I'm back, got my FOURTH package!!! PICS

[Rapko]

Ok, here's what I've been up to with this thing. I ran it for the first time TODAY. Took long enought right? lol. I returned the other batteries and just waited for nicer weather. No point in having batts if they were just gonna sit around. I went with the Team Orion 5200's specifically designed for the e-revo battery compartments. They look like the size of an 8 call side by side pack. Its nice that they are a perfect fit but if I ever get another truck I don't know if these will fit.

Ran the truck briefly just to get a feel for it and it is SWEET. This truck flies! Castle didn't give me the USB adapter so I can't set the lipo cutoff just yet so I was being extremely careful not to over dischage these batteries. I'd run it for a little and put them back on the charger to see where they were at (this charger ROCKS, it even shows the current capacity when the balance leads are plugged in) I stopped driving the truck at around 50% charge left. Its ok to leave them at 50% till I get the usb adapter right? I called castle up and told them my Mamba monster didn't come with one and they took my info and said its in the mail.

As most of you guys mentioned, the stock revo body sucks. I agree and bought a body that I wasn't sure would fit. After trimming it and making the holes, it acutally fits pretty good. I'm waiting for warmer weather to paint it but I think it looks a lot better than thet stock shell. Need to get some longer body posts but it still sits pretty good.

Enough talking, check the pics:

Showing off the mamba MONSTER setup, much cleaner looking than the dual motor crap:

closer

[william g]

nice

Glad to see that you have it running Tim. That body looks good on there.

[kwkride]

Looks like a lot of fun!

I believe that "auto lipo cutoff" is the default setting for the Castle stuff.
You should be fine.

Jim

[ed3165]

Originally Posted by kwkride

Looks like a lot of fun!

I believe that "auto lipo cutoff" is the default setting for the Castle stuff.
You should be fine.

Jim

You are correct the lipo cutoff is default setting. You will be fine.

[Psyclone75]

I like the body, it's a huge improvement!

[TXT-2.0]

+1 on the body ,way better cant wait to see it run

[mfizzlenyc]

looking good i see your getting all the right stuff...I love My hyperion charger duo 3 cant see myself ever buying a different one...

i started off with the same setup and the cool thing is you can use the evx2 and the 550s for a clod being that one motor is reversed from the factory

check out my build...

http://www.rcmt.biz/bd/showthread.php?t=14304

or the whole build thread...

http://monster.traxxas.com/showthread.php?t=508213

[mfizzlenyc]

The auto lipo was not default on my ESC I had to program it... the good thing about the charger is the sync charging and storage mode after your done always put lipos in storage mode on the charger and always balance every time!!!!

[Mo'Dollas]

I wouldn't use the auto lipo once you get a chance to change it. Its unreliable and can often miss read a packs voltage and cut it off too late. Most companies wont warranty packs that are run and damaged on ESC's with auto cutoffs.



I always set mine to hard cutoffs for the voltage I know I will be running. 3 volts per cell or if you want to be super extra cautious you can use the custom setting and make it 3.2 volts per cell but with the quality of modern lipos its really not necessary too. If you want to set your cutoff before you get your castle link it can be done with nothing but your transmitter. Its a bit time consuming and hard to follow but you can access all the ESC's program menus via your radio. The instructions on how to do it are in that little castle "Drivers Ed" book you get with the ESC.


Hope that helps!

[Rapko]

The thing confusing me right now with the cutoff is what setting do I use? It says 6 volts for a 2 cell lipo and 12v for a 4 cell. Since I'm running two packs and considering how its wired, does the esc think I'm running a 4 cell pack in which case I'd set it to 12 volt cutoff? The manual isn't real clear about running two batteries at once. It just mentions the cuttoff voltage for one pack.

[Mo'Dollas]

You are correct there. It would be 12 volts. When you run packs in series which you are there the ESC see's them as one pack with however many cells they each have combined. two 2 cell packs in series turns into 4 cells. 4 cells x 3 volts minimum per cell = 12 volt cutoff.


Thats also why balancing packs becomes crucial with higher cell counts. Since the ESC is basing its cutoff voltage off the overall voltage of all 4 cells, if one happens to be substantially lower in voltage than the others because of not being balanced it can get over discharged by the time the overall voltage hits 12.

[CrumpleZ0ne]

if you're running the packs in series, then the voltage stacks up, so 12v cut off... if your running in parallel then the mah stacks, but the voltage is the same as one pack, so 6v cut off.. not sure how your esc is treating them but I would guess they are in series.

edit: doh.. gotta post faster.

[Rapko]

Ok, that clarifies everything. THANK YOU GUYS!

[mfizzlenyc]

when you get the castle link and custom setup you esc for Lipo cuttof I out mine to the highest setting I think it was 3.6v just because under load they did down and when you stop for a sec it regenerates some juice so just as a precaution I set mine at the highest cuttoff... Castle esc doesnt have a real HARD cuttoff...