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Evo_ermine
New Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
 Posted - 09 February 2011 : 13:10:55
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Hi all. Hope it's ok to post a new topic here.
I'm looking to get a SCT sometime soon. I had quick chat with a guy in Access Models in Grantham who told me about your club. Unfortunately my missus was with me and whilst I could have waffled all day about RC cars I thought I'd better not!
I was wondering as the run times of nimh batteries are so low (I think he said around 5 minutes) how can I charge a battery if I come and do some racing with you guys? I will be buying a stock car but as lipos run for longer (I think?) isn't it better to get a lipo rather than Nimh, as that way i'd be able to race for longer on one battery. Assuming i progressed past the first heat...Not sure I can afford more than one battery you see.
Do you have electric power to charge batteries at your venue? If so maybe I'd just start out on a Nimh. |
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grasshopper
Senior Member
1652 Posts |
Posted - 09 February 2011 : 15:40:40
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Hi Evo,
If you can run to it, Lipo's are the future, they can now be charged at better than the 'C' rate if you buy the right ones. Currently I comfortably do two 5 minute races on one 5000mAh pack - if I was a bit more consistent I'd probably manage three!
A lot of chaps bring 12v car batteries to charge from at the meeting, I'm sure if you had your own fast charger they'd let you hook-up if necessary. There is only a limited Mains supply which is used to rune the lights and PC for timing and isn't suitabel to be adding more load.
My advice is to call down one Tuesday and ask questions of the guys racing - they'll always show off their gear. |
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frecklychimp
Average Member
852 Posts |
Posted - 09 February 2011 : 21:17:47
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Hi Evo, welcome to the club.
Sound advice from Phil,
NiMH batteries are 7.2V and LiPO batteries are 7.4V. so you do get a performance difference with the different packs, LiPO packs are also a lot lighter so your car will be slightly quicker and handle slightly better too.
with LiPo batteries you are looking at around 1 hour for a charge from empty, no matter what the capacity size of the pack as they are charged at the same amp rate as mah capacity rate (5000mah pack charges at 5.0A)
I have a Fusion LX60B Pro charger which is 12V and 240V so can charge on mains at home and just jump on a spare 12V battery down the club for topping the packs up between races, quite handy really.
depending on the size of LiPo you get you should just be able to top it up between heats and keep racing all night with one pack... in that case i would look at a 5000mah pack... last night i would have got 4 full races from one 5000 LiPO pack in my 2wd buggy using a silly quick 6.5T brushless set up, but the buggies are a lot smaller and lighter than a SCT and need to be driven a lot smoother.
It will depend what motor you run and how throttle happy you are, if you stick with a RTR SCT, they usually come with a mild brushed motor, which will be more than adequate to get you racing if you are new to the hobby, plus on the indoor track the racing area is smaller so you won't need silly speed to go between crashes, most of the SCT's at our club are running kit motors/spec equipment and are competitive against each other!
As Phil says, Come down on Tuesday evening and say hello, Lewis will be there (the guy you spoke to in Access Models)so you can get advice from the racers and from the shop on what is best suited.
Mark. |
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ianholt
Average Member
United Kingdom
750 Posts |
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Evo_ermine
New Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 15:51:07
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Thanks for that info chaps. Really helpful advice.
The Traxxas Slash appeals to me because it's waterproof and so would be a laugh to go 'bashing' with it through mud/puddles when not racing. Its a bit out of my price range though really. With all the charger, lipos factored in it's all getting a bit steep. Am looking at the HPI Blitz as it's much cheaper. Model shop websites are a nightmare though, I just want everything! The 1/16th E-Revo looks a laugh.
What buggy do you race Mark?
Hopefully see you soon although I'm down in Cambs at the mo at my gf's place for a while. I will probably be the one arriving on a pushbike, as i only live in Gonerby. |
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frecklychimp
Average Member
852 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 16:57:47
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Hi again Evo,
I have just started racing an Ansmann Madrat, if you are interested in a buggy then i highly recommend them... the rolling chassis with includes stock motor and needed extra ball bearing kit is £55 at Access Models and they are as just as good for club racing as any of the higher priced competition spec cars from the big name manufacturers, there is a RTR version available for around £110ish
The majority of our SCT drivers are using the HPI Blitz, very good car and will suit all driving levels, you can get underbodies to make them more waterproof but you still should be steady with driving in puddles as you cannot seal a motor as it needs air for cooling and hangs out of the back of the Blitz.
