Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) ?
* Contain toxic cadmium, which makes them hard to dispose of.
* Suffer from something called memory effects; over time, they lose the ability to hold a complete charge.
* Can be rejuvenated in many cases by using The Tekin Power Flex technology.
* Fairly easy to detect peak charge.
* One of the most proven and historically most widely used rechargeable
batteries. Very dependable and "robust" but contain cadmium and have
relatively low capacity when compared to other rechargeable systems.
Very good high rate discharge capabilities make them very popular in
high drain applications such as power tools.
What is Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) ?
* Higher capacity (milliamps) compared to Nickel-Cadmium.
* Aren't as susceptible to memory problems.
* They are more environmentally friendly.
* Requires a more sensitive peak detection method
* Damaged more quickly during overcharge than NiCD's
* Easy to damage a cell when charging un-matched packs
* Interchangeable with most NiCd batteries, nickel metal hydride (NiMh)
batteries generally deliver 10-25% greater capacity than NiCds and are
environmentally more friendly than NiCds since they do not contain cadmium.
Used in many wireless phone and camcorders.
What is Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) ?
* Holds roughly twice the capacity of a Nickel-Cadmium.
* Exotic materials make it expensive.
* Most contain a tiny controller chip embedded in each battery that adjusts how quickly the battery discharges and prevents it from overcharging.
* Require a different charger. * One of the newer rechargeable battery technologies, Li Ion batteries
can deliver 40% more capacity than comparably sized NiCd batteries and
are one of the lightest rechargeable batteries available today. Li Ion
batteries are the batteries of choice in notebook computers, wireless
telephones and many camcorder models. They are also one of the more
expensive rechargeable technologies.
What is Lithium-Polymer (Li-poly) ?
* Extremely light and malleable.
* Capable of providing nearly as much power as lithium-ion cells.
* Can also be shaped to fit into a device's hidden nooks and crannies.
* Require a special charger.
* Very dangerous when overcharged, not for the average hobby guy, yet.
How to use/charge battery (useful Tips) ?
* Never charge a battery pack when it is hot or even warm. Let the pack cool down first; this will help preserve battery runtime and prevent damaging the battery.
* The slower the charge rates the more capacity you get in the battery.
* Charge the battery according to the ratings:
1 amp charge = 1000 mAH in 1 hour. 2 amp charge = 2000 mAH in 1 hour.
* When storing batteries, full discharge.
* If you take care of your batteries properly, condition them regularly and store them properly, you will see the advantage.
What is C-Rate (also see Hourly Rate) ?
Discharge or charge current, in amperes, expressed in multiples of the rated
capacity. For example, C/10 discharge current for a battery rated at 1.5 Ah
is: 1.5 AH/I 0 = 150 mA (A cell's capacity is not the same at all discharge
rates and usually increases with decreasing rate.)
What is Hourly Rate ?
A discharge rate, in amperes, of a battery which will deliver the specified
hours of service to a given cutoff voltage.
What is Ampere-Hour Capacity ?
The quantity of electricity measured in ampere-hours (Ah) that may be
delivered by a cell or battery under specified conditions.
What is Capacity?
The total number of ampere-hours or watt-hours that can be withdrawn from a
fully charged cell or battery under specified conditions of discharge.
What is Charge ?
The conversion of electrical energy, provided in the form of electrical
current from an external source, to restore the chemical energy in a cell
or battery.
What is Discharge ?
The conversion of the chemical energy of a battery into electrical energy,
and the withdrawal of the electrical energy into a load.
What is Discharge Rate ?
The rate, usually expressed in amperes, at which electrical current is taken
from the battery.
What is Cylindrical Cell ?
The positive and negative plates are rolled up and placed into a cylindrical
container (as opposed to stacking the plates in a prismatic cell design).
What is Prismatic Cell?
The positive and negative plates are stacked rather than rolled as done in
a cylindrical cell.
What is Shelf Life ?
The duration of storage under specified conditions at the end of which the
battery still retains the ability to give a specified performance.
What is Smart Battery ?
Battery with internal circuit enabling some communication between the battery
and the user. Some batteries feature a capacity indicator only, others offer
an external bus to interface with the equipment the battery power and the
intelligent charger.
What is Drain ?
The current withdrawn from a battery during discharge.
What is Forced Discharge ?
Discharging a cell in a battery, by the other cells or an external power
source, below zero volts into voltage reversal.
What is Rechargeable battery ?
A galvanic battery which, after discharge, may be restored to the fully
charged state by the passage of an electrical current through the cell in
the opposite direction to that of discharge.
What is Milliamps ?
Refers to battery capacity. A 1/1000th of an amp, e.g.: 1.0Ah = 1000mAh.
