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I'm racing a Tamiya Durga with a Novak 4.5 brushless system. It's been a blast so far. It all started because I inherited a Tamiya Grasshopper that I played around with when I was a kid. I got more interested in RC stuff and it bloomed into buying the Durga and soon a Traxxas Slash, and then I got into RC helicopters and now I'm into RC planes and  Anyway,  Stock car, quick black paint on a beater body for racing (it makes me sad to destroy a nice looking body while racing/bashing). A little while later I threw in the Novak system and got some shocks/suspension mounts/slipper clutch and other stuff.  It looks so unclean and raced   I'm using the shocks from Tamiya's worlds car which are longer and if used in the rear normally, they overextend the arms and the halfshafts pop out, so a cool guy in England-land made me a carbon fiber rear tower with higher mounting holes and lower mounting holes so I can run whatever shocks I want without having to modify the shocks. At this point I've gone through probably 10+ front a-arms from frontal crashes, tore one wing off, melted two rear diffs from the bigger motor, gone through 2 sets of slipper clutch pads and broke several front shock shafts.  e: This is the vintage Tamiya Grasshopper that started it all. My grandfather bought it in the mid 80's and I got to play with it at his house once every ~2 years. I lusted after it on the top shelf in the basement for a long time. Note the now bald original tires, and my kickin' video taking modification for personal amusement (I removed the scale driver and screwed in a tripod mount). You can see in the front of the cockpit a funny little copper thing with little copper pads. Forwards/reverse is controlled with a servo that moves an arm that touches 4 different copper pads for two speeds each direction. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 07:30 on Apr 27, 2009 |
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Apr 27, 2009 07:22
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Sloppy posted:Great thread timing, my kids and I have been watching a few of these big RC cars in the park and I've been feeling that little itch to pick one up. Get a Traxxas Slash. Completely waterproof (seriously, watch some youtube videos), extremely durable and $200 for a ready to run truck. They're pretty fun, too. If this doesn't make you want one, you're beyond help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt9Kth5UEDw e: IOwnCalculus posted:I haven't been in for a long time but don't a lot of receivers include this type of functionality? Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 14:55 on Apr 27, 2009 |
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Apr 27, 2009 14:51
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kuffs posted:Shortly after this, HPI released an RS4 Rally with a lexan underbody to keep out dirt. Oh gently caress me that is tempting. Nobody around here races them, though I could run at the local track, I'd just have to take the jumps carefully.
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Apr 28, 2009 23:40
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antimatt posted:I really wish there was something other than a dirt oval track near where I lived because I'd love to race spec Slash. That looks like all kinds of fun. It really is a goddamned blast. I got to participate in 3 races over the winter at a big indoor carpet track. It was really, really fun, and the local dirt track has a series that has an enormous turnout every year.
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Apr 29, 2009 03:26
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You Am I posted:I know in Australia that a lot of local councils hate the noise they make, and fear they are more of a public liability than electric cars. Plus throw in the greenies and the "pollution" the nitro cars make (forgetting the chemicals in the Lipo batteries), you can see gas cars slowly dropping out of interest except for the big 1/5th stuff. Nitro will probably drop out of favor, but I can't forsee it really going away, not in the US at least. Related; I've had a hardon for the HPI Baja SS for  When I first got into RC stuff, I looked loving ENDLESSLY for a 1/10 electric that had the shape that always said "buggy" in my head. The closest I found was the Losi XXX-CR (which I'd already have, but I want to get a slash for spec racing first). The Baja is EXACTLY the shape I think of as a real racing buggy, and it reverts me back to a 10 year old kid marveling at my grandfathers Tamiya Grasshopper that made me dream about being a buggy racecar driver  I'm a little more tempted every day to sell all my RC stuff except my tx/rx and just go buy the Baja SS, but I know they're useless around here. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 14:37 on Apr 29, 2009 |
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Apr 29, 2009 14:34
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tobu posted:Trip report: Good group of guys but I'm going to check out the off-road cars next week before I make my choice. Nope. Well, you won't have as much fun on tarmac with, say, a Traxxas Revo or other big almost monster truck or something as you will with something lower and race-oriented like a Losi XXX series, Associated B44, Tamiya DB01/501x or even a Traxxas Slash. Hell, some of the best fun with mine is flying around the bumpy asphalt in the big abandoned lot next door. Little patches of super fine gravel help with the amusement, too 
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Apr 30, 2009 07:24
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FireTora posted:I just ordered a Tamiya DB-01 kit yesterday thanks to this thread. Its out for delivery right now. Have wanted to get a nice RC car off and on for a couple years now. Can't wait to get home and build it so i can drive it around in the back yard. They're really, really fun even in stock form with the slow silver can motor. I played with mine for about 2 months before going insane and getting a Novak 4.5 Oh, and after you've bashed a little, take it back apart and retighten the ball diffs. They like to loosen up a little after the first assembly. Also, this will make your life so, so much more enjoyable while building it. http://www.tonysscrews.com/product.sc?categoryId=57&productId=410 I can't recommend them enough. I took apart the whole car after building it the first time because disassemble for fixing/checking things is a pain with the unimpressive screws Tamiya provides. Some good screwdriver-style hex wrenches make things even easier.
