Here is some battery info which has yielded proper performance .

The "ESV" mentioned toward the bottom of the page, will ELIMINATE the "guesswork" with regard to battery charge status.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNK82&P=7

While an expanded scale volt meter is great to determine if your battery has sufficient current to fly again, it is not the tool required to test capacities, retention, and other factors, nor to safely charge your batteries...

However an ESV is a wonderful tool to have in your field box, and should be used after your first few flights of the day.

How about this charger? I ended up not getting the Accucycle.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTFV3

The minimum discharge rate of that charger (1.0 amp) is higher than what is used for routine battery maintenance. Check the battery (feel) for overheating when you discharge.

Besides performing every step, precaution and detail necessary to prepare your aircraft for flight...before it first leaves the ground , check the battery!

As he said, the dicharge rate is not controllable, and it too uses a POT.

Any charger that uses a "DIAL" or knob to control the charge rate, uses a POT and is prone to innaccuracies.

I'm NOT telling you that you cannot use these, however because you are looking for your new "main workhorse" charger, investing in one with finer controls and capabilities is a good idea.... e.g. a computer controlled one.

A quick field charger is called a "Field" charger for a reason.

If you can opt for one that will do more to start with, so you will not need to later purchase a more capable device, when you could have been using one all along.