Wondering about the RC car battery?

[willPanda]

Being able to greatly increase our run times and speed using all the different kinds of electric motors and better batteries.
The RC car battery packs usually consist of a combination of batteries up to 6 individual cells. You can purchase these packs preassembled or assemble them yourself.


There are many different types of batteries that you can use for example NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride), Li-ion (Lithium-Ion) or Li-Poly (Lithium-Polymer). Each one of these batteries has it's own unique characteristics. The NiMH batteries are by far the most widely used battery in RC car battery packs. But, the Li-Po and Li-ion batteries are quickly gaining popularity.

Now for just a brief description of each different type of RC car battery.

NiCd's

1. They contain cadmium, that can make them hard to dispose of.
2. They suffer from memory effects, which over time makes them lose their ability to hold a complete charge.
3. Can be rejuvenated easily with the correct charging system.
4. They are fairly easy to detect peak charge.

RiMH's

1. They have a higher capacity (milliamps) compared to a NiCD battery.
2. They are not as susceptible to memory problems.
3. They do require a more sensitive peak detection method.
4. They are more environmentally friendly, making them easier to dispose of.
5. They are easy to damage if overcharged than NiCd's
6. They are easily damaged when charging unmatched cells.

Li-ion's


1. They have roughly twice the capacity of a NiCd battery
2. They are more expensive, because of the exotic material.
3. Almost all contain a tiny controller chip embedded in each battery that adjusts how quickly they discharge and prevents overcharging.
4. They require a different charger.

Li-Poly's


1. They are extremely light weight.
2. They are capable of providing nearly twice the power as a Li-ion battery.
3. They can easily be shaped differently to fit into many different nooks and crannies.
4. They do require a special charger.
5. They are very dangerous if overcharged. So extreme caution needs to be used while charging. But, the new charging systems addressing this problem.
6. They are more expensive.