LiPo Testing And The Spreadsheet

[Moirae]

+1
And I found that Lipos can all be a mixed bag.
Even if you buy a certain brand, same identical pack a year later, because the first one was mint and you were happy with it., only to find that the cell batches and cell Matching has gone south a year later with that one brand and pack. Been there . No matter how much you pay or the brand.
Lipos can be very subjective to so many of us. We all have different setups, Esc's, motors , rigs of varying weights etc.

SMC seems extremely consistent.

 

[slick2500]

SMC seems extremely consistent.

There was a point back in 2018 or 2019 where a lot of people were getting bad batteries from him.

 

[Moirae]

There was a point back in 2018 or 2019 where a lot of people were getting bad batteries from him.

looks like they learned their lesson as I've ordered I think 10 lipos from them now and all of them have been great. They did send me one fully charged though but even that one has performed great.

 

[slick2500]

looks like they learned their lesson as I've ordered I think 10 lipos from them now and all of them have been great. They did send me one fully charged though but even that one has performed great.

Yeah it was a quite a few of them in a short period of time, now that I think about it I am pretty sure it was 2018 when that happened.

Would you mind sharing your TrueC rating for regular Gens? Something around the 60c range. Just wanted to compare with this graph the company provides online.

View attachment 262476

I don't even need to see his results to know that graph is nowhere near being true.

 

[nomis38]

+1
And I found that Lipos can all be a mixed bag.
Even if you buy a certain brand, same identical pack a year later, because the first one was mint and you were happy with it., only to find that the cell batches and cell Matching has gone south a year later with that one brand and pack. Been there . No matter how much you pay or the brand.
Lipos can be very subjective to so many of us. We all have different setups, Esc's, motors , rigs of varying weights etc.
Lipo industry is a very "Dark" one.
Made in China, so RC lipos are far from regulated spec wise. Always the luck of the draw IMHO.

I totally agree and that's why my experience in this thread is looked at as poor data. But I know me and my luck best. I have actually gotten brands based on recommendations and they were crap, do I think that i was steered wrong, no, because i see most people have good luck with them just I don't so im not going to try my luck again. The few smc i have are trash. Ive not had issues with hoovo. I have had a couple bad zeee. Had more bad glacier's then any. Had one bad ovonic. Had multiple bad gens-ace. Had a few Pulse's that had defects out of the box, and some that blew up after hundreds of flights. This is just to list a few. But overall it seems it doesn't matter what I buy some are good some are bad. The ones that are lucky for me is what I buy. And that is primarily lower end Gens-Ace, Hoovo and Goldbat for cars/trucks. And Pulse and higher end Gens-Ace for jets/heli's. Are these all that I own.... no... Just listing a few outta my hella box of lipos lol

The problem is when someone buys 10,000 batteries they are getting a good average data set yes. But none of us buy that many so our data sets will not be the same at all. Not even close. What works for me may not for you, and viseversa.

At the end of the day we should all do what we have been. Buy and test ourselves and then buy what works best for us. We all have google and forums, we research and buy, but the buying and using part PERSONALLY is what makes our mind up.

 

[Greywolf74]

Would you mind sharing your TrueC rating for regular Gens? Something around the 60c range. Just wanted to compare with this graph the company provides online.

View attachment 262476

Gens 5000mAh 50C = 23.8 True C Rating (TCR) = 47.6% of Stated C Rating (% SCR)
Gens Bashing 5000mAh 35C = 19.2 TCR = 54.86% SCR
Gens Adventure 5200mAh 100C = 29.6 TCR = 29.6% SCR

 

[Moirae]

I totally agree and that's why my experience in this thread is looked at as poor data. But I know me and my luck best. I have actually gotten brands based on recommendations and they were crap, do I think that i was steered wrong, no, because i see most people have good luck with them just I don't so im not going to try my luck again. The few smc i have are trash. Ive not had issues with hoovo. I have had a couple bad zeee. Had more bad glacier's then any. Had one bad ovonic. Had multiple bad gens-ace. Had a few Pulse's that had defects out of the box, and some that blew up after hundreds of flights. This is just to list a few. But overall it seems it doesn't matter what I buy some are good some are bad. The ones that are lucky for me is what I buy. And that is primarily lower end Gens-Ace, Hoovo and Goldbat for cars/trucks. And Pulse and higher end Gens-Ace for jets/heli's. Are these all that I own.... no... Just listing a few outta my hella box of lipos lol

The problem is when someone buys 10,000 batteries they are getting a good average data set yes. But none of us buy that many so our data sets will not be the same at all. Not even close. What works for me may not for you, and viseversa.

