Lipo Balance Plug Savers

  

Well I have seen these being used by a few other hobbyist so I thought I would pick up a set just to see if they are as great of a idea as I think they are and to see how long they last .  
                      

Well after getting these little buggers in I believe they are a great investment but don't expect to swap these between batteries they are not designed for that and will break after opening and closing them several times . The only thing I can think of to add is I think a layer of heat shrink would be good to keep out dust and to lend a bit more strength to the case. 


Where to Pick some up cheap :2S balance plug  3S balance plug

Manufacturer description :

A great device which makes plugging or un-plugging your lipoly balance charge lead much safer and more convenient, the re-usable Balance Plug Saver simply snaps onto your JST-XH balance plug to give you a decent finger grip, no more yanking on balance plug leads!

PRODUCT ID: JST-XH-CLIP3S

Turnigy Hex Driver set 4 in 1 1.5~ 3.0

Well bought this out of the Hobby king USA Warehouse and I like the fact that it's light and convenient to carry since it has a storage area for the bits in the handle and that it has almost perfect knurling that isn't so sharp that it starts to bug your hands after using it for a while . I do have 2 complaints though the bits are not the standard 1/4" size hex that I like to use and the finish scratches off pretty easy .

In short makes a alright main tool but I myself would use it primarily for its great mobility and use it when Im away from home.

Can be found here :http://www.hobbyking.com

Manufacturer's description:

The Turnigy 4 in 1 Hex driver set comes with lightweight handles and includes 4 interchangeable tips 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0.
The hardened tip and shaft ensure no rounding or breaking on even the worst of hex bolts.

PRODUCT ID: S638

Got my order from hobby king

Well I got my order in yesterday everything I ordered was in the box and well packaged . So look foward to my reviews of the products I ordered.

Description	Quantity
Hobby King Brushless Car ESC 100A w/ Reverse (Upgrade version) (USA Warehouse)	1
Lithium Polymer Charge Pack 18x22cm Sack (USA Warehouse)	1
4mm Gold Connectors 10 pairs (20pc) (USA Warehouse)	1
Turnigy Hex Driver set 4 in 1 1.5~ 3.0 (USA Warehouse)	1
Turnigy 4000mAh 2S 30C hardcase pack (ROAR APPROVED) (USA Warehouse)	2
Balance Plug Savers (JST-XH 2s) (5pc Per Bag) (USA Warehouse)	1
Balance Plug Savers (JST-XH 3s) (5pc Per Bag) (USA Warehouse)	1

hey I got a tracking number

Hobbyking sent me a tracking number go so far .

Waiting on my first order from Hobbyking.com

Well I decided since spring is here that I should be getting some new gear to replace some broken stuff and to just make my life a little easier . Since I needed a new brushless ESC ,and a few Lipo's I placed a order with Hobby Kings  USA warehouse mostly because everywhere else was out of Lipo's I wanted So here I am waiting for my stuff to get packaged and shipped . Frankly I'm alittle frustrated that it has taken 3 days and counting to gather and package my 8 piece order knowing that after they ship it it will still take 5-6 days to get to me . Alas that is the price I pay for their cheap prices .

Since I'm already here guess i should tell you what I ordered .

Description	Quantity
Hobby King Brushless Car ESC 100A w/ Reverse (Upgrade version) (USA Warehouse)	1
Lithium Polymer Charge Pack 18x22cm Sack (USA Warehouse)	1
4mm Gold Connectors 10 pairs (20pc) (USA Warehouse)	1
Turnigy Hex Driver set 4 in 1 1.5~ 3.0 (USA Warehouse)	1
Turnigy 4000mAh 2S 30C hardcase pack (ROAR APPROVED) (USA Warehouse)	2
Balance Plug Savers (JST-XH 2s) (5pc Per Bag) (USA Warehouse)	1
Balance Plug Savers (JST-XH 3s) (5pc Per Bag) (USA Warehouse)	1

If you are interested in buying any of these Items  and really want to know if they are worth the wait check back later as I am planning on doing my own little review on each of these items when ever I get them in .

