Daughter is interested in a fast offroad buggy thing. We have a lipo charger and some 5000mAh LiPo batteries for a drone. Would we have more fun with nitro or elec. What model would you recommend? We also have nitro and stater for an rc helicopter…

Thanks

No experience of nitro but after speaking with a few shops and people in the know I went for brushless electric.. Seeing as you akready have lipo batts and charger it makes sense.
Check out the Hpi e firestorm flux… Flux being the brushless lipo version.
It is really rather good 8)

I went electric as I just wanted to muck around, not get fully into it, got enough things to fix and tinker with.
Your batteries sound the same as mine, which gets me about 40 minutes.
Got a HPI e-firestorm so as to ensure parts supply. Dad just replaced the motor (he’s better with electrics than me) as it had dropped a brush.

Most importantly, it will skid and wheely.

Edit: as you can work out, mine isn’t the brushless flux version.

I’d hazard going electric.

Used to have a nitro single cylinder, and it was crazy FAST, but a bit uncontrollable, and a bit of a faf to keep it maintained if I’m honest.

If I was to buy another I think I’d get something with a good electric motor.

Maybe look at nitro if you really get into it.

To add you’ll probably have more fun with nitro, but you’ll be forever straightening the steering arms from crashes, and there’s the whole faf of carrying fuel and a big battery to jump start it. We used to use a car battery or a motorbike battery and a glow plug warmer but I’m going back years now, maybe they are more sophisticated these days.

Electric all the way..

I’ve a nitro 1/8th scale..
Before brushless it was the best
Now it’s just a ball ache.

You say you get 40 min from a battery.. I’ll be lucky to get 15 min runtime from my nitro before it bogs down/strips a gear/breaks!!!

It’s a faff
Trust me. Leccy all the way!

DrP

Brushless with a decent lipo battery are insane.

Nitro is fun but given the price of battery packs these days you may as well go electric and stuff a few packs in your pocket and you’re set for a good sesh…

Elec brushless it is! Thanks

Quick one for the electric & Lipo crew.

Are the Lipo batteries as volatile and dodgy as some sites etc make out?

I’m currently building a kit up and was leaning towards NiMH but would rather the benefits of Lipo. As I understand it is probably need a new ESC as mine doesn’t have a low voltage/power alarm/cut off for the battery of running Lipo.

How are you all charging them? Are they really that bad they mustn’t be left alone and need to be in fireproof bags etc?

Lipo’s *can* be a touch grumpy but buy branded ones, charge / discharge / store them properly and you’re good.

If they show any sign of swelling bin them. I’ve abused packs by totally failing to fly rc helis and had one pack swell but never had any other issues.

So what’s a good brand(s)?

Can you recommend a charger/discharger for me to investigate. I understand you charge/discharge them to about 50% or a certain cell voltage for storing.

Storage is cool and in a tin?

Cheers

Lipos are usually ok as long as you look after them. Don’t run the car until flat, if they start to swell don’t use them and you should use the hard case type in a car to reduce the risk of puncture. A decent charger will have a storage mode that will set them to the required voltage for long term storage. I’d recommend mb models in Leeds for everything you should need car wise. At the end of the day it will all depend on what your willing to spend. My racing batteries used to be around £80 a set but you can get them much cheaper than that.

RDL-82 – Member

Are the Lipo batteries as volatile and dodgy as some sites etc make out?

They are volatile but some people are absolutely hysterical about it. We strap absolute bottom end lipos to our bodies to go night riding without a worry and then ride into trees and such, and charge them with the cheapest chargers on the market… RC stuff is generally better and less battered.

Hobbyking is the best place for lipos

We strap absolute bottom end lipos to our bodies to go night riding without a worry and then ride into trees and such

What’s this thing called ‘riding’ you talk about?!

Hobbyking is the best place for lipos

I shall have a look, cheers.

Hobbyking are good. I use Fast Lad Performance (fast-lad.co.uk). Little more pricey but easy to deal with and give solid advice.

You can source a car from there too 🙂