At the end of the day we should all do what we have been. Buy and test ourselves and then buy what works best for us. We all have google and forums, we research and buy, but the buying and using part PERSONALLY is what makes our mind up.

I think most people just don't actually care to see the difference and you come off as someone like that to me tbh. If you used one of your zee lipo and then used lets say an SMC right after. I bet you would say "I don't notice a difference"

It's easy to be happy with what you have when you have zero experience trying better brands in the same rig. I was exactly like that when I first started a year ago and zee were the first lipos I bought after coming here and reading posts. I thought they worked great and then I got curious about other brands. If I didn't take 2 lipo with me and try them back-to-back I probably would still be using zee's. Well until I started to gear up and use better electronics.

You and SRC would have us believe no company has QC at all and even zee and hovoo monday batteries can be better than SMC friday batteries

 

[slick2500]

I think most people just don't actually care to see the difference and you come off as someone like that to me tbh. If you used one of your zee lipo and then used lets say an SMC right after. I bet you would say "I don't notice a difference"

It's easy to be happy with what you have when you have zero experience trying better brands in the same rig. I was exactly like that when I first started a year ago and zee were the first lipos I bought after coming here and reading posts. I thought they worked great and then I got curious about other brands. If I didn't take 2 lipo with me and try them back-to-back I probably would still be using zee's. Well until I started to gear up and use better electronics.

You and SRC would have us believe no company has QC at all and even zee and hovoo monday batteries can be better than SMC friday batteries

I'll say this, I have tried a lot of the cheapo eBay/Amazon batteries and they all were complete poop except for the "6200mah" 2s Floureons I had for 5 years. I put 6200mah in quotes because they were actually only 4300mah batteries. Not a single one of the other cheapo batteries I have purchased have lasted more than a year this includes Zee, Zop Power, HRB and Golbatt. They all either split open the cases or stopped balancing. So I tend to avoid the Amazon and eBay cheapos for this very reason. And I almost forgot the Bias lipos that almost started my house on fire.

 

[nomis38]

I think most people just don't actually care to see the difference and you come off as someone like that to me tbh. If you used one of your zee lipo and then used lets say an SMC right after. I bet you would say "I don't notice a difference"

It's easy to be happy with what you have when you have zero experience trying better brands in the same rig. I was exactly like that when I first started a year ago and zee were the first lipos I bought after coming here and reading posts. I thought they worked great and then I got curious about other brands. If I didn't take 2 lipo with me and try them back-to-back I probably would still be using zee's. Well until I started to gear up and use better electronics.

You and SRC would have us believe no company has QC at all and even zee and hovoo monday batteries can be better than SMC friday batteries

So you only have a year experience lol.... I have roughly 20 years with lipo's my friend and have bought I don't know how many and have tried all major and minor brands of all sizes and voltages. I have Zeee and also have other high end. Yes I do swap them. Yes "somtimes" I do see differences and sometimes i don't. I spoke of luck my friend not QC. Please read again "buying 10k batteries will make for a different dataset" period.

Its funny you keep mentioning Zee as I have two currently out of I think around 50 batteries. I don't give a crap about Zee, but it seems you do. Just saying they work jsut fine for me and wouldnt make a Kraton 8s cutout lolol. Do I use them often. No they are 2 of 50 lol.

At the end of the day yes im a Professional and Seasoned RC vet. In Planes/Helis/Cars/Trucks/Boats/Drones. Hell I had a 2 mile range FPV hexcopter with an APM doing PID tuning and flight planning in mission planner in 2012 lolol. I think I know a thing or two haha.

