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BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:16 AM
...After a few months of underground testing and meetings behind closed doors UNITED RC released the X52s 10 cell battery pack...

...PRODUCT LINK... (http://unitedrc.com/store/product.asp?BrandId=7&ID=220)

...10 GP 1100 cells, EACH rated at 1.2 volts, formed together to make a SINGLE battery pack with a WHOPPING 12 volts of pure unadulterated action :cool: UNITED RC was kind enough to get me a pack for review...And review it i did...

...SHIPPING...10 out of 10...
...URC sent off the pack in a $5 international envelope...It was double bubble wrapped, VERY safe, and the wires were tucked away so they didnt flop around...There were some sexy funky stickers in there too...URC has recently changed their printing method and the stickers look much better for it...Shipping speed was as usual; EXCELLENT...The BIG surprise was pulling the battery out, fitting it, and THEN getting a 25-30 minute run out of it...now THATS a charged pack ;)

BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:17 AM
...CONSTRUCTION...9 out of 10...

...The symbolic double black wrap that URC was up to standard with no real sharp spots or bits that looked like they messed up...A very professional looking pack...16 gauge wire all around and came with my requested Deans Ultra...Soldering and wrapping on the plug was top-notch...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/x52s_pack_400.jpg

...It took me a FEW minutes to work out that the wires went towards the FRONT of the car and not the rear like a regular pack...No biggie...But in my rush to plug and play i caught the wire on a revolving back wheel and pulled it out slightly exposing some internal wire...This was USER-ERROR...but now you know the wires go FORWARD ;)

...You can also see that the plus minus wires leading to the deans plug go OUT slightly before coming back in...I personally would PREFER that they were straight or even angled in...

...CAUTION!! You MUST use your gear cover with this pack; ESPECIALLY if you are brushless...And be careful when you fit your lid NOT to push the wires into the gears...Its no biggie but BE CAREFUL!!

...The BIGGEST minus point with this unit is that it takes a charger with 10 cell ABILITY to charge it...But I used the X52s, it wound down, and now i KNOW i want a 10 cell capable charger just so that i can do it all over again...Its just TOO much fun :cool:

BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:22 AM
...FIT...8 out of 10...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/095.jpg

...10 cells is a BIG ask for the H8 battery bays...It gets pretty tight in there...I reverted BACK to using the battery covers to kkep everything in its place...There isnt much FORWARD movement; again USE your gear cover, but they did move back quite alot...and when they DO move back they will push out the body JUST where the rear wheels hit it...Now you cant tell that when you are stationery but when you have movement and the added BALLOONING of the rear wheels then they WILL hit, causing the rear wheels to slow and hence making the front wheels go flat out...This battery is NOT to be taken lightly :eek:

...I fixed the problem with a small layer of velcro UNDER the battery and some pressure providing foam under the battery covers...But the pushed body WITh the ballooning tires IS an issue...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/096.jpg

BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:32 AM
...PERFORMANCE...11 out of 10...but with a twist...

...With the pack installed my 'pretty light anyway' H8 hit the scales at 915-920 grams...It was weighty...But the power overcame that...No worries there...in fact it wasnt even noticeable at speed...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/099.jpg

...As the pack came charged and RTR then thats just what i did...With a heat-sinked AON 4900 and a heat-sinked MAMBA 25 ESC I got heats that i have had before with 6 or 8 cells...I maxxed out the ESC to 65 degrees celcius and got the AON averaging 55-65 over the length of the pack...The runs were on and off, back and forth...The heat was there but still very doable...NOTHING like the nasty heats of my X-Speed...I could imagine the pack getting warmer after a 10 minute blast around a track...Caution would be advised...

...The speeds i got to were insane...Every little bump which i had NEVER cared about before was now a wicked launch ramp waiting to toss my cookies...And toss they did...A funky forward flip off a dirt mound that threw me LID first against a concrete wall...Landed wheels up and drove away...Just shows that our car is He-Man strong but you WILL get flight in all sorts of places with this unit...I also hit the 1:1 tire rut sideways and got a little wakeboard action against the OTHER brick wall...Pulled a bit of a smith grind and drove away but i realised that this battery WANTS to be free on the plains...It WANTS to stampede through the open spaces and not be confined by ANYTHING...

BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:44 AM
...PERFORMANCE continued...The DARK SIDE>>>

...The X52s is a beast...It will search for your weakest point and exploit it...It will BALLOON stock rims to the point that they look like they might BURST...The X52s seperated some of my stock tires from the rims...It took my cracked front rims, (rears were uncracked) and threw them around like rag dollies in a wind turbine...

...The X52s MUST be used with a tight-meshed gear-train...My HPI Micro 12t pinion was slghtly off, (by the recommended 'piece-of-paper' measurement no less!) at the start but it was not being friendly with my ATOMIC alloy slipper...it was shreding everything in site and we had a little gold dust party!!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/087.jpg

...So i moved in it...tightened it and all was well again...

...My diffs were stock center in a 3RACING hub and ATOMIC front and rear done up REALLY tightly, i couldnt turn them by hand when they were out of the cases but this setting was PERFECT for the X52s...I DO NOT advise running this battery with stock diffs...You can try but the potential for damage is BIG!! But the pay-offs of the X52s are Oh So Sweet !!

...Damage list at the end of one pack...Lost antenna cap due to high speed back slide on chunky asphalt, shredded stock fronts; from the rears hitting and the fronts doing extra work anda few seperated edges of rim and tire :) And thats it...Thank Buddha this battery was in the MinFerno and NOT in a lesser platform...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/094.jpg

BitHed
10-04-2005, 08:51 AM
...CLOSING STATEMENT...

...The X52s gets 9 out of 10 TOTAL...This battery is magic...but it gets nine because of the POSSIBILTY of the damage it COULD cause if your car isnt set-up for Hard Core Rock'n'Roll!!

...This battery has been designed for the MiniInferno...If your car is stock form its probably not your best choice and may cause you headaches...If your diffs are strong, your wheels are 1:10 on heavy-duty axles and shafts, and everything functions as it should then this battery will make you pee your pants with delight...Its just THAT good...But if your car is a bit under the weather then this battery will be like giving it heroin to fix a headcold...


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bithed/090.jpg

...It works a treat...I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it...You will love it and your buddies will lose their mnds when this shows up at the track...Its a sleeper for sure...But it needs to be treated with caution...Dont goof off with the X52s because it will punish you...But look after it AND your car and you will finally see the REAL halfEIGHT Mini Inferno we have all been waiting for...

UNITED_RC
10-04-2005, 01:38 PM
Bit,

Thank you for the "fair and balanced" review!

Like you said...this pack is NOT for everyone, nor for every Half-8. But, for those who want the ULTIMATE SPEED and POWER, the X52s pack gives it and asks for more!!!!

URC

BLACKHAWK444
10-04-2005, 07:38 PM
Good review. One question...Where did you get those shock socks?