Dang it... cant pick a charger!

[Finless]

OK the Thunder Power stuff seems to be the high end that everyone is using. You buy the 1010C and the 210V and $300 dollars later your still buying connectors and such. Ticks me off!

There has to be a good agressive alternative with built in balancer that can handle 2 to 6 cell. When i mean agressive it is something that charges FAST to 90% then slows down but brings the packs to the proper voltage e.g. a 3S pack to 12.6 not some LAME 12.2 or something.

I am too afraid to buy something new or "unknown" as most times I have done that I got a lame charger and had to return it.

So someone spill the beans.....

Bob

[WillJames]

I run Schulze 330 and 636 and also the 1010/balancers. I have treid a lot of the cheaper alternatives, and none of them can put the mah back into the packs (peak detection) like the more expensive chargers I have seen unfortunately... :(

You can get fairly inexpensive balancers and just balance the packs after flying then charge with one of the cheaper chargers. You will most likely be missing out on roughly 5-10% of the peak charge that the more expensive chargers can put back in the packs, but the cheaper chargers work. I got my adapter cables from Bobby Smith for the TP Balancer to Duralite EVO 20 Rainbow Lead Connector for pretty cheap.

Charging and balancing toghther I have done both with the Duralite Balancers and my Schulze chargers and with the 1010/210V and it works fine, the balancers get pretty hot though, and you will only see a small percentage of hotter (not temp) peaked packs. Where this shows up is the very beginning of the flight, the performance is a little better. At Clint's last weekend I woudl bet my chargers and balancers were at least 125 degrees charging at 1.25 amps in the shade. I think I may have to start taking a fan with me for hot weather charging.

[dodgey]

Well, as you liek to Tinker Bob - maybe what I have might be up your street.

Astro 109 lip charger - does up to 9s. This fellow starts off at whatever amps you want and pushes them in for the 1st three mins regardless of voltage. They say this facility is for bringing back up over discharged packs.

It then charges , keeping an eye on voltage. Then when it gets close to the desired voltage it pulses the charge (still at your chosen amperage) and monitors the resting voltage between pulses.

Because it has the three minute "hard start" is does packs a fair bit quicker than my Triton , as the trition slowly builds up from 0.1 Amp .

And it's cheap.

I use a flightpower balancer which goes up to 6s. I just replaced the plugs on packs which already had balance leads, and added complete leads to those that didn't. Takes 10 mins to swap a connector. I get the connectors from an electronics outlet rather than from flightpower as they are £5 ukp eack from them!. I get them for about 1/10th of that all in.

The flightpower balancer tends to do it's work at the start of a charge and then the pack seems to take care of itself.

i.e. when i plug it in, then start the charge, maybe one or two of the cells light up - i.e. they are out of balance. As teh charging commences, it rarely takes more than a minute for all the lights to go out, and never come back on again.

[Finless]

So dodgey, what is your charge time on a 3S 2100 pack?

AND what I really want to know is when your done charging what is the resting voltage of the pack? I want 12.6 not lower.

The TP-425 does a darn good job of getting the packs to 12.64 (4.21 per cell)
Now that I am going 4S on my lepton and 6S on my Trex600 I need a charger that does as well at the TP-425. So if this sucker does that then you may hev found me my charger.

Bob

[WillJames]

I know you asked Dodgey but myst all chargers I have seen even the cheap ones go to 12.6.

The only problem withthe 109 is it detects cell count and can change cell count during the charge, from what I have read nad heard. I much prefer chargers where I hard set the cell count. Other than that the 109's definitely work and a lot of people use them.

[Paul Hinz]

The cell count changing has been fixed it only happened in version 1.4. It was fixed in version 1.5. They are now on version 1.7.

The Astro when it is in the final charge phase pulses the voltage to over 12.6 for short periods and the checks the voltage between pulses. It shuts off when the at rest voltage stays at 12.6. I have never accually check the voltage after it got done charging but it should be 12.6.

Paul

[dodgey]

I'll so a test for you tonight regarding resting voltage Bob. Charge time is around 40 mins at 2 Amps (I usually put back in about 1700Mah). I'll do a definitive test after 5.30pm UK time and fill you in.

I have the oldest software. The only cell count issue I've ever had is when charging 2 x 4s4p packs in series. At first it detected them as 8s but then started to detect 7s. I don't charge them in series any mroe as I care about them too much! :-)

Must get myself the latest chip ordered...

test results to follow...

[Finless]

Thanks all.... Now what about a balancer to go with this thing?
Is the "blinky" good that astro sells?

Bob

[dodgey]

OK, home made 2100 Mah 3s pack

charge

2.1Amps
1:04 hours
1870 Mah
Charger says 12.6v
Meter says 12.54v

(charging done with balancer plugged in from start to finish)

Now trying a FlightPower 2150 20c pack....

[dodgey]

Evo 20c packs came out the same. resting at 12.54v

[Trooper Sam]

Nice....I just traded a Triton for a 109, and I didn't even know any of this stuff. I look forward to getting it today or tomorrow! :)

[Ultraviolet]

Bob, This is the charger your looking for,

www.fmadirect.com/detail.htm?item=2044&section=38

:)

[Finless]

Bob, This is the charger your looking for,

www.fmadirect.com/detail.htm?item=2044&section=38

:)

I was looking at that charger. Do you have any experience with it?

Bob

[DebianDog]

Here is a review http://www.rcgroups.com/links/index.php?id=4929

[dodgey]

Blimey Bob - the time it's taking you to choose a charger you could have mailed me your lipos and I could have charged them :noteworthy

[DebianDog]

:lolol

[Finless]

I am picky about this dang it.....
I like this FMA charger and I read the review but I would like to hear form people that have really used the dang thing regularly/ Is it worth it and if you had to do it again would you have just gone with the $300 TP solution?

Bob

[Ultraviolet]

Bob, No I have not met anyone who has the balance pro charger. I have a
a cellpro 4s charger on backorder. The cellpro charger has recieved a lot of
praise from everyone who has purchased one.

As far as the TP charger ............ I get the distinct impression that someone is
pocketing way too much profit. I mean come on $ 300 for a charger and separate
balancer. No way ............ Total rip off !!

The cellpro charger is supposed to work better than the TP and the cellpro is $ 70.
I understand that you need a charger for 6s . If I were you I would give the balancepro a try. $ 130 is a fair price for a 6s balancing charger. You can also
store the data about individual cells on your computer. If the TP charger did this
they would want an extra $ 200 :wink:

[kgfly]

The balance pro system looks impressive, but isn't a bit disappointing that it doesn't have an LCD? It seems a pain to have to lug a laptop along with all the other gear just to be able to tell how much charge went back into the battery.

Kenneth

[X]

How about this one?

[DebianDog]

Europe only. 220V :(

[X]

Do you think that charger will be exist in the US? It is new in the UK also.

[dodgey]

Shame it only appears to go up to 5Amp - bit of a waste :-(

[Finless]

I decided to buy the FMA direct charger. Just ordered it last night and it will be here Thursday. I will share my opinions as soon as I get it.

bob

[Ultraviolet]

:D