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Inspired by jon_the_fox's thread here I've dusted off my notes on Tamiay battery history ... this was meant to be an article, but there were far too many gaps

More pictures/specs/info very welcome



1977

Prototype of early type 6v “packed” (hard plastic cased) Ni-Cd with 6v specific connector. Large recessed area on top with blanked out label & cable holes both ends (source: 1978 Catalogue p.8).
Production version of early type 6v packed Ni-Cd introduced (source: 2002 Catalogue page 85).







1978

“Late” version of packed 6v Ni-Cd (embossed lettering on top, silver label with red & blue print underneath) introduced (source: 1979 Catalogue – battery appears in all RC cars except 58001 Porsche 934, which has 4x C cells, e.g. p.10). IIRC correctly this would be a 1000mAh pack, but capacity is not mentioned or clear in any images.





1979

IIRC correctly there was also a 1100mAh 6v packed battery.
6v packed battery grows (?) to 1200mAh, 7.2v 1200mAh “hump” pack (with 7.2v specific connector) introduced (source: 1980 Catalogue, p.15).





1980/1981

Prototype of 6v 4000mAh pack, appears to be chrome plated (source: 1982 Catalogue, p.71),






1982

7.2v 1200mAh Ni-Cd “Racing Pack” introduced; 2s stick format with black heatshrink & red end caps. Production version of 6v 4000mAh pack, grey plastic. (source: 1983 Catalogue p. 53 + p.79, 1984 Catalogue p.79, 1985 Catalogue p.76).











1983/1984/1985

No changes?







1986

8.4v 1200mAh stick pack introduced for Bigwig; black heatshrink & 8.4v specific connector (source: 1987 Catalogue p.87)






1987

1700mAh “EX” Ni-Cd stick pack introduced (1988 Catalogue p.31)






1988/1989

Packed 6v & 7.2 hump packs dropped (not in 1990 Catalogue)



1991

1400 SCR Ni-Cd introduced (Gold heatshrink - see 1992), 4000mAh 6v pack no longer appears in catalogue (source: 1992 Catalogue)



1992

Range now consists of: 7.2v 1400 "NP" Ni-Cd stick (believed blue w/ black caps); 7.2v 1700 "SCR" Ni-Cd stick packs (gold heatshrink, black end caps, protoypes same heatshrink but with gold or green ends?); and 8.4v “Gold Power” pack. 1400 SCR (gold heatshrink, black end caps) appears in static photos but not in text/listings. (source: 1993 Catalogue)





1995

7.2v 1700mAh "SCRC" stick pack introduced, coppery gold heatshrink, black ends; SCR still listed (source: 1996 Catalogue)






1996

SCR packs dropped (still appear in photos in 1997 Catalogue but not listed in text)



1997

New 1700mAh pack (RC1700SP) appears in text, 8.4v Gold Power pack discontinued (source: 1998 Catalogue)





1998

Range is new RC1400SP, + existing 1400 NP, RC1700SP and 1700SCRC packs (source: 1999 Catalogue)





1999

Range is now all "SP" batteries - RC1700SP, RC1400SP & new RC2400SP (all blue heatshrink with black end caps?) (Source: 2000 Catalogue)







2000

First Tamiya NiMH pack - RC3000MH - appears (source: 2001 Catalogue) Colour is a nasty green/yellow (2002 Catalogue).








2001

Range unchanged from 2000?




2002

RC3000MH pack replaced by RC-3300HV (clear heatshrink over black cells) (source: 2003 Catalogue)







2003

RC1700SP & RC1400SP Ni-Cds, RC-3300HV NiMH, + new 1300mAh Ni-Cd "Custom Pack" & RC2400SP "Zapped" Ni-Cd (source: 2004 Catalogue)








2004

Range as 2003 apart from NiMH capacity now increased to 3600mAH (source: 2005 Catalogue)








2005/2006

1400 Ni-Cd dropped, NiMH capacity increased to 3700mAH (source: 2007 Catalogue)





2007/2008/2009

My information gets a bit patchy from here - no catalogue was published in 2008, and (apart from 1/2 a page of 1/14 trucks, there's no RC in the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 catalogues






2010

Range consists of 3700HV NiMH, Racing Pack 1600SP Ni-Cd, multiple LF (aka "LiFe" in some marketers mistaken belief that Lithium Ion = Lithium Iron) size/capacity batteries (source: Tamiya R/C Line-Up Volume 2 2010)




2011/2012/2013

As 2010 ?

Wow, very nice article.....
Thanks for sharing it

Barely related, but handy info - the B.4V NiCd has an internal over-temperature cut-out switch, which isolates the cells from the leads if the pack gets too hot. The contacts in these have a habit of "sooting up" &/or dulling with corrosion over time & render the pack "dead".
If you've got a pack which won't charge & still has an output of 0.00V after an attempted charge, when tested with a multimeter, this internal cut-out is the most likely cause.
Easily rectified, cut off the heatshrink, find the cut-out (Usually a small black or silver lozenge shaped thing) & either cut it out & rejoin the wire it's on, or replace the wire completely. The pack should now accept a charge & be usable (Check before re-heatshrinking!).

It's also worth noting that although the wiring on these packs is high current rated, the cut-out contacts aren't, which makes the whole point of high current cells & wiring a bit pointless...