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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / December 2007Charging Questions
I am a total newbie and I have several questions about batteries and charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I am currently using a Triton Jr. DC charger run off a 7 amp gel cell. However, I have to re-charge the gel cell between charging 3000 mah battery packs and there isn't enough current in the gel cell to cycle a these packs. I can think of several possibilities: 1. Charge the gel cell while it is being used to charge the NIMH battery pack. I use a Harbor Freight automotive Charger at 2 amps. Can I do this without harm to the batteries or Triton charger? 2. I could get an automotive battery, with more amps available, to run the Triton charger. Any risks here? 3. I could buy an AC charger to cycle the NIMH battery packs. Any suggestions as to make and model ? 4. I could buy a DC power supply to run the Triton Charger. Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would appreciate any suggestions. Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge: Your SAFEST bet is the DC power supply. > I am a total newbie and I have several questions about > batteries and charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would > appreciate any suggestions. Adding a new twist to the question, is there a way to regulate the output of a DC power supply to make an adjustable source for a hot wire foam cutter? What I'm using now works, but I'm not happy with it > Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and > sometimes not so great) words of knowledge: [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would >> appreciate any suggestions. > Adding a new twist to the question, is there a way to > regulate the output of a DC power supply to make an > adjustable source for a hot wire foam cutter? What I'm > using now works, but I'm not happy with it Solve both of your problems with a riding lawnmower battery from the auto parts store and a float charger from Harbor Freight. That's is what I use. It's affordable and quite effective for foam cutting. The other advantage is that you can take the battery with you to the flying field to run your starter and field charger. Great idea! What amperage is the lawn mower battery you are using? The one I have now is only 7 amps - is yours more powerful? >> Adding a new twist to the question, is there a way to >> regulate the output of a DC power supply to make an [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > is that you can take the battery with you to the flying > field to run your starter and field charger. > Great idea! What amperage is the lawn mower battery you are > using? The one I have now is only 7 amps - is yours more > powerful? It's a battery from Auto Zone, significantly smaller than a standard car battery. It says cold cranking amps 230, reserve capacity 29.... whatever that means. 29 what? Foam cutting wires have been discussed here many many times, with most guys advocating fancy transformer driven devices that you build from somewhat expensive parts. I use a lead-acid battery with a cutting bow made from about 4 feet of fishing lead wire, which produces the perfect temperature for cutting white styrofoam. I take it that you already have a bow. Try connecting it to your car battery and see what happens. (Note to safety freaks: insert dire warnings here.) Have fun. >> Great idea! What amperage is the lawn mower battery you are >> using? The one I have now is only 7 amps - is yours more [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >battery. It says cold cranking amps 230, reserve capacity 29.... >whatever that means. 230 cold cranking amps is the current the battery will deliver for 30 seconds at 0 degrees F >29 what? This figure is the approximate time in minutes it will power your car , including lights , should the alternator fail . This would require roughly 25 amps. Ken >>> Great idea! What amperage is the lawn mower battery you are >>> using? The one I have now is only 7 amps - is yours more [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Ken Yeah, the cold cranking amp figure was pretty obvious. It was just the 29 with no units that threw me for a loop. Thanks for the clarification. >>> Great idea! What amperage is the lawn mower battery you are >>> using? The one I have now is only 7 amps - is yours more [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >car , including lights , should the alternator fail . This would >require roughly 25 amps. That would require somewhere around 20 A/Hs or more at the 10 hour rate. >Ken Barry ===== Home page http://members.iinet.net.au/~barry.og I do not represent atheists or atheism > Adding a new twist to the question, is there a way to > regulate the output of a DC power supply to make an > adjustable source for a hot wire foam cutter? What I'm > using now works, but I'm not happy with it ESC and a servo tester. > Adding a new twist to the question, is there a way to regulate the output > of a DC power supply to make an adjustable source for a hot wire foam > cutter? What I'm using now works, but I'm not happy with it What is your problem with it? Too hot, temp. changes during the cut, not hot enough...?  SignatureJim in NC Randy, A.#1 All you're doing is bi-passing the gel-cel to the pack. No harm except your gel-cel will not be fully charged. A.#2 No risk as long as it isn't over 12V. A medium size lawn tractor battery is what a lot of the guys use at our field. Make sure it's much more than 7amps or you'll be back where you started. A.#3 If cost is no factor, Hobbico (Tower Hobbies) has an excellent charger/discharger called, 'Accu-Cycle' for $135. It has a memory bank for 20 different packs. This is what I use for ALL my packs (NiCd, NiMH, LiPo). It's powered by an AC transformer which means, you can take the 12v charger portion to the field for quick charges from your automobile or truck. My Dad always told me, "Buy good tools and take care of them and they'll last a lifetime". A.#4 I can't answer this one. I believe the power supply (transformer) should be matched to the charger. NOTE! Do NOT charge your 7amp gel-cel with a regular automotive charger or you'll ruin the battery. Use nothing more than a 1.5 to 2 amp charger. I use a 'floating' charger called, 'Schumaker Battery Companion' (1.5 amp to full charge floating) Good Luck! EarlOfTroy ---------------------------- > I am a total newbie and I have several questions about > batteries and charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would > appreciate any suggestions. >I am a total newbie and I have several questions about batteries and >charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I am currently using a Triton [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would appreciate any > suggestions. I have a power supply made from a computer power supply. I've put atuo plugs, terminal posts and a socket for a ciggy lighter on it. If your intrested I'll look up the link I used to make it. Cost about me $8, could be less if you have a dead computer. mk >> I am a total newbie and I have several questions about batteries and >> charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I am currently using a Triton [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > be less if you have a dead computer. > mk http://www.rcbatteryclinic.com/ There's a couple of links to two different mods to convert a pc power supply to use with your chargers on this page. Plus lots of other good info. >> I am a total newbie and I have several questions about batteries and >> charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I am currently using a Triton [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > be less if you have a dead computer. > mk I got a used ex CB 13.8v 10A PSU off ebay. More than the computer supply, but its neater and its all in a box.. I don't field charge any more: when I run out of Lipos its dark.. > I am a total newbie and I have several questions about > batteries and charging. I use both NIMH and LIPO packs. I [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Cost, balanced by utility, is a factor for me. I would > appreciate any suggestions. A/C powered DC supply is the best way to go ... 15 Amp jobbers work just fine. Bruce | 2. I could get an automotive battery, with more amps | available, to run the Triton charger. Any risks here? Don't get an automotive battery. Get a deep cycle battery -- car batteries are not designed to be left at all discharged for any period of time, and so they probably won't last six months. Most marine batteries will be just fine, but make sure they say deep cycle. For comparison, the big deep cycle battery I use came out of a very large UPS and has 100 Ah of power -- compare that to your 7 Ah hobby battery. So I can go weeks without charging it. And since it came out of a UPS where it was replaced as part of regular maintenance, just in case, I only paid like $20 for it (and the person who sold it to me almost certainly got it for less, if not for free.) | 4. I could buy a DC power supply to run the Triton Charger. Certainly the easiest. SignatureDoug McLaren, dougmc@frenzied.us Those who live by the sword die by the arrow. |
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