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Main Forum - Helicopter Talk R/C Helicopters and the people who fly them. VENDOR TOPICS DO NOT GO HERE. Full Scale Heli threads go in OT please |
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10-07-2015, 04:19 PM | #21 (permalink) | |
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Quote:
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Alan (just call me "Bum"; no need to be so formal) HeliFreak Support Protos Max Evo 700 (Brain 2), Protos Max V2 770 (iKON 2), Synergy 516 (Brain 2), Oxy 2 (Falcon 12) Graupner MZ-32 Experience is something you gain only after you need it. I wouldn't mind social media so much if it didn't involve people. |
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10-07-2015, 04:42 PM | #22 (permalink) | |
HF Support
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Quote:
There are different settings for when you're running on a power supply versus a battery (which you select at boot) but hopefully I'll never have to find out the hard way if it doesn't work.
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Gaui X5F 6S (VBar), Lynx 450X-L 6S (Ikon), Lynx 300X-L 4S (Ikon), Blade 180CFX 3S (Ikon) Lumenier QAV400 4S (Vector), Lumenier QAV250 3S (Naze32/CleanFlight), CYE Stingray 500 4S (TG Multi) AMA Member, HCAM Member |
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10-07-2015, 06:05 PM | #23 (permalink) |
Registered Users
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Gunny,
First, I'll say +1 for any of the ichargers or Powerlab chargers. Progressiverc and BuddyRC both sell both. I have had an i306 for several years and its fine but would probably buy the 308duo if I needed a new one. It has much higher balancing current than any other I have looked at. Charging deep cycle batteries in your car is no big deal. Its done all the time in RV's and campers. It is a good idea to install an isolator which is basically just a big diode so your RV batteries don't ever get involved in starting your car or allow your starter battery to get drained by loads on the deep cycles. Any RV place like Camping World has isolators. But keep this in mind. Chargers like the i308 duo or PL equivalent all need 24 VDC to get full power. They only operate at half power on 12Volts. So, you really need two RV batteries and you need to have them in parallel when driving around and charging them but rewired in series when you want to run your icharger.
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This is your brain on helicopters! Trex 700L, Trex 700N DFC HB gasser,Trex 700N V2 HB gasser, Trex 550X. Spirit or BD3SX |
10-07-2015, 06:57 PM | #24 (permalink) |
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Join Date: May 2012
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You can charge deep cycles while they're hooked up in series. Look at slyvesters thread about charging with deep cycles.
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10-07-2015, 07:02 PM | #25 (permalink) |
HF Support
Join Date: Feb 2013
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As long as your charger can handle 12S Pb then I don't see why not. (which the 308 Duo can)
I use one at 12V out at the field fairly often, but that's usually just for the smaller stuff. I can get a few charges of the larger 6S packs out of it, but it's definitely not going to do that all day.
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Gaui X5F 6S (VBar), Lynx 450X-L 6S (Ikon), Lynx 300X-L 4S (Ikon), Blade 180CFX 3S (Ikon) Lumenier QAV400 4S (Vector), Lumenier QAV250 3S (Naze32/CleanFlight), CYE Stingray 500 4S (TG Multi) AMA Member, HCAM Member |
10-07-2015, 07:30 PM | #26 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Aug 2006
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I have the Powerlab 8 and the 308 duo. Like the Powerlab more for charging big packs. It's just easier to use. Nothing wrong with the 308 either but the user interface isn't as pleasing to me.
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Logo 700 | Trex 700X | Logo 600 | Logo 690SX | Gaui R5 | V-Bar Control V-Bar Control flight analyzer (Win/OSX/Linux) - Latest release v5.0.0 July 5 - 2017 Sleipnir timing system - How fast can you fly? Only the ground is the limit! |
10-07-2015, 07:31 PM | #27 (permalink) |
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Join Date: May 2013
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Charger Upgrade Time... Advice please ;-)
I'm going to throw in another vote for the FMA chargers. Recently began using a powerlab 6 and am pleased as can be. Setting up presets in PC is great, you absolutely don't need the PC for field use, and the upcoming bump charger setup will make it hands down the most sophisticated setup available.
The thing that really tipped me to the powerlab vs an icharger, is that it seems indisputable that the FMA chargers are less likely to fail. Ichargers seems to have a reputation for going bad much more often, I've heard of people in this forum in their third icharger duo due to failure. While the screen is pretty, the FMA delivers in spades, and if you want a lot of info, the PC connection has even the ichargers blown away, and the bump controller setup is going to add wireless tablet/phone monitoring and control of up to 4 chargers at once. It was a REALLY difficult decision for me to make between the two, but after having the powerlab for a few weeks now, I would not even consider an icharger, and feel I got lucky and made the right choice. |
10-07-2015, 07:42 PM | #28 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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Been using my icharger 306b for a couple years now. ..largest i charge is 6s 3300's. It's worked great for me on 24v server power supplies. I mostly charge @ 1 or 2c...
I did pick up a 406duo during the labor day sales, and 2 more power supplies for backup. If i had to do it all over again, I'd go straight for a duo something if your filling up 6s or larger cells. Icharger, or powerlab you won't go wrong. ..i went with the junsi as i was already familiar with their os.
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James (Jamie) Deavers MD6_Spartan Vortex_Futaba14sgh_AMA 1083246_Citizen 676 |
10-07-2015, 07:49 PM | #29 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
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I went with a pair of PL8 chargers with parallel squids. Can't find it now but if I remember correctly the PL8 will get to 1344W on 24v input and the DPL8 will not reach full output unless you are at a higher input voltage than 24V, above 36V?
The game changer is coming in about another month when the Bump controller is released for the PL8/DPL8.
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Paul Agile 5.5 - Q 4125-1100, YEP 120, Brain2 HD FBL / Outrage 550 - HK4020-1390, Edge 120, Brain2 HD Rave Ballistic FSO - Q 4530-500, Edge 160HV, Brain2 HD / Protos Max V2 - MSH 4530-500, Edge 160HV, Brain2 HD |
10-07-2015, 08:33 PM | #30 (permalink) |
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I meant directly from the car's charging system. I suppose you can use your Icharger/PL running off the car's 12V system to charge the RV batteries in series at 24 Volts
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This is your brain on helicopters! Trex 700L, Trex 700N DFC HB gasser,Trex 700N V2 HB gasser, Trex 550X. Spirit or BD3SX |
10-07-2015, 10:47 PM | #31 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
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the powerlabs and ichargers are great chargers , the first hk charger you put the link up for is only 300 watts , that wont do near 20 amps in a 6s 5000 pack , only problem with the above chargers is you need a expensive power supply , if that's not an issue , go for it , a great bang for the buck setup is a hitec x2-400 and a 15.00 ebay server power supply , less than 200.00 total , I put mine in a 5.00 kmart tool box , can do 2 - 5000 6s packs at 12 amps each ...
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10-07-2015, 11:02 PM | #33 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Nov 2014
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I'm using iCharger 4010duo. Compare to my friends PL8 X2, I think iCharger has a better interface.
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10-08-2015, 12:24 AM | #34 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Dec 2011
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I also have the iCharger 4010Duo. Very nice charger. Running mine with an eFuel 1200W power supply. I have only 6S packs to charge, and charge 4 1200mah and 3 1600mah at the same time. Takes about 20-25 minutes to charge all 7 batteries. Then I charge a 4000mah and a 4100mah in another 20-25 minutes.
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Gaui X380 Gaui X5 FES Align 700E DFC |
10-08-2015, 04:29 AM | #36 (permalink) |
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Join Date: May 2015
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It's worth noting that the Turnigy Reaktor chargers are actually made by iCharger too. The one you posted is basically a pair of iCharger 206Bs strapped together. Amazing value when you look at it that way!
