| MOTORS What is a stock motor? These are generally a sealed bushed 27-turn motor, with a retail price of �24.00 -�28.00. Some manufacturers offer alternative ones with a lower number of turns but these are not legal for racing in a stock class. Rebuild-able versions are now available and can be run in certain classes. Due the high tuning of stock motors, and the fact that they are bushed they generally have a fairly short life span. ~ What is a modified motor? These can be split into two types; sport and hand-wound modifieds. Sport types are factory wound and cost from �32.00. Hand-wound motors have the armature wound by hand and are hat1d assembled to achieve a higher level of performance with a retail price of approximately �52.95 All modifieds are ballraced and can be taken apart for cleaning. The commutator can be skimmed several times during its life to maintain the performance. A wide range of variations are available with different numbers of winds and turns. 'Turns' range from 8 to 30 -this is the number of times the wire is would on the armature. 'Winds' is the number of pieces of wire on the armature and range from 1 (single), 2 (double) to 5 (quint) etc. In general the lower the number of turns the more speed & power the motor will have but it will of course use more battery power. The number of winds will determine how the power will be delivered; a single will give more punch whilst a quad will be smoother. The motor has to be matched to suit the car, speed control capability and the type of track. Be sensible when choosing a motor to suit you car -you wouldn't put a Formula 1 engine in a Mini would you!! BATTERY PACKS What are the different types of battery packs available? Battery packs are more commonly known as Ni-Cads. These are probably the most important part of your car package as they are providing the power to the motor. The best motor in the world will be limited by the ni-cad it is connected to. Prices range from �9.95 for a budget pack through to �58.00, which is the current maximum price permitted for racing. A budget pack is suited for recreational use in a standard car and cannot be expected to perform with an up-rated motor. Capacities available include 1400, 1600, 2400Mah Ni-cads & 3000Mah Metal Nickel Hydride. Most standard packs are 1400 or 1600. Competition packs are mainly 2400 ni-cads -these are the type of cell used in rechargeable power tools and can take a flair amount of abuse and repeated charging. The 3000 is a Metal Nickel Hydride cell is similar to the type used in mobile phones -these give an extended run- time but have a lower voltage and less power. Generally the more you spend on a battery pack the higher the perform will be expected as they will have been through a sophisticated matching and grading process -this ensures that all of the six individual cells have the same perform and increases the overall lifespan of the pack. CHARGERS What are the different types of chargers available? There are two types of chargers, trickles and fast. Trickle chargers known as 'slow' chargers are designed to charge for approximately 16 hours. Fast chargers are the most commonly used and can charge in around 30 minutes upwards depending on the type and the capacity of the battery that you are charging. Fast chargers generally operate from a 12-volt supply, with a few versions working from the mains 240-volt supply. Ni-Cads are best charged with .a 'peak' type charger that automatically cuts off when a full charge is achieved is recommended over the timer type. Ni-MH cells require a specific type of charger. As chargers increase in price so do the features -digital displays and adjustable charging currents are some of the features available to make sure you get the most out of your batteries. It is recommended to discharge Ni-Cads before re-charging. Some chargers have this built in and separate versions are available . |
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