How to tell if Traxxas battery is bad is a question many users wonder. 

To get down to the root cause of battery failure, you must analyze them thoroughly. Luckily there are some easy things you can check yourself to find out what the true issue at hand is. Take a look below for an easy list to follow so that you know how to best address this situation.

How to Tell If Traxxas Battery Is Bad? 

To get the most out of a Traxxas battery, it’s important to know how one should use them properly. 

 

The best way to do this is by making sure that users are fully aware of what they’re getting themselves into before purchasing these batteries for their projects. Here is an example of how to know if your Traxxas battery is bad.

Step 1: Check Out For Damages Caused By Physical Factors.

Physically inspecting the batteries is the simplest approach to determine when they need to be replaced. Turn off the RC, remove the battery cover, and check the interior. If you see any swelling, it’s time to get some new ones.

The outer layer of a battery swells as it sustains damage over time. This is referred to as puffing, a frequent feature of Li-Po batteries. 

However, because this swelling can swiftly lead to serious effects such as computer failure or fire, it is important to learn how to prevent it as much as possible. The same thing will happen with Traxxas batteries, which indicates that you have an issue that needs to be addressed.

If you’ve only charged your battery 50 times, a little swelling is normal. Don’t be concerned by its inflated form because it signifies nothing is amiss with the gadget because everything else functions normally. We believe this was caused by excessive pressure in the metal casings that house our cherished lithium polymer cells.

Step 2: Checking Battery Capacity

If the battery is in good condition, it should last at least 20-30 minutes before emptying. Batteries that are 80 percent drained and exhibit no evidence of malfunction are deemed worn out. If a cell in your battery pack dies, it will not provide the same power as an 80 percent complete cell in another pack. 

Make a note of the battery after the first three trials. Following that, please drive and test the battery on the fourth cycle. If your battery is charging inefficiently, you most likely have a faulty battery. 

The best remedy to this problem is to return it to the store where you purchased it as soon as possible. First, test your battery by draining it down until it’s practically dead, then charging it again and seeing how long it lasts.

Step 3: Measure Battery Voltage

If you’re worried about your Traxxas Li-Po batteries’ voltage levels, we’ve got a fast solution to double-check them! Use a multimeter and a charger for Li-Fo batteries. You should, however, never deplete a battery below 3V.

To begin, ensure that your Traxxas Multi-Function Programmer V2 has an internal Temperature Sensor (TS) OR a Room Temperature Sensor (RTS). After that, you can start charging your battery pack as usual until fully charged. Lastly, remove the battery pack from the charger but leave the balancing plug connected. 

So, if you check the sensor again and the meter reads less than 3 volts, your battery is already ruined.

Step 4: Measure Internal Resistance

Another important method for determining the condition of your batteries is internal resistance testing. We measure this by applying a known load to the battery and measuring the voltage across it. More current will flow to your ESC and motor when the IR decreases. Old, out-of-date batteries may have an excessively high IR. 

It’s worth noting that each cell in a battery pack has its unique IR value. Lower than that, a battery may begin to bulge and lose conductivity with its contact points (or it may short out).

FAQs

How Long Do Traxxas Batteries Take to Charge?

Traxxas LiPo batteries typically take 45 minutes to charge fully. The time it takes to charge your battery depends on the speed setting on your charger, and it will travel around 10-15 minutes of run time for 1 minute of charging time. 

Why Will My Traxxas Battery Not Charge?

You might have a Traxxas battery issue. The situation of Traxxas battery over discharge and short circuits are two possible causes of a Traxxas battery not charging. Some other causes of this situation are a faulty charger, loose connections, or an inside flaw. 

A smart charger is one of the devices in your toolbox that can help if you run into these problems!

How Do I Reset My Traxxas Battery?

Put the stick in the full down position and press and hold any button; the red light will blink to indicate that it is triggered.

How Long Do Traxxas Power Cells Last in Lifespan?

Traxxas Power Cells are incredible, frequently lasting 1,000 charge-discharge cycles before needing to be replaced. This is still fairly decent, considering one of the parts only lasts 500 cycles! For example, LiPo cells typically last 300-500 cycles, but NiMH variations can last 1,000 cycles!

Conclusion

How to tell if Traxxas battery is bad? To find out, first, you can test the voltage by attaching an external power source and monitoring the distance vs. time curve. 

If your battery is new but still not performing to its full potential (in other words, not reaching full capacity), you might want to check for a puncture in the casing or even replace it with a new one as soon as possible!