Newb: Need Advice on 1st Charger

[Selvag818]

Hello all:
I've been reading the forums for a few months now and learning so much every day, so thank you for all the information you share. I have been flying heli's for 5 months with absolutely no prior experience so this is a completely new world to me. I've progressed from a Blade MSRx to Nano CPx, and 130x, and just recently purchased a Trex 450SE V2. Using stock chargers have not been an issue with the Blade heli's, but now that I have the 450, I need purchase a charger.

I have been reading everything I could over the past few days and there is so much information and so many opinions on what works and why its better than others. I plan on using a charger mainly for 2s and 3s batteries up to 30C 2200mah. I am not planning on purchasing a bigger bird anytime and would like to try to get a decent setup for around $100 including a power supply.

Again, since I am so new to the hobby, I am just so unsure because there is an overwhelming amount of products and information and thought I would get your input. I am open to any and all suggestions, but this is what I have been looking at:

Chargers
Turnigy Accucel 8: http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...arehouse_.html

iCharger 106b: http://www.buddyrc.com/icharger-106b.html

Venom Pro 2 Charger: http://www.rcsuperstore.com/Venom-Pr...-p/ven0677.htm

Power Supplies: This is where I am unsure as to have AC or DC power capabilities and the advantages of one over the other besides being able to charge at the flying field. Is AC less powerful and will take longer?

Hobby King: http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...arehouse_.html

The combination I am thinking of purchasing is the Turnigy Accucel 8 and Hobby King 350W charger to keep me around $100.

Hope to hear your advice!

[Slyster]

Did you read this first? Just checkin'

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=476431

[Selvag818]

Yes, I read through that and found it helpful. I did not go through all links in the thread just yet, but thought I would ask for suggestions as I'm sure someone has recently been in my shoes and could provide some helpful insight.

[Spartigus]

I would avoid hk chargers if I was you, they are okay but not great unless you get icharger or something.

You might be going up to a larger heli sooner than you think, I know I did.

But look at the 4 output chargers, hitec does one for ac input and dc input. Means you can charge 4x 3s batteries at once without parallel charging.

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[Army Flyer]

icharger 306b is a phenomenal charger. There is other stuff out there better and worse, but depending on what you are needing it is an all around good charger. I have an icharger 308 duo which is a little better because it is like two chargers in one. It is $260.00 though. It kinda depends on what you want to spend.


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[Army Flyer]

Also don't waste your money on power supplies. I use two dell server power supplies wired in series for 24volts. I have a total of $40 invested in them and can max my charger out with them at over 2500 watts. You can find forums regarding this here on helifreak and on rcgroups .


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[Slyster]

TRUST US. We have been through the ringer. I could have saved $2000 if I had just gotten the 306b and a couple of packs per heli and field charged years ago.

First photo.. my aweful miserable HK days.

In the second photo... one charger that does it all... up to 6 packs... in 1/3rd the time.

[Army Flyer]

I prefer using boards to using cables but either way you get the point. I have two packs or sets of packs fir my helis and can rotate packs at the field and fly all day long. Just get a good charger setup and save a tin if money. I would recommend at least 1000 watts. This will allow you to grow without having to buy additional chargers.


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[atkin]

+1
Get something that is +1000 watts. Your dollar per watt goes WAY down (and so does your charging time )

[Selvag818]

Thank you all for the advice and feedback. As I am still very new to this hobby, I needed to buy everything from tools, batteries, charger + power supply, spare parts, etc. and things are starting to add up pretty quickly. I am not trying to cut corners, but would like to spend less than an iCharger 306b,even though of its power and 1000w capabilities.

Can someone please provide feedback on this setup I am thinking of purchasing:

Charger: Thunder T610 http://www.hobbypartz.com/75p-t610-charger.html
Power Supply: Thunder T350 http://www.hobbypartz.com/73p-t350-power.html

or

All-in-one with only 80w:
http://www.hobbypartz.com/73p-ac680-accharger.html

My biggest batteries right now are 30C 2200mah for a Trex 450 and I will not be getting anything bigger for at least a few years as this was my most recent upgrade.

[RedOctobyr]

Out of those, I'd pick the T610. 10A, 200W, $60.

I might still consider the 106B+, as perhaps a better/more-established brand. 10A, 250W, $90. But at least by the specs, they are very similar. If you eventually went to 6S, the 106B+ could give you 10A of output (250W), the T610 could do 8A (200W).

Either would let you charge (4) 3S 2200s in parallel at 1C, for 8.8A, 110W.

For a power supply, you could save money, and get more output, with a used server supply. Like the DPS-600PB, I paid $15-20 shipped for each of mine on eBay, they put out 12.5V, 47A, 575W. The modifications to use a single supply for 12V (as you would do) are just some simple soldering on the outside, to attach some output lead wires, no need to open the case. They are very robust supplies.

There is a giant thread on RCGroups about converting them, most of the info you need is in the first 10 posts or so. You can also buy them already-modified, but that's around $50 (feathermerchantrc.com, etc). Cheaper to DIY, if you're up for that.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1581061

[Bladecpnitro]

I have the older version of the Venom Dual 210 Charger running on a 12V HP DPS 600 power supply off eBay and its been great. This is the new Venom Dual 2-10-
http://www.atomik-rc.com/Venom-Medio...FY1r7AodbxUAfA
Its been a great charger, I can parallel charge six 3S 2200 mah lipos in about 52 minutes at 10 amps or 5 in 39 minutes (One went bad) on one channel and parallel charge 2 6S - one 5300 and one 5100 in about 44 minutes at 8 amps. The charger won't go past 8 amps doing 6S and I'd need 10.4 Amps to charge at 1C and double that to charge at 2C, triple that to charge at 3C.

Dual 10 chargers work great for 450 and 550 size lipo's but if I've just flown and only have 45 minutes worth of daylight left I'm not likely to get another flight in on the 550.

I do have two 5C capable 3S 2200 mah 450 lipos that I can charge at at 4C in a little over 10 minutes at 8.8 amps , one on each port and get a few more flights in but they have to cool down a few minutes too so daylight still gets away pretty quick.

The 6S lipos would still take over 30 minutes though charging one on each port at around 1.5C, so I don't fool with that you know with cooling the lipos down and all it would be dark pretty quick.

The charger has been great the only thing is the channel 2 fan runs sort of ragged now and then and I have to tap the case lightly to get it to smooth out. I think it needs a drop of oil on the shaft bearing but I've not found a way to get to it.

You can get a lot of flying done with a 10 amp charger but parallel charging uses 10 amps up rather quickly on larger lipos.

I'd also love to be able to check internal resistance but can't. Also I can't check voltage without being in charge mode which Id like to be able to do especially since my cheap multimeter reads 1.33Volts lower than my charger.

[Selvag818]

Thanks for all the feedback:

I ended up going with a Thunder T610 charger and T350 power supply for $115 from hobbypartz. I feel this will be sufficient enough for what I will be using it for and hopefully it will last a while for me. I am sure I will have a ton of questions once I receive it and will be looking for additional help!

[whitmanink]

I have the 306b Im loving it

[Slyster]

That will be fine Selvag. Just don't fall into this trap (see post #7) but when it comes to for the next charger get a 1000W with parallel board/squids. It will save you money once you go bigger.