need more power/batt life from my AX10

[brandon_6667]

I'm currently running a novak 55t motor and have a couple $20 2500mah batteries I use (mounted on the rear axle)

I only get about 20 minutes of crawling time out of it before the battery is so weak it wont have enough power to pull up onto anything anymore. the crawler all together weighs probably 4+ lbs so I understand that has alot to do with the battery life. My question is, if I had around $100 to spend on a new motor and couple batterys what would you guys recommend? I'm looking for more torque and battery life but something thats a direct swap. let me know what you guys recommend, thanks!

[Stormin2u]

I run a 35t motor and a inexpensive 800 mah 3S battery and I run about 40 mins per pack. You must have a dying battery or something is bound up in your rig. With a 55t motor and a 2600 pack you should be getting a lot more run time my guess is your battery is on it last leg.

[brandon_6667]

one battery definatley lasts a good 5-10 mins longer than the other but both are only like 6 months old. Im sure nothing it bound cause when I remove the motor and turn the transmission gear everything turns nice and smooth. should I just try a better replacement batt first before looking into a new motor? any battery recommendations?

[DioptricStraw]

on the topic of binding, what is your gear mesh like? If it is tight you will be workjing the motor too hard.

I run the novak rooster with a 55t motor and a 6 cell 1600 mha pack and get 30-45 mins out of it

What is your driving style like?

there are many factors that effect battery life and run times. If you think its a dying battery try a new battery that is the same and see what your run times are like.

[yoda@4x4]

Have you every done any maintance to your batteries, my money is that you need to discharge them and put them on a slow charge and try even lipo batteries need maintance...and when your not running them they need to be but in storge mode

[Duuuuuuuude]

What kind of batteries are they? What kind of plugs are on them?

[brandon_6667]

Heres a pic of the battery. It's a Tenergy 7.2v 3000mah with a Tamiya plug. How should I discharge them fully for maintenance? are they a decent battery?

[freetimecrawler]

I don't do any maintenance to any of my batteries, lipo or other, and I have batteries here that are 4-5 years old with many many cycles run through them. I'd say you've got a crappy battery there. I'm not advising people not to do maintenance on their batteries, I just don't. I discharge my batteries by running them all the way down in the truck.

Depending on what ESC you have? I would go with a 2s or 3s lipo, and a 35t or 45t. I get over an hour run time with my scalers with a 3s.
My personal favorite brand of Lipos is Thunderpower, but there are many good ones out there, just don't go too cheap or you'll get what you pay for.

[JEracing]

Make the lipo leap.... its an expensive step, but well worth it. Lipos need a lipo capable charger that balances, or a lipo charger, and an external balancer.
I like thunder power too.... make sure your esc will take a 3s..... that's over 12 volts, charged.... Otherwise a 2s is 8.4
Search lipo in the electronics forum.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Stick packs are big, heavy, and inefficient compared to lipos. The same capacity lipo pack will be about 1/3 the weight and size for about the same cost.

Tamiya plugs are about as crappy as you can get. A simple switch to either Deans or even Traxxas plugs will net you more power and longer run time.

[KC_JoNeS]

I run some crappy Chinese Lipo batteries. They are 1300 mAh 3S. I get about 25 minutes of run time out of them. I have my voltage cutoff set at 3.0 volts per cell. For the cost of $7 each per battery...I consider that acceptable.

Casey

[Rockcrawlintoy]

i run some old ass nicads and still get 30 minutes per charge. there must be something up

[Crawling Calvin]

I run a thrashed to heck Novak 55T and I get easily 15-20 mins from a Sky Lipo 800 3S 30C from Hobby Partz. Mind you I am not binding my rig every two seconds but just general crawling the run time is pretty good. I vote also with connectors. I remember changing to deans on my little RC car gave me easily an extra minute or two of run time and it seemed a little faster. Amazing what lower resistance can do

[madkawi650]

I run the Novak Rooster ESc and 55t combo on 2S lipos.. I have 2 1300mAh lipo packs that last 40 minutes plus... I also have 2 2200mAh lipo packs that last way more than an hour. I am geared 16/84. Run HB rover tires with 6oz weight in each front and 4oz in each rear. My rig is heavy, but my Cheap turnigy and zippy lipos work excellent in it.

Lipo is the way to go,, Get a Turnigy AC6 balance charger from HobbyKing for $18.99 and pick up their 2S 2200 mAh lipos for about $10 each. CHEAP and awesome for crawlers.

[brandon_6667]

Originally Posted by madkawi650

I run the Novak Rooster ESc and 55t combo on 2S lipos.. I have 2 1300mAh lipo packs that last 40 minutes plus... I also have 2 2200mAh lipo packs that last way more than an hour. I am geared 16/84. Run HB rover tires with 6oz weight in each front and 4oz in each rear. My rig is heavy, but my Cheap turnigy and zippy lipos work excellent in it.

Lipo is the way to go,, Get a Turnigy AC6 balance charger from HobbyKing for $18.99 and pick up their 2S 2200 mAh lipos for about $10 each. CHEAP and awesome for crawlers.

Thats a damn good deal, shit I think thats cheaper than my 2 cheap batteries and charger was. I have a rooster crawler esc, I have been told both that it will work with lipo and that it wont. Any input?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by brandon_6667

Thats a damn good deal, shit I think thats cheaper than my 2 cheap batteries and charger was. I have a rooster crawler esc, I have been told both that it will work with lipo and that it wont. Any input?

It will, but because it doesn't have a lipo cutoff, you'll either have to pay close attention to your voltage or get a low voltage alarm for it.

[brandon_6667]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

It will, but because it doesn't have a lipo cutoff, you'll either have to pay close attention to your voltage or get a low voltage alarm for it.

so it sounds like its bad to run a lipo battery all the way down eh?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by brandon_6667

so it sounds like its bad to run a lipo battery all the way down eh?

Yup. There's tons of lipo tech in the electronics section. I'd suggest you read up on them.

[honcho1.9]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

It will, but because it doesn't have a lipo cutoff, you'll either have to pay close attention to your voltage or get a low voltage alarm for it.

not true about the lipo cutoff read this, straight from novaks site
ROOSTER CRAWLER-EDITION FEATURES 2 specifically designed crawling driving profiles which feature Zero Reverse Delay, and high-powered Drag Brakes (or “Hill” or “Hold” brakes) Built-in Li-Poly Cutoff Protection (Profile 2) Water-Resistant Case Heavy-Duty 6 Volt / 5 Amp BEC Direct-Solder Wiring Tabs User Replaceable Input Harness Novak’s One-Touch Set-Up™ Built-in Power Output for Optional 6V Accessory Fan (#5648) Novak’s Radio-Priority Circuitry™ Novak’s Polar Drive Circuitry™ Thermal Overload Protection

[Duuuuuuuude]

Oh, well, there ya go. See what happens when you do research?