Battery Issue

[CountryChevy15]

Kind of new on the whole crawler battery scene and dont know too much about lipo's so i appreciate the help.

My ax10 is running a rooster crawler esc with a brushed integy 55t motor with a sr300 receiver. Batteries are about 6 months old hardly used. Battery packs are 1600 mah nimh 1.2v max amp crawler packs.

My charger is probably 6-7ish year old vision peak plus.

Charging with that charger on 1amp setting im only getting a couple minute run time before i cant climb anything because i run out of power.

Im assuming its the charger because its older?

Thinking of upgrading to this.... VNR0657 0657 AC/DC Pro Charger w/Power Supply - Venom Racing Batteries

OR is it the battery packs not accepting the charge?

[Charlie-III]

Does the ESC have a LVC set?? It may be doing it's job and shutting off power to save a "LiPO".

As to the charger, either it works or it doesn't. Period.

I still use ~30 year old Tekin chargers for my NiMH's for 12th carpet cars, it still works.

For ANY 1600mah packs in a 2.2, you should get 20+ minutes runtime.

[yotawheeler]

seems i have the same problem. i posted about a week ago.

[CountryChevy15]

Not sure on the esc, ill look into it a it.

The charger only takes about 3-5 minutes to charge the battery on 1amp setting. I feel it should take a lot longer to charge especially with the 1amp setting?

[Charlie-III]

Well, it may be you have a dud cell. My job is all battery related (large lead acid UPS back-up batteries) but in general, a battery is a battery.

Poop happens.

You may may have a dud cell.

You may have a bad solder connection.

You may have a charger that is dieing.

Can you try another pack??

[CountryChevy15]

I have two of the same packs, both assembled by max amps with deans connectors soldered on by them. The both have the same run times using the same charger.

Thats why im thinking the charger is the issue.

Checked my esc and i do NOT have any low voltage cut off on. Have a buddy with an older style venom pro charger thats going to charge my batteries tonight and see if that makes a difference. Just wanted to make sure that there wasnt anything else causing my problems.

[yotawheeler]

i am also running a rooster crawler esc.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by CountryChevy15

I have two of the same packs, both assembled by max amps with deans connectors soldered on by them. They both have the same run times using the same charger.

Thats why I'm thinking the charger is the issue.

Checked my esc and I do NOT have any low voltage cut off on. Have a buddy with an older style venom pro charger thats going to charge my batteries tonight and see if that makes a difference. Just wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything else causing my problems.

OK, we'll wait until tomorrow to see what happens. Is his VPC the green one or red one??
Just curious, We have 2 greens and 1 red (I just bought it used as a back-up).

Curious to see what mah the charger states it put in.

[yotawheeler]

i have same problem. 6 different nii-mh packs 1500s to 5300. they all act the same. i can charge them till they get warm but they all still last about 5 min. charger was a superbrain 960 1yr old, switched to a 6hr wall charger and they do the same thing. we have the same esc, rooster crawler?. could this be the problem?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by yotawheeler

I have same problem. 6 different NiMH packs, 1500's to 5300, they all act the same. I can charge them till they get warm but they all still last about 5 min. Charger is a Superbrain 960 1yr old, switched to a 6hr wall charger and they do the same thing. We have the same esc, rooster crawler, could this be the problem?

For both of you, charge a pack, measure/check the pack voltage.
Run the rig, when it dies, check the pack voltage.

How many cells on each are you guys running (6, 7, ?)

When the rigs "die", do they get slow then die, or do they "just stop"? I read that CC's lacks power.

What pack connectors (hopefully NOT Tamiya's)? Do the connectors get warm?
Does the ESC get warm?
Does the motor get warm?

With the motor out, is the drivetrain free & easy to spin?

I feel we're missing something stupid......

[CountryChevy15]

Charged my battery packs last night, they only took 211 and 215mah until it showed full charge. His pack, the same as mine, took a full charge. Trying to cycle them with discharging and recharging them.

They are a 6 cell 1600mah maxamps crawler pack with deans ends. Nothing else gets unusually hot during the two minutes the truck runs. Battery gets so low it wont climb anything at all it will SLOWLY move straight but as soon as you touch the steering servo it quits moving.

Thinking the packs are junk but not sure how both packs are junk already after under a year of use.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by CountryChevy15

Charged my battery packs last night, they only took 211 and 215mah until it showed full charge. His pack, the same as mine, took a full charge. Trying to cycle them with discharging and recharging them.