Integy i10BAJA / Turnigy Quanum E-Guana 1/10 2WD Desert Racing Buggy / Turnigy 1/10 Brushless 2WD Desert Racing Buggy Parts

Well in my snooping across the internet I came across the Integy i10BAJA and thought I would post the little tidbit. This buggy is another variant of the same chassis as the Hobby King  / Turnigy Quanum E-Guana 1/10 2WD Desert Racing Buggy and that if you need parts you now have at least 2 sources to get them . Also don't forget that the E-Guana  has a brother the Turnigy 1/10 Brushless 2WD Desert Racing Buggy and many have have has success with swapping parts with the Kyosho Ultima DB 1/10 well have a look these 2 cars .

http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=15373&p_catid=357#.UXQzgaJOPpI

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__36507__Quanum_E_Guana_1_10_Brushless_2WD_Desert_Racing_Buggy_ARR_USA_Warehouse_.html

harleydesigns.com Stainless Steel Hardware Kits – 800 Pieces

Well like most RC modelers I go through a lot of screws and buying from the local hardware store can get costly especially if you're looking to buy more than just a few screws . In my online wanderings I came across http://www.harleydesigns.com where they sell 3 mm screw's in bulk for a estonishingly cheap price . Right now they have discontinued their steel set but are still selling their 800 piece stainless steel button head   set for $30.00 plus $5.00 shipping . After placing my first order and getting it in no time I can guarantee that I will be a repeat customer so check them out .

Included in kit:

100-8mm
100-12mm
100-14mm
100-16mm
100-20mm
100-25mm
100-locknuts
100-washers

Each size of hardware is individually bagged for your sorting convenience. The screws are weighed to obtain the total amount and should be with 1% accuracy.

Their own words.

We wanted to pass an awesome deal onto anyone in the RC hobby. We are buying screws in huge quantities to be able to offer them to everyone at an extremely low price.Like many other custom builders, I was having to buy screws from places like McMaster before. However a small order would cost well over $50.We assembled these package deals to be able to move the maximum quantity at the lowest price. This is an absolute steal of a price. These bulk kits would cost you more than two and half times this amount at McMaster.If you don't believe me go check it out, it’s pretty shocking. Stainless steel price comparison: 
With just $5 shipping cost assumption (McMaster is generally 

much higher) from them you would have to
pay $72.81 for this exact same thing.
These kits are all 3mm hardware, all screws
are button head. 800 pieces total per kit!

My trailer

Well YouTube has added a new feature where they play a trailer for your channel before play videos for non-subscribers . So far I cant decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing but only time will tell . Well here is the one I made for my channel anyway more trailers will follow  as I make more videos .

hey added a new video

Traxxas Rustler VS Turnigy Stadium King 2wd Truggy / ZD Racing ZMT-10

Having owned a Rustlers In about every version that Traxxas has  produced I believe I can speak on this .

For my comparison of these 2 cars I'm going to focus on the Rustler XL-5 model #3705 that is currently in production .

To start the average price of the Traxxas Rustler is around $205 + shipping and the Turnigy Stadium king will cost around $148 shipped . Its twin the ZD Racing  ZMT-10 can generally be found for around $120 or less shipped .

References to the ZD Racing ZMT-10 pertain to the Turnigy Stadium King also.

Two important differences is in plastic quality and assembly quality . The ZMT-10 has slightly stiffer plastic and this can make some components  more breakable  ( I found this most noticeable in the front bulk head). As far as assembly quality this mostly relates to the shocks and excess clearances in some components . With the shocks there main flaws are not having there O-rings lubed before assembly or incorrect filling of the shocks . When I mention excess clearances I'm mostly talking about the play in the steering system and the differential . Both of these have been talked about else where this blog .

Ok next thing would be hardware the Traxxas rustler uses good quality screws and instead of using Philips head screw they now use hex style heads .The ZMT-10 has Philips head screw and they are made of a softer material than normal and are easier to strip .

