LiPo's in Optima series: How did you mount them?

[Coelacanth]

A question before I hit the sack...

Those of you guys who are running LiPo batteries in your Optima series of cars--how did you end up strapping in those squared-off batteries?

Short of me fabricating something of my own design, is there anything out there to make installing a square-edged LiPo battery where round-edged NiCd/NiMH's were originally intended, easier?

No doubt it would involve removing or modding those two triangular battery stand-offs that bolt onto the upper deck/radio plate...

Looking forward to your solutions. Surely there must be Optimas out there running 7.4V LiPo packs.

[proffesso]

thats where stick pack lipo's come in

http://www.robitronic.com/files/produktbilder/Robitronic/Akkus/R05221/Mit%20Kabel/r05221_550.jpg

couple of those, and you wont have to carve up your chassis on any old cars

[Lowgear]

I was unaware of such a thing.

[Coelacanth]

Great...after I go ahead and buy a few of these at a great price. LOL

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=17240

Unless anyone else has other ideas, I guess I'll have to fabricate my own battery holders out of aluminum or plastic with squared-off edges...

EDIT: Speaking of which, I could find no pricing info on that linked Robitronic battery anywhere, and various searches of Robitronic on eBay turned up nothing.

I did turn up this equivalent Protek battery, but it's more than double the cost at almost $50
http://www.skmotion.net/PROTEK-LIPO-74V-4000MAH-STICK-PACK-BATTERY-2S-25C-SPORT-RACE-TRAXXAS-CONNECTOR_p_3483.html

[Lonestar]

guys guys guys

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=lipo+stick+rc+car

Paul

[sgirouard]

I bought one of these for my vintage cars. It fit my optima mid, optima and JRX2

http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl4400-2s1p-30c-2222.html

[Coelacanth]

guys guys guys

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=lipo+stick+rc+car

Well, since I now have these rectangular LiPos already, it's more about finding a way to make them fit, not buying more batteries.

I like the one you linked, Scott...nice price, too. I trust the Turnigy brand more, though...

[Mr. ED]

I'd take the plastic parts off and remove the 6 screws that hold these in place:
1. cut a piece of thin graphite in the same shape as your battery top, but make sure the contact holes are free and there's no short circuit possible...maybe beter use black G10 = non-conductive
2. drill and countersink 6 holes in that part corresponding with the 6 holes in the topdeck,
3. use 6 tapered head m3 screws, spacer collars and locknuts to mount the new piece under the topdeck
4. use tape to strap the battery in place: like touringcar racers do/did

[Coelacanth]

guys guys guys

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=lipo+stick+rc+car

Just an update; it doesn't do much good to Google "stick lipo" because most e-tailers--including HobbyKing--refer to ANY long, non-saddle, non-hump pack as a "stick pack". I'd be interested in exchanging the square-edged ones I bought for round-edged vintage-shaped units with comparable price & specs, but I can't for the life of me find anything like that on HobbyKing's site! Their site search leaves a lot to be desired.

Furthermore, Turnigy doesn't even have a website, it's a HobbyKing house brand...I don't suppose anyone here knows of a Turnigy battery with a vintage 6-cell shape?

[tim.sanderson]

Hobbypartz.com has them. You can find them in their 'hard case lipos' section.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/hardcase.html

[Coelacanth]

Hobbypartz.com has them. You can find them in their 'hard case lipos' section.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/hardcase.html

Now we're gettin' somewhere:

http://www.hobbypartz.com/98p-25c-4000-2s1p-hardcase.html
Round edges, similar width to the old batteries (~42mm), not quite as tall, and just a tad longer than the old 6-cells...for a reasonable price.

[sgirouard]

Hobbypartz.com has them. You can find them in their 'hard case lipos' section.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/hardcase.html

Now we're gettin' somewhere:

http://www.hobbypartz.com/98p-25c-4000-2s1p-hardcase.html
Round edges, similar width to the old batteries (~42mm), not quite as tall, and just a tad longer than the old 6-cells...for a reasonable price.

Those are decent size too. The length is a tad longer (.16") but it's narrower and shallower than nimh packs so that's good.

[Mr. ED]

Did you read my post? I'm surprised you're not going creative on this subject and don't try to use the modern stuff you already have for your MMV project

[Coelacanth]

Did you read my post? I'm surprised you're not going creative on this subject and don't try to use the modern stuff you already have for your MMV project

Yeah I did, thanks for the tip, I was considering something similar--but one thing I didn't mention is I bought 3 batteries; one for myself, which I wouldn't mind modding Barney to make 'er fit; and 2 for my buddy, who has an Optima. I don't want to mod 2 cars, so I might as well just return them and buy the no-hassle batteries. The price is about the same anyway.

If I was doing a mod, I'd have bolted a rectangle retaining 'ring' of sorts on one underside of the radio plate, and some kind of press-locking mechanism on the other side. This would allow the battery to slide through the rectangle retainer and use Velcro or the stock zip-fastener to lock the battery in place. But alas, I don't want to do that twice.

Besides...my build is already so far behind that it's about ready to lap itself.

[Lowgear]

Truth be known I've yet to own a LiPo battery or even any modern electronics for that matter. The last time I drove an R/C is when Novak came out with their brushless setup. That was in 2003 I believe. Since then all my vehicles have been shelf queens or works in progress. I'm getting the hankering again to have at least one runner. I've decided that this spring/summer I'm going to purchase a LiPo battery or two, a charger, and some radio gear in order to have one vehicle I can drive.