Advice on my projected buy

[ThunderCactus]

LiPo IS an upgrade, because no AEG comes stock set up to run them lol
At the very minimum you need a fuse, and most "LiPo ready" AEG's don't even have that
And what's the point in running a superior battery if you're not going to upgrade the analog trigger switch to a mosfet switch?
Running LiPo without MOSFET is like running an incandescent light bulb with a hydrogen fuel cell lol
An 8.4v NiMH mini with MOSFET will perform just as well and just as long as a 7.4v LiPo without

I'm all for running LiPo's, but it's my opinion that you should get the most out of your electrical system before upgrading the power source.

It also makes more sense economically if you already have NiMH batteries/charger, you upgrade to MOSFET first to see if that solves your issues, THEN go to LiPo if you need mroe energy density.

Plus there's the whole safety deal. LiPo's are pretty safe as long as you're fairly intelligent. But they can burst into flames. The main difference between NiMH and LiPo bursting into flames, is both can go up in your gun, but LiPo's will spew a lot more fire than NiMH if they go up during charging.

[MaciekA]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

LiPo IS an upgrade, because no AEG comes stock set up to run them lol

I hope we can agree to disagree. I will continue to respect your usually great posts and opinions, even though I think this one was somewhat off the mark. Try to resist picking on my posts with hyperbole if you can manage to -- I'm not trying to be a troll or to put people in danger of explosion and such. My angle is usually to try to dispel such crazy notions in the first place.

The truth is LiPo batteries are a powerful, cost-effective solution, and safe. There's no reason to erect an artificial linear step-ladder of skill-progression from NiMH to LiPos, as if to suggest it's any more challenging to manage LiPos. It's not. They're better and no more "senior" than NiMHs are "junior".

They're price competitive, space efficient (which is key for this thread if you don't want to use a PEQ box), very easy to charge and can be monitored with extremely cheap ($2-3) electronic meters you can take with you to the game. They provide great bang for buck and at 7.4V are absolutely fine on trigger contacts unless you have done something wrong and overtaxed your motor.

As an aside to all of this, nobody can any longer convince me that there's anything magical or mystical about any of the aspects of an AEG, especially after having opened up so many gearboxes and rebuilt them dozens of times each. Many folks on this forum enjoy spreading such ideas, or clinging to well-intentioned but ultimately misguided beliefs. The more we encourage memes about exploding batteries or the idea that gearboxes are paper-delicate clockworks that will careen off-alignment with the slightest touch, the fewer enlightened people we'll have on this forum, and the more we'll see eye-rolling cynical posts telling frightened noobs to go read the FAQ or run to a gun doctor, etc etc.

I'd rather elevate the discussion and move past the wive's tale stage of our intellectual development as AEG nerds, thanks.

[kalnaren]

I wouldn't run a lipo without some type of protection circuit in it, just to avoid over-discharging.

[ThunderCactus]

I can absolutely agree that LiPo's are far superior to NiMH in every way, but even you have to agree some people just should not be trusted with them lol

My argument is simply that if someone is already set up to run NiMH, the first step would be to upgrade their wiring and install a MOSFET before making the jump to LiPo.
It costs you about $40 to rewire a gun and install a MOSFET and then you're getting the max out of your batteries. But if you don't have a LiPo charger, it costs about $140 for a charger, MOSFET, PCB and fuse to safely run LiPo.
So you'll save $100 if your happy with the performance you get from your current NiMH batteries on the MOSFET, and if not, there's nothing stopping you from finishing the conversion to LiPo.

But if you already have LiPo from RC cars or just want to start out with LiPo, there's no problem as long as you run them safely.
It's a pet peeve of mine to see someone with a stock ARES or something running a buffer tube 3S LiPo with no circuit protection, just because some site said it was "LiPo ready". You get a short in that gun, and that buffer tube becomes a flamethrower

[kalnaren]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

I can absolutely agree that LiPo's are far superior to NiMH in every way, but even you have to agree some people just should not be trusted with them lol

Yup.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

Watch the crazyncman review, it's the only battery that will comfortably fit in the handguard.

In a ICS 552.

OP is talking about a 551.

[Kozzie]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

Only a couple years ago, this gun sold for the mid-300s in the USA and was held in high regard in terms of quality. The upper receiver is steel. You're getting a fairly nice version 3 gearbox that will be a bit more immune to the stresses of cold weather than version 2 gearboxes in all the M4s out there.

I've been thinking of picking one of these up myself, due to the price and the general uniqueness of this gun. My point of view, formed from my own thoughts about getting this rifle:

- Start researching smaller 7.4V LiPo batteries that can easily be fit in the handguard.
- Start looking into what extra mags will cost you, since these are going to be fairly unique mags.
- Find out if the 551 mags will fit into any standard pouches out there, like M4 pouches, or maybe look into TACO mag pouches (these often fit oddball bigger-than-M4 mags but can be adapted to fit M4 mags easily as well).
- Consider and figure out how to mount optics on the top of the gun. I understand there is a rail that can be found for the top of this rifle, but it doesn't come with the rifle.

Obviously, the usual advice applies. Throw the charger out and get yourself a smart charger (if you follow my advice about LiPos this will be something you'd have to do anyway).

Other than that, yeah, at that price point, this is a really tempting buy!

Top rail for Sig

The MAG brand mags and included ICS highcap will fit into M4 size pouches the trouble with them though is the same as with G36 mags. The interlocking tabs on the side get snagged on straps and the like. I've always considered locking them together in two's and cutting off the remaining tabs. I have TACOs, they work just fine in them and seem to snag less than closed top mag pouches because there are no straps inside.

Originally Posted by Styrak

In a ICS 552.

OP is talking about a 551.

See post # 8

[MaciekA]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

I can absolutely agree that LiPo's are far superior to NiMH in every way, but even you have to agree some people just should not be trusted with them lol

I couldn't read this line without chuckling a little, so maybe I agree a little

One good point you bring up is that maybe we should be drawing a harsh distinction (for noobs) between 2 cell and 3 cell configurations.

[THe_Silencer]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

The truth is LiPo batteries are a powerful, cost-effective solution, and safe. There's no reason to erect an artificial linear step-ladder of skill-progression from NiMH to LiPos, as if to suggest it's any more challenging to manage LiPos. It's not. They're better and no more "senior" than NiMHs are "junior".

Bingo. I run lipos exclusively and use NiMH as backups. I certainly don't pamper them and they show no signs of spontaneous combustion. They're also very inexpensive if you buy the RC brands. But like everyone said, get a MOSFET, regardless of what battery you're running, it'll protect your contacts. Personally, if anyone abuses a lipo to the point of it catching on fire, they shouldn't be anywhere near batteries in the first place!

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

Watch the crazyncman review, it's the only battery that will comfortably fit in the handguard.

In a ICS 552.

OP is talking about a 551.

Originally Posted by Kozzie

See post # 8

Yeah you were responding to the OP who wanted a 551.

ThunderCactus and everyone else, if it's an ICS 552 then the only thing that will fit in the handguard is a small lipo. No space for even a mini pack.

Originally Posted by MaciekA

One good point you bring up is that maybe we should be drawing a harsh distinction (for noobs) between 2 cell and 3 cell configurations.

And discharge rate! A 15C lipo is not the same as a 40C lipo!

[ThunderCactus]

More discharge rate is always better, but as long as you're above your current draw the LiPo won't explode lol