ZIPPY Flightmax 4000mAh 2S1P 25C Car Lipoly (ROAR APPROVED)

2 year plus update Link

I heard really good things about this pack and with them being the cheapest hardcase packs ($15.50) on hobby kings site I just had to give them a try and see what they were made of .
Well I started by checking the voltages when I got these in . One pack was at a little down with cell 1 at 3.84 and cell 2 at 3.85 . The second pack which by the warranty number was a bit newer was at 3.86 on both cells so in my opinion things looked pretty good from the start . I then solder on a couple of dean's style T-connectors and proceeded to charge the packs up . After handling the wiring harness a bit I decided I didn't want to use the stock harness for running in my car or for fast charging and made 2 more harnesses minus the balance plug as it could be damaged . After the packs got done Balance charging I decided to take them for a spin and yes virginia these packs do have some punch dare I say more than the Turnigy 30C 4000mah packs I tried hmm further testing is needed because despite feeling Zippy these packs did warm up a hair bit but that may be due to this being there first outing . After I get a few more cycles on these and the Turnigys I will be updating these post .

This pack has a Relative Amp 25C x 4A = 100rA 
$15.50 / 100rA = 0.155cE the lower the number the Cost Effective




Where to buy it
ZIPPY Flightmax 4000mAh 2S1P 25C Car Lipoly (ROAR APPROVED)


Manufacturer description:

 Zippy FLIGHTMAX batteries deliver full capacity & discharge as well as being the best value batteries in the hobby market today!

Spec.
Capacity: 4000mAh
Voltage: 2S1P / 2 Cell / 7.4v
Discharge: 25C Constant / 30C Burst
Weight: 235g (including wire, plug & shrink wrap)
Dimensions: 138x47x23mm
Balance Plug: JST-XH
Discharge plug: 4mm Bullet-connector to your own custom plug

UPDATE Latest stock has improved soldering and tab joins. Removing previous issues related to 'cold solder' breakages.

Now officialy approved by ROAR for race use!

PRODUCT ID: Z40002S-25

YKS 5000mah 20c lipo batteries my opinion

Well I bought a 5000Mah 20c 2s 7.4 v lipo battery pack from a company in Brooklyn New York .

06/10/13 - 09/01/14 RIP

Minimum Capacity:	5000mAh
Configuration:	2S1P / 7.4v / 2Cell
Constant Discharge:	20C
Peak Discharge (10sec):	30C
Pack Weight:	308g
Pack Size:	145mm x 52mm x 30mm
Balance Plug:	JST-XH
Discharge Plug:	NO
Quantity:	1

I had  good experiences with their smaller batteries as can be found in other parts of this blog but I find myself not being able to recommend this pack and many of their other higher capacity packs .

 This particular pack was the best deal as far as I could see but after getting it  I realized it wouldn't fit anything I owned its several mm wider than a shotgun style NIMH pack  and longer than a 6-cell pack but slightly shorter than a 7-cell pack . This made fitment virtually impossible in almost all my models but my ZD Racing 1/10th scale truck and really it was such a tight fit that It makes me uncomfortable . 

The other problem I had was that the power output in my opinion is low even for a 20c rating I found I could only get reasonable performance for around half the pack after the voltage dropped below 4.0 volts it could not provide the amperage needed for my mild brushless system that I was testing it with . The measured usable  capacity was normally around 3000 Mah .

This pack has a Relative Amp 20C x 5A = 100rA 

$12.99 / 100rA = 0.1299cE the lower the number the Cost Effective

Now looking at this graph it should give you a idea of why my battery didn't meet what most people would expect from the ratings  . To clarify if you don't see what this is showing is that the mah rating was determined at a 1C discharge or a 2.2 amp draw but when a 25C load  was introduced the usable capacity dropped off from 2250 ish to 2050 ish .

Its also Important to note that when a manufacturer uses this method that the gap between the  listed capacity and usable capacity gets bigger as the capacity get bigger . This is one of many reasons why most sellers and battery makers don't use the 1C discharge method to determine battery capacity.

The reason I find it hard to recommend (or even buy ) there other higher capacity and C rated batteries is that for the cost you could be buying a battery that is well known in the hobby community for good performance and value with a more appropriate battery rating  .

