After many years in this hobby and not really worrying too much about such a mundane topic as batteries (just buy new ones) I had my eyes opened when I suddenly and violently lost a rather valuable model in a full on power dive from about 200 feet. I had checked the battery just before take off and it read "good". NOT!
The voltage was up, but the capacity was down, way down.

To make a long story short I looked into the PEAK electronics "SIRIUS" line of chargers and testers. They claimed that their system would erase the "memory " of a ni-cad and in many cases rejuvinate an appearantly dead one. I bought the PRO series charger and the Super Test battery tester. I hooked up a 10 year old 500ma 9v transmitter battery that I knew was funky. The tester showed that it had a capacity of only 200 ma, but the instructions said to charge it and discharge it on the Super Test and few times and it would probably rejuvinate. Did it 4 times and only got around 200ma on all the tries. Was about to give up, but thought I would try one more time. Suddenly it jumped to 450 ma and on the last try it went to 575 ma. I be a believer!! I'm cycling all my batteries now and I am really amazed at how bad some stuff was and how good it is now. Best $200 I ever spent when you consider the cost of batteries not to mention wrecked planes.

Bish
K7QCP

Where can a person find more information on the SIRIUS chargers?
Please let us know.

Try this

www.siriuselectronics.com

I love my Sirius chargers. I dropped mine and broke the switch. I called them up and the guy said, "Can you solder?" I said yeah and three days later there was a free switch in my mail box.

In the mean time I had purchased a second charger that it now hooked up to a deep cycle golf-cart battery. I keep that one in my car for field use and the other one lives in my shop.

I've got nothing but good things to say about these chargers. Of course all my batteries are less than two years old, but they cycle above their rated capacity and I've had no battery failures.

Hmm... sounds like new material for my web site.

Hey Coffe man, As I said, the 9.6 v 500ma battery I resurrected was 10 years old. It would only go to 200 ma, but is now cooking along at 575. I WILL keep my eye on it, but I am really impressed.
Bish
K7QCP

Bish, Welcome to Sirius ownership! I did the very same tests on old battery packs when I bought mine, and had the same positive results. I love my Sirius charger. I broke the switch on mine as well, and found a replacement at Radio Shack for just a few bucks.
Maybe I'll see you at some of the IMAA meets this year...or maybe you'll come fly with us at the Abbey Hawks field?

Cheers, Nigel

Hey Nigel,

Gonna try. Have three 1/4 scale planes ready to go, Tiger Moth, Goshawk and MIG-3. One 1/3 scale Spacewalker. Working on trying to find a good sized trailer. Hauling these things is a pain in the butt. Will for sure be at the Evergreen fly in here in the Skagit Valley.

Bish
K7QCP

I use the Sirius pro for ALL of my transmitters and flight packs!!!!
Everything else gets my Schulze isl8-936!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand, I had several radios that were stored for almost ten years. The guys at Sirius told me that the batteries would come back, but after about 15 cycles I was still only getting 225 or so from a tx pack and I just tossed it. Batteries are a lot less expensive than they used to be and I didn't want to chance it.

The Sirius Guy said I should have kept cycling it and it would have come back.

PS. I don't drink coffee, Bish.

Cafeenman,

Oops, sorry

Bish
K7QCP

CafeenMan and Bish Wheeler,

After reading your comments I decided to take a look at the Sirius chargers. There is one thing I don't understand, how do you cycle the batteries if these are charge-only devices? In other words, how do you discharge the batteries?

The chargers are a charge-only device. If you want to cycle (which I never do) you have to purchase another device. You have to get their super tester. Yes another device and another expense but well worth it. Once you try the Sirius charger you will experience how simple it is to use. It’s a set it and forget it operation. And the best part about it is it's a fast charge that does not harm the batteries. So, if you wanted to use it at the field to fast charge it will work there also. I just use them the morning before I go. I have mine plugged into a timed outlet. The timer goes on around 7 am and goes off around 9am. That’s two hours of charge time which with these chargers can do allot of battery. I usually pack the car around 8.30 am. This way I catch the planes on full charge and in the maintenance mode. (flashing lights) I want to know for sure the charger went on.
I have a large battery (1400nmh) in my 9C transmitter so I don't have to charge that every time I go to the field. There is a voltmeter on the transmitter so I can see when that battery is low. I use the Sirius for the planes all the time and on the transmitter when needed. The night before I decide which planes are coming to the field with me. I never take more than two planes. If I did I would also charge the remaining planes on the way to the field or at the field is needed.
The Sirius pro puts out 500mah per channel. The upgrade brings that to 1aph. Then there's the monster Plus which puts out 2aph but that one only does planes. It will not do a transmitter.
I have a plus and a plus upgrade. I use the upgraded one on a regular basis and keep the plus in my transmitter case for a field emergency (which always seems to be for someone else).
all my planes (40 size) have 1100+ mah batteries both Nmh and nicad. with thoes batteries I can fly all day ( ten flights often) without charging.
I purchased a super tester because the charger has reduced charging to set it and forget it. At the end and at the beginning of each season I do a super test on every battery I have in all my planes, the transmitter and any batteries on the shelf.. This way I know what I have coming out of a season and going into a new season.
Other than that I don't use the super tester unless I feel something isn't right with a particular battery.
I have to say that I did notice a longer hold on my transmitter ( 6X at the time )battery as soon as I switched to the Sirius charger.
If you like simple easy charging at the field or at home, this is the charger for you.
If you're a battery guru and you need to analyze your batteries every way possible every time you charge, this might not be the way for you.
The thing is there are so many people still using the supplied battery charger that came with their transmitter. I think that is crazy.
Often people forget that this hobby has nothing to do with the price of an item.
We pay any amount of dollar for the plane we want and then look to save on the gear inside or behind that plane...????????
I got into this hobby about 4 years ago and was fortunate enough to find this charger right off the supplied trainer charger. For me it’s simple when it comes to batteries because they are not my forte. This charger has never given me any trouble and has extended my battery life. It’s a great item.. and I highly recommend it to all.

