Batteries, Batteries, Batteries
 

I have some basic battery questions for all of you professionals. My batteries are the basic stick packs. I am using the EPIC 3000 mah packs for like $19 at towerhobbies. If I want to upgrade since I am going to start racing in the stock class do I need to get batteries that are side by side? Is there a benefit to those? I don't know how to make my own packs so I was looking at maxamps and some other sites that will make them for you. Second question, when does it become necessary to start discharging, cycling etc. If I am racing for fun in the stock class (I have an evader st pro with a p2k2 motor) is it a must to get this extra equipment? Or is it more of a modified racer that needs the extra speed etc. I was told when racing like I am, you don't even need to discharge nimh packs because they don't have a memory. Is this correct? And lastly, with my circumstances, is matched cells that much better than unmatched cells.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

You will definately get a nice performance increase from a good battery pack. those cheap packs offer little performance in comparison. In stock racing, voltage is the most important factor for performance. Matched packs of the same voltage won't perform any better in the stock class (matched packs will "dump" all at the same time, but you are not likely to "dump" your packs in the stock class). Side by side packs are the norm, and will provide less resistance than the standard stick packs. Discharging is a good idea every so often to refresh your batteries, but isn't absolutely necessary. I have some nice prebuilt stickpacks in the store, and if you want pro built side by side packs, I can deliver here as well. I am working with http://surgeworldwide.com/home.html
right now and can deliver any of these or even custom packs. The charge for building the packs is $6/pack.

Thanks for the great advice. How much are we taking for a side by side 6 cell pack? Do you recommend stage 0,1,2? According to the surge website they do recommend discharging in a tray to .9 volts per cell. What would be the proper equipment to do this and do you think it is necessary. I am very interested in purchasing a pack from you.

Thanks again,
Chris

what about "end-to-end" packs. i know they do exist, are they just a fancy stick pack without those cheap thin tin battery bars?

CHVAKA - I have run the surge batteries for a couple years now - I have several of the stage 2 and several of the stage 3. The switch from most stick packs will be very noticable with either the 2 or the 3 packs. Imho the stage 2 will be a great place to start off with. Surge batts have really held up well and i continue to use them for my race packs in my 10th scales.
The discharge of the batteries is not required but that is personal preference. Some rarely ever discharge their batteries down to .9v a cell, some do it every week before racing. There are a bunch of good dischargers available today. You can also use the bulb discharger method. They say a good discharge rate for taking your batteries down is 20 amp. The 1157 automotive bulb draws 2 amps when hooked to your battery. 10 - 1157 bulbs would get you a 20 amp disharger fairly inexpensively. MPH makes an assembled bulb discharger that you could use - with or without a cutoff that cuts off the voltage at 5.4v ( .9 x 6 cells ) without the voltage cutoff you could monitor the lights till they get dim ( that way you could use the discharger with more than 6 cells at a time). There are a lot of opinions on charge and discharge batteries - Sniff around a little and do what makes sense to you......

And the end to end packs drop the resistance between the cells because they are directly soldered. That is the reasoning behind that method of soldering.....

With given the information above about the surge batteries, will there be much of a difference between the surge stage 2 built by rc-monster for me, or just buying the race stick pack that rc-monster sells for $45. If discharging is not needed for stock racing, then maybe I should just go with the stick packs?

I think that its a matter of preference - if you are going to discharge your batteries and at some time going to discharge your batteries individually then the surge assembled is the way to go. If not then the race sticks are the way to go - cant go wrong either way i would say....

get some good gp cells