Other pack capacities available from YKS are:

7.4V 1600MAH 20C

7.4V 1800MAH 20C

2200mah 7.4v 30C

7.4V 3300MAH 30C 

4000mah 7.4V 20C

4000mah 7.4V 30C

7.4v 4500mAh 30C 

5000mAh 7.4V 20C  

7.4v 5800mAh 25C 

11.1V 1500mah 20C

11.1V 1600MAH 20C

1800mAh 20C 11.1v

11.1V 1800mah 40C

3000mah 3S 11.1v 20c

11.1V 3300MAH 30C

4000mah 3S 11.1v 20c

11.1V 5000MAH 20C 3S

11.1V 5000MAH 40C

5800mah 3S 11.1v 25C 

5800mah 3S 11.1v 30C

2650mah 4S 14.8v 30C

14.8V 5800MAH 30C 4S

3300mah 5S 18.5V 30c

5800mah 5S 18.5V 30c

22.2V 2650MAH 30C 6S

3300mah 6S 22.2v 30c

4000mah 6S 22.2v 20c

5000mah 6S 22.2v 25c

Turnigy 4000mAh 2S 30C hardcase pack

Well I picked up a pair of these out of the USA warehouse . All I an say is wow the value of these packs are great they have nice thick wires and can definitely dump the amps with very little voltage sag . Probably the most notable thing is that these packs live up to there rated capacity  But I don't plan to buy anymore of these after trying the Zippy 4000mah because the case an finish is much better in my opinion .

This pack has a Relative Amp 30C x 4A = 120rA 

$19.99 / 120rA = 0.166cE the lower the number the more Cost Effective

Where to pick up :http://www.hobbyking.com

Manufactures description :

 The new number one in performance and price!The new Turnigy Lipoly packs deliver full capacity at the said C rate.

You wont find a better deal in Lithium Polymer batteries anywhere!

Spec.
Minimum Capacity: 4000mAhConfiguration: 2S1P / 7.4v / 2CellConstant Discharge: 30CPeak Discharge (10sec): 40CPack Weight: 254gPack Size: 135 x 45 x 21mmCharge Plug: JST-XH Discharge plug: HXT4mm

Now officialy approved by ROAR for race use!

PRODUCT ID: T4000.2S.30HC

Eveready® Rechargeable AA​

Well I bought a couple of these on clearance a while back  . These where rated at  1300 mah apparently these where being discontinued and being replaced by 2000 mah  versions . In my testing these  have shown a capacity of 900 mah and for there cost ($5.00 for a 2 pack) I really must recommend purchasing another battery as these probable have a worse capacity to cost ratio of any battery I have tried . The only place I have really seen these around are at dollar stores and are probably primarily bought by people in need of emergency batteries .  If you are reading this do your self a favor and buy a few spare packs of precharged batteries to avoid these as much as possible. 



Manufacture description of there new batteries 

Eveready_® Rechargeable AA​
Features and Benefits

Designed to give you 100's & 100's of charges
No memory effect
Economical power for high drain devices
2000mAh NiMH
Works great in toys and digital cameras
Works in all NiMH battery chargers
Take up to 250 digital photos per charge*

Duracell precharged rechargeable NIMH AA batteries (rated at 2450mah

Well I got some of these for christmas this year  and I can  say I wont be purchasing these for my self anytime soon . The cells that I received where rated at 2450 Mah and in my testing they  fell short of there rated capacity in my testing and only showed a capacity of around 2300 Mah .  For the average cost of these batteries you can buy 2-3 packs of some of the house brands I have tried . For now I'm going to stick with buying the North Tech batteries from Menards  . 

Sorry to make this short short but really this is about all I can say about these .

North Tech Precharged NiMH Batteries - AA Menards®

Well I bought a 4 pack of these batteries from Menards for $5.98  and so far I'm pleased with them. I had been using them for a bit and did the same test that I preformed on the Rayovac's . I used my GT Power X-Charger C6 to discharge the batteries at 1 amp  down to 1 volt each and then recharged them at .5 amp and then a second discharge . The  charger reported a capacity of 2262 Mah . I also used / Tested them in my RC transmitters and used them to power a few Toy grade cars and can definitely tell you that in the toy grade cars there is a noticeable  improvement in power and run time Vs the Rayovac's . 

I love the fact that these are precharged and ready to go like the Rayovac's I was using and have around 50% more capacity for less money . Not to say that I don't like the harbor freight batteries I tried but the fact that these just give up a little capacity for the convenience of them being precharged is what has sold me on these batteries . 

http://www.menards.com/north-tech-precharged-nimh-batteries-aa/

Manufacture description 

North Tech Precharged NiMH Batteries - AA
Model Number: AC742 | Menards® SKU: 5755841 Product Description
Ready to use right out of the package.
Holds charge longer than regular NiMH.
Designed to be used with high drain devices.
Dimensions: 4 Pack
Ship Dim: 4.38 x 3.62 x 0.5
Shipping Weight: 1.9 lbsVendor: North Tech

Chicago Electric / Harbor Freight 2200 Mah AA High Capacity NiMH Rechargeable Batteries

Well I picked up a 4 pack of these at Harbor Freight  awhile back .The positive reviews on there site for these batteries are the main reason I purchased these .I basically did the same test as I did with the Rayovac batteries by using my   GT Power X-Charger C6 to discharge the batteries at 1 amp  down to 1 volt each and then recharged them at .5 amp and then a second discharge . The capacity that the charger reported was for these brand new batteries was 2325mah . Since they seem to be underrated a bit (rated at 2200 Mah) I am quite happy with my purchase at this time . After these get some more age on them I will test again them to see how there doing .




