Lipo charging.

[JerryMcGoulBerry]

I got a bunch of lipos from Hobbyking. however, there is something I'm not sure about
I got this charger
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...40v_Input.html
and I was happy, until I was talking with one of my friends and he said there needs to be something to connect my Tamiya connecter to, but the balance connecter is all this charger has. so do I need to plug the balance connecter into this charger, and then plug it into a smart charger? or is this charger actually charging my batteries?

[R.I.T.Z]

some balance connectors charge the batteries as well

[L473ncy]

That's how balance connectors work.... You can push current through individual wires to balance the entire pack (but obviously you can't push too much current otherwise the wires would heat up and catch fire, it's a limitation of the material and thickness, ie. you probably wouldn't want to push 100 Amps through 28AWG wire that's only rated for 20A but the thin balance wires can take like 650mA without heating up too much and catching fire).

More expensive chargers you'll have proper charging wires to push current through (ie. My $50 Turnigy charger setup could probably push like 10Amps if I wanted it to but I'll usually just charge it at like 2.8Amp) the main wires and then when it's about finished will "trickle charge" small amounts of current through the balance connectors to balance them.

Your charger just charges at a low rate (650mA).

[JerryMcGoulBerry]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

That's how balance connectors work.... You can push current through individual wires to balance the entire pack (but obviously you can't push too much current otherwise the wires would heat up and catch fire, it's a limitation of the material and thickness, ie. you probably wouldn't want to push 100 Amps through 28AWG wire that's only rated for 20A but the thin balance wires can take like 650mA without heating up too much and catching fire).

More expensive chargers you'll have proper charging wires to push current through (ie. My $50 Turnigy charger setup could probably push like 10Amps if I wanted it to but I'll usually just charge it at like 2.8Amp) the main wires and then when it's about finished will "trickle charge" small amounts of current through the balance connectors to balance them.

Your charger just charges at a low rate (650mA).

Mine doesnt have any functions at all. you plug it in, a light shows up, and thats it.

[R.I.T.Z]

Originally Posted by JerryMcGoulBerry

Mine doesnt have any functions at all. you plug it in, a light shows up, and thats it.

its a really cheap charger I'd be careful with it.
most people i've noticed run a Imax B6 Universial Charger little more expensive but worth every penny especially when you start running different sized batteries and types.

[coach]

Originally Posted by JerryMcGoulBerry

Mine doesnt have any functions at all. you plug it in, a light shows up, and thats it.

It's fine. You can't push more current through so you don't need the other wires. It's essentially, a slightly smarter, slow charging lipo wall wart. It detects and balances voltage between each cell as it charges. That's all you need. Just don't charge anything unattended.

My madbull charger is the exact same thing and only uses the balancing plug to charge. But my Imax B6, on the other hand, can push a lot of current into lipo and life batteries to charge them very quickly. But it can also charge NiCad, NiMH, lead etc...

[SuperHog]

Originally Posted by JerryMcGoulBerry

I got a bunch of lipos from Hobbyking. however, there is something I'm not sure about
I got this charger
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...40v_Input.html
and I was happy, until I was talking with one of my friends and he said there needs to be something to connect my Tamiya connecter to, but the balance connecter is all this charger has. so do I need to plug the balance connecter into this charger, and then plug it into a smart charger? or is this charger actually charging my batteries?

That charger is junk. For $5 more you should have bought this one, http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s..._Balancer.html

Unless your budget is $11.99 only.

Also with the current that your gun is pulling, change out the Tamiya to either Deans or XT60.

This will save you a lot of headaches and you can focus on other areas of the sport.

[Fuji]

Have to agree. There are far better choices for a charger than the one you chose for 11.99. I don't see if it has a storage mode for your lipos?

[kalnaren]

My LiPo charger costed in the ballpark of $120.

You'll thank yourself for buying a good charger the first time you see a lipo cell ignite from overcharging with a shitty charger.

You'll also thank yourself after you have to replace your 10th lipo because your charger doesn't store the batteries properly, charge them properly, or balance them properly.

[Ayashifx55]

I have a extra Imax B6AC if anyone wants. 55$ shipped

It basically charges anything. I have to use both balance plug and whatever tamiya or dean plug. On default it pushes 2.2A but i guess that's enough. It has storage mode but i've never used it.