If you want to race with us then you really need to be looking at 1/10th scale electric cars or 1/8th nitro cars for summer outdoors, a 1/16th scale car won't fit the classes we race and would likely get damaged by the bigger cars if we let you race in a heat with them.
Lewis at Access models will always do a good deal to A1 Racing Club members or new racers, you will only ever get RRP prices on the mainstream model trader websites. |
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Evo_ermine
New Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 17:29:38
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Hey Mark
Cheers for that. I do like buggies, prefer them to SCT's lookswise. Have seen the Madrat in a shop in Peterborough and it's good value. Never built a kit before and I'd like to have a crack at it sometime.
I wasn't suggesting i'd race a 1/16th car, just meant the e-revo looks pretty crazy, speed wise. Was thinking of a Maverick Atom before I got the SCT in my head, just for messing about with, as they are cheap, around £75, but heard they are a bit fragile. |
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grasshopper
Senior Member
1652 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 19:40:43
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In my humble opinion, if you're new to racing I would seriously contemplate a Short Course Truck. With the indoor track being a bit tight and the building uprights and track markers being a bit on the hard side you would stand a better survival chance with an SCT.
Buggies by virtue of their open wheel design, seem to be that bit more fragile....
I still hold by my suggestion of attending a meet first and watching how they perform and chatting to the drivers. Not sure about anyone else but you can always have a go with my 2WD SCT (Associated SC10 RTR) in a race f you'd like.
I think it's Sunday 20th Feb.,when we have our next outdoor meet at our Gonerby Moor track - you can have a go with a 1/8th nitro then if you'd like too. |
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Evo_ermine
New Member
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 19:43:45
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| That's really generous of you Grasshopper, cheers. Will def try and make it for that one. |
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frecklychimp
Average Member
852 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 20:29:05
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I have to agree with Phil (Grasshopper)
1.10th buggies are not as suited to beginners as the Short Course trucks are.
The SCT's are more fun as they tend to bounce off everything and each other well and without damage (maybe bodyshell scuffs and cracks), where a buggy will tend to break a corner off if you clip something wrong with a wheel, even at relatively low speeds.
The Madrat does appear strong considering its price, was surprised it still survived after a few high speed mistakes on its maiden outing last Tuesday, was a few instances of closing eyes and waiting for the 'crack' noise!
I've gone from a 4wd SCT to racing a 2wd buggy and there is a world of difference, you have to be very precise and gentle with throttle with the buggy compared to Truck... thats running the same electronics equipment.
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TomTom
Average Member
Kyrgyzstan
596 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 21:04:19
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| I cant vouch for the buggy classes, but every week we have 4 very close, *reasonably* clean races in the 2wd SCT class. The nature of the cars tend to produce some good racing. If you have a go with one and think "Wow these handle like boats" dont be put off, because its like it for all of us! |
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grasshopper
Senior Member
1652 Posts |
Posted - 10 February 2011 : 23:35:33
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Sorry to disagree with you Tom, I used to race model boats - the SCT's are a lot less accurate....my race boat used to 'turn on a sixpence' and the acceleration was a lot more fierce!
The SCT racing is a lot of fun - and yes there is 'some gentle contact' - and that's what makes it fun. The big bodyshells make it sound worse than it is and damage is almost non-exsistent. I've splashed out on a 4WD Hong Nor SCT - but am loathe to give up the 2WD class, so it may be a while before that's built. |
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ianholt
Average Member
United Kingdom
750 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2011 : 07:07:14
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2WD short course made racing affordable again for me, the cars are fairly cheep and I am yet to break a single thing (on mine anyway) and I can race all evening on 2 batteries. They are a bit clumsy and they all handle very similar, motor power is almost irrevelant on our indoor track so a stock brushed motor is fine. In the 2 wheel drive SCT heat most cars a very well matched and racing is close.
Ian |
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