New competition for TP1010?

[warpspeed]

Just noticed Tower has the Triton ZX listed and feature-wise this unit looks set to give the TP charger a run for its money. There's no pic and I couldn't even find it on Great Planes site, but the big (to me) feature is dual outputs! The second output is reduced spec, but for those of us that have both the big and little Rexy's this charger looks the biz. (up to 10s on 1st output, up to 3s on 2nd)

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXMAJ1&P=ML

Just thought you might wanna know!

[warpspeed]

Hey, thanks Warp! Good 'o ya to bring that to our attention! Why, that just might be my next charger!

[warpspeed]

Well you're very welcome! Anything I can do to help, why you just let me know!
I'm a veritable fount of information, ya know.

[antennahead]

Am I reading the specs right? max 10 amp..........4C max charge rate for lipo???

[kgfly]

Interesting, we'll see how it stacks up when it becomes available.

The competition includes at least the TP1010, e902 and 1210i, all of which are more powerful (220/200/180W respectively) and can do LiFe (A123) cells as well. Plus the e902 and 1210i go up to 12s.

[RC Accessory]

It will sell well because it is Great Planes and sold by Tower Hobbies. Spec wise, there are better, more powerful, more featured chargers available.

[Jermo]

I'd hesitate to buy anything right now. I heard a rumor FMA is coming out with a new charger. No details ..just that it's coming soon.

[warpspeed]

No love for the Triton with this crowd, eh? Well, just thought I'd point out another alternative. Nice to have choices, yes? The only reason I mentioned the TP charger is because it is the current "gold standard" but it looks like the ZX may be a better unit, if only for the fact it will charge lipo's larger than 6s.
Personally I've had too many chargers fail over the years to waste any cash on the cheapo overseas junk being sold today, even if it is "more powerful" or "more featured."
The FMA, on the other hand, I'd be willing to wait for.
So come on Jermo, spill.
What have you heard?

[kgfly]

it looks like the ZX may be a better unit, if only for the fact it will charge lipo's larger than 6s
The TP1010 does up to 10s lipo and is made in Korea, the Hyp1210i and eStation902 do up to 12s lipo and I wouldn't characterise as "cheapo overseas junk" so I am not sure what you mean, but certainly the FMAdirect products are good value and when their rumoured upgrade to the BalancePro comes out I bet it will be a hot seller.

[warpspeed]

Oops! You're right Kgfly-I've got the thing sitting right here in front of me charging merrily away. Must have been a blonde moment. Anyway I wasn't specifically referring to the Hyperion or Bantam chargers as the cheapo junk-thinking more along the lines of what's available at Helidirect. (Have you seen some of the chargers they carry? It may be safer to cut off the connector and just stuff the ends right into an outlet!)

This is going to show my age, but back in the mid 70's when I was trying to accumulate all the gear necessary to go racing (ground-based r/c) I skrimped and saved for months to buy the best charger available at the time, a high-end unit made by Novak. (Considered one of the best in the r/c car world) I'd already had Hobbico and MRC chargers fail on me and was determined this would be my last charger.

It charged 3 packs, then died. It's replacement lasted 2 weeks. Since then I've tried Astroflight, Duratrax, Orion, a handful of no-names, even Radio Shack and Tower Hobbies brands. I treat 'em like precious jewels and yet one by one they bite the big one-although I have to admit I've got a Superbrain (MRC) that is still going strong. My original Triton works great too after almost 6 years of heavy use. Granted, technology has come a long way since those days but I'm still a bit gun-shy when it comes to buying a charger, no matter WHAT brand. Heck even when I bought the TP1010 I really didn't have much confidence in it. But, it had something of a track record, and so far so good.

That's why, while brands like Bantam appeal to me, until they've been around longer I'll stay away. I'm perfectly content to let everyone else be the beta-testers.

[RC Accessory]

That's why, while brands like Bantam appeal to me, until they've been around longer I'll stay away. I'm perfectly content to let everyone else be the beta-testers.

Bantam has been in the RC business for a number of years now. Before releasing the e-Station line of products 4 years ago, their RC charger business for making products for other companies (and still do) including Thunder Power, Kokam, and K&S.

Do you know when you are considered a player in the industry? When you're the one that gets copied. There are 2 new chargers out on the market that have copied the Bantam product. RC Power and IMAX. Low cost Chinese kock off's.

There are only 3 other companies worldwide that have a product line as in depth as Bantam. Orbit, Shulz and SJ Pro Po.

Bantam is a very well established product in Europe and Asia and is the fastest growing charger line in the US. The BC-x line was reviewed 3 times in the past 5 bi-monthly issues of the Battery Clinic column in Model Aviation magazine and was just reviewed last month by RC Groups.

Evan Chapkis
RC Accessory, Inc.
Auth US Bantam Importer