Kraton Ordering Kraton, what else should be in my cart!

[Jerry-rigged]

That charger can only do one battery at a time, without doing special stuff. At 220w, you can charge a 5000mah 4s pack at 2C / 30 minutes.

You have a few threads open about chargers, so I'll put this here -

Give some serious though about opening up your budget as much as practical for a charger. Picking the right charger will allow you to charge several batteries very quickly - which is more time to bash. I can drop 2 batteries on my charger, then start loading my truck for track day, and the packs are beeping about the time I am ready to roll. I get to the track, drop 2 more packs on to charge, and run the first two (my son an I both running) and packs 3 and 4 are done about the time we LVC the first two packs. When I had a weak charger, I had to charge my batteries the day before (for a morning run to the track, 2 hours per battery = all day watching a charger). My $200 that I spent on my charger is some of the best money I have spent in this hobby.

 

[TimboF150]

I'd much rather have the 15a, 220w version for only a few bucks more - http://hobbyhobby.com/product/373451/passport-ultra-force-220w-touch-battery-charger/

What do you like in terms of batteries from that site? For a 4s

 

[TimboF150]

Not sure how to delete a post, saw you helping in the other thread!

 

[bicketybam]

That charger can only do one battery at a time, without doing special stuff. At 220w, you can charge a 5000mah 4s pack at 2C / 30 minutes.

You have a few threads open about chargers, so I'll put this here -

Give some serious though about opening up your budget as much as practical for a charger. Picking the right charger will allow you to charge several batteries very quickly - which is more time to bash. I can drop 2 batteries on my charger, then start loading my truck for track day, and the packs are beeping about the time I am ready to roll. I get to the track, drop 2 more packs on to charge, and run the first two (my son an I both running) and packs 3 and 4 are done about the time we LVC the first two packs. When I had a weak charger, I had to charge my batteries the day before (for a morning run to the track, 2 hours per battery = all day watching a charger). My $200 that I spent on my charger is some of the best money I have spent in this hobby.

Which charger do you have @Jerry-rigged ?

 

[Jerry-rigged]

I have the old version of this charger -
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/0620duo-600w-charger-300w-x2-version-2.html
and use a converted server PSU to power it -
https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=141&product_id=459
(Ebay has lots of these converted PSU's, in various wattages)

 

[olds97_lss]

What do you like in terms of batteries from that site? For a 4s

Are you using that site for a reason? It's kind of painful to find anything on and doesn't list any info for much of anything. Their prices are also high.

Like for this:
http://hobbyhobby.com/product/385164/27200-reedy-1216-c2-dual-ac-dc-balance-charger/
$229 on that site

$162 on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Associated-1216-C2-Balance-Charger/dp/B01B9EC4CM

Or is that Canadian $ to USD on hobbyhobby?

If you can afford it, this would be a simple dual charger to use, 200w x 2/20A x 2, AC or DC charger:
http://hobbyhobby.com/product/387211/44249-power-peak-d7-400w-ac-dc-balance-chrgr-disch/

Or $274 at amain:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/hitec-400w-ac-dc-balance-charger-discharger-hrc44249/p524132

No need for an external PSU, but still able to use in DC mode if you choose to take it with you.

 

[TimboF150]

Are you using that site for a reason? It's kind of painful to find anything on and doesn't list any info for much of anything. Their prices are also high.

Like for this:
http://hobbyhobby.com/product/385164/27200-reedy-1216-c2-dual-ac-dc-balance-charger/
$229 on that site

$162 on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Associated-1216-C2-Balance-Charger/dp/B01B9EC4CM

Or is that Canadian $ to USD on hobbyhobby?

If you can afford it, this would be a simple dual charger to use, 200w x 2/20A x 2, AC or DC charger:
http://hobbyhobby.com/product/387211/44249-power-peak-d7-400w-ac-dc-balance-chrgr-disch/

Or $274 at amain:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/hitec-400w-ac-dc-balance-charger-discharger-hrc44249/p524132

No need for an external PSU, but still able to use in DC mode if you choose to take it with you.

Just using this site for the time being because it's Canadian.

