Proboat Sonicwake 36" w/ Turnigy Graphene 6000?

[pdegene]

Hi all! This is my first post. I've been in the hobby for over 20 years and prefer boats over any other RC vehicles.

A few months ago, I purchased a Proboat Sonicwake 36" and have been preparing it for spring. I recently bought a set of 3S Turnigy Graphene 6000 batteries. I was not paying attention to the size of these when buying, and the batteries are massive and heavy(630g per). They fit perfectly but I'm concerned that they're too heavy for the hull. I'm not sure if the boat will sit right in the water, whether the self-righting function will still work and most importantly, what will happen when the boat eventually takes flight. I'm concerned that they'll rip out and take the whole boat down.

Anyone running these? What batteries are you running? I'm thinking that I made a poor choice with this purchase and might try to return for something else.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

[fweasel]

Performance wise, they're awesome batteries, but you're correct, they are indeed massive. Strap them in and float the boat in your bath tub. See how close it it to flipping on its own with the extra weight.

[Panther6834]

Not trying to, or interested, in 'hijacking' the Ops thread, but...I just ordered (from Steve, at OSE) the SonicWake, and I'm sorta-kinda wondering similar things. For one thing, I have the same "any battery recommendations" question...but, I also have other questions (which the Op might be interested in knowing answers to, or might already have the answers).

First, and foremost, does the SonicWake handle and/or perform better when using a single pack centered along the 'V' of the hull, or when using two packs in-series? Tacked onto that (since mine is shipping today, I have no firsthand knowledge), is there even enough room to place two packs, side-by-side...and, if so, what would the maximum capacity and/or dimensions (per pack) be when planning to packs side-by-side? I'm under the impression (and, please, correct me if I'm wrong) that two packs in-series will run cooler than a single 4S, thus a major reason why I'm considering running 2x 2S.

Second, what QUALITY batteries can be recommended? I do emphasize "quality"...I have several 'wheeled' vehicles (the SonicWake is my first boat), and most of my batteries are SMC & ProTek. I also have a few Gens Ace, and a couple Reedy WolfPacks. From experience (my own, plus that of several racers at our local track, incl a few team drivers), SMC & ProTek tend to be the best for off-road race vehicles...but, for boats, I have no clue. Help is greatly appreciated.

As an 'extra' question, what 3rd-party props can be recommended for increasing speed, but still maintaining stability (giving 60-40 priority to stability). Don't know about the Op, but I know nothing about balancing/sharpening props, nor do I have the tools to do so, so I'm assuming a CNC machined prop might be best.

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[boatsrnew2me]

the boat can fit pretty large packs .i run 2-3s turnigy 60c heavy duty packs and they arent small . i can run them stacked or side by side .enough room to do both . your smc packs should be fine .
you want minimum 50c packs but the higher the c the better . this boat can swell a cheap lipo pretty quick .
on 4s you might not get on plane ,especially with the stock prop .out the gate it cavitates pretty bad until you get on plane .i worry 4s might not get you there . wont know until you try .

i run a cnc 4514. very much like the stock prop without all the cavitation .i am in low 50`s with this prop .but i stopped doing gps tests long ago .i just send it!
https://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pr...od=cnc-4514251

[Panther6834]

Hi all! This is my first post. I've been in the hobby for over 20 years and prefer boats over any other RC vehicles. I recently bought a set of 3S Turnigy Graphene 6000 batteries...the batteries are massive and heavy(630g per). I'm concerned that they're too heavy for the hull.

Anyone running these? What batteries are you running? I'm thinking that I made a poor choice with this purchase and might try to return for something else. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Not trying to 'hijack' your thread, but this could be of interest to you...and, depending on any replies to it by others, could be extremely helpful to both of us, as well as to others.

the boat can fit pretty large packs .i run 2-3s turnigy 60c heavy duty packs and they arent small . i can run them stacked or side by side .enough room to do both . your smc packs should be fine .
you want minimum 50c packs but the higher the c the better . this boat can swell a cheap lipo pretty quick .
on 4s you might not get on plane ,especially with the stock prop .out the gate it cavitates pretty bad until you get on plane .i worry 4s might not get you there . wont know until you try .

i run a cnc 4514. very much like the stock prop without all the cavitation .i am in low 50`s with this prop .but i stopped doing gps tests long ago .i just send it!
https://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pr...od=cnc-4514251

First, thanks for the prop info...GREATLY appreciated. I ordered the CNC-4514 from Steve (actually, I ordered 2...good to have a backup). As for batteries, to start, I've ordered 4 PowerHobby 2S 5200mAh 50C. From what I've read (did a fairly decent amount of research), they appear to be very highly rated. Once my next deposit makes its way into my account, I'll probably turn to SMC for 6 more batteries...although which, I am uncertain, and could use some help (this will probably also be if help to the Op, pdegene). These are the batteries I'm considering, in order of preference:

1) True Spec DV 7.4V 6500mAh 120Amps/75C wired hardcase (303gr)
2) True Spec DV 7.4V 8000mAh 110Amps/75C wired hardcase (351gr)
3) True Spec Extreme Graphene 7.4V 5200mAh 162Amps/50C Hardcase (309gr)
4) True Spec Premium V2 7.4V 5200mAh 390PF/75C (275gr)

