Problem w/ Hobbico Charger or not?
04-14-2008, 11:57 AM
#1
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Problem w/ Hobbico Charger or not?
I have a Hobbico charger that I use for NiCD and NiMH packs. I normally have it set to give me a capacity reading after the charge cycle ends, but the numbers aren''t accurate (a 1500mAh pack reads 12 after cycle). I put my Voltmeter on it and it reads over 5 V on a 4.8 V pack. Should I replace my charger? Can anyone recommend a "... For Dummies" book for me to understand what all these numbers mean anyway? When it comes to electricity, I really don''t understand what''s what. That''s why I fly glo and not electric, but I do need to know my flight pack requirements and proper care of those packs.
04-14-2008, 03:04 PM
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RE: Problem w/ Hobbico Charger or not?
04-15-2008, 04:47 PM
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RE: Problem w/ Hobbico Charger or not?
TJR1,
I currently use two Hobbico accu-cycles. I calibrate the discharge rate once a year on them myself. Interestingly, they were fairly accurate at the 250mah setting. One discharged at approx. 240mah and the other a little higher that 275mah. A simple adjustment brought them into the correct range. BUT- there was a trade off for the accuracy at the 500mah setting both chargers read high approx. 550mah discharge rate. Now, after charging batteries, I test all the capacities on a CBA II discharger. This device gives an excellent graphed readout of the batteries capacity. So after all of this I KNOW the Hobbico does a good job on batts. upto 1800mah. A normal 4.8v pack will read about 5.6v when fully charged. A 9.6v pack will read approx. 11.7 when fully charged. The only way to get an approximate reading of the capacity on the Hobbico charger is to fully discharge a battery-then fully (overnight) charge the same battery. Next set discharge to 250 mah setting, set the dispaly to MAH and push go. The discharge reading should be at least 80% of the pack rating to be considered good. I have tested several chargers and the Hobbico does do a good job. Hope this helps. Nicads need approx. 3-5 cycles to "wake up" and stay consistant, NIMH need approx. 5-7 cycles.
E-
I currently use two Hobbico accu-cycles. I calibrate the discharge rate once a year on them myself. Interestingly, they were fairly accurate at the 250mah setting. One discharged at approx. 240mah and the other a little higher that 275mah. A simple adjustment brought them into the correct range. BUT- there was a trade off for the accuracy at the 500mah setting both chargers read high approx. 550mah discharge rate. Now, after charging batteries, I test all the capacities on a CBA II discharger. This device gives an excellent graphed readout of the batteries capacity. So after all of this I KNOW the Hobbico does a good job on batts. upto 1800mah. A normal 4.8v pack will read about 5.6v when fully charged. A 9.6v pack will read approx. 11.7 when fully charged. The only way to get an approximate reading of the capacity on the Hobbico charger is to fully discharge a battery-then fully (overnight) charge the same battery. Next set discharge to 250 mah setting, set the dispaly to MAH and push go. The discharge reading should be at least 80% of the pack rating to be considered good. I have tested several chargers and the Hobbico does do a good job. Hope this helps. Nicads need approx. 3-5 cycles to "wake up" and stay consistant, NIMH need approx. 5-7 cycles.
E-
