Micro-T Lithium Ion Battery Mod 300+ MAH

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:01 am

Supplies and tools
Battery Pack
2 x 10430 lithium ion cells with tabs, or 10440’s
3/16” heat shrink for battery wires.
37mm shrink wrap
Team Losi Micro-T connector set.
Soldering Iron and solder

Chassis Mod
Rotory tool with ¼” drum sanding wheel.
½ round or rattail file.
Glue, either epoxy or CA

I recommend building at least two battery packs one 2s 7.4 volt pack for all out speed and one 2P 3.7 volt pack for extended runtimes and control, you wont be disappointed

10430 Lithium Ion cells are 10mm x 43mm’s or 10 x 44mm for 10440’s, AAA size. I recommend getting cells with tabs to keep the packs as short as possible since the ends of the pack will stick out a couple of millimeters on each side of the chassis.

When building the packs insure that the connector and wire are at least 1 ¾ inches long,

by using cells with long tabs this is easy since you just solder the wire to the tabs and use the 3/16” heat shrink to cove the wire connection and tab as it runs along the side of the battery. After soldering the connecting tabs together it doesn’t hurt to use a piece of tape to insulate them as you fold them flat. You will need to make sure your wires and tabs fit in the V-groove between the cells so that the pack with heat shrink is no more than 11mm thick and 21mm wide.

After you have your battery pack, glue and screw the battery cover permanently in place. Then use the rotor tool and file to cut out ovals exactly the size of the battery pack on each side of the battery compartment, which is why I recommend making the battery packs first, so you can insure you get a snug (not loose) fit.

I also recommend using the file when you start cutting through the metal posts since the rotary tool will heat them up enough to melt the plastic. As an easier option you can take the posts out and not screw the bottom cover on but the glue alone will not be as strong.

Once you have your holes you’re done, it’s that easy.

The great thing is that the battery packs can be changed in seconds since they slide right in and push back out.

Cheers from lbrc

Edit:
The weather cleared so I finally got in some good rough terrain, hilly, off road battery sucking tests. I managed to overheat the 7.4 volt 2s pack fairly easily in the stock car causing it to turn into a slug, however the 3.7v 600mAh 2p pack was amazing, just picture a Micro-T pulling a little road kill action on the Energizer Bunny. In the ball bearing equiped brushless car the same 7.4 volt 2s pack did not overheat under identical conditions. So the success and your enjoyment of a 7.4 volt 2s Li-Ion pack will depend heavily on your car and the driving conditions.

Maxximum Attack · Post by **Maxximum Attack** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 8:11 am

Dude, seriously...how many of those things do you have

?

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:39 pm

Two, Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead just look different when you plug in different parts.

And I have a lot of parts.

viperdout · Post by **viperdout** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 1:15 pm

LBRC wrote:Two, Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead just look different when you plug in different parts.

And I have a lot of parts.

Oh. My. God.

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:37 am

The dark side has been calling and I haven’t really broken much on my cars yet, aside from a rear knuckle, and a couple of steering links, so I’m looking for a larger pinion like maybe twenty to twenty five teeth to try out with that Aon.

Wish the body fit, maybe a Baha Bug to show off the pretty purple motor.

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:59 am

LBRC wrote: Wish the body fit, maybe a Baha Bug to show off the pretty purple motor.

I don't hink it'd look bad if you trimmed out the rear of the body more, but I am patiently waiting for a baja bug body to be released.

Well, you should know, LBRC, thanks to you I had to order another Micro-T, so I'll have one to leave stock and one to hack.

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:58 am

Chopping them up is half the fun.

I threw together a nice 195mAh 4 cell that also works great with the modified chassis just incase I wanted a NiMH pack, more punch than the wimpy little stock 150’s.

But waste not want not, since I had two useless stock 150 4 cell packs I’m cannibalized a cell off of one pack and slaped onto the end of the other perpendicular like for a 5 cell 6 volt 150mAh NiMH pack that also slides right into the modified chassis.

Edit: The 5-cell sucks, not enough current delivery. On the other hand the 4-cell 195 pack is sitting here mocking me “bring it on bubba is that all you’ve got” it just screams for a larger pinion.