Vicar,

As bugseigel said, there are two devices. The first is the charger. It's like any charger except it is magic and won't mess up your batteries, yet it keeps them charged. Also you need a 12v battery to run it.

The second unit is a tester. You simply plug the battery in, the unit discharges the battery and gives you a readout of it's capacity in ma (Mili amps). On an older battery, the two units used, one after the other, will recondition a battery back to it's new or better condition. Of course that is assuming the battery is not shorted out.

Bish
K7QCP

Bish,

Why can't they make a combination unit? If I go by what bugsiegel said, there is no need to discharge batteries because, as you said, the "magical powers" of the unit takes care of maintaning them at peak.

With this setup, how do I find problems? If a cell starts failing, these units have no indicators to let me know there is a problem.

It would be "best" to acquire both pieces due to the fact that nicads AND nimh cells should be stored (after flying) in a dis-charged state.
This is so the crystalline structure of the cells doesn't harden(limit the charge for next time out also called cell loading).
If the cells are cycled (if the cells are NOT taking a full charge)the hardened crystalline will begin to soften again and open the potential for a more complete charge.
The Sirius pieces are some quality product!!!!!!!!
If you are seeking a GREAT charger that does "both" in one unit,
check out the Schulze isl6-330.
Its around 169.99
Another QUALITY product!!!!!!!

Vicar,

That's a good question, but they don't make a combination unit.

To answer your question about spotting problems: That's what the tester is for. From time to time you will do a spot check on your flight batteries to see how they look. On a transmitter battery it is pretty easy to tell when you have a problem as the voltage will read low after charging. On my Futabas, the voltage reads around 11v after charging and will stay near that until I start to use it. I recently had a transmitter battery that only read 9v after charging. I put it on the tester and it showed that the capacity was only at 200 ma (should have been 500). I cycled it a few times and got it back up to 500 +.

Hope this answers your question.

Bish
K7QCP

Bish, thanks for your comments.

tsaldivar, could you give me an address (URL) for the Schulze?

You guys sold me on the Sirius. Gotta have one.
Link for Schulze....http://www.rc-direct.com/schulze.htm

Gotta have a Sirius!!!!!!!!?


I concur with that statement!!!!!!!!!!!!


So I bought the Sirius Pro and had the upgrade done.
AND I bought the Schulze isl6-330 AND the isl8-936!!!!!!!


Can't go wrong now!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Don't forget to ask about the charge output upgrade available for the Sirius when you call to upgrade!!!!!
I think it "doubles" the charge output ability BUT does NOT take away the beautiful reflex charge charactaristics!!!!!!!

Get one QUICK!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

To be honest, I don't really trust voltmeters to tell me how my batteries are. I care about capacity and a voltmeter won't tell you that. That's why I cycle the batteries. I charge them, let them sit overnight and then cycle them. So far they have stayed above the rated capacity.

Also, if you care to do it, you can hook up plugs to fit any of your nicads (cell phone, cordless phone, Dremel Mini Mite, etc.) The Sirius will keep them all in good condition.

The chargers that come with those items trickle charge them to death. It's kind of a pain hooking up the extra connectors, but it's worth it for some things.

PS. I meant any rechargeable batteries that are not lithiums. The Sirius isn't equiped to charge lithium batteries.

Ah but the Schulze isl6-330d is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the ace smart charge is just as good as the sirius for less money---I was told its a sirius with a differant look......joe

Look at www.siriuselectronics.com. It talks about Sirius vs Smart.

Bish
K7QCP