Orion Saddles

[av4625]

Hi my orion saddles look like they have swollen a little is it safe enough to keep them in a tin box?

[Welshy40]

Sorry to say this orions batteries are crap quality so would advise binning them and buy venom or hpi, anythings better.

[njc11]

Wow! That's a bold statement! :o

I've had 2 pairs of these lipos for well over 12 months and they have been as good as the rest...

We sell these by the bucket load at JE Models along with HPI, reedy, thunder power etc and are definitely the most popular and always hear good feedback about them.
:thumbsup:

[David Church]

My Orion cells have been spot on for well over 12 months.

All Lipo's should be stored in some sort of container!

[discothesnake]

I have had three sets for well over a year and only now is one set starting to swell. I hear lots of people slating Orion cells but to have them as long as I have, I'm well chuffed!

Dave

[RudeTony]

Sorry to say this orions batteries are crap quality so would advise binning them and buy venom or hpi, anythings better.

In my opinion, Orion are the best in the world and since Ryan is the current World Champion, i suppose they are!
You must be doing something wrong, although you haven't actually said what is wrong with yours.
I have saddles that did the Euros and the Worlds and are 2 years old and I still use them now.

Assuming from the first post.......

Many people balance all the time and that is not necessary.
Also many under charge on the amps and all that does is pump in more mhs that also is not needed.

5500mah = 5,5amps as an example

[dpackster1980]

They seem fine to me, however my 10 month old HPI cells have a lot more punch. Orion make their own cells and test them before dispatch some others don't so it's something to bare in mind if you go down the cheapo option.

I was going to get more HPI cells but I got a cracking price on the Orions. Once these are pass their best I'll probably go down the HPI route again though. Apparently there's only 5c difference (HPI are 95 but Orion are 90) the porformance gap seems very large in fact too large whether its because they are new I don't know.

I remember when Orion were very naughty a long time ago, they exaggerated some figures on cells. I hope its not the same case again.

[Dudders]

Sorry to say this orions batteries are crap quality so would advise binning them and buy venom or hpi, anythings better.

You talk alot of bollocks most of the time but this statement is your best yet! You'll need a bigger waste bin for your sweeping statements.

[Welshy40]

I have four Venom 4400 30C cells which I bought for the first Petit in the UK and haven’t had any issues with them and they still have loads of punch and charge at 4.4 with a balancer, yet I bought two Orion 90C 5500 which I charge at 5.5 with a balancer and one month after buying them both failed and were sent back to the shop I bought them from, they forwarded onto Kyosho who only replaced one, so the shop gave me another pack and they then fought it out with Kyosho, who didn’t make it easy. I also attached the battery wires in both packs but on return they didn’t put the wires in so also not very professional.

Now five or six months on in the same year and one pack failed on Friday and even though the battery shows it had power there was zero when using it in a race, Dave Belsten couldn’t work it out either but I put in a venom pack in and power for the full race with zero issues, so just shows how good Orion are.

Just because someone won a worlds means nothing at all as he has about twenty packs and just replaces the faulty ones without issue and is not advertised either, unlike us who pay for them and expect what we buy is a quality product, which in this case is not.

I as most people know am a Kyosho nut and swear by them but am now having second thoughts about this especially with the quality of their products plus the way this has been handled. No disrespect to you Tony as you are a good person for the company and and enjoy good banter which is good advertising towards Kyosho plus helping people out when needed also adds to that, but the issue lies with the people behind the scene who are causing this problem.

[Chris-S]

I have four Venom 4400 30C cells which I bought for the first Petit in the UK and haven’t had any issues with them and they still have loads of punch and charge at 4.4 with a balancer, yet I bought two Orion 90C 5500 which I charge at 5.5 with a balancer and one month after buying them both failed and were sent back to the shop I bought them from, they forwarded onto Kyosho who only replaced one, so the shop gave me another pack and they then fought it out with Kyosho, who didn’t make it easy. I also attached the battery wires in both packs but on return they didn’t put the wires in so also not very professional.

Now five or six months on in the same year and one pack failed on Friday and even though the battery shows it had power there was zero when using it in a race, Dave Belsten couldn’t work it out either but I put in a venom pack in and power for the full race with zero issues, so just shows how good Orion are.

Just because someone won a worlds means nothing at all as he has about twenty packs and just replaces the faulty ones without issue and is not advertised either, unlike us who pay for them and expect what we buy is a quality product, which in this case is not.

I as most people know am a Kyosho nut and swear by them but am now having second thoughts about this especially with the quality of their products plus the way this has been handled. No disrespect to you Tony as you are a good person for the company and and enjoy good banter which is good advertising towards Kyosho plus helping people out when needed also adds to that, but the issue lies with the people behind the scene who are causing this problem.

Have you checked that your balance charger is balancing correctly? As some will drift over time. I very rarely balance charge cells as I find there is no need to, batteries staying within 0.01v is pretty acceptable to me.

[Adam F]

I have several sets of Orion 90C lipos, I am not sponsored in any way so paid full price for all of them and have no reason to try to spin Kyosho/orion in a good light.

All except one pack have been faultless, the exception was duly returned to the shop and then back to Kyosho for investigation.

As the fault appeared to be caused by an impact, Kyosho did me a set half price as a good will gesture, which I though was very good service.

Just about everyone I know uses them..

[adon30]

Assuming from the first post.......

Many people balance all the time and that is not necessary.
Also many under charge on the amps and all that does is pump in more mhs that also is not needed.

