What is your Corally RC LiPo of choice - Updated 2025

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Jeffwazz said:
Ah yes, Turnigy, Zippy and Rhino LiPos from Hobbyking were brilliant 10 or so years ago. I did look at buying more from HK, but the shipping costs into the UK were just to expensive.
Nowadays it's Amazon - same day/next day free delivery is very hard to beat.
Zeeee 5200mAh 80c (twin 2s) are great value, and I've also got Yooowooo 5000mAh 4s 100c Graphene which is also holding up well and staying balanced. I tend to buy them when they're on offer/have vouchers, so it's normally less than 40 quid.
I get whichever are the best capacity/C rating/price, and switch connectors to XT90. Yes soldering 10awg isn't fun, but certainly easier onto XT90 than a Deans.View attachment 3834
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Yes to all your points.. Turnigy were darned good for the price 10 years ago. The Zeees were a steal about 3 years ago. Once they started getting popular, the prices went up. Name of the game I guess..still good, just not the steal of a deal they were. I picked a pair of 3s Sypom 5500mah 80c for $37!! Now, 1 of them is like $40.. been great though. Socokin too.
 
Interesting thread! I envy you guys that can just hop on amazon and get your batteries like 3 days later. Getting batteries out here can be tricky, unfortunately.

Right now I have a mix of batteries. I have SMC TrueSpec 4S, Liperior 4S, 3S, 2S HV, Fantom 2S, NHX 3S and CNHL 3S HV. Previously it was just NHX and Fantom.

SMC - not bad, seems to be able to keep up amp draw, but sometimes can get a little warm. I'm not sure if it's the motor that isn't playing nice, but my gearing isn't anything ridiculous; 13T on a 2050KV motor, 15T on a 1570KV. That's with the stock 52T spur on a Shogun.

Liperior - fairly new acquisition, but the punch seems to be better than NHX and similar to the CNHL HV. I like how the 5000mAh hard pack is LCG. Be forewarned, though: the 5000mAh hardpacks are long. They are an exact fit for the truggy battery box. They're too long for the Python battery box and my EB48.3 box needed to be modded.

Fantom - fairly good batteries. Expensive, but they absolutely rocked in my touring cars. I run my 2S packs in series; punch is good but sometimes they can get warm. They are also fairly used (going on 2 years, 2 of them are almost 3 years old), but they're still holding up.

NHX - good batteries for the price range. They don't have the most punch, the C ratings (of course) arent 100% accurate, but they're a good mid-range battery. Coincidentally, my 3S 5200mAh hardcase batteries are the grandfather of the bunch at 3 years old. I just checked the IR last month: 2.0 for two cells, 2.1 for the third. Color me impressed.

CNHL - got the 3S HV 6000mAh on a trade for some NHX batteries. They seem ok for punch, but I don't like how they're already a little puffed at less than 6 months of life. I got them puffed, BTW...they didn't puff up on me. I'll see how the Liperior line compares against them as I use the Liperior batteries more and make a choice about phasing them (CNHL) out or not.
 
I have nothing to compare them to but the corally ones are great imho.

They seem to be lower end from pure stats but still great.

5400mAh, 50c, Sport Racing, 4S.
Runs great with my Asuga.

When driving fast with few downtime they last about 20 minutes. Average driving, few jumps and drifting and they last over 30. Seems pretty okay to me.
 
I think quite a few lipo battery claims are a touch.....exaggerated.
For me, the good batteries are those which I can run until LVC, then on charge will take around the rated capacity to fill. Bonus if they balance on the charger in just over an hour.

Currently liking my HobbyKing Rapid 5500mAh, 140c (🤔), and did I mention they were cheap?
 
Jeffwazz said:
I think quite a few lipo battery claims are a touch.....exaggerated.
For me, the good batteries are those which I can run until LVC, then on charge will take around the rated capacity to fill. Bonus if they balance on the charger in just over an hour.

