SuperNova vs SuperTurbo  
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All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Batteries & Chargers >> SuperNova vs SuperTurbo
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SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/27/2002 12:41:17 PM   
DrV



Posts: 157
Joined: 4/12/2002
From: Los Angeles, CA,
Status: offline 		I'm thinking of purchasing one of these units. As I'm doing my research and reading different posts on the chargers it seems like they are essentially the same with few differences such as SN will do Pb and ST cannot. Also SN has been around longer and is more proven then ST. What can one do that the other cannot or visa versa?

Thanks

Mike
       Post #: 1

Super Nova vs Super Turbo - 5/27/2002 3:22:56 PM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Lots of posts about this.

The Super Nova does not properly peak nimh packs. The Super Turbo does.

The Super Turbo has a user definable peak millivolt cut off for nicds and nimh. In other words, the charger is much more accurate in the peak detection for both types of packs.

The Super Turbo has an adjustible trickle charge while the Super Nova does not.

You can charge a pb battery on the Super Turbo. What you do is set the trickle rate to 250 mah and then put the pb battery on trickle and it will charge at a 250 mah rate.

The Super Turbo is easier to program, more accurate, more functionality, and costs less.

Reliability, so far no issues.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 2

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/27/2002 6:06:47 PM   
Jazzy



Posts: 1106
Joined: 1/8/2002
From: Erie, PA, USA
Status: offline 		I will agree with Evan about the ST having some adjustable parameters that the SN doesn't. However that bit about the SN not properly detecting NiMH peaks is hogwash. Accuracy? This term cannot be used in conjunction with user definable parameters.
I currently have two SNs and they perform flawlessly. Programming just takes a few minutes of looking at the destructiuons and playing with the unit. If you can program your VCR then you can program a SN or a ST.

In hindsight I would like to have gotten one of each. Since I didn't, I'll remain just as happy.

If you're concerned with adjusting the millivolt voltage drop cutoff setting at a battery's peak then get a ST. If I were to only have one of the two it would be the ST.

If at all possible, see if you can locate one of each and view them first hand. They are both excellent units.

_____________________________

Aww $#!^.... I left the )@#& transmitter at home!

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 3

PEAK DETECT ON S.N. w/NiMH - 5/27/2002 7:39:14 PM   
TOYMAKER



Posts: 771
Joined: 1/15/2002
From: WAXAHACHIE, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I have found that if you try to charge certain NiMh packs at to fast of a rate that it will peak detect at the wrong time.
for example:

750mil AAA Nimhd pack would only charge up 500 mil or less accurately. My 1650 mil AA pack would charge fine up to 1.5 amp. I think it has a lot to do with the type of NiMhd you are charging Smaller batteries will only acept so much at a certian rate. When in doubt go to Red Schoefields website on batteries.

Evan sells the Super Turbo so I feel he is a little more biased in his reporting. Dont get me wrong... both charger will do a good job when used properly and at the correct charge rates for the manufactures recomendations.

I aslo use a Hanger 9 Double vision for field charging and it works just fine. It has a fixed 750mil charge rate and it will charge both trans and rec. batteries. It will even charge my Futaba trans with diode protection. So there............ enjoy them all.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 4

BIASED?? - 5/27/2002 8:04:22 PM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Not really, here is why...

I used to sell the Super Nova.

I received a call from a local customer who bought the Super Nova from a day after he bought it. He was charging his 4 cell 2700 nimh battery with it.

It didn't take a full charge. He charged it and cycled it on his other charge and it cycled fine. At the end of the next flying session he charged it again with the SN. Again not a full charge.

I checked out his unit and my own personal unit did the exact same thing using a new 2700 4 cell nimh pack I pulled from stock. I called Fred Marks @ FMA and he asked me to confirm the pack being used. I charged and cycled with my Alpha 4 and the pack rated above capacity.

I discharged again with the Alpha 4, and then charged with the SN. Only 2300 was being put back into the pack which if I recall was 2900 on the Alpha.

I did the same test on the ST and the pack was closer to the 2900, but over the rated 2700. I did this test on both chargers and both SN's were identical.

Many other people have reported the same issues with the SN.

These are facts. Maybe your charger was either before or after the production run that my chargers came from, but I have heard the same on other boards such as RunRyder about the SN.

BTW, I still have that customers SN, as I took it back and sold him a ST. Since his unit is now used, I can't sell it as new, so I use it myself at home with my Allpha 4, and Super Turbo. I only use it to charge nicads, which it does fine for.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 5

S.N. vs Super Turbo - 5/27/2002 8:21:18 PM   
TOYMAKER



Posts: 771
Joined: 1/15/2002
From: WAXAHACHIE, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Evan... you may be right on those incidents. I haven't had the opportunity to charge that big of a pack yet. So far for what I have been using mine for has done me just fine. Packs in the 600mil to 1650 mil range NiMh and NiCad's. I may learn later that I may be wrong... hopefully not.

