Generic Power Supply as Charger
08-24-2010, 12:08 AM
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Generic Power Supply as Charger
I have a Futaba 9C with a NiCad batty pack. The charger that came with it is calibrated 11.6V 110 mA. Problem is it's a 110V charger and where I am going, power is 220V. Now I have a Franzus universal power supply that will take 220V in 12V out 300mA. Is a TX charger anything more than a transformer? In other words, can I use this Franzus to charge my TX batty while travelling? Sure would make life easy, as I can dail the output voltage to anywhere between 3 and 12V.
08-24-2010, 12:50 AM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
No you cant.
For charge currents <0.05C its not important but for 300ma you need a charge complete detection circuit.
besides the 300ma is "rated current" and when you load the power supply to 10v or so, the current will be higher.
For charge currents <0.05C its not important but for 300ma you need a charge complete detection circuit.
besides the 300ma is "rated current" and when you load the power supply to 10v or so, the current will be higher.
08-29-2010, 09:56 PM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
Well let's try another angle. My TX batty craps out within an hour. I plan to fly longer duration flights. Can I hook my fast field charger up to a 12v battery and my TX, and fly while hooked up? Or can I just hook the TX up to a 12 V battery via the charge plug while I am using it? The TX is rated 9.6V but the charger that came with it outputs 12V.
08-29-2010, 10:01 PM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
ORIGINAL: vh2q
Well let's try another angle. My TX batty craps out within an hour. I plan to fly longer duration flights. Can I hook my fast field charger up to a 12v battery and my TX, and fly while hooked up? Or can I just hook the TX up to a 12 V battery via the charge plug while I am using it? The TX is rated 9.6V but the charger that came with it outputs 12V.
Well let's try another angle. My TX batty craps out within an hour. I plan to fly longer duration flights. Can I hook my fast field charger up to a 12v battery and my TX, and fly while hooked up? Or can I just hook the TX up to a 12 V battery via the charge plug while I am using it? The TX is rated 9.6V but the charger that came with it outputs 12V.
This is a joke right?
08-29-2010, 10:13 PM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
No, it may be a stupid question but it's a serious one. I plan flight durations of two hours, perhaps even four, using a powered glider.
08-29-2010, 11:08 PM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
You can use a larger Nimh pack in your Tx. But no matter what kind of battery you have it take a constant current charger to charge Nicad/Nimh, but a 8 cells nicad can actually be charged direct from a 12V lead acid battery as was done by Bob Boucher (AstroFlight)in the 80's. The current is high at first (might require a 2 ohms/10W resistor in line) but then tapper down as the Nicad charge and equalize. The quick charge voltage of a nicad (8 cells) fully charged is about the same as a 12V lead acid so it is relatively safe but you still need to monitor the pack temperature. If that Franzus universal power supply is linear instead of switched PS it probably produce enough voltage to be used as a charger by using a resistor (50<100 ohms)in serie to limit the current. It won't work with a switching supply because they are regulated for 12V and it take more than that to charge a 8 cells nicad.
08-30-2010, 10:29 PM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
ORIGINAL: coriolan
You can use a larger Nimh pack in your Tx. But no matter what kind of battery you have it take a constant current charger to charge Nicad/Nimh, but a 8 cells nicad can actually be charged direct from a 12V lead acid battery as was done by Bob Boucher (AstroFlight)in the 80's. The current is high at first (might require a 2 ohms/10W resistor in line) but then tapper down as the Nicad charge and equalize. The quick charge voltage of a nicad (8 cells) fully charged is about the same as a 12V lead acid so it is relatively safe but you still need to monitor the pack temperature. If that Franzus universal power supply is linear instead of switched PS it probably produce enough voltage to be used as a charger by using a resistor (50<100 ohms)in serie to limit the current. It won't work with a switching supply because they are regulated for 12V and it take more than that to charge a 8 cells nicad.
You can use a larger Nimh pack in your Tx. But no matter what kind of battery you have it take a constant current charger to charge Nicad/Nimh, but a 8 cells nicad can actually be charged direct from a 12V lead acid battery as was done by Bob Boucher (AstroFlight)in the 80's. The current is high at first (might require a 2 ohms/10W resistor in line) but then tapper down as the Nicad charge and equalize. The quick charge voltage of a nicad (8 cells) fully charged is about the same as a 12V lead acid so it is relatively safe but you still need to monitor the pack temperature. If that Franzus universal power supply is linear instead of switched PS it probably produce enough voltage to be used as a charger by using a resistor (50<100 ohms)in serie to limit the current. It won't work with a switching supply because they are regulated for 12V and it take more than that to charge a 8 cells nicad.
08-31-2010, 01:18 AM
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RE: Generic Power Supply as Charger
I am not sure I understand fully .... my simple question is can you, or can you not, hook up the TX to a 12V car battery directly, or via the Field Charger, using the charger port, while actually flying the aircraft on super long duration flights?