Can you give me an idea of an easy to use charger from hobbyking that would be good for a beginner and could charge two packs at once?

Thanks man

 

[TimboF150]

Lol, don't really want to drop $400 on a charger..

 

[TimboF150]

Does this guy need a power-supply?

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/0620ac-...scharger-built-in-ac-version-2.html?wrh_pdp=2

Or just the banana leads to charge graphene or turnigy batteries, lol.

 

[olds97_lss]

Does this guy need a power-supply?

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/0620ac-...scharger-built-in-ac-version-2.html?wrh_pdp=2

Or just the banana leads to charge graphene or turnigy batteries, lol.

It appears to be an AC or DC charger. Looking at the manual, it says max output of 300w is achieved with 18V+ input. So, I'm not 100% sure if you get the full 20A/300w out of it on AC power. They usually specify somewhere if that is the case. Looking on other forums, read a few posts where guys charged at 12A and 16A for a single 6S pack. So, seems like the internal PSU may be capable of 20A. Your limited though by cell count and capacity at 300w max.

Depending on the size of the pack you go with, the math is the same:
WATTS = AMPS x VOLTS

6S 5000mah

1C Charge rate
5A x 25.2V = 126W

2C Charge rate
10A x 25.2V = 252W

The most amps you can get out of that charger for that pack would be
25.2V/300W = 11.9A or roughly 2.2C

Most people go with a 1C charge rate as it is easier on the packs. But many packs can be charged at a 2C rate, some even more.

Some stuff I read to figure out the math, I think I got it right:
https://www.motionrc.com/blogs/moti...tage-vs-amperage-max-charging-rates-explained
http://www.tjinguytech.com/charging-how-tos/wattage-for-charging

 

[olds97_lss]

Lol, don't really want to drop $400 on a charger..

For what it was worth, the 2x400w hitec charger was $275USD.

To get 2 of the chargers you posted to charge both packs at the same time, you would be at $250. So for an extra $25, you get almost an entire 3rd chargers wattage (800w total vs 600w total).

 

[TimboF150]

That's helpful, thank you.

So is there any other options in your opinion? Or is that the best way to go.

Charging multiple packs would probably be the biggest attraction to me.

 

[TimboF150]

It appears to be an AC or DC charger. Looking at the manual, it says max output of 300w is achieved with 18V+ input. So, I'm not 100% sure if you get the full 20A/300w out of it on AC power. They usually specify somewhere if that is the case. Looking on other forums, read a few posts where guys charged at 12A and 16A for a single 6S pack. So, seems like the internal PSU may be capable of 20A. Your limited though by cell count and capacity at 300w max.

Depending on the size of the pack you go with, the math is the same:
WATTS = AMPS x VOLTS

6S 5000mah

1C Charge rate
5A x 25.2V = 126W

2C Charge rate
10A x 25.2V = 252W

The most amps you can get out of that charger for that pack would be
25.2V/300W = 11.9A or roughly 2.2C

Most people go with a 1C charge rate as it is easier on the packs. But many packs can be charged at a 2C rate, some even more.

Some stuff I read to figure out the math, I think I got it right:
https://www.motionrc.com/blogs/moti...tage-vs-amperage-max-charging-rates-explained
http://www.tjinguytech.com/charging-how-tos/wattage-for-charging

Thanks for the insight!

 

[TimboF150]

How about this guy,

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/skyrc-u...-charger-discharger-power-supply-us-plug.html

 

[Jerry-rigged]

How about this guy,

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/skyrc-u...-charger-discharger-power-supply-us-plug.html

That would be a good charger. AC/DC, 200w per channel, it will do good. SKYRC builds chargers for a lot of other brands, so the hardware should be good quality.

 

[olds97_lss]

How about this guy,

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/skyrc-u...-charger-discharger-power-supply-us-plug.html

I don't know that one, but should be enough to do what you need without stressing it too bad. I just know from my experience that if you think your going to be in it for the long haul, spend the money now on a charger that far exceeds what you want to do now.

