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Spektrum Smart battery question

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Spektrum Smart battery question

Old 07-25-2022, 12:04 PM
  #1  
Dazzyst
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Default Spektrum Smart battery question

Hi All,

Can Spektrum Smart batteries be charged on ISDT / normal Lipo chargers or MUST it be a Spektrum Smart charger?

Cheers
Daz
Old 07-25-2022, 12:38 PM
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Depends.

Gen1 Smart packs have a balance lead and can be charged conventionally.

Gen2 or G2 smart batteries have no balance lead and must be charged with a Smart charger.

If you're buying from Horizon you're most likely going to get G2, if you're buying old stock from a hobby shop or online retailer you need to be sure that what you're buying isn't G2 if you want to use a regular charger.
I have 24v icharger 308 and I love it, but i was sold on the S2200 smart charger once i tried it.

Edit for clarification: You can charge G2 smart batteries without a Smart charger (nobody is getting shafted) but you can't BALANCE charge them. It didn't occur to me to mention this because most people balance charge big lipos.

Last edited by BarracudaHockey; 07-26-2022 at 06:31 AM.
Old 07-26-2022, 04:10 AM
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Originally Posted by BarracudaHockey
Depends.

Gen1 Smart packs have a balance lead and can be charged conventionally.

Gen2 or G2 smart batteries have no balance lead and must be charged with a Smart charger.

If you're buying from Horizon you're most likely going to get G2, if you're buying old stock from a hobby shop or online retailer you need to be sure that what you're buying isn't G2 if you want to use a regular charger.
I have 24v icharger 308 and I love it, but i was sold on the S2200 smart charger once i tried it
Seriously? I don't use the balance leads anyway so why can't this work? Horizon finding another way to shaft buyers?
Old 07-26-2022, 06:29 AM
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You charge Lipos without balancing?
Old 07-30-2022, 05:44 AM
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Originally Posted by BarracudaHockey
You charge Lipos without balancing?
Not every time, no. I also don't run my batteries down to near the low voltage point. I'm not the kind of person who spends his entire time at the field flying - being social with the other fliers is important to me. I do occasionally use the balance lead, but I stay away from Horizon Hobby batteries, even most other Horizon items, so I won't ever see this issue.

Horizon lost me as a customer when they bought up the field and raised their profit level.
Old 08-01-2022, 07:01 AM
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Default smarat charges and LiPo and Li ion

my smart charger is marked for Li Pol but my smart batteries are Li ion. Does it make any difference?
Old 08-01-2022, 07:03 AM
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Probably not, if you have a spektrum smart charger and smart battery it detects the chemistry when you plug the battery in and activates the appropriate type and charge rate based on that information.

What battery do you have? I wasn't aware there were lithium Ion smart packs
Old 08-01-2022, 09:52 AM
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Default battery type

The smart battery is a 2200 ma 50c.
Old 08-01-2022, 10:24 AM
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I dont think they make any LiIon batteries, they have Life and Lipo in Smart packs.

Either way, if its a smart pack from Spektrum the charger will pick up the battery info and set the proper charge regime automatically
Old 08-01-2022, 02:42 PM
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Default image of battery


Li ion battery
Old 08-02-2022, 02:52 AM
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Fascinating!

My money is on that being a misprinted label. Here's what i come up with running that part number on Horizon's web site.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...PMX224S50.html
Old 08-02-2022, 07:37 AM
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Li Ion is not noted for high discharge rate. The same thought had occurred to me.

Thanks for the research
Jerry
Old 10-24-2022, 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by rgburrill
Seriously? I don't use the balance leads anyway so why can't this work? Horizon finding another way to shaft buyers?
ALWAYS balance charge LiPo batteries! You're asking for trouble if you don't.
Old 09-12-2023, 01:20 PM
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Originally Posted by splinters
ALWAYS balance charge LiPo batteries! You're asking for trouble if you don't.
In fact some chargers can't charge a LiPo without the balance lead connected (Hitec RDX2 Pro, for instance)
Old 10-02-2023, 04:02 PM
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I bought an Apprentice from Horizon Hobby that came with a G2 smart battery & S120 USB charger.
Question - how can I tell if my smart battery is charged, or how much voltage is left in each cell without a balance lead on the battery?
Normally I would use my battery checker & plug the balance lead to check how much charge was left in my battery.
But without a balance lead on the battery, what do you do?
Old 10-03-2023, 03:03 AM
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They have a SMART checker that reads those batteries w/o a balance lead or simply plug it into the charger.
Old 11-12-2023, 05:14 AM
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Originally Posted by drewA82
Spektrum Smart batteries are designed to work with Spektrum Smart chargers. While it's generally recommended to use a Spektrum Smart charger for optimal performance and safety, you can still charge Spektrum Smart batteries on ISDT or normal LiPo chargers. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer's guidelines and settings to ensure a proper and safe charging process. Safety first!
Yes and no.

G2 SMART batteries (those they are selling now) balance through the data lead, they don't have a balance tap so you really can't safely charge those with a regular charger.
Old 11-18-2023, 01:52 PM
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I am not sure if that would fit in this thread but I will take a chance.
I bought https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...2002SLFRX.html
and the charger https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...SPMXC2060.html

I got thew extensions for main charging cables but what extension do I use for data cable?

Can I charge without data cable?

Thank you!
Old 11-19-2023, 05:06 AM
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Extensions?

You just plug the battery into the changer.

If you need an extension of the main cable you can use this https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...SPMXCA319.html

If you need to extend the balance lead you can use this https://www.horizonhobby.com/product.../DYNC0109.html
Old 11-19-2023, 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by BarracudaHockey
Extensions?

You just plug the battery into the changer.

If you need an extension of the main cable you can use this https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...SPMXCA319.html

If you need to extend the balance lead you can use this https://www.horizonhobby.com/product.../DYNC0109.html
That you very much.
Just what I was looking for.

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