5500mah = 5,5amps as an example

Brilliant, another top driver that's come on here and said that balancing is not necessary. I've been preaching this to everyone along with not overcharging. Not many listen though.
A lot of the tolerances involved between the lipos and the chargers themselves it is easy to overcharge. I only charge to 95% but then I want to preserve my £200+ investment in cells.

The only cells I've seen go are ones that have done the above or had a dodgy electrical install.

[RudeTony]

Oh James (welshy)
I have known you for a very long time but your comments are just wrong dude.
The facts are simple with any electronic components.
The charging source may have a problem like Chris has stated. The way you discharge, if you re-charge while still warm after a run (we are all doing this with evening racing) and the list can go on and on.

I think its simply very unfair to knock a great product without true reason and that doesn't just apply to Orion, it applies to all good products.

Thank you for your compliments but I assure you the staff at Kyosho go way out of their way to satisfy customers - sometimes beyond what i would do.

Maybe another brand would simply be better for you but please don't slag off good ones dude.

Lastly to show its not meant to sound as harsh as it can be taken.....maybe if your charger is a little newer than the 21 year old Lazer you use then maybe the poor old Lipos would have a fighting chance - LOL - I think its the smae car as Ellis Stafford used to win the Euros, is it not :)

[Jason A]

I can't say I have had any issues with Orion cells

I have 4 sets of Orion saddles that I use in my 1/10 2wd and 4wd and soon in my SCT truck as well.

I charge them at 1c every time. I allow the cells to cool after using them before charging again. I also normally leave them at storage charge after use.

I think basically the higher c rated lipos that we use now adays need to be treated with just a little bit more care than lipos that had lower c rating that's all.

:)

[mattr]

I've got two sets, one swelled almost immediately (only slightly) and split the case. I've taped it up and carried on using it.
Its not budged since then (12+ months of regular use) the other one has had 9 months use, and not swollen at all.

The fact that another pair (not orion) that i had, swelled at almost the same time, and the fact we had just moved indoors when they both went, plus my frankly horrific driving, suggests that landing to flat from 6 foot up is probably not the best way to treat LiPos. I don't do that anymore.

[Welshy40]

Tony,

Hehe yes car is as old as me but have fun driving it, dont get the same buzz with the new cars and dont care if I dont make the a anymore but electrics are up to date including charger. I dont charge at club as I have 7 packs so do the night before and charge the next day, half charge is still in each pack after each race, so they are looked after.

I only say what has happened to me and no longer have to worry about offending my sponsers as I no longer have or want it. This was not handled very well and as the product hasnt been up to scratch am giving my honest opinion and view. I wouldnt want anyone else to have the same issues.

[budfish]

I think it's the 5500mah 90c saddles are not as good as the previous 4500 45c I've had 4 packs of the 45cs for over a season and never faulted slighty swelled but the 90cs didn't last a season but when you squeeze every bit of perfomance out of it something's got to give on a whole I'd only use Orion battery's top quality at a good price £60-£70 can't beat them

[RudeTony]

This was not handled very well and as the product hasnt been up to scratch am giving my honest opinion and view. I wouldnt want anyone else to have the same issues.

James,
Sorry to hear you feel like that .....you must of been unlucky or there is other issues that are not highlighted here....
Your original posts though was direct to the Orion Lipos and not how a problem has been handled.

Everyone at Kyosho is now fired

Catch up soon

[av4625]

little update after last nites racing in 4wd it was a point and shoot sort of track! the batterys came in warm and seemed like they were slightly swollen! when they cooled down they werent to bad i took one out of the case as it was already open and taped up and the cells look perfecty flat and still hard to push if you no wat i mean i have pics of the cells ill post later if i have time and btw im not saying orion is bad i like my sells i was just wondering if they are done or dangerous or ok!

[RogerM]

I've had my Orion 5500 90C saddles since the day they became available and intend to use them next season too!

I must admit I will be buying some new cells soon though ... Orion shorty packs for the RB6 :)

To be honest I can't think of a brand of electronics I'd rather be using, everything is super simple to use and just works.

[super__dan]

I dont charge at club as I have 7 packs so do the night before and charge the next day, half charge is still in each pack after each race, so they are looked after.


Ignoring the Orion aspect.

I don't fully follow the above, but sounds like you're either charging the night before races or recharging the day after a race meeting. Either way storage of Lipos fully chared to my understanding is not recommended and having spoken to a friendly shop owner I know ( ;) ) he's told me virtually all of the swollen packs he's had returned are from customers who store cells fully charged.

Lastly, sometimes lipos do just fail.

[Neil Skull]

Tony,

Hehe yes car is as old as me but have fun driving it, dont get the same buzz with the new cars and dont care if I dont make the a anymore but electrics are up to date including charger. I dont charge at club as I have 7 packs so do the night before and charge the next day, half charge is still in each pack after each race, so they are looked after.

I only say what has happened to me and no longer have to worry about offending my sponsers as I no longer have or want it. This was not handled very well and as the product hasnt been up to scratch am giving my honest opinion and view. I wouldnt want anyone else to have the same issues.

Not the best way to manage your lipos! you are not supposed to leave fully charged for long periods. best to leave at half charge after your race then charge the night before.

[Neil Skull]

Ignoring the Orion aspect.

I don't fully follow the above, but sounds like you're either charging the night before races or recharging the day after a race meeting. Either way storage of Lipos fully chared to my understanding is not recommended and having spoken to a friendly shop owner I know ( ;) ) he's told me virtually all of the swollen packs he's had returned are from customers who store cells fully charged.

Lastly, sometimes lipos do just fail.


Sorry just spotted your reply! Yes you are correct!