Upgrading RX Battery
 

Hello all. I've been flying my Tower Trainer 40 for a few weeks now with my clubs instructor, its the RTF version, flies perfect, but Im getting interested in getting a higher capacity battery for the RX, and possible the TX as well. the RX battery in the plane now is 4.8v 500mah I believe. One of the batteries Im looking at from RadicalRC is 4.8v 1650mah. I was just curious if Its possible to charge this battery with the wall-wart that came with the original setup, it charges at 50mA according to the tower specs. If so, what kind of charge times can I expect?

and the million dollar question, should I just shell out the money for a cycler/charger?

Thanks! =)

RE: Upgrading RX Battery
 

Your charger should charge it fine. As for charge times with a 1650:

1650mAh/50mA = 33 hours.

You will not need to charge it for 33 hours every time you recharge it because you will most likely not be using the entire battery in a day. You just need to replace what you used after a day of flying.

You could get a cycler/charger. One nice thing about that would be that you can take the battery you have now, fly with it a couple of times, then throw it on the charger at the field for a fast charge and then keep flying. Then you do not need to add extra weight to your plane or buy a new battery.

RE: Upgrading RX Battery
 

Larger batteries are available for most Transmitters too. It depends on the TX itself. Check with one of the better battery vendors for more info.

RE: Upgrading RX Battery
 

I use 2500mAh in all my TX.

RE: Upgrading RX Battery
 

Allfat is talking about A fast field charger that is A 12 volt unit and charges up to peak very fast. Great thing to have along in your flight box. Maybe some of the newer ones have A cycler on them?? Mine is an older model and doesn't.
I do have A cycler/charger at home that is an outstanding unit.
Both my field charger and cycler I bought from Horizon, the Double Vision field charger and the Sure Cycle. Both just under 60 bucks. I have several other chargers at home too. My ACE digapace charges 6 batteries at one time from 100 to 1500 mAh.
These are just A couple of items that are out there so when you think it's time to upgrade do the search and see what you like.;)

RE: Upgrading RX Battery
 

If you go for the larger cacity batteries treat yourself to something like a Trition II or Triton Jr that will charge at 10 % of the pack's rating. In a pinch you can "boost" it and charge a pack in two hours (you have to program out the default 90 minutes on the Jr and that's a 45 second nuisance routine that shouldn't be necessary). $80 to $130 initial investment but worlds above the wall-wart charger that came with your tx.