Chargers - What's everyone using?

[moffman 5746]

Over the many decades of charging batteries for leisure and competition purposes I've had an array of chargers from ultimate all bells and whistles detect anything wrong digital readouts and printouts etc etc chargers to simple on/off quality quick chargers and I can honestly say my experience is they all have charged batteries to the same level and I haven't noticed one charger given a better amount of power to any other  so the few charges I have my go to one is this because it balances as i would expect and give me the power from all my different types of batteries I would expect I'm not interested in what a digital display and charging rates blah blah  I just need something that bleeps when it starts charging and bleeps when it finishes and gives another type of bleep if I've done something stupid (which is a common occurrence with me)

[alvinlwh 5888]

1 hour ago, moffman said:

Over the many decades of charging batteries for leisure and competition purposes I've had an array of chargers from ultimate all bells and whistles detect anything wrong digital readouts and printouts etc etc chargers to simple on/off quality quick chargers and I can honestly say my experience is they all have charged batteries to the same level and I haven't noticed one charger given a better amount of power to any other  

Yes, I often wonder what is the point of plugging all kinds of adaptors/wires/gadgets together all to just charge a battery? Looking at some of the setup, I would have thought it is a nuke or someone trying to create a mino black hole. 

Now, if only they will create a battery that I can just plug my phone charger in to charge, I will be really happy. 

[simalarion 2194]

Only thing is if you want to charge more than 1 lipo at the same time @ a board, each cell need to be exact same volt (or very close) so you need a display to check that before charging. I also like to check now and then if each cell is Ok (if Volt are to low after long storage)

[dmelczer 100]

I love this charger...charges two batteries at once...can handle LiPo up to 6s I believe, although I dont' run anything above 3s...

I've had it for about a year or so.  Best charger I've owned.  Used to have a Venom dual power that died.

[Wooders28 4718]

Started with a genuine Imax B6, but found the discharge rate was fairly useless, so gave it away , to a mate getting back into RC.

Next is the LRP Pulsar Pro, awesome charger, with a 10A charge and 5 Amp discharge, does everything I ask of it, but, only charges one at a time, and with my daughter now racing, I needed a dual charger.

So now got a Skyrc D100v2 too, which I'm still getting used to, but finding the Bluetooth connection, and app quite handy 😀👍

 

** found a pic of the LRP Charger

 

 

[Willy iine 18804]

12 hours ago, berman said:

They'll be like "Why are our lights flickering?" "Oh... Tamiya Plug." 🙄😄

   But I've not had issues with the Tamiya plug..  I use Deans too, but on my vintage cars I try to use Tamiya connectors and brushed motors to keep the nostalgic theme.     I mean, why keep all those NiCd's, right? 

[Pylon80 2610]

After my knock-off B6 died I got a real brand one, was less than 50$, works perfect and feels like I'm encouraging a proper RC company:

https://hitecrcd.com/products/chargers/acdc-chargers/rdx1-mini/product

[Ziddan 947]

Ive got the somewhat ubiquitous B6C, works fine for what i do.

[Willy iine 18804]

Decided to update my mess of a charge station with a PassPort P2 with BT.. now I can monitor my charge from my iPhone.. and if I decide to try other chemistries I can.  

Going to keep the Prophet Duo as I am familiar with the charger and will be able to charge 4 packs at once, but I think going to retire the KO Propo and power supply.  If I ever need portable power, I have a Honda generator so can just use off 120V.. no need for DC power supply (car battery).

About time I did something about my charging station.. Thanks @Nicadraus for the nudge!   lol  

Update.. got the charger.  

Edited September 7, 2022 by Willy iine

[berman 5315]

10 hours ago, Superluminal said:

That's reassuring 

Ive had it about two years and no sign of any flames yet

Yeah, hopefully you don't find out like I did. 

[moffman 5746]

4 hours ago, Willy iine said:

   But I've not had issues with the Tamiya plug..  I use Deans too, but on my vintage cars I try to use Tamiya connectors and brushed motors to keep the nostalgic theme.     I mean, why keep all those NiCd's, right? 

Yep I'm with you on keeping everything on the nostalgia line! 99% of my buggies have brushed motors in them and I have an array of NiCd's but I do like a lipo battery with a brushed motor and to keep the buggies as retro as possible I use a tamiya to Dean's adaptors 

[Tamiyastef 1966]

This one for over 10 years now. AC/DC Lipo, Nimh, Nicd, Pb etc.. up to 8 amp, Balanced charging & discharging but always 1 battery, no double charging which for me is the only downside.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Tamiyastef
Photo instead of link

[Willy iine 18804]

So I got my new charger Passport P2 running so wanted to update my picture..  I really should get a nicer shelf than the junk wireshelf I repurposed from the utility room from my old house, but for the time being it looks a few steps better than it did before.. I think.. (?)    

I promise to get a nicer shelf in the near future.      It's in the closet of my pretend RC shop, but still.. it looks awful.  I got rid of the KO Propo and the 25A antique power supply.

