Most Common Voltage

Most RC cars batteries that typically come with a purchase of a remote controlled vehicle are 7.2 Volt batteries. These batteries contain enough voltage to power the electric motor and the receiver that goes directly to your controller. Each developer has their own way of soldering components together in unique configurations to get the voltage required with sub-c sized batteries.

There are two different configurations that can be made with your common RC car battery, which is either the side by side or stick packs. The different configurations will have minor voltage differences along with different physical dimensions. It is important to understand that while some configurations will create different physical dimensions, they don’t often take up too much space underneath the RC body lid.

Different Types of Batteries Available / Used

There are three unique types of RC cars batteries that are available and used for different purposes. Just like any other industry, the remote control industry likes to innovate and find ways to have better, longer-lasting performance while saving more money. As a result, there are benefits and negatives to each type of battery that we will list. The three types of batteries that are commonly used for RC cars

2-Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

3-Nickel Cadmium (NiCad).

Advantages

• Less Expensive
• Do Not Have Memory Effect
• Provide Good Power
• Extremely Lightweight
• Can Be Charged and Used Several Times throughout A Single Day

Disadvantages

• Volatile Dangers If Overheated or Damaged
• Extra Care Must Be Taken With These Batteries
• Not Recommended For Beginner RC Owners

• Can Be Used Twice In One Day

• Heaviest of The Three
• Types of Batteries Has A Long Charge Duration
• Some Models Require Temperature and Full-Charge Detection Meters
• Have a Memory Effect

• Durable Even After Abuse

• Some of the Oldest RC Battery Technology Used
• Lacks Sufficient Power or Capacity
• Medium Weight

As you can see, each of these batteries has their advantages and disadvantages. But in order to accurately understand the charts presented, we’ve got to cover a few things like the Memory Effect. A Memory Effect simply means that a battery will eventually lose its full charge if it is repeatedly charged without using all of its energy. This means that if you use the battery to its halfway point, and then recharge it to full again, it’ll gradually lose a percentage of the full charge every single time you repeat the action.

Some batteries we listed are also more cost effective, meaning that you can afford to purchase more in the event that something was to happen or a memory effect was beginning to take hold. Other batteries will provide greater power and should be specifically used for a select few purposes like racing. All of these things need to be considered when you are potentially purchasing another RC car battery or looking to see which battery will work with the one you own or are going to purchase in the future.

Chargers

Chargers are essential when using RC cars batteries. Some batteries are as simple as a plug and play, and they’ll charge with no problem. Other batteries we mentioned have stipulations that could be damaging if you don’t monitor them very closely. There are two types of chargers, Timer-Based Chargers, and Full Charge / Peak Detection Chargers. Timer-Based chargers require that a timer is set for the duration of the charge, and will only stop charging when the timer runs out.

This means that with these chargers, there is the potential to overcharge and damage the battery extensively. Looking back at our chart of advantages and disadvantages of LiPo batteries, extreme damage can occur to this type of battery with overcharges or charges that could cause heating issues – which is why these batteries are not recommended for beginners.

The second type of charger we mentioned, Full Charge Detection Chargers, will detect when a battery reaches its full charge and automatically stop charging. This means that while the battery is fully charged, an indicator light will be set so that the owner knows when the battery is fully charged and can begin using it without additional power going to the battery to charge it. These chargers prevent overheating issues and don’t have to be so closely monitored.

It is important to note that not all Full Charge Detection Chargers can be cross paired with the opposite battery. For instance, if you purchase a NiCad detection battery charger, it doesn’t mean that it should or can be paired with a NiMH battery. Additional damage can occur from swapping chargers to the wrong battery. It is best to stay with the proper pairing when it comes to batteries and their individual style chargers.

How To Get The Best Performance Out Of Your RC Car Battery

There are a few simple steps that can be taken to make sure that you get the most out of your RC car batteries, no matter the type. The steps are outlined below, with additional instructions for each one.