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Trail Finder 3- can I install a Y connector to charge batteries?

1981K20

Up North
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
369
Messages
219
Loc
North of MT but south of AK
Body is a bit of a pain to get off, was wondering if I could install a Y connector and charge the battery while it's still in the car (hooked up)?

Would this fry the car electronics or light my garage on fire? :homer:

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Don't know, but I was always told that leaving the batties plugged in all the time is real bad for them. Lipo or Ni and how often are you using the car?
 
I wouldn't, especially if using a multi cell lipo where you really should be balance charging. Maybe look into magnetic body mounts or the like to make the battery easier to get to?
 
I run Ni because I'm cheap and they work :laughing:

I found the trail finder 2 body mount kit that replaces screws with pins, I'll try that and see if I can make it work.
 
I'm the same. I run NiMh because I'm cheap. These are "ok" to leave plugged in for short times, maybe no more than a month in between uses.
 
Jeezuz k riced lipo is cheaper than nihm you monkeys. :laughing:

But no you should never leave a battery plugged in, it will discharge and get damaged.
 
Only if you buy the cheapest chinesium batteries. Good NiMh are cheaper than good LiPo and Ni chargers are $15 compared to Li are $250. Plus the NiMh can take a lot more abuse.
 
Only if you buy the cheapest chinesium batteries. Good NiMh are cheaper than good LiPo and Ni chargers are $15 compared to Li are $250. Plus the NiMh can take a lot more abuse.


The heck are you smoking? Decent lipo batteries are $20 for smaller packs and I charged mine for years with a $30 balance charger. I have a $100 charger that does 2 at a time now. Nobody needs a dual channel Hyperion charger for basic lipo needs.

Nihm also develops a memory and you loose what limited capacity they have. You can buy a giant lipo that'll last longer than 3 of the largest nihm for less than the price of the nihm too.

I've never in my 36 years in this hobby heard someone say they're glad they switched back to nihm. Not a single one. 🤦
 
I haven't seen any decent Lipos for less than 40 lately (although I haven't been looking). Last time I looked there weren't any decent chargers for less than 200. By decent I mean not amde in China.

Thats why I leave them plugged in, so they rain completly. My battery (yes, single) is going on 5 years old and has only lost about 500 mah. It still lasts for almost an hour of crawling. Its a 7 cell that cost me 20. I really don't need anything bigger. My planes still use NiCds and some of them are 20 years old.

PS. Most of my cars don't have voltage cutoffs because they're old.
 
I haven't seen any decent Lipos for less than 40 lately (although I haven't been looking). Last time I looked there weren't any decent chargers for less than 200. By decent I mean not amde in China.

Thats why I leave them plugged in, so they rain completly. My battery (yes, single) is going on 5 years old and has only lost about 500 mah. It still lasts for almost an hour of crawling. Its a 7 cell that cost me 20. I really don't need anything bigger. My planes still use NiCds and some of them are 20 years old.

PS. Most of my cars don't have voltage cutoffs because they're old.
There are no batteries or chargers made in the USA so you're going to have to stick with shitty technology. I got out of rc for a few years because I was sick of nihm being such shit and lipo wasn't out yet.

Once you go lipo you'll hit yourself in the dick with a hammer for not switching sooner.
 
There are no batteries or chargers made in the USA so you're going to have to stick with shitty technology. I got out of rc for a few years because I was sick of nihm being such shit and lipo wasn't out yet.

Once you go lipo you'll hit yourself in the dick with a hammer for not switching sooner.

Do Lipo batteries make that much of a difference? Longevity or speed wise? Just curious
 
Do Lipo batteries make that much of a difference? Longevity or speed wise? Just curious
10,000% YES!

Think of an old cordless drill. It has decent punch for the first 1/4 of it's charge and then it slowly declined until it stops altogether. That's nicd and nihm battery technology.

Grab a new generation cordless drill with lithium packs and it rips until the last 10% and then the tool stops due to it's low voltage cutoff kicking in that protects the battery from over discharge.

Lithium cells transformed the rc market in a year. Gas used to be king and it's still great for run time but electric will beat it in a race.
 
10,000% YES!

Think of an old cordless drill. It has decent punch for the first 1/4 of it's charge and then it slowly declined until it stops altogether. That's nicd and nihm battery technology.

Grab a new generation cordless drill with lithium packs and it rips until the last 10% and then the tool stops due to it's low voltage cutoff kicking in that protects the battery from over discharge.

Lithium cells transformed the rc market in a year. Gas used to be king and it's still great for run time but electric will beat it in a race.
Dammit. You've just cost me $140 on Amazon :laughing:

Thanks!!
 
Thinking of buying these 3s ones, thoughts?

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What rig and what do you do with it?

I get well over an hour out of 2200 4s packs in my trail type rig. Going with huge batteries is a huge waste because you're seldom out crawling the 10 hours that battery will last and it's heavy so your rig will flip more often.

But more smaller packs and reap the benefits.

My biggest packs are 3000 4s.
 
What rig and what do you do with it?

I get well over an hour out of 2200 4s packs in my trail type rig. Going with huge batteries is a huge waste because you're seldom out crawling the 10 hours that battery will last and it's heavy so your rig will flip more often.

But more smaller packs and reap the benefits.

My biggest packs are 3000 4s.
Can only run up to 3s on the RC4WD rig I bought (pic for reference). Looking around there's not many options for low MAH so I'll check the local hobby store on Saturday. Appreciate the help man!!

20220329_193258.jpg
 
Can only run up to 3s on the RC4WD rig I bought (pic for reference). Looking around there's not many options for low MAH so I'll check the local hobby store on Saturday. Appreciate the help man!!

20220329_193258.jpg


Hobbyking.com you're welcome.
 
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