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All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Batteries & Chargers >> Red, What would you buy?
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Red, What would you buy? - 1/6/2003 6:10:45 AM   
catboater



Posts: 382
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I'm going to buy a new charger and cycler that's together in one unit. What would you buy Red? You've talked up the Triton pretty well but nobody has them. What else can you recommend in that price range?
       Post #: 1

Re: Red, What would you buy? - 1/6/2003 7:17:04 AM   
sfaust



Posts: 1804
Joined: 9/6/2002
From: Boston, MA, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by catboatr
I'm going to buy a new charger and cycler that's together in one unit. What would you buy Red? You've talked up the Triton pretty well but nobody has them. What else can you recommend in that price range? [/QUOTE]

That is a very limited question, and Red's favorite charger could be totally useless for your needs.

You need to understand what type of flying you do as compared to Red, the type of charging and maintenance that will be done, what type of battery packs, the number you want to change at a time, and so forth. The variations can be as different as night and day. If he flies most larger planes, and you fly electrics, you can see how his first choice of charger will not meet your needs.

So, first off, what are you trying to accomplish? What type of packs do you have, what are they installed in, and how often do you need to charge them. Overnight, fast charge at the field, or both? How many at one time will you need to charge? How many ports do you think you need available at a time? Will you be doing NiCad, NiMH, Lithium, or any combination of these?

Give Red the answers to those questions, and he could recommend a good charger for you.

Personally, I like the SuperNova 250s as a good all round charger that fits most peoples needs. The Triton also looks good, but I've never had my hands on one.

_____________________________

Stephen

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 2

Well I would like the same recommendation ... - 1/8/2003 5:06:33 AM   
D_Dawg



Posts: 237
Joined: 6/4/2002
From: Stockton, CA, USA
Status: offline 		But I will supply more info.

I am only worried about charging/discharging/cycling & conditioning NiCads.

Overnite charging for both TX & Rx battery packs (At the same time and on the same unit)

I do like the sound of the Triton, but from my understanding ... it only does one pack at a time thus meaning I would need two tritons!

My packs are standard 500 to 700 mah receiver packs and stock TX packs found in Futaba T8UAPS, Hitec FLASH 5, and Airtronics RD6000 series radios ...

So, with all the choices out there for the supreme combo supercharger ...

Which is the creme of the crop without busting the budget?

Respectfully,

David

PS: I dont want to have to make or buy a 12V dc suppy to use the thing.

< Message edited by D_Dawg -- Jan 8 2003 12:15AM >


_____________________________

Flying is the 2nd greatest accomplishment known to man ... Landing is the GREATEST thrill of all.

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       Post #: 3

Your recommendation Red? - 1/8/2003 9:11:55 AM   
strato911



Posts: 1479
Joined: 9/17/2002
From: Winnipeg, MB, CANADA
Status: offline 		I too am considering getting my first charger/cycler, and with the exception of the Triton's one-pack limit, I like it. With your extensive experience, which charger would you recommend for simultaneous charging of Tx and Rx batteries? I currently use standard 9.6V Tx packs (600mAh - 1200mAh) Ni-Cd & Ni-H, and so far my Rx packs are all 4.8V (650mAh) Ni-Cd, but may progress to 6.0V in the next few years.

Oh yeah, I'm on a very limited budget, so I'm hoping to find something for my needs under $150...


_____________________________

I try to learn from other people's mistakes...
I won't live long enough to make them all myself.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 4

Red, What would you buy? - 1/8/2003 11:09:21 AM   
falcon5619


 

Posts: 32
Joined: 1/7/2003
From: Coral Springs, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I recently bought the Triton, I like it very much.

Heliproz has them in stock if you want one. I bought from them last week. $129 If you get the sale up to $150 you will get free ground shipping. Buy some charge leads that should do it.

http://www6.mailordercentral.com/heliproz/default.asp

-Gregg

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 5

Red, What would you buy? - 1/8/2003 8:06:57 PM   
theKAT



Posts: 355
Joined: 12/30/2001
From: Bloomington, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Gregg-

Thanks for that info. Tower's had me on hold for a month.

BTW, I just ordered there and the minimum for free ground is $100.

Karl

_____________________________

Karl

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 6

So Red .... - 1/9/2003 7:04:16 AM   
D_Dawg



Posts: 237
Joined: 6/4/2002
From: Stockton, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Is two tritons worth the same as the wait for trying to get a Litco Alpha 4?

Or, does the mythical Alpha 4 still reign suspreme?

especially now that the next order cycle does not open untill 2/6/03 ...

Or ... is the Hobbico Accu Cycle plus good enough just for us standard Nicad owners?

Signed,

Charger Overload


_____________________________

Flying is the 2nd greatest accomplishment known to man ... Landing is the GREATEST thrill of all.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 7

Re: So Red .... - 1/9/2003 7:21:07 AM   
mgmoore7


 

Posts: 114
Joined: 7/29/2002
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]

Or ... is the Hobbico Accu Cycle plus good enough just for us standard Nicad owners?
[/QUOTE]

I have had the Accu Cycle for a few years until I just sold it a few days ago. In my experience it worked well to do what it is designed to do which is cycle rx and tx batteries. It does not have much capability beyond that. So for the high price, it is fairly limited. I have a Triton on order that will replace the AccuCycle for my rx & tx cyclling, charging needs and it will also charge just about anything else I can throw at it.

Matt

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 8

Red, What would you buy? - 1/9/2003 7:41:35 AM   
sfaust



Posts: 1804
Joined: 9/6/2002
From: Boston, MA, USA
Status: offline 		I used the Accu-Cycle Plus for a while before ending up with the Alpha 4. I haven't used the Triton, but have read about it.

