Zapping: What Is It And What Does It Do; Extreme Discharge/Equalizing; Getting The Most Out Of Your Cells Depends On Driving Skill; Hmmm: It Sounds Cool, But Is It Useful? Gimmicks, Trends And Superstition - Competition Electronics Turbo35-GFX User Manual

large currents from small capacity cells. You should not try to run these profiles on cells
smaller than, say, 2000 mAHr rating, as it will attempt to draw 45 amps from the cells at
times during the profile execution.

Zapping: What is it and what does it do?

"Zapping" is a process where special equipment is used to discharge a high voltage pulse
through a cell. Each battery matcher will have their own way of doing this, and will not
likely reveal the details of their process. However, zapping does increase voltage output
of the cells, and it is an important component for maximum pack performance.
NOTE: CEI does not make battery zappers, and we want to advise you that they generate
hazardous voltages. CEI makes no recommendations concerning the use of cell zappers.

Extreme Discharge/Equalizing

Another technique that some racers are using, especially oval racers, is the technique of
extreme discharge. Using an equalizing battery tray, they discharge their cells down to
0V by leaving them in the tray for 15 minutes to several days. Some racers then follow
this by dead shorting the pack with a wire and storing their packs this way.
Allegedly, this results in shorter run times, but higher average voltage for the duration of
the run time.
Another effect claimed is that the mAHr input that the pack will receive is increased if
the pack undergoes extreme discharge.
Finally, it is said that using an equalizing tray will help overcome the scatter effect.
Especially with NimH cells, after a few charge discharge cycles, the position of the
individual cells in their discharge curves tend to "scatter" with relationship to one another
and become desynchronized. Equalizing tends to re-synchronize the cells, by entirely
draining their charge.
In general, one may notice that longer periods of extreme discharge result in higher
voltages but shorter run times. Your results may vary.
Extreme discharge may also result in increased false peaking.
All we can say is that if you're an avid stock racer, you will want to experiment with
extreme discharge.

Getting the Most out of your Cells Depends on Driving Skill

Here's an undeniable fact: all the voltage and current in the world won't help you if you
don't have good driving skills. Only good drivers can utilize the small but real advantage
that the best packs give. If you fit into this category, you need 'em. If you're not quite
there yet, maybe you can get away with cheaper packs. You'll have to be the judge, here.
Hmmm: It sounds Cool, but is it Useful? Gimmicks, Trends and
Superstition
Finally, keep in mind that this is applied science and like any field of knowledge, there's
such a thing as smoke, mirrors, and snake oil. If somebody tells you that submerging your
packs in milk for a couple hours will give you better run times, don't believe it. (Unless
you happen to try it and it works!) Look out for manufacturers advertisements that
contain long lists of acronyms that you never heard of before, and that sound nonsensical.
If they seem bogus, they probably are. Remember, you're a marketing target!
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