EF-1 Urgent Battery Change...

[Greg Doe]

If I have a battery without a balance plug, can I install one?

[kane]

Why are we changing to a larger size? With all the testing I have done with 2700ma 4 cell I get about 18 laps, with about 40% left in the tank.

Kevin, it is not about you or me. It is about the guy that kills his 2700 in 8 laps, that we are trying to help.

Regarding the next post and the gen 2 battery at 385. I have no clue what your point is. That battery is not legal. It does not have a balance cable.

Taking away the requirement for weight opens the door for anything. NO this is not what we need. We need limits and the new limit is 365g. We are trying to get guys into racing and enjoy racing not turn them away.

DK

You do not have to have a balance port. It you do not have a balance port the eight is 315 grs

b. Maximum Battery Weight: Motor battery pack shall have a maximum weight of 335
grams including all connectors, wires and shrink tubing. It is recommended that batteries
utilize a balancing tap to balance the individual cells as part of the charging process;
however, batteries without a balancing connector are permitted and shall have a
maximum weight of 315 grams

Kevin you are quoting the old rule. This new urgent rule replaced the wording you posted. Please go read the current rule.

DK

[kane]

If I have a battery without a balance plug, can I install one?

That’s a slippery slope. The rules do not specifically address this. The new rule states it is required. But it doesn’t say you can’t install one.

I don’t like it.

DK

[vonderhey]

I don’t follow EF-1 but I want to fly this event at the NATS. It would be helpful is the following information was posted on this thread:
Current battery rule and a list of manufacturers for the batteries. This is like watching an elderly couple trying to buy a computer at Best Buy. Von Der Hey

[kane]

I don’t follow EF-1 but I want to fly this event at the NATS. It would be helpful is the following information was posted on this thread:
Current battery rule and a list of manufacturers for the batteries. This is like watching an elderly couple trying to buy a computer at Best Buy. Von Der Hey

Lee, hopefully, those that have investigated this can respond.
I have not looked for new batteries.
I do not plan on looking for new batteries.

DK

[DHG]

This is like watching an elderly couple trying to buy a computer at Best Buy.

TBH, a lot of our discussions could be described the same way!

[jima]

The Urgent proposal to raise the battery weight (30g) was done to respond to complaints that the few batteries that were "competitive" were out of stock frequently or had gone away from the market. The popular Turnigy 2700's are rarely in stock, the G1 Spektrums ($100+) were going away in favor of the G2 that aren't legal anyway since they were too heavy to not have a balance connector. By raising the weight 30g, we opened up to several packs that have turned out to be quite competitive (not an advantage) in the same Mah range we've been using that are readily available and very good price. They were just a bit over our old 335g weight. Here are some of the examples I've found, and tested that were slightly overweight. They perform very well.

Tattu 3200 $57.68
https://www.readymaderc.com/products/de ... 5c-4s-xt60

HRB 3300 $35.99
https://www.amazon.com/HRB-3300mAh-Batt ... 127&sr=8-6

These two pack are examples of good competitive packs that are not an advantage, but they're competitive and available, in addition to a very reasonable price. The HRB from Amazon was a real surprise. A friend in our local series bought a two pack and they're surprisingly as good as any packs I've had and the two pack was $70. Only problem WAS, they were over the 335g limit.

On the other side of the discussion, SMC-Racing has been making some outstanding packs but availability has been spotty. Their 3600 is very good but not an advantage over the typical good 2700, 3200 and 3300 packs. They're new packs are HV packs and currently available. When charged to our 16.9 limit, they are competitive, high quality packs. Here's the kicker, they meet the old 335g weight in a 3600 pack. Have they been an "advantage" simply because of capacity being 3600 vs 3300 or 2700 of similar quality, NO. One other note on the SMC packs, they're very reasonably priced at $43. We just hope they can keep them available.

https://www.smc-racing.com/index.php?ro ... uct_id=710

So, this change was done based on a lot of research and in response to frequent complaints that competitive batteries were spotty availability at best sometimes. It's not going to result in an increase in speed, it's simply adjusting to the battery market to keep the event supplied with quality batteries that racers can get at a reasonable price. It's only 30g!!!

Jim Allen
RCPylon CB Chair

[Sparky]

Now you post....
It would have been a nice courtesy to have mentioned it on this forum and advise others of the impending change.

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....
Well intended or not it smacks of inside trading something that this organization should go out of their way to avoid.

URGENT change proposal? I don't see any emergency here.

I don't care for the way this was handled one bit!

Sparky

[dscherrer]

Another option that would now be legal.

Roaring Top USA 70C 3300 $48.55
https://www.roaringtopusa.com/index.php ... duct_id=85

Doug S.

[RCjunkie]

Kevin, it is not about you or me. It is about the guy that kills his 2700 in 8 laps, that we are trying to help.

Regarding the next post and the gen 2 battery at 385. I have no clue what your point is. That battery is not legal. It does not have a balance cable.

Taking away the requirement for weight opens the door for anything. NO this is not what we need. We need limits and the new limit is 365g. We are trying to get guys into racing and enjoy racing not turn them away.

DK

You do not have to have a balance port. It you do not have a balance port the eight is 315 grs

b. Maximum Battery Weight: Motor battery pack shall have a maximum weight of 335
grams including all connectors, wires and shrink tubing. It is recommended that batteries
utilize a balancing tap to balance the individual cells as part of the charging process;
however, batteries without a balancing connector are permitted and shall have a
maximum weight of 315 grams

Kevin you are quoting the old rule. This new urgent rule replaced the wording you posted. Please go read the current rule.

DK

Dan if it is old then better fix the NMPRA site. This just came off there site.

[GaryS]

You do not have to have a balance port. It you do not have a balance port the eight is 315 grs

b. Maximum Battery Weight: Motor battery pack shall have a maximum weight of 335
grams including all connectors, wires and shrink tubing. It is recommended that batteries
utilize a balancing tap to balance the individual cells as part of the charging process;
however, batteries without a balancing connector are permitted and shall have a
maximum weight of 315 grams

Kevin you are quoting the old rule. This new urgent rule replaced the wording you posted. Please go read the current rule.

DK

Dan if it is old then better fix the NMPRA site. This just came off there site.

Kevin, it's now an AMA event, and the AMA rules show the current rule.
https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/def ... 2-2023.pdf

[GaryS]

As somebody that hasn't flown EF1 since the 2018 Nats and doesn't yet know if their batteries are still good or not, I'm glad there are more options available. It would've sucked to have to sit out the Nats just because competitive batteries weren't available at a reasonable cost.

[cpaine]

So.... in a nutshell the "max" weight was increased to 365gs, thus allowing for bigger batteries with more capacity, and along with that, more mass. yes?
This doesn't make the batteries that we already have "illegal"? right? there is no minimum weight?
and all to help newer pilots not burn up packs...
No advantage to experienced pilots? we are not required to buy anything new?

what am i missing?

cheers
Cory

[DHG]

Cory,

I don't think you're missing anything. Those are the facts as I understand them, and I intend to compete with the same equipment I used last year. If my current batteries start to peter out or get damaged somehow, I'll probably get one or two of the Roaring Top packs mentioned previously. The cost of poker just went down!!

Cheers,
Duane

[Dave Yost]

I will buy whatever battery is best, I just want to know if it's legal to turn the shaft around??? ......(just kidding Dan, could not resist!)

Little Davey Yost