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Old 08-16-2010, 09:02 PM
  #4  
rcfalcon56
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ingleside, TX
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Default RE: Fried Eclipse 7

I only have chargers, not a cycler. With NiCds, I never worried about really cycling them because after a days flying the voltage on the Tx always was near the 9.6V level anyway and the Rx batteries were at the limit as well. I used the Tx to cycle the NmHi pack due to the lack of a cycler. The thing that has me baffled is that it had been on for about 30 min with no problems and while I was twidling the sticks it went to the 15.5V and the Rx stopped responding. I have since charged the suspect pack on my Hobbico Quick Field Charger with no problems. I even put it in my Flash 5 Tx for a few minutes to see what would happen and it powers up fine.

There is a bit of history on the Eclipse however. I had used the same Hobbico charger to charge the Tx while the factory battery was in the Tx when for some reason the charger missed the peak voltage cutoff and overcharged the battery to the point where it melted the Tx case. I admit I was an idiot for charging it that way while it was unattended. I sent it to HiTec and they replaced the case and the battery at no charge even though the radio was way beyond warranty, but none of the electronics. (Gotta love HiTec!!) The radio functioned properly but the battery just didn't perform very well. After about 3 flights of around 5-8 minutes, it was done. That's why I got the NmHi pack. Since it still had plenty of juice after a full day at the field I wanted to cycle it before charging. I had learned my lesson from the melt down to not leave it unattended and the battery hadn't been out of the unit for several weeks. I used the keyed connector on the battery so it can only go on one way unless your a gorilla and I am scrupulous when it comes to matching poloarity. It's been checked with my DVM as well and red is positve, black negative as it should be.

I will be sending the radio in for service at some point because it's the only system I have that can handle my Ultra Stik with flaps and crow ailerons and I really love that plane!