batteries True or False

[kojak61]

Someone at my LHS told me that only two companies make 3000mah cells, Panasonic and Sanyo. If this is true then the 30 dollar Radio Shack packs are the samething the hobbyshops sell for 60 to 100 dollars.Does anyone know if this true? :confused: ;)

[HauntedMyst]

Great question! I believe it's true but will wait for others to respond. Here is my take on it. At the low end, they are the same batteries. At the high end, the matched packs, they've been analyzed and matched. I doubt Radio Shacks have been matched. If they are, you've stumbled on to something that will save us a bundle.

[Rick Hohwart]

It is not true. Many companies make 3000s, 2400s, or whatever and they all perform differently.

Alos Radio DShack packs are not mtached so it is unfair to compare them with matched pack prices. You can by good RC2400 and RC3000 packs, unmatched, from many hobby shops and will see good performance.

[Interceptor]

I had 2 packs of the RS 3000s and they just sucked sour monkey butt. After 2 weeks in my E Maxx they just quit holding a charge, period. True they were cheap, but for the money I wasted on those 2 packs I could have bought 1 good pack that I would still be using. THe 2400s that I use now are way better. Shop around, check out the battery forum at maxx traxx for a good price on batteries.

[SteveP]

To add to what Rick said, many of the garden-variety industrial and general consumer cells are not the same quality as those we currently use. Some of them have considerably higher internal resistance because they're not intended to be discharged at 40+ amps. They're also not nearly as consistent in performance from cell to cell. You may end up with vastly different performance numbers from each cell. You can get 'em for cheaper than the matched RC packs, but you're going to be sorely dissappointed in most cases.

[ 09-14-2001: Message edited by: SteveP ]

[kojak61]

I think I might buy a pack and slice it open.
And find out.

[Rotorranch]

The way I understand it, there is only 3 or 4 manufacturers of Ni-cad and Nimh batteries. However, they manufacture many different quality cells.

The Radio Shack cells are probably the same cells as the R/C battery builders use,(Trinity, etc.), but have not been "conditioned, matched, etc., like the battery builders cells.

The battery builders will cull cells that don't meet their specs. Radio Shack does not do this. They grab 6 cells from a box, and what they get is what you get. :eek:

Sure you will pay more for good packs, but it's usually worth it!

Rotor