LiPo conversion shopping list....suggestions??

[StudEbiker]

So I am considering making the switch to LiPo. Safety is a very high concern for me. Here is a shopping list I have put together. Any suggestions. Also, there are two cell monitors that look to be very similar except price...any significant difference between them?

Okay, first off, 2 of these:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=9180

One of these:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=6792

One of these:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=6477

And then two of one (whichever one is the best deal) of these:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... duct=10952 ( I think I prefer this one because the alarm system is built in)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=9282

Am I on the right track?? Suggestions?

[mwkeefer]

Stud,

Were it not for some serious (SERIOUS) shipping issues with orders originating from Hong Kong from merchants including but not limited to HobbyKing - you would be on the money.

The bit about price is basically for C ratings, if there is a believeable review of the particular battery (like on ES here) and results have been good... they will get recommended. Under normal circumstances I would say go with Turnigy or Zippy 20C or better (go as high in C as you can afford, those will hold a higher voltage longer under heavier loads and with less internal resistance they will stay cooler... that's actually how they deliver better discharge rates)...

Right now we are all (and hundreds of normal RC hobbiests) waiting (I'm turning blue man) for Hobby King to come through with our orders... there has been lots of "poor shipping / business" practice going on in the past few weeks... you can find the threads here and on Hobby King's own forums so I won't go into detail...

Personally if your just jumping in, wait a week or two... see how these things sort out.

Were also looking into other vendors here in the US like HobbyPartz as alternatives for the near term (hopefully that's all it will be) and should have viable tech information / review up tommorow night with regards to their packs... mine are due tommorow via UPS and I will report as soon as possible if they are a viable alternative to Hobby King for now.

Only downside with HobbyPartz is their stock is quite limited at the moment, there are other solutions in the sauce pan (thought, partial planning stages) in case this bit with Hobby King is persistent (permanent).

Sorry to be the one to break it to you, Lipo rocks on eBikes and this really sucks for all of us!

-Mike

[dogman]

Yeah, looks like you are on the right track there. But wait on ordering the lipo itself. My order seems to have sqeaked through somehow, and has arrived at customs on this side of the water. But others seem to be in limbo. Ordering lipo ground shipped needs to be possible, so they'll get it together to do it soon I think.

[StudEbiker]

Good to know about the shipping issues. Figures, just when I'm ready to make the switch.

[mwkeefer]

Probably get 30C packs at 20C prices in a week or two anyway, you will likely be better off = )_

-Mike

[rui_fujino]

how long do they(HK) take to get their stock back up??? I'm also waiting to buy zippy 20c 5000mah...they are like (-16) i have no idea what that means...
they clams to be able to ship within a month...but then i dont believe that...anyone know?

[jonathanm]

Hobbyking doesnt just have problems with their shipping from Hong Kong....

I ordered stuff from their USA warehouse 10 days ago and they still didnt ship it yet. I also ordered stuff from their HK warehouse 5 days ago. (not lipo) The HK order shipped within 24 hours.

It looks like the HK order will arrive before the USA warehouse order, which apparently comes from Michigan, right next door to me. I spent an hour on chat with customer support but could not get a straight answer as to what was going on.......

[dogman]

The comments I made were pertaining to a tempoary hassle they were having in the summer of 2010.

It's now 2011, but HK still is unpredictable as to when out of stock stuff will be in the warehouse. So always buy from stuff that is in stock. I took to getting my lipo from the USA warehouse, and always got those shipments very fast. China orders for wires and what not usually came in 2 weeks or so.