making good new packs from the best cells of older packs or eliminating the dud cells rather than replacing entire packs.

As for chinese quality - havent we been using chinese made 700's and batteries for years with narry a peep. Look for vendors who offer documentary guaratees such as graphs of the packs you buy or gurantee individual cells agians failure within a short time (As they usually fail in the first 5-10 charges)

IME from GP3300 thru to IB3800 failure rates are of negligible difference and sit at approx 3%

 

[Capt Ron]

IME from GP3300 thru to IB3800 failure rates are of negligible difference and sit at approx 3%

Andrew,

i was reading your post just as i was wrap'n up running [#100 IB3800] zapped cells i purchased from Steve Neu thru my Competition Electronics Turbo Matcher...

i ended up with 4 cells that are questionable and 96 cells with good run time and excellent voltage under load...

i can't complain about these results!

Ron B)

 

[TRUCKPULL]

Ron

What type of problem did you find with the 4 cells???

Larry

 

[Capt Ron]

Ron

What type of problem did you find with the 4 cells???

Larry

Larry,

i matched all 100 cells at 5v charge, 20 amp discharge with the cut-off at .90v

where 96 cells averaged 700 plus run time and 1.21 to 1.23 volts under load, four cells stood out with 350'ish run time and 1.16v to 1.17v under load...

Ron

 

[Capt Ron]

i matched all 100 cells at 5 amp charge, 20 amp discharge with the cut-off at .90v

Ron

type correction... i was blind and cross-eyed after two days of matching cells! :unsure:

Ron

 

[Andrewg]

my guess is most are down on capacity and a little on voltage and maybe one is low on both?

this is what I am finding

I think these are the ones other people report as dead after a few charges and heavy duty discharges

I have found the IB's to be powerhouse cells even given a reall hiding

 

[AlanN]

Got my cells and stuff back from AZ....Thanks Kevin!

Cycled my cells:

IB3800 one 6 cell pack came back to 4.1 mah after cycle.

" " " " only went back up to 3.7mah....it is still one of my best sprint packs though. These are also about 1yr old.

IP3800 came back to 4.1 (two 6 cell packs) They are new cells so I have not seen any loss in capacity.

IB4200 Still have not decided if these are worth the price compared to the prior 2 cells ran...after dis' and recharge came up to 4.5 mah....had a loose wire on one cell...so I gotta run these some more for real results.

GP3300....still hold charge well and capacity...Very little decline in usage for over a year.

 

[Andrewg]

Alan

thanks for that

 

[AlanN]

Welcome Andrew,

Just trying to share some info here...wish some others would.

 

[Capt Ron]

Alan,

Chris Harris and i will be headed to the I.M.P.B.A. Fast Electric-II SAWS in Valdosta, Georgia next week...

we will be running for records in:

P, Q, S, and T-Mono

N-2 and O-2 Hydro

we're taking zapped and matched IB3800 packs and GP3700 sister packs for each of our boats to compare performance and will report our findings after the event...

all we need is for the weather gods to be kind to us for 3-days :unsure:

Ron