I thought I future proofed myself a bit by going with a 100w x 4/10A x 4 charger as at the time I started, I was running 2S x 2 in my trucks. Now I'm thinking of going 3S, which means I'll be pushing my charger hard all the time and odds are, I'll need to get something stronger when it dies on me. I actually started with an 80w x 2 charger, which took forever it seemed to charge my 9000mah 2S lipo's as it maxed out at 4A per port. So, a month into running electric, I wasted $100 on charger #1, then I forked over another $240 on the 100w x 4 charger along with the cables/connectors/adapters needed.

Then later on, after running for a year, I got tired of charging up 8-12 packs to have a truck die on me, then having to discharge so many packs, so I got a cheap HTRC 12A x 2/150W x 2 AC/DC charger to keep in my car and I take 6 charged packs with me and cycle them as I need to.

I think I'm still ok as it seems if I do go with 3S, I won't be going over 5000mah packs anyway because they don't fit in all my trucks and I want to try to get at least 5000mah. I want to be able to find ones that will work in them all so I don't have 2 kinds of batteries to deal with. That's how I started as well, 9000mah for big trucks, 7400mah for smaller trucks. Now I just run 7400mah in everything, so if I break down, I can use the packs in the truck I didn't break when out bashing as I always take a big one and little one.

Nitro was easy... couple bottles of fuel, charged up receiver packs and glow heater the night before, wake up, pack up, go run for 3-4 hours.

However, the lack of noise, mess of the oil/fuel, and raw torque of electric... it's worth learning what you can and making it as easy as possible on yourself to avoid detracting from the fun.

 

[Jerry-rigged]

Olds nailed it. I went thru the same thing, more or less.

When I restarted the hobby a few years ago, I started with one of those cheap B3 chargers as a back up to my 20 year old MRC super-brain... After burning thru a few of those B3's, I bought what I thought was a "nice" charger - a Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo - 2 channel, 50w, charger for $100. That was another $100 mostly wasted, as it didn't have all the lipo modes, like discharge or storage, and it didn't like to use all it's power. When I got into 1/8 and 4s packs, it really started having issues - slow charging, and thermal shutdowns, if I used both channels at max rates... After about a year, it died charging 2x2s 5600 lipos. That brought me to my current charger - the 2 channel 300w/20a per channel Reaktor. Yes, it would have been hard to spend the $200 for my current setup right away, but it would have saved me about $150 in useless junk. Actually, now that all my kids are RC'ing, I wish I would have spend the extra money on the 4 channel version of my charger.... LOL

 

[olds97_lss]

Actually, now that all my kids are RC'ing, I wish I would have spend the extra money on the 4 channel version of my charger.... LOL

I was thinking of that one as my next step up, but wasn't sure how to power the thing. 80A out means at least 80A in, more to avoid stressing the PSU, so 90A+ PSU at 18V+ to get max wattage. I haven't found such an animal yet.

Probably easier just to go with 2 of the one he posted: SKYRC Ultimate Duo 400W AC/DC

 

[chevys10zr2003]

Olds nailed it. I went thru the same thing, more or less.

When I restarted the hobby a few years ago, I started with one of those cheap B3 chargers as a back up to my 20 year old MRC super-brain... After burning thru a few of those B3's, I bought what I thought was a "nice" charger - a Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo - 2 channel, 50w, charger for $100. That was another $100 mostly wasted, as it didn't have all the lipo modes, like discharge or storage, and it didn't like to use all it's power. When I got into 1/8 and 4s packs, it really started having issues - slow charging, and thermal shutdowns, if I used both channels at max rates... After about a year, it died charging 2x2s 5600 lipos. That brought me to my current charger - the 2 channel 300w/20a per channel Reaktor. Yes, it would have been hard to spend the $200 for my current setup right away, but it would have saved me about $150 in useless junk. Actually, now that all my kids are RC'ing, I wish I would have spend the extra money on the 4 channel version of my charger.... LOL

Do you know if you need higher voltage to get the full power out of the Reaktor chargers?

 

[olds97_lss]

Do you know if you need higher voltage to get the full power out of the Reaktor chargers?

I thought the manual said that you needed 18V+ to get max wattage out of it. Will have to download it again, but have to head to work.