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Sept. 4, 2014, 12:22 a.m.
9/4/2014
By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com
Whether it's wheel nuts, wings, tools, tracks, trinkets and/or anything in between, the LiveRC staff gives their testimonial and mini-review of each every Thursday morning!
Deron Rettke is among the 4x4 short course diehards at SDRC Raceway, but even he was bit by the stock buggy bug. Now with two classes in which to dabble when he makes his regular trips to the track, his driving in both has improved dramatically over the last year - and he’s gone from one of the faster sportsman class drivers, to running with the rest of the Expert pack.
Deron works as a rigger for a local custom boat company, and in his spare time he competes with a Tekno SCT410 and RC10B5M. He chose to only run Pro 4 tonight, and after another solid top-five finish he sat down with my laptop to make some notes on some of the most interesting products I spotted in his pit area.
LHS Electronics 5000mAh 7.4v 50C Hard Case LiPo
#180532, $55
The workhorse hard-cased LiPo pack of Hobby People’s house brand. The 5000mAh battery is standard-size 2S LiPo pack measuring at 23.5 x 46.5 x 138mm and weighing 290 grams. The black, hard plastic case has two 4mm ports and a 2mm balancing port, which accept the included Deans Ultra Plug lead and pre-soldered XH balance plug.
“It’s a great battery,” said Deron, who has been cycling three identical packs for over a year now. Even when installed in his 4x4 short course truck, Deron says he has plenty of power through the end of a seven minute main event. “They’re just as good as my expensive batteries,” said Deron. “I can’t tell the difference.”
Pros:
Lots of power
Great price
Easily available
Cons:
LHS doesn’t make a larger race-ready battery
Conclusion:
A terrific alternative to batteries from overseas suppliers, the LHS batteries stack up on both performance and price.
Beacon rating: 5/5
ProTek R/C Prodigy 612 DUO AC
#PTK-8510, $170
An AC-powered do-it-all dual-port charger that’s compatible with 6S packs and can charge up to 12 amps with 100 watts of power per side. Like many other ProTek R/C chargers, there are many different modes with their own specific uses - like the Pre-Charge function that helps restore batteries that have been accidentally discharged below 3 volts per cell, and the digital power program that provides 3-24 volts and turns the charger into a power supply for other DC-powered electronics. The power cord can be replaced with one that fits outlets in other countries, and the charger includes an XT60 input cable, AC input cable, three different charge leads, and two XH-type LiPo balance boards.
“I like it!” said Deron, having used the charger exclusively for three and a half months to charge his 2S racing packs. Citing the quicker charging capabilities due to the higher charge rate as one of his favorite aspects of the charger’s performance, Deron said, “You can pump batteries with up to twelve amps on both channels.” Deron’s previous charger couldn’t charge his packs at anything higher than 1C, so the same batteries charge much faster on the Prodigy 612 DUO AC. Deron added, “It does what it’s supposed to do.”
Pros:
It’s small
It’s very easy to use with a simple menu
Switching between channels takes no time at all
Cons:
The included charge leads have very short balance wires
Conclusion:
The Prodigy 612 DUO AC is ideal for racing with 2S packs - its small size and built-in power supply means it takes up little space in your bag and on the pit table.
Beacon rating: 4/5
ProTek R/C “Supreme Power” 4700mAh 7.4v 100C LiPo
#PTK-5102-14, $90
ProTek R/C’s latest line of LiPo packs aims to keep up with 100C (and similar) lines from other battery manufacturers. The hard case wears the familiar diamond pattern seen on many ProTek R/C packs throughout the years, and there are 5mm ports on either side of the 2mm balance port. This “shorty” is 46.5x95.6x24.6mm and weighs 217 grams.
Rettke has not been pleased with the two batteries he purchased, and not even because the 5mm plugs mean that he can’t switch to other batteries with 4mm plugs. “I’m not that happy with them,” said Deron, who added, “I expected more.” Deron purchased the packs about three and a half months ago to run in stock buggy with his B5M, and noted that both batteries puffed up severely after fewer than 10 cycles even though he was charging them at only 1C. Deron said he contacted ProTek R/C, who offered him a 50% replacement because he had passed the three-month warranty period by a few days.
Pros:
None
Cons:
Disappointing power
Puffed up easily
5mm plugs are a nuisance
Conclusion:
Your mileage may vary, of course, but Deron said he won’t be purchasing anymore of these batteries.
Beacon rating: 1/5
Tekno RC 5mm Carbon Fiber front shock tower
#TKR5028C, $35
An optional front shock tower that fits both the SCT410 and EB48.2 (and, presumably, the NB48 as well…if you wanted to try it), Tekno RC cuts the shape from 5mm-thick carbon fiber and matches the shape, mounting holes, and suspension locations of the stock steel tower. The shock tower reduces the weight of the SCT410 by 7.6 grams.
“I got it right when it came out,” said Deron, who has been running the tower for a year. “It’s really durable,” Rettke said. “I’ve broken two carbon fiber rear shock towers, but the front one has been tough.”
Pros:
Saves weight
Improves appearance
Cons:
Not bulletproof
Conclusion:
Carbon fiber looks cool, its stiffness helps promote suspension consistency, and the two towers on Tekno’s truck offer some significant weight savings.
Beacon rating: 5/5
WingTOTE Pro Roller Buggy Tote
#WGT418, $220
From the company that specializes in making hobby luggage comes a slightly different spin on the carry-all rolling hauler bag. Made with 600 Denier nylon for extreme durability and water resistance, the Pro Roller Buggy tote has three pockets along the sides and a reinforced internal frame to hold heavy loads. Along with the upper tray, the large flap rolls up out of the way to reveal a large top drawer (19.5" wide x 11.5" deep x 7" tall”), two middle drawers (9.5" wide x 11.25" deep x 4.75" tall), and two additional bottom drawers (9.25" wide x 10.25" deep x 4.75" tall). An elastic cord across the top can be used to fasten your vehicle or additional equipment to the bag for easy transportation.
Deron said the bag made for a rather expensive Christmas present, but he’s had eight solid months of use out of it. “It’s large, well-built, has a deep tool tray on the top, and the great handle makes it pull like a suitcase.”
Pros:
Convenient
Great quality
Strong and durable
Cons:
Expensive
Heavy when fully loaded
Conclusion:
Deron said it’s the best bag he’s ever had - it doesn’t get much better than that!
Beacon rating: 5/5
THURSDAY TESTIMONIALS - RANDOM ITEM OF THE WEEK:
Each week outside of the R/C world we test out and use a variety of items in our daily routines that have absolutely nothing to do with R/C, and THIS is what we think of them!
Humidity
#H20, $free
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Different areas of the country have varying amounts of humidity.
As it turns out, Florida has more of it than Southern California. A lot more. When you walk out of a reasonably comfortable room and your sunglasses fog up, you immediately break into a sweat, and you wonder if hyperventilating could cause you to drown, you know the hygrometer is pegged. High humidity also causes surfaces to collect a layer of moisture, which only makes it more difficult to clean dust off of…well, anything.
Pros:
HAHAHAHA
Cons:
Everything
Conclusion:
I’ve always been told that it was humid in Florida, especially in the late summer. Those people weren’t lying.
Beacon rating: 1/5
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