Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question

Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (Full Version)

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KBurns -> Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:17:11 AM)
hello guys, it has been such a long time since I have had to discharge NI-CAD batteries. I am using a TOWER POWER 420 charger and a 7 cell 1900 MAH pack. I totally forgot how to read the amp scale on the charger. I am now discharging a 7 cell pack in discharge mode. the needle swung over to discharge side (3) just into the red. Now what I forgot is what does it mean and how would I know when the battery is fully discharged? Same for charging the pack. When I charge the pack it starts at charge (5) then slowly moves down to charge (4) Again I totally forgot how to read the scale please help. I decided to go with NI-CAD's because the car is a Hot Shot and I figured keep it all 80's LOL No really I am on a budget!! LOL No I am not stupid I have just been into Nitro boat racing for the last 10 or 12 years and just forgot about charging.

guver -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:24:01 AM)
The ammeter will not directly tell when the pack is discharged or charged. On dischargeing the pack it would be completely discharged when the needles comes back up to 0 and discharged enough well before that happens. On chargeing it will never tell when battery is full. The meter isn't designed to tll when battery is full or empty , but rahter the current going into or out of the battery.

guver -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:26:43 AM)
I forgot suggestions: For dischargeing a voltmeter is best and when pulled down to 6-7 volts the batt is considered discharged. For chargeing it needs to be estimated according to this chart. http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/towp0100.html

KBurns -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:31:29 AM)
Sweet, thanks guver. I knew the amp scale would not tell me much except for the ampers the battery is taking/burning off to charge or dis charge. If I am not mistaken the more the battery comes up to full charge, the less amps it will require, so the needle swings to a lower number or twords the zero (so to speak). Correct ? Much like a full size auto.

KBurns -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:34:07 AM)
Awesome link to the chart my 420 charger came with a chart for 6 cell packs. That is some very good info. Thanks.

guver -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 2:43:28 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: KBurns Sweet, thanks guver. I knew the amp scale would not tell me much except for the ampers the battery is taking/burning off to charge or dis charge. If I am not mistaken the more the battery comes up to full charge, the less amps it will require, so the needle swings to a lower number or twords the zero (so to speak). Correct ? Much like a full size auto. Yes, but it isn't like an auto battery in that it WILL overcharge the pack and keep right on going without slowing down to zero. A car alternator is monitoring voltage , the tower 420 is not.

KBurns -> RE: Tower Hobbies 420 charger with scale question (5/5/2008 3:14:37 AM)
I got it now I just needed to remember the amp scale and it's meaning. Thanks. The discharge to (0) is helpful for sure. The best way is by making a strip of lights with a connector to discharge the pack. I will start to make one soon. Discharging is really not an issue, I usually let the car run in a circle when it is evident the battery is getting low until the car can barley move. I have an old JR Alpina PCM fail safe radio so when the radio's receiver won't receive a signal the servo or in this case, the speed control, goes to natural and the car will slow to a stop. The radio I have had for the last 10-15 years if not longer and works great. I used them for IMPBA Nitro boat racing. It is a first generation JR PCM radio the dull green ones. JR then put out a 2nd generation PCM radio the exact same but in a grey color. the one I am using in this car is 27MHZ but I do have 72MHZ as well, in the JR PCM radio. I think it was also the first Digital radio made for the public. Not sure though. Funny, after years of the antenna flexing around (being put into many different boats and nitro trucks) it finally broke where it goes into the receiver's case. I was able to solder it and fix it but just in case I called JR to see if I can buy a new PCM receiver for the ALPINA fail safe radios, and the guy on the phone was like " I never heard of a JR ALPINA PCM Radio" I said yes it is that old. Sadly they could not find a receiver that would match it. now I am hopping it never fails. They did say they can repair it if need be. Anyways very nice talking and thanks again. yack at ya soon.

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