carl24bpool

Hi guys,

I have a hitec optic 6 transmitter. For some reason the wall charger won't light up when I plug in to the transmitter. I've volt tested the charger and its fine. Vie even volt checked the circuit board in the transmitter and its getting voltage. It's as if the transmitter won't go into charge for some reason.

The only option I can see is to charge direct but can anyone advise me on where to buy a charger? I can't find any on eBay with the right connection. The battery is a 9.6v Nicad that's configured 2x2x2 battery layout if you get what I mean. Like an elongated cube.

Can anyone offe assistance please

rhall999

Most transmitters need to be turned off for the charger to work. I also have an optic 6, and that's how that's how it works. Are your trying to charge with it turned on?

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

What is the polarity of the charger you are using ; center connector negative or positive?
The Optic 6 has diode protection on the charge circuit also so if you are trying to use a "smart" charger it will not work.

carl24bpool

I'm using th hitec charger I got when I bought it all new. It worked fine last year.

Yes I turn the transmitter off th charge too.

Live Wire

Check your battery, if it has a bad cell the light will not come on. How long has it been since you used the radio.
Larry K

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

If your wall charger has output indicated by a meter then the most common problem is the led continuity light has failed but its likely your tx battery is still being charged, check it with the Tx voltage indicator. It seems to be a common failure with some of the hitec wall chargers.

If it is only the continuity indicator on the charger it is a little disconcerting but not normally a problem. I am certain they will send you a new one if you send it back as they have the most liberal support in the business.

John

carl24bpool

Hi,

Tha battery is brand new as the old one was stored away for years.

The voltage doesn't go up and never reachesc10.4 like it used to

Stumped. Lol.

Anyone know where I can get direct charger?

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

So what exactly is the voltage the new battery does reach after an overnight charge?

In addition there are two different Transmitter voltages used in older and later versions of the Optic 6. The older and what you said you had is the eight cell 9.6 and the newer Optic 6's are six cell 7.2. Is there any possibility that the new battery you obtained is actually the 7.2 which is smaller and could be installed sinse Hitec transmitter plugs are all the same?

John

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

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JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

sorry double posts

a70eliminator

Perhaps the center pin of the tx charger plug is not making a contact, I'm assuming you have probed for voltage at the plug end with A volt meter, I may pull the back of the radio and follow the circuit and see where it's kaput, but I'm guessing your problem is within either the tx plug or the radio jack.

Hossfly

Radio Shack and Walmart along with others have all kinds of chargers that can be worked to charge RC stuff. I have several that have set-ups to allow different voltages and the pin can be rotated to change the polarity on a couple. Other have similiar options.

However before jumping big I suggest you follow John Buckner's point about the battery thing which You have not responded to at this writing. Some of these cheap radios are doing all sorts of stuff now to be able to sell cheap and reduce costs.

I have been buying up a number of them for use with some grandkids along the way. Lots of cheap stuff out there and the radio price may well not display the stuff as "Cheap". Know what AH mean? [:-]

carl24bpool

Thanks for all the suggestions guys but as I said in my original post:

Battery is same 8 cell 9.6v
I've tested the charger at the connection end and its giving voltage.
I took the back off the transmitter and tested the circuit board where he power comes in (without batt attached) and got the voltage fom he charger. It goes to a small board where the aerial and crystal module also connect. From that point the feed goes into the main circuit board and I don't want to take hat out. I'm guessing the transmitter is at fault.

The new battery had around 10.3v when I bought it and its now at 10.1 despite trying to charge overnight.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

At this point I would test the charger output while connected to the TX while plugged in to determine if the charger is working under load. If it checks out then I would remove the battery from the TX and construct an adapter to connect the charger to the battery plug and then see if it charges. If you don't have the exact connectors use pins and alligator clip leads(just be careful not to short out the battery or charger !)
You need to start testing in a fashion to eliminate either the charger, transmitter or battery.

a70eliminator

Can you get at the back of the switch. There is probably 3 sets of contacts, (on-center-off) the off set may have a bad connection as in solder joint, i've seen some pretty gawdy factory solder joints, the wire could have pulled loose.
ON sends bat voltage to tx circuit, OFF sends battery voltage to charging circuit, CENTER has always voltage.

Rodney

You have not used the transmitter much if it is still at 10.1 volts, that is almost fully charged: at least well over 50%. You do realize that you must leave that charger on for a longer period than if using a fast charger. Often 10 to 12 hours to get a battery fully charged if it is nearly empty (8.8 volts is essentially empty). A fully charge battery will run that transmitter for 6 to 8 hours. Can you check to see if you are actually delivering current when it is connected? If you can get an ammeter inserted in series with the charger output in some manner, that will tell you if it is actually charging or not.

willig10

If the charger light is still working with the old battery and not working with the new battery your connections are reversed. The polarity must be correct for your transmitter battery to charge. Otherwise your on oard one way diode rejects the incoming vltage. If by chance you have a wall charger that has a slide switch for dual voltage ensure it is set to 110 volts. Also check your radios programming and ensure it is set up for 110 not european voltage if your radios onboard programming allows you to select what voltage you are using.

3dd

My Feedback: (6)

does it have a simple fuse in line like the jr radios have,,check it

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

I agree with John, but I'll go even one step further. Send the Tx, Rx, switch harness, battery and the charger back to Hitec for a once over. John is correct in that Hitec has a great rep for proactive repair work. Send it to the experts.


Ed Cregger

carl24bpool

Correct I have not used it much. My irst flight lasted around 2 seconds after taake off when I crashed. Nothing ot do with teh radio gear though.

I'll carry out the ammeter check somehow though. Thanks.

thebest_102

My Feedback: (6)

Your best and fastest option in this matter is to seek out help from the manufacturer. You can guess all day long about this. They have the technical drawings and the product experience to resolve this or the resources to replace the radio if that is more economical. The longer you struggle with this the more time I fear you will be wasting.

carl24bpool

Okay thanks guys. I don't want to send my tx away as I've just started learning to fly on my own and having great fun doing so.

i cut the end off the charger and put the wires into the battery connector. The battery has two connectors and i used the one not connected to the receiver. The receiver was off. When i plugged the charger in the light came on but after ten seconds smoke came from the charger.

i unplugged it immediately and thought it may be due to it being connected to the tx even though off. Perhaps some sort of short. Anyway i tried with the battery on its own and light back on charger but no smoke. I left it for an hour or so until i was going flying and checked it. The voltage was 10.1 when i connected it and 10.1 after 90min. Should it not of gone up slightly?

anyway i now know its the transmitter. Ill send it off when i go on holiday to see what they can do.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

OK its really hard to follow what you have done here but first things first. I think you said you got a new battery and I believe you are causing yourself all sorts of grief. A New Nimh or Nicd battery pack will require a Minimm of 14 to 16 hours on a normal wall charger for an initial (key word here) charge and anything less and you are just blowing smoke.

Now back to your wall charger, originally I believe it was just a defunct LED happens. However now if you have actually caused smoke to appear from your wall charger itself then it is toast. The real worry here is you have not caused damage in the TX itself. Replace the wall charger first off or get a fancy charger (your choice) and button up that tranny hoping you have not damaged anything and start over with a proper full charge of that battery.

Anything less and there will just be more smoke.

John