Thanks for the response...

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 6

sn - 5/27/2002 8:40:06 PM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Just to clarify, the 2700 size was the only size I tested. Maybe the issue is only with large packs. I can easily restest the SN. I also have 720 and 1650 nimh packs can test.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 7

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/27/2002 8:43:26 PM   
Jazzy



Posts: 1106
Joined: 1/8/2002
From: Erie, PA, USA
Status: offline 		Toymaker, You make a good point about using charge rates recommended by the manufacturer.
Since I choose not to charge any of my flight packs above 1/2C, (especially NiMH), I have not had any problems whatsoever.

If the SN is ending the charge before enough mAs have been put into a NiMH battery, it sounds to me as if it is very sensitive to NiMH peaks. This is bad?
As stated in the destructions: Without priming a pack before using the SN it will not charge properly. This I can confirm.

Anyone know the voltage drop cutoff for the SN and NiMH? The Alpha 4 and ST?

_____________________________

Aww $#!^.... I left the )@#& transmitter at home!

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 8

Re: sn - 5/27/2002 9:14:26 PM   
TOYMAKER



Posts: 771
Joined: 1/15/2002
From: WAXAHACHIE, TX, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by echapkis
Just to clarify, the 2700 size was the only size I tested. Maybe the issue is only with large packs. I can easily restest the SN. I also have 720 and 1650 nimh packs can test. [/QUOTE]

Now we are gettiing somewhere.
Just the kind of posting I like....
Feed me the info Evan...

Since I already have enough chargers I think learning how to use them properly seems to be the right path here.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 9

testing - 5/28/2002 1:27:44 AM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		OK, guys. I want to be as fair as possible in this test. I will take a new 4 cell 720 nimh and a new 4 cell 1650 nimh pack for this test.

Both packs will be charged at C/10 for 18-20 hours, then cycled on my Alpha 4. The discharge rate will be 350 mah for the 720 pack and 1 amp for the 1650.

I will record the #'s. I will do another C/10 charge on the Alpha 4 and then cycle on the Super Nova.

Is everyone happy with the discharge rates I have listed above?

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 10

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/28/2002 6:30:51 AM   
MyStar-RCU


 

Posts: 106
Joined: 4/16/2002
From: Ocala, Florida
Status: offline 		Evan,

I would set the discharge rate for the 1650 NiMH pack to .500ma.

As you may know, I own a SuperNova. Unfortunately, I found out recently my SN (which is about two years old now) will NOT charge a 4-cell 1650 NiMH pack! And so, I'm very interested in knowing if your SN has problems charging your 4-cell 1650 NiMH pack.

This is the most common complaint and my personal experience when trying to charge NiMH with the SN charger:

The SN terminates the charge within 15 minutes or less and displays an "F" (for Finished) on the LCD screen. Yes, I had it set to manual mode. I tried charging this 4-cell 1650 NiMH pack several times and noticed the *voltage* quickly jumped to 6 plus volts, which is why the charge terminated. In other words, the SN false peaks when charging NiMH. Interestingly, not everyone has this problem... FWIW, I tried the automatic mode, and the SN successfully charged my NiMH pack.

I sent Tim Marks an e-mail several weeks ago asking if he knew anything about the new 2.0 revision firmware Simprop was offering for there "IntelliControl" (same charger as SN and others) charger. He said he had heard rumors about it, but his supplier denys any new changes in the software. He is looking into this matter further.


Don

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 11

discharge rate - 5/28/2002 6:41:57 AM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I have always discharged any pack that is rated above 1000 mah at 1 amp. This gives a better overall picture of the battery.

If you have this problem on a 2 year old SN, then I have no doubt there is just a software issue with the Sn to begin with.

I will do a 500 mah discharge on the 1650 pack. I will start the c/10 charge on the 1650 tonight. When I get home from work tomorrow, I will start the discharge.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 12

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/28/2002 7:23:46 AM   
Eam201


 

Posts: 54
Joined: 1/14/2002
Status: offline 		I have very recently purchased 3 2700 mAh NiMH packs from Radical RC. My Super Nova 250S charged these batteries to 2971. All 3 batteries were charged to 2971. I have 2 Super Nova 250 S. I discharged each of these batteries with a rate at 500 mAh. I can't think off the top of my head but I also got 3 1650 mAh NiMH batteries and they charged higher than they were rated for. The SUPER NOVA is an excellent charger. I am sure there are others. I really do not think this site needs salesmen trying to pitch there stuff.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 13

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/28/2002 8:37:07 AM   
lennyk


 

Posts: 565
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Port of Spain, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I have also had problems charging nimh with my supernova,
Even at the lowest 100ma it ends prematurely.

(in reply to DrV)
       Post #: 14

SuperNova vs SuperTurbo - 5/28/2002 3:31:52 PM   
RC Accessory



Posts: 607
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Statu