hi there. with several batteries of different types (nicad, nimh, lipo) I think it is about time to invest in a balancer charger that can do them all. I am NOT interested in spending a fortune on the biggest baddest gold crown of the chargers, but I could use a recommendation on a solid quality charger at a reasonable price.

can you give me some recommendations?
Thanks
Rob

Only Lipo batteries need balancing.
2 ways to go. Get any quality charger that will charge all your batteries and a seperate balancer that can be used while charging, like an Astro Blinky, or get a charger that balance charges.
I personally use a Bantam BC-5, it will charge every battery I have, including my field box'' gell cell and balance charges up to a 5s lipo.
Drawbacks, will only charge one battery at a time and requires a 12v power source (car battery or AC/DC power supply)
http://www.atlantahobby.com/shopexd.asp?id=6385
It does make a great field charger.

I use my Hobbico Quick Field Charger MkII in combination with my Electrifly Equinox balancing module:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXCTZ5&P=ML

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXMGS7&P=ML

The Hobbico Quick Field Charger Mk II will charge 1-8 cell NiCd and 1-8 cell NiMH batteries for receivers, transmitters, or power packs. It will also charge 1-3 cell LiPo batteries. The charger can autodetect the number of cells, can charge two batteries simultaneously, and the charge rate can be set independantly for each battery.

Add in the Equinox Balancer and you can charge LiPo batteries with balanced charging jacks. If you have two of the Equinox modules, you can charge two balanced LiPo packs at the same time from the Quick Field Charger MkII.

I have an MRC Super Brain 989 charger that I leave at home for trickle charging, cycling, and what not. The Hobbico QFC MkII and the Equinox combine to handle about 95% of my regular charging needs and I find the combination of the two very handy.

Can''t go wrong with the triton chargers.

This is no different to anything else and unfortunately you pay for what you get !!!
I''ve a http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk...d.asp?id=22570 which is fine but I then had to pay another £22 including postage to get an adapter to plug into the mains although there is now this one which comes with a mains supply http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk...d.asp?id=24144

Both of those will "do the job"

That said I also have the Sigma http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk...d.asp?id=21255 and v balancer and think it''s a much better overall product.
The Liproplus quite often takes 2 hrs to charge a battery (should be roughly 70 mins and happens approx 1 in every 5 batteries) and whilst it puts in the correct mAh and I''m sure it''s really only balancing at that stage as the amps passing through is virtually none, it doens''t really give you peace of mind when you know one of the main things that can cause a lipo to explode is over charging.

I know if I was to buy another one tomorrow even with the extra cost I''d get another Sigma rather than the cheaper alternative especially if you''re going to be in the hobby for a while yet !!!!!!

"Ice, Ice, Baby!".

The ICE charger has more features than the Triton for about the same price.

Much better display and there is a backlight kit for it too.

does not balance right? so need separate balancer for lipo.

You hook an Equinox to it, just like the Triton...