 

[dk10438]

It amazes me how many people buy batteries based on the C rate listed on the packs. The Facebook groups are notorious for telling people to buy batteries based on the C rate alone.

Out of curiosity have you ever tested Traxxas lipos? I have a theory that they are some of the only ones that are even close to the real c rate on their packs as all of their packs are listed as only being 25c.

I’m not surprised people buy packs based on c rating. Most of the things we buy in life lists specs and we

It amazes me how many people buy batteries based on the C rate listed on the packs. The Facebook groups are notorious for telling people to buy batteries based on the C rate alone.

Out of curiosity have you ever tested Traxxas lipos? I have a theory that they are some of the only ones that are even close to the real c rate on their packs as all of their packs are listed as only being 25c.

Why wold you be amazed that people buy batteries based on "rated c" values. We buy almost everything else (RC and otherwise) based on specs... We buy ESC's and motors based on specs. What amazes me is that there's almost no standardization and "rated C" values are almost meaningless.

 

[nomis38]

I'll say this, I have tried a lot of the cheapo eBay/Amazon batteries and they all were complete poop except for the "6200mah" 2s Floureons I had for 5 years. I put 6200mah in quotes because they were actually only 4300mah batteries. Not a single one of the other cheapo batteries I have purchased have lasted more than a year this includes Zee, Zop Power, HRB and Golbatt. They all either split open the cases or stopped balancing. So I tend to avoid the Amazon and eBay cheapos for this very reason. And I almost forgot the Bias lipos that almost started my house on fire.

Exactly why we have an issue here and its all subjective. Most of my HRB's and Goldbats are very old with hundreds of runs and still fine. Out of 4 Floureons I had 3 were trash and 1 gets used sometimes. That one is like 7 or 8 years old and still going. lol

 

[LibertyMKiii]

The data @Greywolf74 is compiling has nothing to do with how long your lipo is going to last although the cell quality / Internal resistance could tell you some sort of story.

He is evaluating the manufacturers claimed C rating and mAh values. If you care about high power for a modified rig or speed running this is appealing to you.

My Son's 2wd slash that runs on 2s does not care about the battery. Any junk 2s lipo is plenty for it.
My 1/7 scale speed runner will fry that same battery in one run pushing over 600 amps.

 

[Moirae]

So you only have a year experience lol.... I have roughly 20 years with lipo's my friend and have bought I don't know how many and have tried all major and minor brands of all sizes and voltages. I have Zeee and also have other high end. Yes I do swap them. Yes "somtimes" I do see differences and sometimes i don't. I spoke of luck my friend not QC. Please read again "buying 10k batteries will make for a different dataset" period.

Its funny you keep mentioning Zee as I have two currently out of I think around 50 batteries. I don't give a crap about Zee, but it seems you do. Just saying they work jsut fine for me and wouldnt make a Kraton 8s cutout lolol. Do I use them often. No they are 2 of 50 lol.

At the end of the day yes im a Professional and Seasoned RC vet. In Planes/Helis/Cars/Trucks/Boats/Drones. Hell I had a 2 mile range FPV hexcopter with an APM doing PID tuning and flight planning in mission planner in 2012 lolol. I think I know a thing or two haha.

If you have 20 years of experience, you should know better. The stuff you're continually saying is sorta silly.

 

[nomis38]

If you have 20 years of experience, you should know better. The stuff you're continually saying is sorta silly.

Elaborate Sir. And I will prove why im saying it has validity.

Also thats 20 years LiPo experience, RC is since Cox engines lol.

 

[slick2500]

I’m not surprised people buy packs based on c rating. Most of the things we buy in life lists specs and we

Why wold you be amazed that people buy batteries based on "rated c" values. We buy almost everything else (RC and otherwise) based on specs... We buy ESC's and motors based on specs. What amazes me is that there's almost no standardization and "rated C" values are almost meaningless.