 

So from the top:

Dynamite Passport UltraForce 200W

Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo (dual charger)

Dynamite Passport P2 (dual charger, BT/App enabled, can program settings and run/monitor from iPhone).

[GeeWings 2830]

On 9/4/2022 at 1:03 PM, berman said:

I had one of those for 6 weeks and it went up in flames. 

I wonder if it was a fake. I heard there are lots around 😳

[DTSCB 96]

On 9/3/2022 at 2:40 PM, Willy iine said:

Umm.. only if you're into old NiCd's and pretty much valueless vintage equipment..?     

Where are you getting your nicad batteries from?

[Willy iine 18804]

1 minute ago, DTSCB said:

Where are you getting your nicad batteries from?

The old matched NiCd’s I bought back 25 years ago from a friend who owned a shop.   They still hold a charge quite well.

The more recent ones I’m just buying non-matched sub-c’s from Amazon.  But I only buy NiMH these days.  

Tenegy NiCd 

Tenergy NiMH 

[DTSCB 96]

1 minute ago, Willy iine said:

The old matched NiCd’s I bought back 25 years ago from a friend who owned a shop.   They still hold a charge quite well.

The more recent ones I’m just buying non-matched sub-c’s from Amazon.  But I only buy NiMH these days.  

Tenegy NiCd 

Tenergy NiMH 

I need to make a nicad battery pack for my dad for an old drill of his.  15 cell.  I figure I order a bunch and snipe the 6 or 12, best matched cells. I was hoping for a better quality choice than amazon and a couple reviews ordered 15 extra and sent back the worst.  Thanks.

[Willy iine 18804]

7 minutes ago, DTSCB said:

I need to make a nicad battery pack for my dad for an old drill of his.  15 cell.  I figure I order a bunch and snipe the 6 or 12, best matched cells. I was hoping for a better quality choice than amazon and a couple reviews ordered 15 extra and sent back the worst.  Thanks.

No problem.  Actually the Amazon cells I got charges well.  I have those old Integy (was it? Trinity?) discharge trays so I can see which ones are bad if the pack starts to die.. and just swap the weak cell(s) out.  

I made a discharge adapter for the one cell that sits on top of the hump backs so I can balance those battery packs as well.   

[Nicadraus 6194]

2 hours ago, Willy iine said:

So I got my new charger Passport P2 running so wanted to update my picture..  I really should get a nicer shelf than the junk wireshelf I repurposed from the utility room from my old house, but for the time being it looks a few steps better than it did before.. I think.. (?)    

I promise to get a nicer shelf in the near future.      It's in the closet of my pretend RC shop, but still.. it looks awful.  I got rid of the KO Propo and the 25A antique power supply.

 

So from the top:

Dynamite Passport UltraForce 200W

Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo (dual charger)

Dynamite Passport P2 (dual charger, BT/App enabled, can program settings and run/monitor from iPhone).

So when is the inauguration of WIPC (Willy iine Power Corp)?  

[Willy iine 18804]

2 hours ago, Nicadraus said:

So when is the inauguration of WIPC (Willy iine Power Corp)?  

 Hahaha!

 

Hey, so I ordered a rustic wood/metal shelf just now, should look presentable before the weekend is over!  

My wife saw that picture above and said where's the bread?  (she said it looks like an apartment pantry closet )

[berman 5315]

7 hours ago, GeeWings said:

I wonder if it was a fake. I heard there are lots around 😳

I think it was around 10 years ago, but I remember it had the hologram, which is what skyrc asked for when I contacted them.

[Raman36 1654]

On 9/3/2022 at 3:50 PM, M 800STD said:

Polaron SMPS 1500 AC/DC Switching Power Supply

Polaron EX 1400W 8S 3" Colour and Touch TFT

My goodness You have the Cadillac of Polarons.. that SMPS1500 is crazy cool.

I’ve had the Polaron EX combo for 6 years. I call them the Siamese twins 👯‍♀️. 
 

 I still consider it to be one of the best chargers out there, despite Graupners financial troubles.  My only complaint of the combo is the power source. It only has 25 amps while the charger is capable of Charing 20 amps per channel. If they given the power supply an additional 15amps it would have been perfect.

This is where your SMPS came into play to make up for it..  which goes well beyond in power.. it did however lose the cool ness of having the Siamese twins, as the power supply is much longer. 

[Raman36 1654]

12 hours ago, Nicadraus said:

So when is the inauguration of WIPC (Willy iine Power Corp)?  

😂

@Willy iine you should contact Southern Cal Edison and NV Energy and sell them some power, so they can avoid the rolling black outs 😆

[Raman36 1654]

Haven’t seen anyone mention the ICharger X6 here. That little guy packs a badword of a punch for $99. Albeit you need a power supply, such a as RL power. 
 

The X6 ended up being my pit bag charger due to its size. The polaron now sits at home as the home charger.. albeit I don’t have an elegant set up like Willy 😉

[Raman36 1654]

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