They are a 6 cell 1600mah maxamps crawler pack with deans ends. Nothing else gets unusually hot during the two minutes the truck runs. Battery gets so low it wont climb anything at all it will SLOWLY move straight but as soon as you touch the steering servo it quits moving.

Thinking the packs are junk but not sure how both packs are junk already after under a year of use.

Since you say "6 cell" I will assume they're NiMH/NiCD??

What was the pack voltage when they died?? You need to check it quick since most batteries will rebound on voltage with no load.

Trying to see if it's an ESC or pack issue. I vote ESC setting issue.

BTW, my personal opinion is that MaxAmps is overpriced.......my opinion......

[CountryChevy15]

Had the exact same issue with a novak esc that i just replaced with the rooster crawler.

they are indeed nimh batteries.

As far a voltage i have no idea, dont have the batteries at the moment.

Buddy took them home and cycled them with no luck.

Is it possible that my old charger never charged them fully and they developed cell memory to not fully charge?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by CountryChevy15

Had the exact same issue with a Novak esc that i just replaced with the rooster crawler.

they are indeed NiMH batteries.

As far a voltage i have no idea, don't have the batteries at the moment.

Buddy took them home and cycled them with no luck.

Is it possible that my old charger never charged them fully and they developed cell memory to not fully charge?

We will really try to give good guidance.....trust us (it's the Internet!!).

Sorry.

NiMH has little issue with "memory", NiCD's did.

In general, if the pack (NiMH/NiCD) gets warm near the end of charge, they are close to fully charged, thus my request for pack voltage when the rig dies/slows.

There can be a few issues for your problem, more info will help us out.

[CountryChevy15]

The packs get slightly warm when my charger says they are charged. With his they didnt get warm at all when it said they were warm.

Im not sure what else could be the issue. The esc was switched with the same problem continuing. The drivetrain isnt bound up at all. Unless its something in the motor which i doubt its the battery packs causing the issue.

[Loganr1]

If the battery is old then it could be it because all batteries can only be charged and discharged so many times until it is almost useless it is usually 400-500 charges with nimh or nicad if it's old first thing I'd do is get a new battery if notary a new charger if neither of those fix it probably the esc has lipo cut off on turn it off before you buy anything else for it though.

[CountryChevy15]

The lipo cutoff is NOT on on my rooster crawler. Both esc's i have had had the same battery issue, the novak didnt even have a lipo cutoff function avaliable.

I think im just going to spring on some new batteries and a charger.

Thinking of going with lipo since im crawling alot more and they arent sitting for long.

So for lipo i need a 35c around 1500mah 2s battery correct? If someone who knows lipos could send me a link to one that i think i need or another recommendation for a beginner in lipos that would be great. Cheapbatterypacks.com has some great prices but so many options im slightly overwhelmed.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by CountryChevy15

The lipo cutoff is NOT on on my rooster crawler. Both esc's i have had had the same battery issue, the novak didnt even have a lipo cutoff function avaliable.

I think im just going to spring on some new batteries and a charger.

Thinking of going with lipo since im crawling alot more and they arent sitting for long.

So for lipo i need a 35c around 1500mah 2s battery correct? If someone who knows lipos could send me a link to one that i think i need or another recommendation for a beginner in lipos that would be great. Cheapbatterypacks.com has some great prices but so many options im slightly overwhelmed.

If you want to go LiPO, I always buy from CBP (place you linked).

For my 2.2 comp rig (2.2 Bully MOA) I run 3S 1350mah Elite packs. I could run ~850's, but I use these pack for fun/practice as well.

This is what I usually get for my son & I..... CheapBatteryPacks - Elite 1300 11.1V 35C Lipo Pack
You can pick your pack plug as well as balance plug.

There are lots of choices, this is what I use.

[CountryChevy15]

Since im going lipo i have looked at the venom pro charger plus which charges and balances lipos.

however it doesnt say what balance plug comes with it, and the battery pack you linked is the one i was looking for but its out of stock. That a temporary thing or ... ?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by CountryChevy15

Since im going lipo i have looked at the venom pro charger plus which charges and balances lipos.

however it doesnt say what balance plug comes with it, and the battery pack you linked is the one i was looking for but its out of stock. That a temporary thing or ... ?

I have 2 Venom Pro Chargers, 1 VPC+.

They take the "align"/JST-XH style balance plug.

CBP has packs come & go. They are usually back in stock soon, you can email them direct or Chris_the_batteryman here.