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tagnut69

portable power supply

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Hi i was wondering what people use to charge your nicad/nmhd battery packs out in the field, when I was a kid i just had a 12v car battery in a wooden box to connect the charger to.

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BiTD nicads 1200mAh pack were like $40-60ea... you'd be lucky to own more than 2, so you had to recharge. Lugging the huge leadacid battery (many ppl owned a spare for family car) was the best option for 15min quickcharges. Bashing might consume maybe 3-4 packs per hour.

Today modern car battery don't get replaced until your car don't start, the old battery is pretty useless with zero capacity by then; buying a new calcium battery is like $150-200. We also run LiPo battery packs which cost a fraction of nicads, they'd run 2 packs an hour but take 1hr+ to charge ea.

Best modern solution is to carry 4-6 packs fully charged, don't bother charging on field.

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A motorcycle battery might make a light weight alternative but for the cost you could get a couple of 4500 li-po's. I get bored before I kill one on a sliver can......

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My local race track has 240V mains power available, so I just use the same power supply that I use at home..

If mains power is not available, I either take enough batteries to allow me to run my cars for as long as I plan to be out (which is not that many with todays high capacity batteries), or I take my charger and charge off the 12V battery in my 1:1 car..

I have seen people using small 12 volt motorcycle or Gel cell batteries as a power source, but with their relatively low Amp/hour (Ah) rating, I doubt that you would be able to fully recharge more than one or two 5000mAh NiMh or LiPo batteries before the 12 volt supply battery was exhausted..

With many 5000mAh LiPo's being available for less $30.00 USD, why would you bother charging in the field?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__21006__Turnigy_5000mAh_2S2P_40C_Hardcase_Pack_ROAR_APPROVED_.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__9437__ZIPPY_5000mAh_2S1P_20C_Hardcase_Pack.html

4000mAhr LiPo's

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__20998__ZIPPY_4000mAh_2S1P_25C_Car_Lipoly_ROAR_APPROVED_.html

4200mAh stick.. (Will easily fit in my M05 Mini, and in the M03 with a little sanding on the battery slot..)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19692__Turnigy_nano_tech_4200mah_2S2P_40_80C_Hardcase_Stick_Pack_.html

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M/cycle leadacids aren't any use worth carrying, same with gelcells. Never use them for charging, only if you need to run a 12V starter for your nitro.

Lipo has much higher energy density to weight! These days modern racecars run lipos too to save weight; better than having offboard leadacid to start car with.

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I charge my lipos and my nicads with my chargers hooked to my car's battery,, both for rc planes and cars. Don't have any high capacity batteries, think the biggest I have is 2500 mah.

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I haven't used this for charging but it is handy for mains power when out and about, not sure if it would have the output for charging though

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/portable-power-pack-with-200w-inverter-and-usb-charging-socket-a10hz

If I read this thread (http://forum.maplin.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=563) correctly, that has a 12V 5Ah battery inside. If you're lucky it will charge a 5000mAh 7.2V or 7.4V battery once, or almost once.

It's probalby better to get an extra RC pack.

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Jumppacks are useless for charging; ok for powering your nitro starterbox but that's about it.

Also a bit oldhat... lately been seeing lipo jumppacks, they're 12-13,000mAh in size of a videocassette... gee you plug in the jumper croc clips that's twice the size of the unit... haha it's unsettling but I suppose they work - haven't heard of many hapless mishaps.

As for the BEST EVER field charging powersource... my vote goes to the TOYOTA PRIUS :D

You can connect whatever you wish (charger/inverter/etc) to the Prius' 12V battery (in the boot too!) and drain as much & as long as you like. When voltage drops enough, the Prius will automagically recharge the 12V either by starting its engine or via DC-DC from its 200V hybrid battery.

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