Manufacture Description

4 Piece AA High Capacity NiMH Rechargeable Batteries

Chicago Electric Power Systems - Item#97866

Charge these NiMH batteries up to 1000 times for long performance life in your MP3 player, CD players, digital camera or any other high-output portable electronic device! NiMH (nickel metal hybrid) has replaced NiCd (nickel-cadmium) as the battery of choice due to its higher capacity. Another nice advantage is that you don’t need to drain these rechargeable batteries first to get a full charge (no memory effect).

NiMH batteries feature no memory effect, higher capacity than nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries.
Charge up to 1000 times (charge time approx. 1.66 hours)
Longer lasting for digital electronics
Battery charger sold separately

Battery charger sold separately. This item can only be shipped within the 48 contiguous states via Standard Ground Shipping.


Specifications

   Name 4 Piece AA High Capacity NiMH Rechargeable Batteries
SKU 97866
Brand Chicago Electric Power Systems
Battery capacity 2200
Battery voltage (volts) 1.2
Rechargeable (y/n) Yes
Rechargeable up to (# of times) 1000
Battery size AA

Rayovac Pre-charged Rechargeable NiMH AA Batteries

I have been using these batteries for a while .I can defiantly say that these have saved me lots of money over disposable batteries  especially since these can be bought In a 8 pack for $13.97 at Walmart and come precharged. I try to always keep one fresh pack unopened and ready to go in case I forget to charge a set.

Recently I decided I would try a few other brands to see if there where any better deals out there but first I wanted to see what kind of capacity these batteries had to get a base line I used my GT Power X-Charger C6 to discharge the batties at 1 amp  down to 1 volt each and then recharged them at .5 amp and then a second discharge . The capacity that the charger reported with each group of batteries ranged from 650mah to 1450mah depending on there age . The oldest  group of 8 are about  2 years old and probably have over a hundred cycles through them with the newest having 2 cycles through them .

So far I have not had any complete failures but more than likely age will start to catch up with my oldest cells in the future.








Manufacture description 

Rayovac's Everyday-Use line offers your best value in rechargeable power for high-drain devices.

Model: LD715-4OPA

Features and Benefits:

• Affordable, reusable power solutions for the entire family
• Pre-charged and ready to use out of pack
• Low self discharge technology allows batteries to stay charged longer so they are ready when you need to use them
• Holds charge 3X longer than standard NiMH rechargeables when not in use
• Recharge up to 500 times
• Reduce waste and save money. Keep disposable batteries out of the landfills and save hundreds of dollars when you use rechargeable batteries versus alkaline.
• AA rechargeables take up to 300 photos* per charge when fully charged. This is 8x more digital photos than Energizer Ultimate Lithium when recharged just 25 times.
• Batteries can be used in any AA device and work in all NiMH chargers. For best results use with a Rayovac charger.
• NiMH rechargeable batteries do not have a “memory effect,” meaning that it is OK if you repeatedly recharge them after only being partially discharged. NiCad batteries have a “memory effect” and lose their maximum energy capacity if recharged before being fully discharged.
• AA cells are 1350 mAh

The cheapest lipo's I have ever bought and what I think of them

Well I bought this 1/16th scale brushless car from ZD Racing and I needed some lipo's that would fit .

Being the cheap'o I am I searched the net high and low and came across some batteries on Ebay that fit the bill . They were being sold out of Brooklyn, New York and they where holding lot's of auction's on batteries . The name on the batteries was YKS and I couldn't find any opinions or anything about these batteries .I eventually decided they where cheap enough to for me to take a risk on buying them . So far I have bought 6 of these batteries and out of the 6 I have had to contact the seller and get a replacement on 2 of these batteries . Now for the price of these batteries I am not complaining one bit I bought these dirt cheap and if the inconvenience of getting a dud is unexceptionable don't buy these as with anything cheap there is a risk . But in my opinion the seller I bought these from was top notch . They sent me replacements with no hassle and I got them in around 3-5 business day's just like my initial order.

A link to the Ebay selller I have been Buying from

 Here is my early YouTube video I did.

If you need some thing to compare prices to here is a start.