My thoughts are that based on what you want to accomplish, the Accu-Cycle Plus fits your needs. No 12v power supply, the batteries that you will be using are within the capabilities of the charger, and it will charge, discharge, and cycle both packs as the same time. Now room to grow, but it will do as you wish, and its all in one box.

With that said, two Triton's would give you some growing room, as it supports more battery types, and has more features. You would also be able to use it in the field, where the Accu-Cycle is a shop charger. The downsides are that it requires a power supply to run which you didn't want, you would need two of them, and it would cost quite a bit more.

_____________________________

Stephen

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 9

Red, What would you buy? - 1/9/2003 7:43:28 AM   
William Robison



Posts: 20269
Joined: 11/10/2002
From: Mary Esther, Florida, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Originally posted on a different thread:
_______________________________
Gentlemen:

I have the Hobbico Accucycle Plus. While it will not charge anywhere nearly as many cells as those you list, when you stay in its range it's a good unit. I also have the DC adaptor for it, so it also serves as a field unit.

There's only one problem with it. In the three years I've had it, it has crapped out four times. Three were in warranty, I'm debating whether or not to send it for repairs yet another time.

Anyone else have such good service from the Accucycle Plus?

I'm currently using a Cermark CH-110. Max of 10 cells this time, and it doesn't have the accumulator indications the AC+ does, but it doesn't break either. Easy enough to time the discharge.

Want to go with the flow?
. Launch a twin and watch it go.

Bill.
_______________________________

Just my experience with the AC+. wr

_____________________________

Real Airplanes have Two Engines
AMA 25139 - More than 40 years.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 10

Red, What would you buy? - 1/9/2003 8:58:42 AM   
falcon5619


 

Posts: 32
Joined: 1/7/2003
From: Coral Springs, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Your welcome, Karl. Those guys at Heliproz are great to deal with. I wish they sold airplanes as well, I would buy everything from them.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 11

Red, What would you buy? - 1/9/2003 9:12:42 AM   
SuperStick



Posts: 125
Joined: 12/15/2002
From: little rock, AR, USA
Status: offline 		I got started on this subject when my base acu cycle started giving low mah readings on rx and very high mah readings on tx. It has been sent back once and now its time to either calibrate it or send it back again. Today i flew with an imac competive pilot and his sugestion is get a sirius pro and dump the equipment for overnight charging and cycling. His opinion is if you check the voltage at the field between flights and you see an abnormal drop that u arent used to seeing its time to get new batteries. Also the cycling thing got started on nicad technology that has dramaticaly improved and is no longer needed with todays batteries. THis guy flies every day that it dosent rain or snow and has been in the sport a pretty good while.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 12

Things that make you go ... Hummmm - 1/9/2003 9:58:40 AM   
D_Dawg



Posts: 237
Joined: 6/4/2002
From: Stockton, CA, USA
Status: offline 		so .. from what I am hearing is ...

for the all around best ..but impossible to obtain ...

Litco Alpha 4 ...

The new Triton ... which only does 1 pack at a time ... 32 hours for a transmitter and Receiver pack or buy 2 ...

the same to be said about the Super nova ...
and the Einstein ...

I beleive the Ace Super digipace 3 does both Tx and Rx at the same time ... but needs a DC 12v supply as well as the triton

The Hobbico accu-cycle plus is good if you don't mind getting it serviced 4 times a year ...

and the last comment was that the new Nicads are good enough not to worry 'bout them ... so just charge them with the standard wall charger that comes with each system.

Well ... I am no expert ... and I can read a VOM or a DVM ... but I am lazy and I want to know how my batterys are doing beyond having to read the trusty meter before the day I fly.

I would much rather have a charger that can safely discharge my battery pack down to a predetermined level (rather than leave the switch on over a period of time till the servos chatter).

Then to have them charged back up to peak at a regulated current till maximum charge then trickle till I shut it off. Then give me a display readout of what the data was for discharge and charge up.

All I really want to know is ... out of all the choices out there ...
what is the best you can get for Nicad's and isn't going to have to wait till the middle or end of the year to obtain (Alpha4 - which if I could get one now - I wouldn't be troubled with this).

Since Litco is swampped by backorders and anyone who has one won't sell it.

My choice has to come up with a decent second choice. I dont really care if it can double as a field charger ... extra frill I dont need.

I only want quailty for Nicad care ... as Nicads is all I have used for 25 years and have no need to change to higher priced NiMh or any other kind of battery at this time.

So please ... help stop this multiple chairs of chargers and limit it to one simple solution.

Thermally overloaded

: |


_____________________________

Flying is the 2nd greatest accomplishment known to man ... Landing is the GREATEST thrill of all.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 13

Red, What would you buy? - 1/10/2003 5:17:10 AM   
William Robison



Posts: 20269
Joined: 11/10/2002
From: Mary Esther, Florida, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Doggie:

I'm the one who had the failures of the AccuCycle Plus.

I've decided to send it back again.

And I'm sure the later production will have had the problems corrected.

It's $140 from Tower and others, the DC adapter cost me about $35, letting it serve as a field charger as well as having the built-in AC capability.

Have you looked into the "Whattmeter" supplied by Astro Flight? Usd with ANY charger it will give you the total mah of charge or discharge. The Whattmeter and Cermark's CH-110 charger gives a bulletproof system, but the CH-110 is DC input only, and it's one pack at a time.

So if you want AC power, and ywo packs at once, I will commend the AccuCycle Plus in spite of my experience.

A twin on the wing,
. It makes my heart sing.

Bill.

_____________________________

Real Airplanes have Two Engines
AMA 25139 - More than 40 years.

(in reply to catboater)
       Post #: 14

Ace Super digipace 3 - 1/10/2003 5:21:08 AM