All have the same 139mm length, and 47mm width, with the thickness varying between 24-25mm. The only real different between them (other than capacity) is that the fourth one uses 12AWG wires, while the first the use thicker 10AWG wires. Between the first two, it's a real toss-up...considering they have the same dimensions, it's a matter of capacity (8000mAh vs 6500mAh) vs weight (351gr vs 303gr). My 'concern' (which is very minimal) is whether, or not, the 351gr of the 8000mAh is more weight than the SonicWake can deal with. A pair of the 8000mAh comes in at 702gr, while the 6500mAh comes in at 606gr...thus, the 8000mAh pair weighs 96gr more than the 6500mAh pair. Suggestions? Recommendations?

As for SMC batteries, some people only look at the price, and (incorrectly) think they must be low-quality. What they're not taking into consideration is that, when purchasing from SMC, you're purchasing directly from the manufacturer (no, they don't manufacture the individual cells, but no RC battery brands manufactures the individual cells themselves), thus cutting out the "middleman". I know several off-road racers that use (and have been using) SMC, and have never had problems. I've been using them in my buggies, truggies, STs, SCTs, and USGT, for the past 16 months, and I find them to be just as good as (if not better than) Gens Ace, Venom, Spektrum, Traxxas, Reedy, etc.

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[Panther6834]

Right after posting the above post, something just popped into my mind, but I didn't want to do it as an edit...needs to be it's own post. With any given prop...for example, the stock and/or the CNC-4514 mentioned above...what would the typical runtime be in a pair of 2S 5000mAh packs? I ask this because of my next question. Using the same (again, stock and/or CNC-4514) props, what might the expected runtimes be for a pair of the above-mentioned SMC 6500mAh & 8000mAh packs? I'm a cat, after all...call me curious.

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[boatsrnew2me]

4-5 minutes tops .harder you push it the less time you will get . boats are very amp hungry . the longest run time i ever had was with my traxxas spartan ,i could get 8-10 minutes with that boat . it gets a bad rep from the fiberglass guys but the stock system was very efficient.

ps- bigger lipos is not exactly what you want in a boat unless you have a very cool running system . a 5000 mah lipo should get you 4-5 minute run times . to push it all the way to a 8000 mah lipo you really have to have a cool running system . after 4-5 minutes things are already pretty warm ,hot even depending on your system and how you have it set up.

[Panther6834]

4-5 minutes tops .harder you push it the less time you will get . boats are very amp hungry . the longest run time i ever had was with my traxxas spartan ,i could get 8-10 minutes with that boat . it gets a bad rep from the fiberglass guys but the stock system was very efficient.

ps- bigger lipos is not exactly what you want in a boat unless you have a very cool running system . a 5000 mah lipo should get you 4-5 minute run times . to push it all the way to a 8000 mah lipo you really have to have a cool running system . after 4-5 minutes things are already pretty warm ,hot even depending on your system and how you have it set up.

I'm guessing the heating matter would be related to run time - the longer it's run, the hotter the motor and ESC. Coming from land-based surface vehicles, I'm not used to that...I'm used a fan on the ESC, as well as a fan on, or blowing towards, the motor, to provide cooling. I can say my SonicWake isn't stock. The pickup has been replaced with Steve's dual pickup rudder (plus the HD flex cable) which would help keep both the motor, and ESC, running cooler. Plus, I am strongly considering replacing the Dynamite ESC with the Seaking 180A.

Currently, be one water line runs through the motor cooling, while the other runs through the ESC. Right now, the ESC water line runs in one end, out the other, and then back through on the other side. However, as I mentioned, I also have the CNC-4514 prop on the way. I'm sure that, whichever battery I go with, I'll also be adjusting the strut angle, which will take a few times to find the 'appropriate' angle. Would going with the Seaking ESC affect ESC temp (and, if so, up or down)? Eventually, I'll replace the motor with something more appropriate for running 6S, but, until then, 4S is it.

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[boatsrnew2me]

the seaking 180 only has 1 inlet and outlet ,the dynamite has 2 and it flows thru the heatsink twice(once coming in then thru a loop and back out) ,so in theory it may run cooler then the 180 . get yourself a temp gun(they are cheap ) .keep your first couple runs short ,bring it in and check the temps on motor and esc .you want them to be under 150 degrees .
if you dont have a temp gun right away ,run it for 2-3 minutes and bring it in .put your finger on the motor and esc if you cant hold it there for more then a few seconds its too hot. with the dual cooling and the cnc prop you should be fine .
but if you plan to run that large 8000 mah lipo get a temp gun and bring it in every few minutes to keep an eye on temps .boats ,unlike cars and trucks aren't made for long run times .

another thing ,running them slower doesnt exactly help keep things cooler .in theory you think it would but it needs speed to get the cooling water thru the line .

