Help with RC Buggy please

Help with RC Buggy please

Author
Discussion

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
I have no idea about RC cars and i only had a very basic one when i was a kid.

A family member bought it new a few years ago and has been sat around and never ever used. He gave it to me for my son to use who is 8.

It looks like a really good one (to me). I think its all good to go apart from a battery. My question is, which battery do i order? All i know is that it says 7.2v on the small manual that came with it. It appears this model has been discontinued so there is no info on it on the manufacturers website. Seems to be a few different types too, lion, nimh lipo etc????






Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
I'd say you need a 7.2V NiMH 'stick pack' with a 'Tamiya Connector' rather than a Lipo

https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/122710/

You can get these cheap as chips, but you will need a charger too unless you have one?

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Although looking at it more closely and doing some more Googling, I'm gonna take a guess and say you can run Lipo or old school NiMH, have you got a better close up photo of the ESC (electronic speed control) the thing sticking up with the heatsink where the driver would sit?

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Brilliant thanks Gary smile

That looks good to me! Out of interest, would lipo not be suitable for this? I

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
And looking even more closely and it saying 'LiPo ready' on the box, I think you should go with Lipo, but again, you will need a charger

Is this not the same ESC?: https://www.hobbiesandbeyond.com/shop/radio-contro...

Edited by Gary29 on Wednesday 3rd July 11:11

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all


This bit here?

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Ok yep that looks the same, learning as I go here haha!

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Pyrolysis said:


This bit here?
Yeah that is the same ESC as I linked to, so a Lipo will work, if you have a ruler handy, measure the rough opening dimensions of the battery compartment

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Ok it's about 14.5cm total length as it goes back a bit further inside and 5.5cm width

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
https://www.amainhobbies.com/arrma-raider-1-10-ele...

This is it, isn't it?

I take back what I said about using Lipo, the clue is the Tamiya connector, stick to a 7.2V stick pack

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Good find! Yes that's the one mate!
Ok no problem I will go ahead with the first one you linked to. As long as it works and is the right connection then I'm happy!
Thanks for your time Gary beer

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Ok, I'm 100% confident that a 7.2V NiMH is what you want, especially starting out, the battery box size is geared up for a stick pack, so the battery in my first reply would be ideal (and cheap to get you going)

https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/122710/


Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Pyrolysis said:
Good find! Yes that's the one mate!
Ok no problem I will go ahead with the first one you linked to. As long as it works and is the right connection then I'm happy!
Thanks for your time Gary beer
No worries, happy to help an 8yr old out to get into RC, about the same age as I started!

Don't forget the charger though, unless you have one in the box

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Also, one final point and I'll leave you alone, it IS a decent spec and will be pretty quick for anyone who hasn't driven any RC stuff before, not one to use on the kitchen floor round the cat etc, definitely take it outside and in a big open space until he gets used to it.

groomi

9,323 posts

250 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
If you're expecting your 8 year old to charge the batteries and use this the car without supervision (at some point, I appreciate it's unlikely to be that way in the beginning), then please go for nimh and not Lipo.

Lipo's need to be looked after properly (Stored with a medium charge still in them, not stored in extreme temperatures, not over discharged, always balance charged etc.) else they present a very real fire risk. Perfectly safe if looked after properly, but you can't expect an 8 year old to be responsible for that.

Nimh's on the other hand just need the charger left on the correct setting, charge them up and use without worry.

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
^ agreed.

Lazermilk

3,523 posts

88 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Was about to mention what groomi just said, this is what lipos can do when they go wrong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9fhlr9S5s

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

329 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Ok after reading all the advice above and watching the video there I will definitely NOT be going LiPo!

We have some good open spaces near us for him (and me) to get used to it on. I think I'm more excited to try it out than he is haha!

Thanks for all the help guys

Gary29

4,317 posts

106 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Pyrolysis said:
Ok after reading all the advice above and watching the video there I will definitely NOT be going LiPo!

We have some good open spaces near us for him (and me) to get used to it on. I think I'm more excited to try it out than he is haha!

Thanks for all the help guys
Update us how you get on, interested to hear what you both think!

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

197 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
quotequote all
Get yourself a couple of batteries. One will not last long. Depending on how you drive maybe 7 mins to 15 mins runtime. Although it may feel like a lot more while actually driving it.

A fast charger helps too as they will charge up in 30mins to an hour in most cases.

This is a 1/10th scale buggy, open space is good, but it won't like long grass. A mowed park would be ideal to start off. Stay away from kerbs and jumps to begin with.

I have the bigger version of this buggy: