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View Full Version : Charger recommendations for Trex 450 SE V2 default bat.

GilUriel
02-15-2008, 01:46 PM
Hi,

I'm on the road to my new Trex. I'm taking Align's pack with the default battery:
3S1P 11.1V 2100mAh/22C
Can anyone recommend a good charger ?
I'm looking for something that will do the work now and when time comes fit some more "heavy" batteries for the Trex as well.

In addition, Can anyone tell me the flying time the Trex has with this battery ?

Tnx
Gil Uriel
istandalone
02-15-2008, 05:18 PM
with that pack you'd average maybe 6.5 minutes, but gearing/blades/hs ect will make your mileage vary. how much $ do you want to spend on the charger? if $200 doesn't phase you get the TP1010. TP also just came out with a lesser model but still has very good reviews. i'll link to both. oh, i'll also link to a combo that readyheli offers, which included a 1-4 cell balancing charger and two 2200mah KP packs.
KP pack/charger combo http://www.readyheli.com/Kong_Power_3s1p_11_1v_2200mAh_25C_Lipo_Battery_C_p/kp-2225-3charger.htm
TP1010 http://www.readyheli.com/Thunder_Power_1010_Charger_p/tp1010.htm
TP610 http://www.readyheli.com/Thunder_Power_TP_610C_Charger_Balancer_p/tp610c.htm

that last link seems to be the best overall value. good luck with whatever path you choose.
cheech91060
02-15-2008, 09:09 PM
nice package with the 2 kp batteries. was planning to get a pair of them for ~120 and wouldn't mind having the charger thrown in for 30 bucks. looks like the charger sells separately for $75(http://www.readyheli.com/DN_Power_Micro_Controlled_LiPo_Li_Lon_G2_Balance_C _p/dncharger.htm). anyone have comments on it?

speaking not from experience, but excessive forum leeching...the cellpro 4s from fmadirect.com seems to be the default answer for best 4s and below charger.
kamtsa
02-15-2008, 11:23 PM
How much are you willing to spend? Event if it is $500, I would recomand the Cellpro 4S (for just $75)

;-)

Kam
Skarn
02-16-2008, 01:14 AM
nice package with the 2 kp batteries. was planning to get a pair of them for ~120 and wouldn't mind having the charger thrown in for 30 bucks. looks like the charger sells separately for $75(http://www.readyheli.com/DN_Power_Micro_Controlled_LiPo_Li_Lon_G2_Balance_C _p/dncharger.htm). anyone have comments on it?

speaking not from experience, but excessive forum leeching...the cellpro 4s from fmadirect.com seems to be the default answer for best 4s and below charger.

I've had that DN charger for over a year now and have no complaints. I don't have anything to compare it to, but again, I like it.

Skarn
GilUriel
02-16-2008, 01:25 AM
"how much $ do you want to spend on the charger?"

Well, Usualy, I intend to buy good stuff even for a little more (but with limits..hhh)
But in this case, I just don't know how much better is everything .. and if it realy worth the change.

I looked at the link Skarn has attached (KongPower's combo) and it looks like a good deal.
Will it surve bigger batteries in the future ?
I have also done some reading on Kamtsa's recommendation - the CellPro 4s and no complains there.
Can anyone compare them ? Pros and cons ?
Pinecone
02-16-2008, 07:17 AM
Cell Pro 4S. Does everything you want, and as they are so cheap, you can get two or three or more.

The TP 1010C is a wonderful charger, but you also need to buy the 210V balancer, so you are up to more like $300. You can charge multiple packs at once, but they have to be the same level of discharge and same capacity, and they all start and stop at the same time.

A couple of problems with the DN charger. 1) No readout of how much you put into the pack. For best lipo life you want to adjust your flying time to put back no more than 80% of the pack capacity when you fully recharge. Hard to do with no readout of what you put back. 2) There have been reports that the voltage readouts for each cell may not be accurate and it may be over charging individual cells. I do like that it is actually 4 separate chargers and charges each cell as a 1S.
CagedVR6
02-16-2008, 09:19 AM
+1 for the Cellpro, cant beat it for the price and its fool-proof.
istandalone
02-16-2008, 09:55 AM
the only complaint i have with that DN charger is that it doesn't show how much capacity is put back into the pack. but if you've got an eagletree v3 i think you can run the v3 between the pack and charger and it'll tell you. also, there are some reports of the DN charger overcharging by .2v or so, but that is adjustable if your good with electronics and have a steady hand. mine came perfectly calibrated though.
Pinecone
02-16-2008, 08:40 PM
You can't run a logger between the DN and pack as the DN charges through the balance plug, not the main plug.
kamtsa
02-16-2008, 09:16 PM
You can't run a logger between the DN and pack as the DN charges through the balance plug, not the main plug.

I think that theoretically one can build a balancing connector adapter that will pass the two end taps though an eagle tree or a watt meter like this one:

http://www.astroflight.com/store/store-type-tem.html?item=products:af-101n&sid=0001iPbJPg8rDcUXBs8M5p9

Using Cellpro 4S is a more practical approach though.

Kam
Pinecone
02-17-2008, 07:33 AM
That won't work with a DN, because the DN is actually 4 separate chargers in one case. Each cell is charged totally separately from the others.
istandalone
02-17-2008, 08:40 AM
i figured the v4 would only work when series charging.
kamtsa
02-17-2008, 11:44 AM
That won't work with a DN, because the DN is actually 4 separate chargers in one case. Each cell is charged totally separately from the others.

All you need to do is to integrate over time the current into one of the cells since the cells gets about the same charge-back. This is why the Cellpro 4S for example does not show per-cell charge back (they could compute it by substracting the per cell bleeding currents from the charger's current). Connecting the eagle tree at the two end taps will do exactly that.

I would just get a Cellpro 4S though ;-)

Kam