How to Tell If Traxxas Battery Is Bad? Complete Guide

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You are a passionate RC racer and you enjoy RC racing often. However, recently you see a dip in the performance of your RC.

You’re thinking that it must be the batteries at fault. But you want to be sure about the idea.

So how to tell if traxxas battery is bad?

Look for any kind of physical damage. If there is any kind of puffing, it’s time to change them. Also, battery not being able to charge or perform fully can be a sign of a problem too. Check if the battery is delivering adequate voltage and has proper internal resistance. These are the key signs.

Well, that’s the gist of a very long topic. But, you must read the details to know better. That’s why we have prepared this article for you.

So let’s get started!

How Do Traxxas Batteries Usually Perform?

Traxxas is quite a famous name in the RC racing circuit. They manufacture great RC cars which can be a fine choice.

Their cars are all electrical. They will save you from the hassle of carrying fuel all around.

But, electrical cars have their own sets of problems. The first and foremost is the battery. You need to keep it charged and also take care of it.

Traxxas batteries are LiPo batteries, which are pretty standard for RC cars. So how long do traxxas batteries last?

They must be charged for about 45-60 minutes at a time. According to lipo battery discharge rate, it gives you nearly half an hour runtime, which isn’t bad at all. Considering RC cars consume a lot of power while driving.

This is how your normal Traxxas battery should perform. But any abnormalities in the performance is unwanted. This could indicate that your battery might be failing.

There could be a lot of other signs that could tell you that your battery is going bad. If you ignore the signs, you might further damage your RC car.

So, you should check up on the battery a few often and try to spot any abnormalities as soon as possible so you can work on that.

So, you need to know about the common signs of a battery going bad. We’re going to answer exactly that here.

So let’s find out!

Signs That Tell That Your Traxxas Battery Is Bad

When you buy a new battery, it is pretty safe to assume that they are in their best shape.

But as time passes, they start to decay due to continuous charges and discharges. As a result, they do turn bad with time.

There are a few things that you can notice when your traxxas lipo battery is going bad. It’s important because it’s not ideal to run your RC car with bad batteries.

So, here are a few things we can check to see if the battery is up to the mark or not.

1. Looking for Change In Physical Appearance 

Firstly, your battery should look fresh. If you find any signs of burn or any types of disfiguration on your battery, it raises a red flag.

The problem that usually appears is a puffed-up battery, and depuffing a lipo battery can be hard.

Can you overcharge a Traxxas battery? Of Course, you can!

Overcharging is the primary reason behind battery puffing.

There could be some kind of Traxxas battery chemistry error. Because of them, the material can fail and the battery can get puffed up.

A puffed-up battery should never be used in an RC car. It’s really dangerous for the car as it poses a potential hazard. 

Solution

You can’t salvage a damaged battery. You need to get rid of it. But you have to do it with caution.

Puffed-up batteries can explode and you can’t throw batteries wherever you want. Because, there are toxic chemicals present inside the batteries.

So, you need to carefully dispose of the batteries, ideally in bins that are labeled with toxic waste.

2. Battery Power & Capacity Reduced  

This is a very obvious one. If your battery underperforms after a full recharge, it could indicate that your battery is approaching its end days.

Traxxas batteries are pretty good when it comes to running. Giving a full charge for about 30-45 minutes will give you a run time of 40 minutes to an hour. This time can vary according to your usage.

You can consider your battery is underperforming if you notice that its performance is nearly 80 percent lower than the new condition.

Or, if your lipo battery won’t charge, it can be the cause of underperforming too.

Solution

Well, there isn’t much here that you can do. Batteries go through constant charge and discharge and their life gets shortened as well.

But before you decide to change your battery, you should properly check if it’s really underperforming, or it’s just not charged well.

Charge your batteries fully and then run till the battery gets completely drained. 

Do this 3-4 times and take notes of the charging time you’re getting in your RC. Then compare the percentage.

3. Fluctuation In Battery Voltage & Internal Resistance

The battery has a specific internal voltage. This is maintained very strictly as the internals of the RC car run on a specific voltage.

If your battery has a lesser voltage than normal, you’ll get less current delivered to your RC car. Thus, it decreases the runtime and performance.

The same goes for internal resistance because higher internal resistance means less current flow.

If your battery has some kind of damage, the internal resistance will increase. Then the current output will be lower than normal which will decrease your battery performance.

Both of these voltage and resistance fluctuation indicate that your battery might be going bad.

Solution

Measure and make sure of the problem using a mutimeter. The multimeter can give you both the voltage rating and the resistance too.

Here are some multimeters that you can check out:

Product-1 
Product-2 

Hopefully this will help you out when you’re looking for a multimeter for your use!

Place the multimeter red wire to the battery’s positive terminal and the black one to the negative end.  Then turn the multimeter knob to volt. The display will show you the internal voltage of the battery.

Match that with the label of battery and you’ll know if your battery is right.

To measure the resistance, you just need to add another resistor to the battery end and wire. Then turn the knob to ohm scale and you’ll get your resistance reading too.

Well, now you should be able to notice if your battery behaves oddly. It’s very important to check your RC car and all its components regularly. Because one fault can turn the whole thing into a brick.

FAQs

Do LiPo Batteries Make RC Faster Compared To NiMH Batteries?

Yes, LiPo batteries are much faster than NiMH batteries. Even though both are electrical cars which are faster than nitro cars anyway. But LiPo batteries pack a punch of power and make your RC go even faster. For that reason, most professional RC racers prefer LiPo batteries over Nimh.

Can You Depuff A Puffed LiPo Battery?

No, there is nothing you can do to depuff your LiPo battery. Due to imbalanced charging and discharging, your LiPo battery can get puffed. There is nothing you can do to depuff it. Though puffed batteries can be used, it is dangerous and we advise strictly to stay away from it.

Can You Use Other Company Chargers To Charge Your Traxxas Battery?

Yes, you can if you maintain the voltage limit. But it’s not advisable to do so. It’s best if you can find any other charger from the same company. But, if you have to use a different company charger, read the label and make sure it supplies the same amount of voltage as your original one.

Wrapping Up

By now you should be clear about how to tell if traxxas battery is bad. It’s always convenient to keep a few sets of new batteries with you, in case you need charging so that you can continue having fun.

Until next time, stay healthy and happy!

About the author

Travis Murray

I am Travis Murray, and my love for RC began in 2017. It gradually turned into a passion, leading me to become an RC enthusiast and blogger. I write in-depth reviews and DIY guides for RC enthusiasts to provide troubleshooting tips and insider knowledge to help starters find the hidden gems in the hobby.
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