[Panther6834]

the seaking 180 only has 1 inlet and outlet ,the dynamite has 2 and it flows thru the heatsink twice(once coming in then thru a loop and back out) ,so in theory it may run cooler then the 180 . get yourself a temp gun(they are cheap ) .keep your first couple runs short ,bring it in and check the temps on motor and esc .you want them to be under 150 degrees .

boats ,unlike cars and trucks aren't made for long run times. another thing ,running them slower doesnt exactly help keep things cooler .in theory you think it would but it needs speed to get the cooling water thru the line .

I race...I have a temp gun...lol. Plus, I know running slower doesn't keep motor cooler (well, except in crawlers, but they're going super-slow). I was figuring, since I'm only running 4S, the ESC & motor wouldn't get as hot...plus, the motor is only 1900kV. Whereas the Dynamite ESC has two water tubes (which go straight though), what about the Seaking 130A-HV? Or the Seaking Pro 160A, which I believe uses a directional water channel (someone told me this, sleigh I still haven't found 'proof') running through the entire cooling block?

If not the 8000mAh, then maybe the 6500mAh?

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[pdegene]

Thanks everyone for the great replies! I decided to return the Turnigy batteries for SMC. I've purchased a couple SMC sets in the past and am always impressed with their quality. My concerns with the Turnigy batteries were purely weight based. The batteries were just awkward and needed to be stacked in the battery tray. My main concern with their weight was what could happen in a flip... I could see those trays ripping out because the batteries are so large. I didn't even bother with seeing if the self righting feature would still work with them.

I contacted SMC and had a conversation with Danny about my options. He recommended that I go with this set, which are 300g lighter than Turnigy with more capacity:

https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=67_99&product_id=570

I ordered two and a lipo alarm to go with it. I initially wanted a set that I could also run in my Rustler 4x4, but he couldn't guarantee that they'd work well in the boat without any cooling. I'm a little concerned with the fact that they don't come with a warranty, but I'm willing to try them out and always like having more C than is needed. There's little to no information about what a boat truly needs C-wise.

I'll let you guys know how they work!

[Panther6834]

Thanks everyone for the great replies! I decided to return the Turnigy batteries for SMC. I've purchased a couple SMC sets in the past and am always impressed with their quality. My concerns with the Turnigy batteries were purely weight based. The batteries were just awkward and needed to be stacked in the battery tray. My main concern with their weight was what could happen in a flip... I could see those trays ripping out because the batteries are so large. I didn't even bother with seeing if the self righting feature would still work with them.

I contacted SMC and had a conversation with Danny about my options. He recommended that I go with this set, which are 300g lighter than Turnigy with more capacity:

https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=67_99&product_id=570

I ordered two and a lipo alarm to go with it. I initially wanted a set that I could also run in my Rustler 4x4, but he couldn't guarantee that they'd work well in the boat without any cooling. I'm a little concerned with the fact that they don't come with a warranty, but I'm willing to try them out and always like having more C than is needed. There's little to no information about what a boat truly needs C-wise.

I'll let you guys know how they work!

The funny thing is, I've also been in contact with SMC, about batteries for the same boat, and several days ago, Danny recommended the same battery to me. As I'm about to head to Vegas for another 2-3 well visit with family, I'm holding off ordering them until after I return. Hopefully, you'll receive them while I'm away, and can test them & post your results.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place [emoji1690]

[travisbelldds@gmail.com]

Sonicwake Temp reduction options

New to RC boats.

I would like to decrease the temperature of the electronics for longer runs and more frequent runs. What decrease should I expect with Product ID ose-83359
Dual Pickup Rudder Blade for the ProBoat Sonic Wake 36?

Is there another method to reduce the heat which may be more efficient?

[pdegene]

New to RC boats.

I would like to decrease the temperature of the electronics for longer runs and more frequent runs. What decrease should I expect with Product ID ose-83359
Dual Pickup Rudder Blade for the ProBoat Sonic Wake 36?

Is there another method to reduce the heat which may be more efficient?

I went with the same system, but haven't run the boat yet. It was on the list of upgrades that I purchased along with the boat. I think the dual pickup rudder setup will be good for routing one line through the ESC and the other through the motor. You could go one step further and add an additional pickup and route two different lines trough the ESC, but I highly doubt that's necessary. I bought additional tubing because I wanted everything to be the same.

[Panther6834]

New to RC boats.

I would like to decrease the temperature of the electronics for longer runs and more frequent runs. What decrease should I expect with Product ID ose-83359
Dual Pickup Rudder Blade for the ProBoat Sonic Wake 36?

Is there another method to reduce the heat which may be more efficient?

I bought mine from Steve, with the OSE upgrades (dual-pickup rudder & HD flex cable) pre-installed. I haven't actually checked temps with a temp gun, but I also haven't needed to...even with the larger 45mm diameter prop I'm currently running. Granted, I'm still only running 4S, but, I can easily place fingers on the ESC & motor for as long as I want. As for the battery, they're a bit on the 'hot' side, but I can still place fingers in them for 10+ seconds before it's too much. I have a studying feeling that, once I replaced the EC5 connectors with the 6mm OSE-qs6 connectors, that would eliminate any temperature problem with the batteries.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place [emoji1690]