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Charger - 5/16/2008 8:14:02 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 717
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		I'm still trying to figure out what charger to get. I understand that all I need is a peak charger for my nimh batteries. Getting a cycler, while not needed, gives me the ability to check the condition of my batteries. I feel like this is important because I charged my new batteries for a couple of days, got to the field, and the power started dropping in my receiver. I have no way to see if something is wrong, but someone put it on a hi-end charger and found that it just wasn't fully charged yet. So do I need to get a cycler/discharging charger?

What do you suggest for a first charger? I want to be able to charge at home.

Thanks.

< Message edited by FatOrangeKat -- 5/16/2008 8:18:51 PM >

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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:18:43 PM   
ChuckW


 

Posts: 1582
Joined: 6/15/2006
From: Clovis, CA, USA
Status: offline 		The Accucycle Elite from Hpbbico is great. It does Ni-cads, Ni-MH and up to 3-cell Li-po's. It will cyclke and give you an accurate reading of the batteries capacity. There is a power supply included so you can use it at home or in the field. I like mine and plan on getting another one.

(in reply to gaRCfield)
       Post #: 2

RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:19:02 PM   
CGRetired



Posts: 4042
Joined: 9/14/2004
From: Galloway, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Well, I have an ICE charger that is easy to operate, does peak charges, batteries are selectable, but requires an external power supply or a car jack that goes into the cigarette lighter.

You can go to Radio Shack and get a battery eliminator 13.6 volt output power supply (emulates a battery in a car) for a relatively inexpensive price which will enable you to connect the charger at home, then you can drag the charger with you to the field and charge just about anything with it.

Great charger.

CGr.

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(in reply to gaRCfield)
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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:21:09 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 717
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		So you're saying its definitely worth getting a $130 charger, even though I'm just starting out...

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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:27:39 PM   
ChuckW


 

Posts: 1582
Joined: 6/15/2006
From: Clovis, CA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: FatOrangeKat

So you're saying its definitely worth getting a $130 charger, even though I'm just starting out...


It depends on how serious you are about staying in the hobby and how adept you are at dealing with gadgets. If all you ever you plan on just casual flying with 1-2 basic planes then it may not be worth the investment. If you don't like dealing with setting up electronic devices and navigating menus & such then it's probably not the best idea either. If you intend to stay in the hobby though, you don't mind reading the charger manual, and you are going to buy a charger of some sort, I'd say go for it. You're likely going to invest in something like it at some point anyhow.

If you want to keep it simple though or have a dollar figure in mind, there are plenty of other viable options.

(in reply to gaRCfield)
       Post #: 5

RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:34:51 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 717
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		Well, I don't want to spend money I don't need to spend, but I am having more fun with this hobby than I've had in a long, long time. I plan on sticking with it, and half of me wants to get (well more than half) a nice charger 'cause I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!!!

So it's OK to get something like this and charge all my batteries using it:?

http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_54&products_id=2798&pname=I-POWER%20(#IP0010)%20%20AC%20to%20DC%2012V/12A%20Transformer%20(2Ch)

I wasn't sure if I could trust doing that for the majority of my charging.

< Message edited by FatOrangeKat -- 5/16/2008 8:36:58 PM >

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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:37:43 PM   
ChuckW


 

Posts: 1582
Joined: 6/15/2006
From: Clovis, CA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: FatOrangeKat

So it's OK to get something like this and charge all my batteries using it:?

http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_54&products_id=2798&pname=I-POWER%20(#IP0010)%20%20AC%20to%20DC%2012V/12A%20Transformer%20(2Ch)

I wasn't sure if I could trust doing that for the majority of my charging.


That will allow you to power a DC only charger from a wall socket at home.

(in reply to gaRCfield)
       Post #: 7

RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:41:18 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 717
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		And that's safe and reliable?

I really appreciate the help.

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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:45:14 PM   
RCKen



Posts: 13859
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Status: online 		If price is your guidelines then go with the charger I recommended to you awhile back, it only costs $29.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXL331&P=7

I have three of these and I use them every time I charge my planes. If you are charging Ni-Cads or Ni-MH batteries all you need to know is the capacity of the battery. This battery has 4 outlets on them with selectable output. You don't need a peak charger that costs a lot of money right now. For instance, if you have a 2500 Mah battery you can select the 250 Mah output and the battery should be fully charged in 10 hours. It's very difficult to overchard Ni-MHs or Ni-Cads so you really don't need to worry about leaving the battery on for too long. While this isn't the most fancy charger out there, it gets the job done and will do more than one battery at a time. Plus it doesn't break the piggy bank. I've been using these for years now and I've never showed up to the field with a battery that wasn't charged yet.

Ken

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(in reply to gaRCfield)
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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:47:47 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 717
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		Oh. I was under the impression that you could easily damage nimh batteries by overcharging them.

