8s Charge Setup
10-31-2009, 09:24 AM
#1
8s Charge Setup
I finally did it. I am getting back into Pattern with a scratch built 8s electric setup. The plane is a scaled down version of the Gator Giles that I got plans for back when Gator was still around. I modified the wing to have double taper, moved the canopy forward, and made other changes. I'll be getting the laser cut parts next week, and will be getting the work shop prepared tomorrow.
Question; I just received 4x Zippy 4s4000mAh lipos, some 750mAh 2s reciever packs, and a GT Power A8 charger from HobbyKing. This charger has a port for an 8s balance connector, but HK (or anyone else for that matter) does not sell a 2x4s>8s adapter cable.[:@]. Do you guys running 8s setups make your own? How do you do this? Did I get the wrong charge setup?
Other info
AXI 4130-20
CC Ice 75 ESC
Jaccio 4.7v Reg (on order)
Question; I just received 4x Zippy 4s4000mAh lipos, some 750mAh 2s reciever packs, and a GT Power A8 charger from HobbyKing. This charger has a port for an 8s balance connector, but HK (or anyone else for that matter) does not sell a 2x4s>8s adapter cable.[:@]. Do you guys running 8s setups make your own? How do you do this? Did I get the wrong charge setup?
Other info
AXI 4130-20
CC Ice 75 ESC
Jaccio 4.7v Reg (on order)
11-01-2009, 03:49 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bishop\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'s Stortford,
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Should it not be possible to obtain 1 X 8S XH connector and 2 X 4 XH connectors (Assuming they are XH and not EH or even some more exotic balance connector) and take the first four wires from your 8S plug to your Nr 1 XH Lipo connector and the next four wires to your Nr2 XH Lipo connector? The batteries can remain connected in series and the batteris charged and balanced with no problems.
11-01-2009, 07:36 AM
#7
RE: 8s Charge Setup
ORIGINAL: ntsmith
Should it not be possible to obtain 1 X 8S XH connector and 2 X 4 XH connectors (Assuming they are XH and not EH or even some more exotic balance connector) and take the first four wires from your 8S plug to your Nr 1 XH Lipo connector and the next four wires to your Nr2 XH Lipo connector? The batteries can remain connected in series and the batteris charged and balanced with no problems.
Should it not be possible to obtain 1 X 8S XH connector and 2 X 4 XH connectors (Assuming they are XH and not EH or even some more exotic balance connector) and take the first four wires from your 8S plug to your Nr 1 XH Lipo connector and the next four wires to your Nr2 XH Lipo connector? The batteries can remain connected in series and the batteris charged and balanced with no problems.
11-01-2009, 09:52 AM
#8
RE: 8s Charge Setup
For simplicity, you could leave your 2 4S batteries seperate and charge/balance them in parallel as a single 4S. It would keep things very simple until you can obtain a second charger.
Although, making a balance adapter for 8S should not be that difficult it the charger has directions on connectivity.
Woodie
Although, making a balance adapter for 8S should not be that difficult it the charger has directions on connectivity.
Woodie
11-01-2009, 10:51 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bishop\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'s Stortford,
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Not a good idea imho.
If just one lead is faulty or there is a disconnection to one cell the other lipo picks up a dangerously high voltage and could cause a fire. Paralell charging is never a good ideal with lipos.
If just one lead is faulty or there is a disconnection to one cell the other lipo picks up a dangerously high voltage and could cause a fire. Paralell charging is never a good ideal with lipos.
11-01-2009, 04:56 PM
#10
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Canyon Country, CA
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Purchase an inexpensive Blinky balancer or equivalent, plug one pack's balance lead into the charger, the other's into the Blinky then go ahead and charge them in series.
11-01-2009, 05:03 PM
#11
RE: 8s Charge Setup
ORIGINAL: Jim Schwagle
Purchase an inexpensive Blinky balancer or equivalent, plug one pack's balance lead into the charger, the other's into the Blinky then go ahead and charge them in series.
Purchase an inexpensive Blinky balancer or equivalent, plug one pack's balance lead into the charger, the other's into the Blinky then go ahead and charge them in series.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXMRZ9
11-01-2009, 10:31 PM
#12
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Canyon Country, CA
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Yup, that's it.
Although Tower is usually very competitive pricewise, I've gotten my 2 blinkys for $25 or less (One for LIPO's and one for A123's). If you have a local hobby shop that you frequent, they might get it for you for less than $30.
Edit for addition..