What is Self-Discharge ?
The loss of useful capacity of a battery on storage due to internal
chemical action (local action).
What is Lithium ?
A primary battery (non-rechargeable) that is quickly entering mainstream
electronic designs, particularly in consumer, portable equipment and
non-volatile memory back up applications where small size, long life
and low cost are the primary requirements. Lithium batteries have
superior cold temperature performance and a shelf life of 5-10 years.
What is Slow Charge ?
Typically an over-night charge lasting abut 14 hours at a charge
current of 0.1C. Battery does not require instant removal when fully
charged.
What is Overcharge ?
The forcing of current through a cell after all the active material has
been converted to the charged state, that is, continued charging after
reaching 100 percent state-of-charge.
What is Overdischarge ?
The process of discharging a cell or battery beyond its cutoff voltage
and possibly into voltage reversal.
What is Fast Charge ?
Typical fast charge time for a NiCd is 1 to 3 hours. The fast-charger
detects the state of charge and switches to trickle charge when
full-charge is reached
What is Internal Impedance ?
Internal impedance is a measure of how easily a cell will deliver current. A low internal impedance cell has a low resistance and if you need to pull a lot of current from the pack, the pack's voltage won't drop causing a crash.
How to decide which RC batteries fit my needs ?
Please make sure the following condition apply before deciding which RC pack is right for your RC toy: 1) the cell type which makes the rc pack.
2) the connector type. please note there are types related to Airtronics : old style and the new Z type. The new Z type Airtronics is compatible with Futaba
and others as the red wire is in the middle on the Futaba/Airtronics Z. But the red wire is not in the middle on the normal older style Airtronics. our batteries is Z type whose red wire is in the middle. so please be careful before plug them in.
3) the voltage.
4) the dimension of the pack. there are two type of rc packs, flat
and square/stack up. Our battery listing has all the above information you can compare against your need. How the S/H is decided? The S/H for your order is decided solely based on the weight of your order. The unit weight of battery can be found in its description. What are Connector Types for RC battery packs ? 
Hitec Connector Types for RC battery packs 
Hitec “S” or universal connector. This connector works with any brand of receiver, servo controller or servo extension.
Note: This plug can be accidentally plugged into a receiver in reverse. If this happens, no damage will occur, the servo will simply will not work. If you receive a servo and it does not work, make sure that you have plugged it in correctly
JR Connector Types for RC battery packs 
JR plugs are the exact same as the Hitec “S” connectors. If you are ordering servos or extensions for your JR system, the universal connectors are what you need.
Airtronics Z Connector Type for RC battery packs 
Airtronic “Z” plugs are the exact same as the Hitec “S” connectors. If you are ordering servos or extensions for your Airtronics Z system, the universal connectors are what you need.
Futaba Connector Type for RC battery packs 
Futaba “J” or Futaba connector. This connector has a guide on the side of the plastic plug. This connector will not work with Hitec, JR or Airtronic Z or T servo extensions.
Airtronics T Connector Type for RC battery packs 
Airtronic “T” plugs are no longer manufactured. If you have old Airtronic servos, they may have this connector. The positive and negative pin locations are reversed from the plugs above. If you attempt to plug this older style into a new style receiver, you will damage either the receiver or the servo. If you want to update your old servos to the new style, make sure to reverse the pin locations to match the above.
HOWTO - Get T-Maxx speed with your E-Maxx Operating the E-Maxx on 14-Cells The experts at Novak Electronics (designer and manufacturer of the EVX) have informed us that as long as you stick with the stock Titan motors there should be no problems created by using extra voltage. We do not recommend operating the EVX on 14-cells with any other motor system than the stock Traxxas Titans. The use of after-market, modified motors along with 14-cells, could permanently damage the EVX and will also void the 30-day factory warranty.
Of course all of the typical preventative maintenance checks should be made before running the mighty E-Maxx, such as making sure that the drive-train operates smooth and freely, that the pinion/spur gear mesh is adjusted correctly, and that the slipper clutch adjustment is tight. If there is any kind of binding in the drive system then, the problems will be amplified with the extra power and exceptional damage could result. How To Install a 7th Cell on a 6-Cell Stick Pack [E-Maxx] Combining both of the 7-cell packs with the twin Twin Titan™/EVX power system will take your E-Maxx to even higher levels of performance for power climbing, competitive racing and top speeds of over 30 mph.
– Warning - take extra caution not to get the electronics onboard the truck wet. The extra voltage of the 14-cell power system combined with moisture can cause big problems, damaging not only the esc but also the batteries. Water and/or moisture damage is not covered under the ESC warranty
Go Back
| 
