Venom Lipo

[Mikeyboy]

I just ran my first Lipo battery. WOW! I was impressed by the extra power and run time. I got to get some more. I have a Venom 5000 MaH 2 cell. It was 50 bucks. Does anyone know of something comparable for less cash? I should have gotten these sooner.

[dangermouse]

Maybe check what is on offer from Hobbyking's US warehouse.

[Konich]

Don't skimp on lipo's IMHO. I run Venom and they have been great. Other cheap lipo's can turn your car into a rolling toaster.

[dangermouse]

Interesting, I'd have rated Venoms below the Hobbyking Turnigy packs. Then again I look at lipos from an RC aircraft perspective where nobody seems to use Venom packs in high performance models. Turnigy packs are commonly used and respected in that area.

I don't think the Turnigy packs are ROAR approved if you need them for racing.

[civilguy]

The Venoms are hard case packs and may not have the output ratings of other packs but they are decent for the money, and a lot safer than the soft packs imho. I've seen the flames at the tracks when one cell gets pinched by a velcro strap or slammed by another buggy. It's pretty to watch as long as it's not your $500+ investment going up in flames.
I've been using Reedy and Trinity packs with no issues for 2 years now. If you're into offroad, hard cased packs are the way to go.

[Konich]

Venom have came a long way. I've used Orion, Racer's Edge, Max Amps, IPC, etc. and like the Venoms. They seem to stay in balance better than others. I don't know if it matters but only 2 companies produce lipo batteries that supply the industry but I'm guessing just like "matched" packs back in the day there are quality and not so quality lipo's out there.

I run a venom saddle in my DEX410 and a venom stick in my Cougar SV. So far my favorite race packs.

[dangermouse]

Definitely go hard case.

I've got a couple of Turnigy 5000mAh 20C hardcase packs I just recently picked up for my Brushless Lunch Box. $25 each including delivery. I've only put 4 cycles through them so far so can't comment on long term durability.

I don't know if it matters but only 2 companies produce lipo batteries that supply the industry but I'm guessing just like "matched" packs back in the day there are quality and not so quality lipo's out there.

Wouldn't surprise me if the only real differences are the stickers. Look at the following chargers:

http://www.venom-group.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=0657
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7028

[slow_jun]

IP Lipo packs seems ok,made in china but Roar Approved, hell everything now adays are made in China. hahhaha....
Had a venom Pack, great batt also...

[RETRO R/C]

Venom cells are excellent. I use their cells (and speedies etc) exclusively.

As mentioned by Konich, not many manufacturers of high end Li-Po's are out there. Venom cells are IP cells - the same as used in many of the "top" racing brands that are twice the price.

I stongly advise anyone running off road to at the very least running hard cased packs.........soft case packs in an off road vehicle in particular are an accident waiting to happen.

Cheers

Darryn

[kaiser]

i'd have a hard time giving venom my $$, i've been burned a few times by them.

plus the turnigy's i'm running have been flawless.

[Mikeyboy]

We've had a couple of bad NiHMs that we had to send back but they sent replacements out.

[tim.sanderson]

I can't speak for venom lipos, but I did use a Turnigy soft cased lipo in my onroad car all summer. (if it wasn't an outdoor track, and the fact that I can't fit a 5000mah hard cased battery into my Sprint2, I wouldn't have run the soft case) I only put about 30/40 charges on it, but it seems pretty decent to me. It's the only soft case I run. It seems compatible performance-wise to my 'legal' batteries.
I think it is this one:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9514
I'm not sure though... I didn't buy the pack, it was given to me by a race buddy. He had a pair of them to run in an 8th scale buggy, but he accidentally pierced one of them, making the other one useless to him.

[kaiser]

i run soft packs but they are in my 2wd buggy, mounted down the center and protected.

[Coelacanth]

I can't speak for any LiPos, but I've done a great deal of research on the various brands. I can say that Venom is (or at least was) high on the list of people's complaints...and that was across several forums & several buyer reviews on e-tailer websites. All I know is that there seemed to be a disproportionate number of complaints about Venom re: sub-par performance & more failures--at least enough to influence me not to buy that brand.

[Konich]

The problem with that is most people are idiots when it comes to Lipo's and blame everyone but themselves. Lipo's need to be kept in a temperature controlled environment, stored around 7.6-7.8v, and kept in balance. I only balance my batteries once a month and they are never that far out of balance. So far no fires, no puffed packs, and I get great power/runtime out of the packs I do have.