Battery Recommendations For E-Maxx

It is important to know what battery packs should I buy and how to charge them? There are so many battery packs available that it is hard to make specific brand recommendations. However, here are a few points to keep in mind about batteries and charging.

If any battery pack gives higher the mAh rating, the longer the battery run time. That is, a 3000 mAh battery pack will provide with twice the run time of a 1500 mAh battery pack. Battery packs with 2400, 3000 or 3300 mAh ratings are expensive to purchase. If cost is an issue, 1500 to 1800 mAh NiCD packs are very economical to purchase and work well in the E-Maxx The battery packs should be 7.2 volts and have a standard Tamiya connector as well and should be assembled with 6 sub-C sized cells.

The 6-cell NiCad or NiMH battery packs should be charged between 3 and 5 amps on a peak detection charger designed for both the packs. For backyard bashing or general use, a 3 to 4 amp charge rate is recommended. For racing, a 5 amp charge rate is recommended, but lower charge rates are fine too. If recharging the battery packs is required then they should be allowed to cool down completely before any re-charging is done else the packs would be damaged.

While storing, NiCad battery packs should be completely discharged before they are recharged or stored to maintain optimum performance. On the other hand, NiMH battery packs need not be to be completely discharged before they are recharged, but it is recommended that NiMH packs be fully discharged every 4 to 8 weeks. If NiMH packs are not going to be used for more than two weeks they should be partially charged 30 to 50% of their maximum capacity. For long-term storage of NiMH packs it is suggested that they should be fully charged. The easiest way to discharge your battery packs is to simply run them in your E-Maxx until the truck slows to a crawl.

It is important to know how many battery packs should one buy? Six battery packs is an excellent setup because then one can have two packs running E-Maxx, two packs charging and two packs cooling, which means that obtaining uninterrupted run time. It is important to remember to let battery packs cool down before charging them again or else it significantly decreases their life expectancy.
Moreover it is more economical to have two battery chargers. It is also the only way to have a whole day of uninterrupted run time or fun. Alternatively, a peak charger can also be purchased that charges two battery packs at the same, such as the excellent MRC Super Brain 969 Pro Charger.
Usually E-Maxx racers typically like to charge at 5 amps because their battery packs have a bit more low-end punch or torque. If one is serious about E-Maxx racing, it is preferable to purchase a charger(s) that allows charging up to 5 amps, such as the Integy 16X3-Pro v2.5 VESC or Novak Millennium. However, for backyard bashing or sport use, charging packs at lower amps (3 to 4) provides good performance and extends battery run time in comparison to charging at higher amps. Also, battery packs that are charged at lower amps have an increased life expectancy in comparison to packs charged at higher amps

It is not difficult to choose between the type of the battery pack to be purchased. NiCad or NiMH battery packs both work fine in the E-Maxx However, people that have a low budget NiCD charger with a timer should stick with NiCD packs because these timed chargers were not designed to properly charge NiMH packs.

Further, NiMH packs can be destroyed by excessive heat. So one needs to be careful not to overcharge NiMH battery packs! NiMH packs are fully charged when they feel slightly warm. For charging NiMH packs, a peak detection charger designed for NiMH batteries is recommended.