charger for blade400
09-21-2011, 04:54 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Marcy,
NY
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
charger for blade400
Just picked up a used blade400 and blade cp pro. Both have deans connectors on the batteries but I do not have a charger for them. Would like a good quality unit that I can use at home and also plug into a cigarette lighter. I'm new to Electrics so I may be way off base here. Thanks.
09-21-2011, 05:32 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Gatineau,
QC, CANADA
Posts: 608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: charger for blade400
A LIPO bettery has two plugs. One for the output and one for balancing. Cheap chargers can balance charge the 3 cells through the balance plug. Advanced chargers charge via the output plug and monitor charge level via the balance plug.
Parkzone has a charger which will charge 3 cell batteries from a car adapter, but will probably take longer than a good battery charger (I have one which came with a plane, but never used it). Their product ID PKZ1040.
I use the HobbyKing Accucel-6 charger for all my batteries and have been very successful with it for my 2, 3 and 6 cell batteries.
Each LIPO battery has a number of 3.7 volt cells. If I remember correctly, the Blade 400 uses 3 cells like the Trex 450.
Depending on how much money you want to spend, you can go with a cheap charger that can charge from a 12 volt car battery or using a charger, and will charge via the balance lead. You won't have to change your dean connectors since they are not used during charging.
If you want to spend money on a better, faster charger, you will need the charger, the charge lead that will convert dean to the compatible connector. A good power source is also important.
You will want to charge at minimum 1C, which means 1 times the rating of the battery. If the battery was 1800mah, that means 1.8A charger. Most good chargers are more than that. A cheap charger with a rating of say 0.9A means that it will take twice as long to charge the battery than a 1.8A charger. This is good for the battery life, but might not be so on your patience.
Hope this helps,
Gilles
Parkzone has a charger which will charge 3 cell batteries from a car adapter, but will probably take longer than a good battery charger (I have one which came with a plane, but never used it). Their product ID PKZ1040.
I use the HobbyKing Accucel-6 charger for all my batteries and have been very successful with it for my 2, 3 and 6 cell batteries.
Each LIPO battery has a number of 3.7 volt cells. If I remember correctly, the Blade 400 uses 3 cells like the Trex 450.
Depending on how much money you want to spend, you can go with a cheap charger that can charge from a 12 volt car battery or using a charger, and will charge via the balance lead. You won't have to change your dean connectors since they are not used during charging.
If you want to spend money on a better, faster charger, you will need the charger, the charge lead that will convert dean to the compatible connector. A good power source is also important.
You will want to charge at minimum 1C, which means 1 times the rating of the battery. If the battery was 1800mah, that means 1.8A charger. Most good chargers are more than that. A cheap charger with a rating of say 0.9A means that it will take twice as long to charge the battery than a 1.8A charger. This is good for the battery life, but might not be so on your patience.
Hope this helps,
Gilles
09-22-2011, 02:33 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Marcy,
NY
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: charger for blade400
Gilles:
Thanks for the good info. I think I will check with my LHS first and see what he has in stock. I guess being new to helis and batterries i am a little confused. So if one were to go to the field to fly your electric plane or heli you charge all the batterries at home first then take them to the field? Or is there a way to charge them within reason at the field. And by within reason I mean 15 minutes. Again I am new to electrics so I am in unfamiliar water here. I don't mind spending up to 200 bucks on a charger as long as it is quality and will do what I want. Say I get 2 or 3 batteries for this blade 400 could I charge them at the same time off the same charger? Sorry for all the questions but you don't know unless you ask.
Thanks for the good info. I think I will check with my LHS first and see what he has in stock. I guess being new to helis and batterries i am a little confused. So if one were to go to the field to fly your electric plane or heli you charge all the batterries at home first then take them to the field? Or is there a way to charge them within reason at the field. And by within reason I mean 15 minutes. Again I am new to electrics so I am in unfamiliar water here. I don't mind spending up to 200 bucks on a charger as long as it is quality and will do what I want. Say I get 2 or 3 batteries for this blade 400 could I charge them at the same time off the same charger? Sorry for all the questions but you don't know unless you ask.
09-22-2011, 04:30 AM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Lincoln,
NE
Posts: 6,441
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: charger for blade400
I think most people charge their batteries at home first. Then charge them after a flight at the field if they can. There are probably 4 ways to fly electric at a field.
If your field has electricity:
bring a charger and power supply.
If your field doesn't have electricity:
bring a generator, charger, and power supply.
bring a really big lead acid battery and a charger.
bring a lot of batteries.
To charge a battery in 15min your battery needs to be capable of being charged a 4C and above. Otherwise a 2C battery takes around 30min and a 1C battery takes about a hour to charge. In the example of a B400 battery at 4C. 4.21V*3S*4C*2.2A=112W. That means if you want to charge a B400 battery in 15min or less you need at least a 112W charger/power supply.
There are some chargers out there that can charge 2-4 batteries at once. A hobbyking charger can charge 4 batteries at once. A couple of Hyperion chargers can charge 2 batteries at once. There might be some others, but I can't remember them. Otherwise you would need to make/buy an adaptor to charge two batteries at once. Hobbyking sells an adaptor to do that for 3S batteries. It basically puts two 3S batteries in series and makes it a 6S battery.
Nick
If your field has electricity:
bring a charger and power supply.
If your field doesn't have electricity:
bring a generator, charger, and power supply.
bring a really big lead acid battery and a charger.
bring a lot of batteries.
To charge a battery in 15min your battery needs to be capable of being charged a 4C and above. Otherwise a 2C battery takes around 30min and a 1C battery takes about a hour to charge. In the example of a B400 battery at 4C. 4.21V*3S*4C*2.2A=112W. That means if you want to charge a B400 battery in 15min or less you need at least a 112W charger/power supply.
There are some chargers out there that can charge 2-4 batteries at once. A hobbyking charger can charge 4 batteries at once. A couple of Hyperion chargers can charge 2 batteries at once. There might be some others, but I can't remember them. Otherwise you would need to make/buy an adaptor to charge two batteries at once. Hobbyking sells an adaptor to do that for 3S batteries. It basically puts two 3S batteries in series and makes it a 6S battery.
Nick