Currently liking my HobbyKing Rapid 5500mAh, 140c (🤔), and did I mention they were cheap?
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I was torn between those and CNHL's, I bought the CNHL G+, which Turnigy also has. The CNHL were cheaper, free shipping, no tax. I couldn't find much of any reviews on the Turnigy Rapids though.
 
The Turning rapids were about £25, shipping from the UK warehouse back before Xmas. One pair arrived, the other pair are still MIA with royal mail, and HK customer service is piss-poor, so my lovely credit card people got me a refund for those.

Still worth a look if there's an offer on.
 
Jeffwazz said:
The Turning rapids were about £25, shipping from the UK warehouse back before Xmas. One pair arrived, the other pair are still MIA with royal mail, and HK customer service is piss-poor, so my lovely credit card people got me a refund for those.

Still worth a look if there's an offer on.
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Yeah, glad to hear the batteries are good, sorry bout the crappy service.
I might still give the Rapids a try. The 4s 8200' are $68 each here in the US, free shipping I believe. The CNHL G+ came in under $100 for 2 6000mah 4s. Couldn't resist..then when they came I started second guessing, how am I going to fit these?🤔 Standing on their sides, only way without modding the trays.. as long as I don't go huge air they should be fine.😬🤞🤣
 
Jeffwazz said:
I think quite a few lipo battery claims are a touch.....exaggerated.
For me, the good batteries are those which I can run until LVC, then on charge will take around the rated capacity to fill. Bonus if they balance on the charger in just over an hour.

Currently liking my HobbyKing Rapid 5500mAh, 140c (🤔), and did I mention they were cheap?
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Got those 2. Really nice. Now trying some chnl 3s softcase for 6s use in my Asuga.
 
The thing often overlooked with lipo packs is the actual build quality. I had a pair of 4s packs fail when the +ve tab detached from the cell. Both fractured at the crimp, so it was impossible to re-connect as a 4s 😫
Both were (very carefully) converted into 3s soft packs, wrapped, and now power the Punisher to ridiculous 6s speeds!
Youme power 6500 (although 6200 printed on the actual cells) and they were really cheap on Amazon, so I wasn't too upset.

KnowAir said:
.......... as long as I don't go huge air they should be fine.😬🤞🤣
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Isn't huge air part of the fun????
And sticky velcro in the tray and on the batteries helps stop unexpected battery ejections!
 
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I am pretty set on SMC racing packs, have so many from 3-6s with standard and HiVolt packs. I have installed a non slip rubber pad in the bottom of the tray along with upgraded straps on both my TC’s.
 
Onyx Graphite 6S packs. Punchy and good for speed runs and not expensive here in the UK. I also have a Gens ♠️ 4500 which I have to say has lasted well and is nice and light.

For drones, I have CHNL in 4S and 6S and they are great. Tattu batteries which are more expensive have also been great in 4S and 6S.
 
Horatio said:
Onyx Graphite 6S packs. Punchy and good for speed runs and not expensive here in the UK. I also have a Gens ♠️ 4500 which I have to say has lasted well and is nice and light.

For drones, I have CHNL in 4S and 6S and they are great. Tattu batteries which are more expensive have also been great in 4S and 6S.
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I do have some CNHL there great and my go to behind SMC packs
 
Lately I've been thinking about buying some Molicel 4500mah 21700 cells and assembling a couple 6S or 8S packs to try out. There is a thread on Helifreak about this:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=960275

It's gotten to the point that li-ion has reached comparable current draw performance with lipo. The advantage is that li-ion has more mah vs it's volume, they last for far more cycles, they aren't ruined by leaving them charged for long periods of time and they are far less physicly delicate. The disadvantage has been that they shouldn't be charged faster than 1C and (untill recently) lower maximum current.

It should also be noted that unlike the situation with hobby lipos li-ion cells from reputable manufacterers have real no horsesh**t current capacity data provided by the manufacterer's datasheets.
 
