Charger Recommendation

Michael, are you thinking of quick charging at the field? Do you want a 12V charger(I'm not familiar with the Hi IQ Jr)? My buddy has a Sirius(sp?) that charges Tx & Rx batts well. We both have a Hobbico Quick field charger. 2 ports for nicad, nimh, and lipo. So far this is the best Hobbico product I've seen. mk Hamilton TX ps: how is that new field?

IMO Hobbico is now very old technology. Multiplex LN5014 - reference:

Bantam 301-E - reference: computerised charge/discharge/cycle etc for NiCad, NiMH, Lipol & Pb batteries regards Alan T Alan's Hobby, Model & RC Web Links

concentrate

The Multiplex LN 5014 is a great value for the money,. Triton, costing a bit more has also been well accepted.

How many ports is te LN5014? oh hey, I can google. TIA, mk

Michael,

After 35 yrs. I got back in the RC hobby and things have sure changed.

For my charger I picked Tower Hobbies, Accu-Cycle (Pro Series) Elite. It's a bit expensive ($150) but it covers EVERY RC battery group you might encounter. To save band width, go to Tower Hobbies LXEYD4 and read the specs for yourself.

My background was not in electricity, but after reading the manual a couple time, I'm VERY PLEASED with my investment. Hint! You can charge 2-sets of batteries either at home on at the flying field. Most charge, discharge, and cycling is automatic. You can also enter your own battery specs. and store them in memory. The charge remembers the specs for 10 different battery packs.

I'm sure you will be pleased with the Accu-Cycle Elite. I am! ____________________________________________ Earl Scherzinger AMA #40329

| For my charger I picked Tower Hobbies, Accu-Cycle (Pro Series) | Elite. It's a bit expensive ($150) but it covers EVERY RC battery | group you might encounter.

Not true. It doesn't do lead-acid or gel cells, and can't charge any pack that requires more than 12 volts to charge.

I wouldn't have bothered to mention this, but you did say EVERY, after all. Not being able to do lead-acid cells isn't a big deal, but I do find it to be useful at times.

| I'm sure you will be pleased with the Accu-Cycle Elite. I am!

Looks like a fine charger, and having two ports ia definate plus. I do see some shortcomings, however --

-- only up to 2 amps charging current (per port, I presume.)

-- only up to 10 cells NiCd/NiMH or 3 cells LiPo -- obviously it lacks the circuitry needed to bump the output voltage past the input voltage.

In short, it looks like it's good for people charging their RX and TX batteries, and it looks like it's good for park flier batteries, but it won't be good for battery packs for larger planes, as it can't charge larger packs and the charge rate is relatively low.

I'm happy with my GP Triton, but having a two port model would be very nice. (Of course, I have two Tritons now, but a two port model would still be nice.)

Tell me how you get it to Cycle, charge automatically ? I havent figured mine out on this part. I can give it specs but I was sure I read in my manual also it had an automatic detection as well. However I cant seem to figure that part out.

Two-port model, fully programmable, compatible with Lithium Polymer 1-5 cells, Ni-Cd & Ni-Mh 1-14 cells and PbAcid 1-6 cells for under $160. Multiplex LN5014 X 2

cold.

Doug,

The reason I said "EVERY RC battery group" was because we're talking about RC models. Not automobiles or motorcycles!

I think you know what I was referring too. So why so techinical???

I'm out of here!!

| The reason I said "EVERY RC battery group" was because we're talking about | RC models. Not automobiles or motorcycles!

My flight box has a 12v gel cell battery. That's R/C related, isn't it?

I've got a R/C boat that is powered by a 12v gel cell battery too. Weight isn't so important on a boat, so gel cell batteries are seen there, though they are rare.

I have a plane that takes a 4 cell LiPo pack. Your charger won't charge that either, unless I charge it via the cell balancing ports, which would take four times as long.

That same plane can also be powered by a 12 cell NiCd pack, and your charger can't charge that either, unless it can be broken up into two six cell packs (and then it could charge them seperately, taking twice as long.)

| I think you know what I was referring too.

Yes, I did. It's just that EVERY really just means MOST.

| So why so techinical???

Because I'd hate for somebody to take your statement at face value and buy the charger based on that and find that it cannot do what they needed it to do.

| I'm out of here!!

Not a very effective way of dealing with some constructive criticism.

Don't take my correction as a personal attack -- it wasn't intended as such. It's just that what you said wasn't quite right.

| > | For my charger I picked Tower Hobbies, Accu-Cycle (Pro Series) | > | Elite. It's a bit expensive ($150) but it covers EVERY RC battery | > | group you might encounter. | >

| > Not true. It doesn't do lead-acid or gel cells, and can't charge any | > pack that requires more than 12 volts to charge.

Ok RC Dude,

If you've entered all the specs pertaining to your battery pack, the Auto Smart Set feature will have already calculated and set a safe charge current and discharge cutoff voltage for your battery while cycling.

Go to page #19 (middle of the page) STARTING CHARGE, DISCHARGE OR CYCLE. Part #3 Pressing the CYCLE button will cause the LCD to automatically jump to the 'Start NiCd/MH Cycling" screen. Re-pressing and holding the CYCLE button will start the cycle process. The CYCLE button is NOT functional for LiIon/Po batteries.

Good luck!

P.S. The top two paragraphs on page 12 is GENERAL and VERY helpful information pertaining to all discharge/charge procedures.

now wait til you realize when letting it do the auto cycling, it is determining MAH by the amount of time it takes to charge at the chosen rate and not retaining how long it took to discharge at the chosen rate. I find this part frustrating, as if I want to know how long a pack will last under a certain load I have to pick discharge only and not cycle.