The BRCA Electric Board have agreed the rules for lipo in 2009, however at the moment no packs have been submitted for approval, anyone looking at buying lipo, and with a view to racing at regional, or national level (we should be holding our own regional round later this year) should hold off till the approved list comes out towards the end of this month.
Also have a look below, how do the demon power cells fit in?


3.3 Lithium based (LiPo) battery packs must have a hard, protective case that completely envelopes the cell(s). The case should be made from ABS or a similar material. The two halves of the case must be factory sealed in a way that any attempt to open the case will destroy the case. The only opening in the case that is allowed, is for the exit of wires.

i belive this means all current trakpowers would fail scrutineering

3.4 For 7.4v Packs: The maximum case sizes allowed are as follows: -
Length: 139.0mm.
Width: 47.0mm. (The max. width includes any side exit wires).
Height: 23.5mm. (In addition, chassis location protrusions are allowed)
Saddle-Pack cells are allowed, and must comply with the above width and height dimensions. Saddle-Pack cells must have a combined length dimension of 139.0mm max when placed end to end.

This means that just about every saddle pack will fail to meet the rules, apart from the reedy one which is £25 above the max price limit, so that's out too



http://www.brca.org/BRCA/elecboard/regs ... olours.doc

I think my news was better.

especialy if you own trakpower lipo's

I think the EB lists may affect just about everyone.

Firstly this only applies to anyone looking at doing our regional, other regionals or the Nationals. But looking at the batteries owned by people at our club, I think there's only me and Chris with TrakPower sticks, I assume these do not comply because I think the cases can be easily separated. I don't think anyone has the saddles. The Demon packs owned by Tom and Ste are surely outside the width dimension due to the side exit wires.

As for NiMhs, here's the 2008 list:

http://www.brca.org/BRCA/elecboard/news ... 202008.pdf

No GP3300s, GP3700s or early IB4200s, that rules out a lot of people. Then the rule:

The size of the individual cell(s) to be:-
Diameter -- 23.0 mm +0/-1mm.
Overall length -- 43.0 mm +0/-1.5mm.
Measurements include original manufacturer’s heat shrink, which must be
substantially intact.

Excludes Glenn, or anyone else with tatty batteries.

Unless I've miss understood something we definitiely need to think about this with regard to putting a regional on.

I will get my ruler out later and see how they compare.

willies! so much for smug mode!

wait i'm back i think i can still use my 3700's maybe with a bit of creative lable making...


2.6 In addition to batteries included on the homologation list, sports/starter level packs of cells that do not have OEM heatshrink, will be allowed at BRCA sanctioned events. These packs must have the original suppliers label intact, stating that they are NiCd or NiMH and the pack capacity. Maximum capacity is 3700mah. These batteries will be allowed at sanctioned events from 1st. Jan. 2008.

Nice find Rick, I was a bit worried reading through this thread. I am still running GP3300s and GP3700s iin the buggy.

I have no real plans to go to lipo as yet. If I was going to lipo, maybe it would be sometime in the summer depending on the fund situation.

This is the exact reason why I haven't spend loads on new cells. I'm very happy with the second-hand dodgy cells I have bought. They work, thats good.

All I need to do is wait until the approved list is published and buy the best I can get. Job done.

Do Lipos fit in the Optima?

Yes........sort of.......

I know Rick would like to get back into smug mode, but I think the GP3300 and GP3700 is in 'OEM heatshrink'.

Go on then, what is OEM Heatshrink?

Original Equipment Manufacturer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_E ... nufacturer

I guess it means heatshrink by the manufacturer.

So a GP cell should have the GP heat shrink on the cell? Why would they not?