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May 1, 2009 21:07
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kuffs posted:That was an MRC Super Brain iirc. Whatever happened to MRC anyway? I remember they had some crazy no-questions-asked 90 day warranty or something. Didn't matter if you wrecked your car doing something stupid, they would replace the part. They're still around, but their chargers are overshadowed by newer ones. Still brutally sturdy, though. I have one of the Super Brain 8xx chargers and it bounces around in my gear bag. It seems that the RC car guys get marketed overpriced or underfeatured stuff, while the flying people get all the good stuff for similar/the same prices. This, for example http://www.fmadirect.com/new_applications/multi4.html Temperature control, storage charges, cold weather mode, lipo charging/balancing, A123 charging, NiMH, NiCd, Lead, whatever and it's $80. And you can program in settings with a computer so you have your own tailored presets. Compare that to your average marketed NiMH/NiCd charger and it's a no brainer. Or this thing, which is next on my list of poo poo to buy for my planes/helis/cars http://www.fmadirect.com/new_applications/10s_charger.htm 3C lipo charging is so dreamy  It even measures cell internal resistance, which is extremely useful with lipos. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 22:12 on May 1, 2009 |
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May 1, 2009 22:09
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kuffs posted:So, I'm not up to date on battery technology, but there's nothing about those that would make them unusable for rc car stuff right? If so, I'll be picking one up for whatever electric car I end up getting. (I know I'll have one eventually) Completely useable. For charging NiMh/NiCd and such, you take the supplied adapter with tinned ends and solder on your own connector. For Lipos and such that charge through the balance leads, you use various adapter plates. e: I should mention that they're still tailored towards the anal retentive pilots who have 30 different lipos, though. You really need to buy the computer port for them, as well as adapter plates for whatever lipos you use (generally not a problem). Other than those FMA chargers, Hyperion stuff also absolutely loving rocks. http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/22872 http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/18361 Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 05:46 on May 2, 2009 |
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May 2, 2009 05:38
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Laserface posted:Oh loving christ Traxxas, WHY do you have to release 1/16 scale Brushless Slash and Revos this month? I just got out of this loving hobby Holy poo poo, I didn't hear about that until just now. It's 4WD, too. If it wasn't ~$280 I'd buy one right the gently caress now. I can forsee some really awesome stock class indoor racing with them.
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May 2, 2009 07:07
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kuffs posted:Tiny short course races in your back yard Hell yes. Also, pictures of my local track. They finally finished the new one.     I am really, REALLY looking forward to this one. The big banked corner looks like a blast.
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May 2, 2009 07:21
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Brawnwrong posted:Speaking as someone who has never had one of these cars but always been interested, what's the difference between the battery powered ones and the fuel driven ones? Nitro/fuel cars are more expensive, noisy, more breakable, finicky, require knowledgeable maintenance and are brilliantly loving hilarious fun. Electric is quiet, easy, cheaper in the entry level, less breakable, requires very little maintenance and is also fun. If you want to get into RC stuff, find out about local clubs and see what the majority run. If you don't care about racing, then just get whatever is fun up to your price point. Nitro is better if you like to tinker and are tool-handy. Either way, it's a blast. e: Nitro cars still have batteries to run the reciever, throttle servo, steering servo and occasionally transmission or locker servos. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 20:49 on May 3, 2009 |
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May 3, 2009 20:46
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kuffs posted:Fellow on rctech.net has one of these http://www.modelrec.com/search/product-view.asp?ID=6863 for sale for $100, good deal? Yeah, I'd say so. V
Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 17:08 on May 4, 2009 |
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May 4, 2009 16:55
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The majority of RC cars are vastly powerful for their size/weight and will reach their top speed in a few very short seconds. Scale speed on an RC car would probably be boring.