Atomic Skull said:
Lately I've been thinking about buying some Molicel 4500mah 21700 cells and assembling a couple 6S or 8S packs to try out. There is a thread on Helifreak about this:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=960275

It's gotten to the point that li-ion has reached comparable current draw performance with lipo. The advantage is that li-ion has more mah vs it's volume, they last for far more cycles, they aren't ruined by leaving them charged for long periods of time and they are far less physicly delicate. The disadvantage has been that they shouldn't be charged faster than 1C and (untill recently) lower maximum current.

It should also be noted that unlike the situation with hobby lipos li-ion cells from reputable manufacterers have real no horsesh**t current capacity data provided by the manufacterer's datasheets.
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I’ve watched some of those videos have also seen them done in RC jets with success
 
Atomic Skull said:
Lately I've been thinking about buying some Molicel 4500mah 21700 cells and assembling a couple 6S or 8S packs to try out. There is a thread on Helifreak about this:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=960275

It's gotten to the point that li-ion has reached comparable current draw performance with lipo. The advantage is that li-ion has more mah vs it's volume, they last for far more cycles, they aren't ruined by leaving them charged for long periods of time and they are far less physicly delicate. The disadvantage has been that they shouldn't be charged faster than 1C and (untill recently) lower maximum current.

It should also be noted that unlike the situation with hobby lipos li-ion cells from reputable manufacterers have real no horsesh**t current capacity data provided by the manufacterer's datasheets.
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Li-ion has More MaH for it's volume, but not more MaH for it's weight I believe. Li-ion has to be encased in a metal enclosure, Lipo can be encased in a polymer pouch. Which makes it able to fit in more spaces (e.g. phones) and gives it a better MaH to weight ration. I might be wrong about that though, and it only has a better weight to max current ratio. Either way, I do think current li-ion is usable in (certain) RC cars, and it definitely has nice benefits.
 
Yeah, it's all about weight at the end of the day. Lithium Ion has greater power density but as has been pointed out - Lithium Polymer are lighter batteries thus more suited to anything that flies.

Lithium Polymer also has higher peak discharge capability, so for intensive bursts of power and peak performance, lipos are better.

For duration, stability, longevity - Li-ion are better.

Long distance drones - Li-ion

RC racing - Li-po
 
Let's not forget Li-fe batteries as well. They're not that common, but are still marketed I believe. They are generally considered safer and more stable, but they are not as powerful.

Edit: More energy dense than NiMh - these could make for better receiver packs.

Many people using regulated lipos for radio gear, where as Li-fe likely don't require regulating in most applications.
 
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Horatio said:
Let's not forget Li-fe batteries as well. They're not that common, but are still marketed I believe. They are generally considered safer and more stable, but they are not as powerful.

Edit: More energy dense than NiMh - these could make for better receiver packs.

Many people using regulated lipos for radio gear, where as Li-fe likely don't require regulating in most applications.
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HV servos exist so that you can power your radio gear with an unregulated 2S lipo or li-ion.

Read the thread on Helifreak they were talking about using 4500 mah 14S li-ion packs built with Molicel 4500mah 21700 cells in 700 size helis, he said they weigh less than a 5000 mah lipo pack and could keep up with hard 3D without sagging.

This is what "hard 3D" looks like:


Keep in mind that helis like this use 200A~300A HV ESCs and 5000W ~ 8000W outrunner motors and are swinging a 1.5M rotor at 2000RPM~2400RPM (plus the 9000rpm-ish tail rotor that takes about 20%~25% of the total power output) TLDR these are very high energy machines not like multirotor drones at all. A 5000mah battery pack might last 3 minutes if you are flying it hard.
 
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I’ve watched them purchase the 1cell then make them into 3-4 etc. think batteries have made huge improvements over the last 3-4 years. Like SMC with there hivolt packs to a few others now making them ( more expensive) what’s coming next hopefully will make at least EDF Jet flight times increase even more. My best times are on my 90mm Raptor with a huge 93/8200 SMV HIGH volt pack that gets me 8-10min flights but you can feel the extra bulk. I usually stay with 2 59/4200 or the 49/4100 hi volt packs for 4-6 min flights and I do a lot of high speed acrobatics
 
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