It amazes me because there are threads upon threads all across the internet stating that C rates are just straight up crap. I even complied a list of some of them https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/c-rates-what-is-the-deal.17174/

Exactly why we have an issue here and its all subjective. Most of my HRB's and Goldbats are very old with hundreds of runs and still fine. Out of 4 Floureons I had 3 were trash and 1 gets used sometimes. That one is like 7 or 8 years old and still going. lol

I miss those Floureons, sure they weren't the best performers and the capacity was incorrect but they balanced every single time I charged them over the 5 years I owned them. But having 3 out of 3 HRB lipos all do the same thing in less than a year it really left a bad taste in my mouth for the brand.

The data @Greywolf74 is compiling has nothing to do with how long your lipo is going to last although the cell quality / Internal resistance could tell you some sort of story.

He is evaluating the manufacturers claimed C rating and mAh values. If you care about high power for a modified rig or speed running this is appealing to you.

My Son's 2wd slash that runs on 2s does not care about the battery. Any junk 2s lipo is plenty for it.
My 1/7 scale speed runner will fry that same battery in one run pushing over 600 amps.

This ^

I won't run those 5500mah 50c Ovonics in my 1/8th scales anymore but they are more than enough for my 1/10 scale vehicles as none of them come close to pulling more amperage than the batteries can provide.

 

[Moirae]

Its funny you keep mentioning Zee as I have two currently out of I think around 50 batteries. I don't give a crap about Zee, but it seems you do. Just saying they work jsut fine for me and wouldnt make a Kraton 8s cutout lolol. Do I use them often. No they are 2 of 50 lol.

I'm using zee as an example because they're cheap junk lipo that I have experience with. Btw here is a video for you clearly showing junk lipo causing my kraton to choke when I go full throttle to do a backflip. It happens at least 3 different times in that 48 second video.

I guess it was just luck that all my cheap lipo cause this to happen.

7 second, 13 seconds, 18 seconds just to name a few timestamps clearly showing it

 

[JustAnOutcast]

It's easy to be happy with what you have when you have zero experience trying better brands in the same rig.

This is exactly where I am. My first and only 3s batteries are no-name knockoffs, and I’m in total battery bliss, high IR and all!

 

[Moirae]

This is exactly where I am. My first and only 3s batteries are no-name knockoffs, and I’m in total battery bliss, high IR and all!

Better to stay ignorant! don't upgrade electronics and stay happy!!

 

[nomis38]

I'm using zee as an example because they're cheap junk lipo that I have experience with. Btw here is a video for you clearly showing junk lipo causing my kraton to choke when I go full throttle to do a backflip. It happens at least 3 different times in that 48 second video.

I guess it was just luck that all my cheap lipo cause this to happen.

7 second, 13 seconds, 18 seconds just to name a few timestamps clearly showing it

Agree its junk, I test mine asap and send back for replacement within a few days upon delivery, if its longer i'll do a manufacture warranty which with most is much longer then a return policy from say amazon. I even had to do this with 1 high end Pulse. It vented after 3 flights in one of my heli's. Lucky it was right when I landed after a flight as the pack didnt have much energy left and didnt catch fire.

It scared the crap outta me and made a loud hissing noise for like 20 seconds straight. I had had it for a few weeks before this happened on the 3rd use. Pulse was happy to have me ship to them and they ship me one back. I did have to pay shipping to them. But was ok with that and understand all LiPo can be bad. Got my new one and went about my career haha. It happens.

 

[slick2500]

Agree its junk, I test mine asap and send back for replacement within a few days upon delivery, if its longer i'll do a manufacture warranty which with most is much longer then a return policy from say amazon. I even had to do this with 1 high end Pulse. It vented after 3 flights in one of my heli's. Lucky it was right when I landed after a flight as the pack didnt have much energy left and didnt catch fire.

It scared the crap outta me and made a loud hissing noise for like 20 seconds straight. I had had it for a few weeks before this happened on the 3rd use. Pulse was happy to have me ship to them and they ship me one back. I did have to pay shipping to them. But was ok with that and understand all LiPo can be bad. Got my new one and went about my career haha. It happens.

I know CNHL and Hobbyking will just send you new batteries no need to send them back. Each company is different in this regard. I remember someone saying they warrantied a Traxxas lipo once and Traxxas made them take pictures of the leads cut off and the lipo in a bucket of salt water before they would send out new ones.