RCD Electric

Getting new gear, be it a new servo or an upgraded aluminum suspension part, can be one of the most exciting parts of the RC journey, quickly removing the old parts, preparing for the install of the new part, and finally getting to try out your new parts.

Few vehicles put more stress, wear and tear on a servo than an 1/8-scale buggy, truggy or monster truck. First of all, they’re larger and heavier than just about any other car or truck (1/5-scale not included), second, they’re run in some of the worst conditions imaginable and third, they have to withstand the occasional cartwheel off of a big jump.

Have you ever had someone ask how fast your RC car is? Many of us have and most of us give a guess for a number. Now, if you have the right equipment, like the Spektrum Speedometer we’re about to …

Many drivers are bashers only, and have rigs set up for all conditions. I have such a rig in my fleet and folks are always amazed at my scaler’s ability to take on waterlogged trails and water crossings with ease.

What is a BEC? That’s a question I’ve heard quite a few times over the years. Before the BEC (we’ll get to what it is in a second), drivers used to install small, four-cell battery packs on their cars to power the electronics. Why? Well, back in the day, we’d need to use as much of the power in the NiCd and NiMh battery packs as possible to run the cars in a simple four-minute race.

This month we will look at something most electric racers have been forced to become familiar with, timing and gearing. Gearing and timing changes can mean a few things depending on what exactly you hope to get out of your racing machine. In true Charlie fashion, I’ll break down these two tuning adjustments to make your educational experience simple.

Terminology in any hobby can be challenging to understand, especially to the newcomer. So this month, we’re going to take a walk through some of the buzzwords and terms used by various brands and RC gurus.

When I first started racing I used an Aristocraft 15-minute quick charger to get my 1200mAh NiCd SC Sanyo batteries to capacity. I turned the dial around fully once then another five minutes for good measure. Soon I was using an external volt meter to monitor batteries and I eventually stepped up to a Digi Novak Peak charger to make my life much easier.

Fear monger! I overheard a conversation regarding LiPo battery packs that almost came across as over the top and scary. By the end, the person asking the questions and looking to make some educated purchases, decided old style NiMH battery packs were the only option because of safety concerns. This may seem extreme to any long time RC enthusiast.

Welcome back, fans of all things technical and perhaps considered confusing. This month’s tech topic will touch on an area often overlooked; steering setup and adjustments. Steering settings in your transmitter can literally make or break a setup.

A couple of issues ago, The Vogel (as he likes to be called) did a review on Hitec’s X1 Pro Multi-Charger and 17A ePower Box. This system is great; simply install the pair of bullet plugs into the top of the ePower Box and mate them to the input holes on the bottom of the X1 Pro.

Since the dawn of putting power into radio controlled vehicles, one thing has remained the same for everyone, the desire for more power and speed! Today, many of us use brushless motors to power our vehicles. These wonders of modern technology offer long run-times, low maintenance, and lots and lots of power!

This month's electric column is a little different. We'll talk about the electric side of nitro cars. In the past there were only two options for batteries to power your racing machine’s electronics; hump pack or straight pack; a four-cell dry-cell holder is never an option for a racer. If you want to go way back, NiCds were once the only way to go, but they have been nonexistent for some time.

In the RC life, it’s all about balance, finding the time to enjoy your RC vehicle in action, keep it running perfectly, and still have time for regular life. But that’s not the balance we’re going to talk about this month. Tech fans, we’re going to dive into the world of balance charging and the core differences in some modes.

What used to be an out of reach, industry rarity in years past, FPV (First- Person View) systems have found their way into countless RC vehicles over the past few months. Sure, there is mini quad rotor racing with goggles strapped on or planes giving fixed wing “rides” to anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of the view from the cockpit, but what about the car guys?