Although Tower is usually very competitive pricewise, I've gotten my 2 blinkys for $25 or less (One for LIPO's and one for A123's). If you have a local hobby shop that you frequent, they might get it for you for less than $30.
Edit for addition..
11-02-2009, 05:48 PM
#13
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Thanks I'll try it. A new LHS opened across the street from where I work. I had the guy order me a JR ds9411sa and he told me "it will be here tomorrow". This went on for a week and a half. I got one off the internet. I went in there Friday for some CA, and the guy did not seem to recognize me. I hope he is getting a lot of business on the web, He hasn't got me to go out of my way.
11-03-2009, 11:01 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bishop\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'\'s Stortford,
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
This guy wants to charge 2 X 4's in series/parallel.
I quote from a webpage at airthunder.com :
"This Battery Balancer is specially designed for Lithium Batteries.
The balancer accepts one to six cell lithium battery packs."
so to purchase a "Blinky" would be a complete waste of money.
I quote from a webpage at airthunder.com :
"This Battery Balancer is specially designed for Lithium Batteries.
The balancer accepts one to six cell lithium battery packs."
so to purchase a "Blinky" would be a complete waste of money.
11-03-2009, 12:10 PM
#15
RE: 8s Charge Setup
ORIGINAL: ntsmith
This guy wants to charge 2 X 4's in series/parallel.
I quote from a webpage at airthunder.com :
''This Battery Balancer is specially designed for Lithium Batteries.
The balancer accepts one to six cell lithium battery packs.''
so to purchase a ''Blinky'' would be a complete waste of money.
This guy wants to charge 2 X 4's in series/parallel.
I quote from a webpage at airthunder.com :
''This Battery Balancer is specially designed for Lithium Batteries.
The balancer accepts one to six cell lithium battery packs.''
so to purchase a ''Blinky'' would be a complete waste of money.
11-03-2009, 12:37 PM
#16
RE: 8s Charge Setup
I think I'll just have to visit the SD Silent fliers field again and see how those guys set up. I'm a little peeved, and somewhat confused that someone would make 8s and 10s, chargers, then recommend against using them, and not provide the connectors to do so. 
Jim S, could you maybe put up a schematic of how the Blinky would work in this case?
Jim S, could you maybe put up a schematic of how the Blinky would work in this case?
11-03-2009, 01:22 PM
#18
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Canyon Country, CA
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: 8s Charge Setup
The balance plug from one pack would be plugged into the balance port on the charger, the other packs balance plug would be plugged into the blinky, while charging both connected in series. Each pack would be balanced while charging. If you don't have multiple chargers, this is the most straightforward way I know of to do it, if you want to balance while charging.
11-03-2009, 03:48 PM
#19
RE: 8s Charge Setup
ORIGINAL: gaRCfield
FOUND IT!!![link=http://www.tedani.com/balance-adapter-expansion-board-for-gt-power-a8-charger-p-1260.html]expansion board[/link]
EDIT: fixed wrong link
FOUND IT!!![link=http://www.tedani.com/balance-adapter-expansion-board-for-gt-power-a8-charger-p-1260.html]expansion board[/link]
EDIT: fixed wrong link
11-03-2009, 04:27 PM
#20
RE: 8s Charge Setup
ORIGINAL: gaRCfield
Just to clarify, this link is to a balancing board made specifically for the OP's charger. It will plug into his current charger and allow a combination of any two lipo batteries, with sum less than or equal to 8S, to be charged together. If you go to the site and click on the 'chargers' button on the left, you can get a balance board for a few other chargers as well.
ORIGINAL: gaRCfield
FOUND IT!!![link=http://www.tedani.com/balance-adapter-expansion-board-for-gt-power-a8-charger-p-1260.html]expansion board[/link]
EDIT: fixed wrong link
FOUND IT!!![link=http://www.tedani.com/balance-adapter-expansion-board-for-gt-power-a8-charger-p-1260.html]expansion board[/link]
EDIT: fixed wrong link
I have just ordered the balance adapter from Tedani. I will probably go to a paralel charge setup at a later date, but for now will use this setup. Woodie mentions a parallel charge setup that sounds like he is talking about a single charger. Maybe I misunderstood. The parallel setup I saw those F5 guys using seemed to involve two chargers and a single balance board.
Thanks all for the input.
11-03-2009, 05:57 PM
#21
RE: 8s Charge Setup
Correct, I was referring to parallel charging/balancing 2 packs with a single charger. However, it looks like you have found the appropriate balance adapter and now you can use your charger as designed.
Woodie
Woodie
11-28-2009, 08:37 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: suburb of chicago,
IL
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
