stuntflyr

Dad has a few ParkZone T-28 batts and one Common Sense batt (that is 10C) and they are all dead. They are puffy and cause an error message on the ParkZone charger. Another one is just fine, though just today it decided to do nothing but balance on the ParkZone charger all day.

What is the deal with these batts and the charger? Are they quality units that last a long time? The dead batts probaby didn't get 10 flights on them before showing the puffiness and refusal to charge. And what about the balancing act by the charger for 4 hours, is it stuck in a mode, can't decide when it's close enough?

BTW, My stuff from ParkZone works fine. Ten flights on the Bf-109, and the batt and charger are working as advertised. My second batt is a Common Sense and it's a 15C, 1800mah and worked fine for two flights and recharged on the ParkZone charger just fine.

Chris...

jdetray

Hi Chris -

I don't know anything, good or bad, about the ParkZone batteries and chargers.

However, when a lipo puffs, it usually means it has been asked to provide too much current. When you attempt to draw more current from a battery than it can safely provide, battery failure is a common result. That's when puffing can occur.

If you can provide more details (capacity and "C" ratings of the batteries that failed and current being drawn by the power system), it would help us figure out what happened. If you don't know the current, then provide as much info as you can about the motors and props of the plane(s) whose batteries puffed.

- Jeff

twoslick2

Can anybody reccomend a charger I can get that would work with my Rhino 610 mAh, 20c 2s, 7.4v LiPo batts? Thanks!

jdetray

I would think that practically any lipo charger ever made would be able to charge that battery.

- Jeff

stuntflyr

Hi Jeff,
Dad has had the T-28 for two years and he lives in SoCal for half the time, and FL the other half. The original ParkZone batt is an 11.1V, 1800Mah, 15C stock issue unit. He got an 11.1, 1800Mah 10C as a second batt it's a Common Sense unit. Because of his long time away (6-9 months) from SoCal, both were allowed to sit for a very long time without maintenance. I've heard this is bad for LiPo's.

His second ParkZone batt is an 11.1V, 1800 Mah, 15C stocker unit, all are used only in his stock T-28. The second ParkZone batt has been pretty reliable, it's been in steady use all summer now. It puffed up a little and got a bit warm after running it what I think was a bit too long the other day. After this it sat for four hours balancing on the ParkZone charger. It never did charge to the point of getting the green fully charged light. He is now charging this one at 1 amp instead of the rate he charged the others, 1.8.

Hope this helps, I'm all new to electrics. My new batts have been fine, but I used my buddies from his T-28 in my Bf-109 and after about 5 minutes at full throttle it was very warm and a bit puffy. It never does that in his T-28. I have no knowledge of it's age but it's always cool and happy after 10-15 min in his model.

Chris...

phillipmorris

Loads of fine battery chargers, I used these smaller example parkzones, some work fine others break down, last ordered a decent charger, Triton2 EQ even has AC as many chargers require another power supply or limited to DC, this sold me and very happy with it...they don't come with all the battery connectors as many out there, option you make your own but did find this Squid with several connectors helped....The Triton2 EQ charges Nickel to Lipo, very nice...found it balances them on the charge beautifully...all cells match on completion...two versions out there $129 to $199, your choice, the $199 has the larger AC built in supply...course other chargers out there as well...

Triton2 EQ AC/DC

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...+eq+&search=Go

Became aware of the multi squid connector from an rc mag, took awhile to find it, almost a novelty item but works great, one of the suppliers found:

Pro Tec Squid Multi Connector, nice

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...xxas-Connector

I still purchased an Eflite banana plug adapter that goes into the Triton charger, and made a Parkzone connector as these are my prolific batteries at the moment...Note the Triton2 EQ chargers with the main lead as well as the balancer, several of the balancer plug ins come with the charger, so your set there.....

Note I even made a deans to Parkzone connector so I inturn used already purchased squid, works great..lots of options to hook these up, great fun.....