Electronics as far as out of the box the Rustler Win's in almost all categories but most people should bare in mind your probable going to swap most of these items out with better equipment no matter what truck you buy. The rustler comes with all water proof electronics except for the receiver . The ZMT-10  doesn't  .
The Rustler comes with a high current battery connector the ZMT-10 doesn't . The  trucks in my opinion both have comparable  radio systems that function well but the Traxxas system has a more modern look to it .

Motor's are a big difference in these trucks . The Rustler comes with the titan 550 12 turn motor and can propel the rustler to speeds of about 30 mph but has been known to leave a few people wanting longer motor life . The ZMT-10 has a generic 540 that I have no specs on but seems to be around a 20 turn motor and provides  20 mph.

Battery's and chargers for both trucks leave a bit to be desired (but these are targeted for beginners )the ZMT-10 comes with a 2400 mah 6-cell battery pack and a 110 volt wall charger good for around a 1.5 amp charge rate. Traxxas includes a 3000 mah 7-cell battery pack( good for a 4-5 mph boost over a 6-cell ) and a very similar charger.

Tires and wheels are also important . Both trucks have 2.8 inch wheels with 12 mm hexes  but use a different tire beads that seem to make make them in compatible . Even though I don't really like the newer Traxxas rims they are better than the ZMT-10's rims. The ZMT-10 does win in regards to tires . In my opinion they beat the rustlers tires when it comes to traction in the dirt . Given there soft nature they do wear rapidly when run on asphalt or concrete. 

Adjustability can be a important factor and out of the box the ZMT-10 has a few more options than the Traxxas truck due to additional camber links in different lengths and different steering links to change front toe. The rustler does come with adjustable steering links to change front toe.

Drivetrain is also a bit different . The Rustler comes with full ball bearings and Traxxas's 272 magnum transmission with all metal drive gears .The ZMT-10 has 2 ball bearings and 4 bushing with full metal gears of a slightly fine pitch than the Traxxas transmission possibly making it more efficient but also weaker . Traxxas uses plastic slider shafts with plastic yokes for the drive axles . ZD optioned to use metal dog bones and metal drive cups in my testing they have held up great. Traxxas has started using there revo style slipper clutches and to be blunt its tuff . The ZMT-10 is using a more conventional pad based slipper clutch system that should lend to comparability with other brands spur gears and pads.

All that is really left is driving and to be honest there really isn't much difference the 2 are almost Identical with the only difference being that the ZMT-10 has a slightly shorter wheelbase  but in my experience this  is hardly noticeable .

I do recommend doing a little reading about the recommended upgrades for the Traxxas Rustler and remember most of the parts for the rustler are a complete bolt on for the ZD Racing ZMT-10 or Turnigy Stadium King 2wd Truggy .

ZD Racing ZMT-10 Large (1:10 Scale) R/C Off-Road 2WD Truggy w/NiMH Rechargeable Battery & 2.4GHz 3-Channel Remote Get ready for some off-road action with this ZD Racing ZMT-10 Large (1:10 Scale) R/C Off-Road 2WD Truggy! With a powerful 540-level 3600Kv brushed electric motor, this Truggy can go on any terrain at more than 40 miles per hour! It's built-in shock absorbers and extra long suspension arms helps improves stability and handling while on the go! Constructed of an aircraft grade T6 aluminum upper deck and a high-strength plastic chassis, this Truggy can handle even the toughest course. Includes a 3-channel remote control that operates at 2.4 GHz frequency. Simply charge the NiMH battery and go! Get this ZD Racing ZMT-10 Large (1:10 Scale) R/C Off-Road 2WD Truggy today! Order now!

Traxxas 1/10 Rustler RTR Electric RC Truck Traxxas 1/10 Rustler RTR Electric RC Truck

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

Hmm whats burning

Well to the few out there that may be wondering why I have not posted any new video's on YouTube . The short answer is my video camera died . I don't really know what happened but I was greeted with a burnt electrical smell from it a couple weeks a go and have been shopping around for a replacement so more video's will be coming.