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May 4, 2009 19:02
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A.C.A.M. posted:I have also wasted money on a Blade CX2 chopper and a Losi Micro T. I say 'wasted' because the chopper's LiPo has been overdrained and can't be recharged, Oh come now, that's no reason to stop flying one of the easiest most hilarious starter coax helis around. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLB0990 I have a Blade MCX and in the short month or two I've owned it I've flown it on a daily basis. It's ridiculous fun and absolutely the best way to work on control orientation. I've probably had 100+ minor crashes and haven't replaced or repaired a single part. They're phenomenal.
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May 5, 2009 05:17
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In a perfect world, there's a slim chance that various amounts of heat and cold and a very, very good charger could bring it back to ~60% of it's original life, but that's a hilariously long shot.
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May 5, 2009 06:47
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No problem. I believe if you use it the other way around you have to clip off that loving little nub that Futaba puts on all their servos and such. I was using an Airtronics receiver with a Futaba servo for a long time, just have to be careful of polarity when plugging it in. Now I'm using a Associated DS1015 servo in my Durga and it could move buildings.
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May 8, 2009 04:23
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SGT. Squeaks posted:I like clean designs that read well and don't look muddy when running down the track at full speed. It may not be the most popular stuff, but I enjoy painting it. Do you do paint jobs for people who have no idea what they want? I'm picking up a lexan (!) Tamiya Durga body and I lack skills to make it look pretty, and I don't have a clue what I want it to look like either. I have yet to see a Durga body that took advantage of the kickass lines. They're all purple and covered in flames. Having a fellow goon do some darker earthy paint would be really cool.
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May 10, 2009 02:25
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They're a blast. There's a good reason they've been so heavily recommended.
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May 13, 2009 03:17
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Somewhat Heroic posted:1/5 Scale Bitches How is the 5T vs the 5B? I'm more attracted to the buggy out of pure looks because it makes me feel like a little kid again. I've wanted one since I got into RC.
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May 14, 2009 01:02
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aluminum to can 400 cans of Coca-Cola.
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You Am I posted:HiTec is like the basement bargin crap of the RC electronics world. Nearly everyone I know of has done their best of offload them for a better servo Except their air-marketed stuff  HS82MG's/HS85's, etc and the other largely air based stuff is all incredible, and the majority of the airplane and heli guys embrace it as the standard.
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Jun 1, 2009 19:58
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Astrolite posted:Whoa, RC Goons! Oh holy poo poo that's hot as gently caress with bare aluminum. I've wanted to get a Baja for a long time. This really isn't helping me keep my addiction sedated.
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Jun 8, 2009 02:21
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bigdookie posted:Well you jerks got me interested in RC cars again, I just visited the local hobby shop after advice in here and bought the Traxas Slash and a higher speed charger. Now I am sitting at work anxious to go run this thing into a wall at a ridiculous speed. The great thing with the Slash is you can run it into the wall at 50 mph and it'll be perfectly fine afterwards. e: Unlike MY MOTHERFUCKING DURGA 
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Sep 4, 2009 20:41
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Oh man, the Blitz looks really, really cool. I sorta want one, and I already have a slash 
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Sep 22, 2009 21:06
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I'm pretty good on a dirt track and almost always apex properly, however I would crash the gently caress out of that.
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Oct 9, 2009 04:43
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So, how crazy am I for considering selling all my RC stuff except my transmitter/receiver and picking up a Baja 5B SS?
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Nov 17, 2009 19:16
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I can make about $700-$800 on my RC stuff including keeping 2 good servos and my MX3 FHSS. In all honesty I'd get bored with it in about a year and sell it off again, but that's just my attention span. If I don't go get one I'm going to be quietly wanting one for loving ever because oh my GOD do they look fun as hell.
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Nov 17, 2009 19:39
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I considered the hell out of the 5T, but I have a truly severe lust for classically shaped buggies. The Grasshopper was my first RC car, so I secretly despise all 4wd buggies, and the 5B is literally the only buggy on the market that looks juuust right.