< Message edited by FatOrangeKat -- 5/16/2008 8:54:22 PM >

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RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 8:57:33 PM   
RCKen



Posts: 13859
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Status: online 		You can damage any battery if you subject them to too much voltage or current, but not by leaving them on a charger such as this for too long. I've left Ni-MH's on a charger for a couple of weeks before and it was fine. This charger (and any other as well) requires a little understanding of what you are doing in order to stay safe. You have to understand that you can't simply plug in a lot of voltage or current to a battery and expect it to not complain. What you want to do is try to get your setup for a C10 charge. Like my example above, a 2500 Mah battery you would select the 250 Mah output. Even though you have the ability to quick charge batteries you really want to avoid doing it if at all possible. Everything you do with a battery has a cost. You can quick charge batteries but it reduces the overall lifespan of the battery. So if you constantly quick charge a battery it won't last nearly as long as if you did a good overnight charge everytime you go to the field. So if you plan on doing a quick charge you should plan on your batteries lasting a lot less time than if you don't quick charge, so you're going to spend more on batteries. Just do a good overnight charge and your batteries will give you great service for the entire season.

Ken

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The take off is optional, but the landing is MANDATORY!!
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Moderator- Beginner's, Sport Flying, Off-Topic, & AMA Discussions
RCU Community Moderator

(in reply to gaRCfield)
       Post #: 11

RE: Charger - 5/16/2008 9:45:18 PM   
opjose



Posts: 5287
Joined: 11/26/2005
From: Poolesville, MD, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: FatOrangeKat

So you're saying its definitely worth getting a $130 charger, even though I'm just starting out...


The anwer is usually YES.

Remember ONE GOOD charger will serve many purposes...

With the ICE or something similiar, you can determine when it is time to start replacing the batteries as you will be able to check their condition, capacity and operating ranges. You can use it to break in motors, condition NiCD's, even resurrect dead NiMH's for use in other purposes.

I've used it to tell me which cell in a NiMH pack went bad, then used the remaining cells to power glow drivers, and starter motors.

If you use LiPo cells you have the piece of mind of knowing that the charger will shut down automatically if the temperature gets too high, or it will not charge a bad potentially dangerous LiPo.

That same charger can be dragged to the field to quick charge receiver batteries and your TX batteries, in case you forgot to charge something the night before and want to run out to the fielld.

I purchased several chargers, including the less expensive variety, but the "workhorse" is the $130.00 charger... at home I power it with a PC power supply that cost all of 8.00 to modify.



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RE: Charger - 5/17/2008 12:11:03 AM   
Campgems


 

Posts: 1580
Joined: 2/18/2006
From: Arroyo Grande, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Kat, rather than buy a 12 power supply, pick up a second 7AH starter battery. You already have a charger for that. Get yourself a good field charger and you are set. Charge at home and at the field.

Last year, one of the LHS closed down. They had a 75% off sale and I picked up a field charger, for a really good price. I got it home and puluged it into my field box and smoke came out. I had noticed what looked like arced spots on the bananna plugs. I took it back to the LHS and told them it was dead. Even on clearance sale, she gave me my money back and said she didn't know what to do with it now. I offered her $10 for it in case there was something I could use inside. I got to thinking about it and checked with Horizon to see if they could repair it at a reasonable price. They warranty exchanged it for me and I now have a $145 charger that cost me $10 and one way shipping.

I don't know how I got along without one before. I use an Hobbico Accu-Cycle, not the one that you can charge Li-pos on, and I always worry about over charging with it. I blew out a brand new TX battery with it. It is a timed charger, not a peak charger. Now, If I'm flying every couple days, I never charge my plane at home now. Just plug the charger into my flight box and plug in the plane. Ten minutes later, I have a freshly topped off battery and am ready to fly. The thing will handle any thing you plug into it with the exception of the Li-Po's. I suspose that if I go to gassers later this year, I'll need another charger, but for now I happy.

Pick out a good charger and then go for it. It is usually cheaper to buy the right tool the first time rather than buying three that are not quite right.

Don

(in reply to opjose)
       Post #: 13

RE: Charger - 5/17/2008 1:02:14 AM   
alfredbmor



Posts: 901
Joined: 6/1/2005
From: El Paso, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I have some time flying RC airplanes and have always used my wall charger for my Tx and Rx batteries, I have not had any problem since the very begining, I still have some 5 or 6 years old batteries wich are operating flawlesly (I did not cycle any)
Technology is haunting us, and there is now a bunch of electric stuff in our hobbies, two years ago I jumped from glow to some electric park fliers and a nice T-rex electric Heli so I had to buy new types of batteries for my (Lipo) which requiered a special charger and an aditional balancer.
I bought an Hyperion charger which works very good. It is able to charge all kind of r/c batteries in the market, I paid something like 50 dlls. and also bought a balancer which was like 50.00 dlls too. I invested around 100.00 dlls. on charging equipment and each lipo battery cost to me 75.00 dlls. (Yes parkfliers are not cheap), but now I am able to fly big nitro stuff as well as tiny electric stuff in a park near my office or home.


If you are planning to charge only your Nicd batteries I would recommend the old wall charger that works fine for overnight charging.

If you plan to charge only Nicd batteries at your field (I have done that only a couple times) then you do not need and expensive charger, I would go with the one that RCKen recommends.

If you are planning to go electric in the near future, then I highly recommend a very good one like this one:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=825005

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RE: Charger - 5/17/2008 2:11:31 AM