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Goblin 380 KSE, OXY 3, 180 CFX, 130 X, nQX, mCX2 DX8, BeastX, Heli-X, neXt |
10-08-2015, 05:51 AM | #37 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Mar 2011
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Another happy PL 8 user here powered by 2 - 12v HP 1200 FB A power supplies in series for 24V.
This thing will charge the hell out of some packs as well as discharge them. 3 reasons I chose Revolectrix PL8. 1. Because at 24V It will do its full 40 Amps on 6S packs and maybe even up to 8S I'd have to check on that one, probably a little less, its seems like its darn close to 40 Amps though. The PL 6 needs 30V to do its full 40 Amps on 6S and I didn't want to be limited to 6S packs. 2, So many folks have blown their ichargers discharging packs and that seems to be a non issue with the Revolecrix chargers. Everytime I went to hit the buy button, another failed i-charger thread would show up so I was happy to get the Revolectrix Pl 8 3. For the i-chargers, If one of your 12V power supply hooked up in series fails while charging, it will kill your i-charger. But hell if you have money and want the icharger I'd get it in a New York minute, get two of em and have a backup. I had a dual Venom 10 Amp charger fail after two years on both ports and I was down to Blade 3S simple balance chargers again that took 1.5 hrs to charge 1 3S 2200 mah lipo. I know its more expensive but Id rather have two separate chargers or three than to have dual chargers. If you have money though you can have backup dual chargers. LOL! Your liable to need a backup. Here is my charging station. Its not glamerous but safe and will rock some 6S pack's world.
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If its fixed don't break it! |
10-08-2015, 07:29 AM | #38 (permalink) | |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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Quote:
The 308 Duo has two, that's why I now have the 308 Duo. If you only do parallel charging, the PowerLab would be just as fine I guess. The 308 Duo interface sure does have a steep learning curve. (And a few small bugs iCharger doesn't fix.)
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TSH Gaui X5 FES, Spirit, S.Bus, HW100A V3, Formula swash/head TSH Gaui X3, Spirit, 6S, S.Bus, HW50A V3 Futaba T7C (I admit, also a Spektrum DX8 and some planks.) ;-) Phoenix R/C v5 |
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10-08-2015, 07:35 AM | #39 (permalink) |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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TSH Gaui X5 FES, Spirit, S.Bus, HW100A V3, Formula swash/head TSH Gaui X3, Spirit, 6S, S.Bus, HW50A V3 Futaba T7C (I admit, also a Spektrum DX8 and some planks.) ;-) Phoenix R/C v5 |
10-08-2015, 09:33 AM | #40 (permalink) |
HF Support
Join Date: Feb 2013
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I've heard people say that about the interface on the 308 Duo, but I personally don't agree. I've found it to be rather intuitive, but I also am fairly intuitive with most software. I frequently parallel charge varying sets of packs, so the presets aren't all that useful to me. What I like is that most of the things you need to do are right there in the options in the charging program. As opposed to some of the older monochrome iChargers where certain things are less clear or nested way down in the system menus outside of the charging program. Although, admittedly, I don't think the majority of users will delve that deep into it. They just want to plug in a battery and press a button.
That being said, I'm not saying I'm an iCharger fanboy and would certainly love to have an FMA charger too. I've been thinking about getting a second charger since I have plenty of power supplies and could use another charger for multitasking when parallel charging lots of packs of varying cell counts. I'll be giving the DPL8 a serious look.
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Gaui X5F 6S (VBar), Lynx 450X-L 6S (Ikon), Lynx 300X-L 4S (Ikon), Blade 180CFX 3S (Ikon) Lumenier QAV400 4S (Vector), Lumenier QAV250 3S (Naze32/CleanFlight), CYE Stingray 500 4S (TG Multi) AMA Member, HCAM Member |
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