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Nov 18, 2009 02:55
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doublepostin' Does anybody have experience with a T-Maxx? I can spin the spur gear shaft, but it doesn't affect the output shafts at all. Edit: Well, I just didn't search hard enough, it seems. Apparently they're internally clutched on the spur gear as well as on the bell. At least I don't have to take the transmission apart now! I really like this thing though. I remember playing it when I was like 15 when they first bought it. I'm sorta tempted to spend $130ish and grab one off of eBay just to gently caress around with. Maybe spend an extra $60 and throw in a 2.5 motor. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 08:04 on Nov 22, 2009 |
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Nov 22, 2009 07:12
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Hypnolobster posted:
Well, a few months of sitting around a lot, some frantic races at the local dirt track (which made me break about $60 in hinge pins, a-arms, ball diffs, belts... the 4.5 Novak motor REALLY likes to eat diffs and belts) and then a little longer sitting around and I just got it back out this weekend to gently caress it up some more. The beater body's quick both side rustoleum paintjob is looking just a tiny bit worn. Updated picture time    I haven't even used the nice body I painted. Hopefully, I'll come into some money so I can just buy a Baja 5B SS outright and not have to sell this car. It's a complete blast. It's a goddamned rocketship off the line and after you get used to the oversteer, really fun in corners. Super flat in the air, too.
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Dec 7, 2009 00:14
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kuffs posted:Anyone have any insight to running LiPo rx packs? The NiCd pack in my RC10GT seems to be royally hosed (2 runaways recently). And I've been very pleased with the Chinese LiPo packs that I bought for my SC10. http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/90/products_id/9574/n/Novak-2-Cell-Smart-Stop-Li-Polymer-Cut-Off-Module That can flash or do throttle interruption to neutral and leave you with steering control.
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Dec 7, 2009 20:03
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I've been looking around, and I haven't found any regulators that have a low voltage cutoff (which is REALLY weird. sorta seems like a no-brainer feature). The only consolation is that the majority of lipo protectors are really small Still, even if you didn't use a cutoff, a 2100mah lipo regulated down to 6v should last though a whole bunch of tanks of fuel, I'd imagine.
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Dec 7, 2009 21:21
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kuffs posted:fuuuuuuuuuuck, I wish rally would become popular Oh sweet jesus. No, no, I'm not even considering it. I've got a Baja 5B SS to buy and THAT'S NOT HELPING ONE BIT.
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Dec 11, 2009 00:05
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Holy hell that looks nice. If you tried to run rally cars at my local track, they'd be thrashed to pieces in a few laps unless you actually have some level of moderation with the throttle. As it is, I've broken parts just from harsh landings while running out of class tires and a 4.5 brushless in my 1/10 buggy.
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Dec 11, 2009 02:54
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compressioncut posted:
Jesus christ. I've had a 4.5 Novak in my buggy, and it's terrifyingly fast. I can't even imagine what it's like in a hard track car. e:VVV I've got a few of these http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10285 for my buggy and they've been awesome. Even more so in comparison to how much people spend on MaxAmps batteries and the like. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 08:28 on Dec 14, 2009 |
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Dec 14, 2009 08:17
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kuffs posted:I just recently bought an E-Flight mCX to see how much I liked playing with helicopters. I've got a mCX as well (I got a Spektrum DX7 because I fly planes, but since you can't exactly fly every day around here, the mcx was to keep me amused inside). I've had it for about a year, crashed it probably nearing 30 or 40 times and never broken a single part. This is including crashes from the ceiling to the floor, which always look horrible. The brushed motors die after a few months of very regular use, but that's pretty understandable, especially considering how reliable it's been.
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Dec 31, 2009 05:16
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Agreeing with Slash over SC-10 for durability. Loses out in coolness, but those things can truly be beaten all day with no ill effects.
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Jan 9, 2010 18:15
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kuffs posted:I mentioned earlier that I was looking for a Hyperion charger, but this is a close competitor. I have one now, actually. I only use it for charging lipos, and I use my middle of the range Onyx 220 for my NiMH batteries (it plays SONGS!). It does need a $20 wall wart for AC power, and the $20 computer interface cable is pretty much required for any meaningful programming, but once you get it all figured out, it's completely incredible for charging. Really truly awesome. I click through the settings for every battery I own, and it does it's thing and tells me every stat I could ever desire about the battery while it's charging. It's also a lot smaller than it looks.
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Jan 12, 2010 02:42
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It doesn't, which is a huge bummer. If you're going to be charging NiMH's on a regular basis, stick with a Hyperion or the like. Despite them advertising that it charges pretty much everything (and it does), it sucks for everything except lipo. The only reason people love it is because it just does lipos that well.
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Jan 12, 2010 16:57
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Every time I use one of my $20 chinese lipos that performs perfectly, I feel a twang of pain in my soul for the $200 I've spent on 3 thunderpower lipos 
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Jan 12, 2010 17:04
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