Tool Shop 3.6 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Screwdriver

Well this little bugger was one of my recent purchases at Menards .I picked it up for $7.99 on sale the normal price was $14.97. 
If your shopping for little driver to use around the house ( It can actually drive about 17 dry wall screws in to a 2x4 before the battery gets to weak ) or to tear down your favorite R.C. don't over look this little guy the work light is actually bright enough to use as a flashlight and the battery indicator lights work just like they should . Some other great things about this driver is that it actually has a low voltage cut-off (To prevent battery damage) and ether the charger or the driver has a full  charge cut off .The claimed charge time in the instructions (3-5 hours ) is a little exaggerated  I have found mine generally only takes 3 hours from completly dead .



Tool Shop 3.6 Volt Lithium-Ion Battery, Cordless Screwdriver

Model Number: 2411392  |  Menards^® SKU: 2411392

Product Description
The Tool Shop 3.6 Volt Lithium Ion Battery powered 1/4" Cordless Screwdriver is designed to handle small jobs around the house. The Lithium-Ion battery technology allows you to use max power for a longer period of time. 200 RPM gives you strong torque to finish your projects. Features: LED work light, LED power indicator, Soft Rubber Grip, Forward/Reverse switch, 1/4" Hex Drive, 200 RPM, lithium ion battery. Includes: one(1) 1/4" slot bit, one(1) #2 Phillips bit, charger.

Lithium Ion Battery Powered
LED Work Light
LED Power Indicator
Soft Rubber Grip
Forward / Reverse Switch
1/4" Hex Drive
200 RPM
1/4" slot bit
#2 Phillips bit
Wrist strap
Charger

Dimensions: 3.6 Volt

Vendor: Tool Shop

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

ZD racing 1/16th scale parts sources

where to get the metal gears for the photon and vulcan differential to swap in 
http://www.shop.gotnitroonline.com/main.sc

many parts from there 1/16 car's can fit .check out these links.
http://www.hobbyking.com
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...cked_Diff.html

http://www.gpm-parts.com/shop/index....acturers_id=38

http://www.skidtownhobbies.com/ZD_Racing_s/169.htm

http://hobbyshopoutlet.com/rc-model-parts/zd-racing-parts/cat_731.html

Has just about everything
http://wondertrail.com

has alot of stuff
http://www.alptechusa.com/category.php?id=17

http://www.emphobby.com
this one is mostly 1/8th scale buggy truggy parts but there was some 1/16th scale stuff keep your manual handy for part numbers
http://www.cermark.com

amain doesn't have a whole lot left but still they have some stuff.
http://www.amainhobbies.com
http://www.skidtownhobbies.com

if there are any more out there let me know people.

Protect your lipo's buy a lipo alarm

So you want to play with lipo's I highly recommend buying at least one lipo alarm .

I have found that a lot of cheaper brushless esc's have lower voltage cutoffs than I am uncomfortable with and this could cause damage to your new lipo .

They also allow you to use your lipo's with esc's that do not have a low voltage cutoff such as most brushed models .

They come in many varieties and from many sources .I find my self not recommending many of the high dollar brands due to them being the same as  the low dollar units found on Ebay , hobby king , and others.

So spend a little money and you may save a lot more money .

Valuehobby

HK ALARM

HK ALARM

Lipo Battery Power Level Tester & Alarm to Indicate Low Power A great and neat tool to have. Always keep your lipo charged, and when it is low power or running weak stop using it to recharge. Help prevent damage to your expensive LIPO battery and prolong it's battery life by never letting the voltage drop too low. Great support device for any LIPO pack.Purpose and Features Can be used for 3.7V (1S Pack), 7.4V (2S pack), or 11.1V (3S pack). Red LED will flash when cell is below 3.3V and an Alarm will sound when cell is below 3.0V indicating the Lipo Battery pack should be recharged. With 2.5mm pin spacing, it works with 95% of the lipos on the market.Specification Dimention37mm x 21mm x 10mm Weight0.2 oz (5 g)Caution Never charge lipo battery in a flammable surface ALWAYS monitor your battery when it is being charged. Use only lipoly battery charger to charge a lipoly battery.