What energy does a remote control car use?
What energy does a remote control car use?Remote control cars can either be powered by electricity or gasoline (these are called nitro).Electric cars are more common and use a rechargeable battery for power. They require the least maintenance and are good for all ages and home use.
Can I Use the Same Gas in My RC Car as I Use in My Regular Car?
If you’re just getting into flying non-electric radio-controlled (RC) vehicles, you might wonder if you can use the same gasoline you use in your regular automobile to power your mini car.
The answer? It depends.
Types of non-Electric RC Vehicles
The most common non-electric radio-controlled vehicles have what’s called glow or nitro engines. The word “glow” refers to the special type of plug that ignites a nitro engine. There are also some RCs that use gas-powered engines with a spark plug, which operate much like regular gas-powered automobiles. These two non-electric RCs do not use the same kind of fuel.
Does it Glow? Use Nitro
Before you fuel up, you need to know what kind of engine your RC vehicle has. If you bought a vehicle from a hobby shop that is a 1:8, 1:10, 1:12, or 1:18 scale model, there’s a good chance that it has a glow engine that uses nitro fuel, not gasoline. Even if, as is often the case, it is referred to as a “gas” RC, it likely is not. If in doubt, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions or talk to your local hobby shop personnel or local RC club members.
Not All Nitro Fuel is the Same
Nitro fuel is made of methanol, nitromethane, and oil, and it is readily available by the can or bottle in hobby shops. But the percentage of nitromethane in the fuel will differ, from between about 10 percent to 40 percent (20 percent is typical), depending on the type of vehicle you have. Check the manual that came with your purchase to see what percentage the manufacturer recommends.
Castor oil or synthetic oil is added to the fuel to provide lubrication and cooling. The type and amount of oil in the nitro fuel is what determines whether it is better suited to RC cars and trucks or RC aircraft.
No Glow? Use Gas
True gas-powered RCs are usually 1:5 in scale or larger, have spark plugs instead of glow plugs, and run on gasoline mixed with motor oil, just like a regular automobile. You can also buy RC vehicles that are diesel-powered or ones that feature high-end jet-turbine engines. These are specialty radio-controlled models, often built from scratch, and not the kind most often sold in hobby shops. If you have a true gas-powered RC you probably have been in the RC hobby for a while and know what kind of fuel to use.
How to drive an RC car
RC cars are controlled by handheld transmitters. Nowadays, almost every model favors a pistol-grip radio control. With these, your throttle is a trigger mechanism. You turn the car with a wheel dial above the handle. Stick transmitters are still out there, too. These old-school controllers use two joysticks that you manipulate with your thumbs to modulate speed and direction.
What to look for in a quality fast RC car
Power source
Remote control cars can either be powered by electricity or gasoline (these are called nitro). Electric cars are more common and use a rechargeable battery for power. They require the least maintenance and are good for all ages and home use.
Nitro cars use fuel. These sound awesome but can be smelly. Fuel allows you to run for much longer without waiting on a charger. Nitro cars, however, require intensive care to preserve the motor and cost more initially.
Electric motors
Brushed:
These motors are the cheapest and most durable against rugged terrain. They have conductive brushes that work to power the car. Due to this friction-based design, brushed motors are a little less efficient and the components can wear down, requiring replacement after intensive use.
Brushless:
As the name suggests, these motors don’t use brushes for power. Instead, they distribute power through external components using a rotor, coils and an electronic drive. Because of this configuration, they don’t require eventual replacement like a brushed motor and let your car go much faster. Look for a brushless motor if you’re trying to go fast, just be ready to pay more.
KV and turns
KV stands for kilovolts. This number measures your car’s power output. The higher the number (in the thousands), the higher the rpm and thus the higher the horsepower.
“T” stands for turns, which is a mechanical measurement of how the motor is constructed. Think of “t” like torque. A low “t” (2-4.5t) means your car will have more top-end power. A high “t” limits rpm but helps with offroading (8.5-21.5) and overpowering tough surfaces.
Battery
Your battery is everything when it comes to speed. You’ll want to optimize this component when you purchase your fast RC car. There are two kinds of batteries:
Ni-Mh:
Ni-Mh are made from nickel and are the safer, more affordable option. These are more efficient but don’t put down as much power.
LiPo:
LiPo are advanced lithium batteries. They retain their charge when not in use, unlike Ni-Mh batteries. They’re much more powerful and efficient but can be dangerous if handled incorrectly.
How much you can expect to spend on a fast RC car
Speed can get expensive, and a quality record-setter is going to set you back a couple hundred. Expect any RC car that exceeds 50 miles per hour to start at $400 and go up from there.