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Post by flydiver on Oct 16, 2008 15:11:02 GMT 1
My favorite charger the FMA Cellpro 4S just went on sale for $50. IMO this charger is a much better product than the various Bantam clones sold by the Chinese and other importers under a slew of different names. It's only real limitation is it ONLY does lipo, and is limited to 4amps and 4S. If you just gotta charge those NiXX or plan on going 6S in the future don't bother. www.fmadirect.com/products.htm?cat=45&nid=4 The replacement will apparently be more versitile. Not available yet but a description is on the site. fly |
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Post by admiralev on Oct 16, 2008 21:35:16 GMT 1
in my own frustration...haha ellis
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Post by Ellis on Oct 17, 2008 0:01:07 GMT 1
in my own frustration...haha ellis Oh well...but at least I didn't pay full price.  |
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Post by flydiver on Dec 19, 2008 17:16:50 GMT 1
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Post by admiralev on Dec 19, 2008 18:50:09 GMT 1
man thats less than i paid for my turnigy!
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Post by patmatgal on Dec 20, 2008 0:35:55 GMT 1
Ok, looks good ($38 for a balance charger, what's not to like about that?) The one thing I have a hang up with is that the Cellpro 4S is DC. What I need is an AC charger that I can use at home and monitor closely while it does its thing. This is probably a no brainer question but I'll go ahead and ask it anyway: How can the Cellpro 4S be converted to use alternating current?
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Post by flydiver on Dec 20, 2008 3:07:48 GMT 1
This is probably a no brainer question but I'll go ahead and ask it anyway: How can the Cellpro 4S be converted to use alternating current? It can't. There is almost nothing between cheap junk and very expensive units that will work off AC. Pretty much everything needs a power supply. So get a power supply. |
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Post by patmatgal on Dec 20, 2008 3:45:16 GMT 1
Thanks much for the straight forward answer. I guess that means a car battery in the house?
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Post by admiralev on Dec 20, 2008 4:11:22 GMT 1
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Post by flydiver on Dec 20, 2008 4:12:23 GMT 1
No, plug in transformer type power supply. FMA sells them, most of the major sites sell them. a lot of guys mod computer power supplies into RC power supplies (many threads on this subject). In my NiXX days I just used the biggest 12v high mA wall wart I could buy at a thrift shop (usually 1500). Good enough for low Amp charging. Currently using a 5A laptop supply I found. Most aren't 12v though-be careful if you go that route or you can burn up your charger. I did with a 19v one before I learned my lesson and a bit more about electricity. Here's one much like mine (probably IS a laptop PS) for under $20 with shipping. www.headsuprc.com/servlet/the-1406/120v-AC-to-12v/DetailYou would have to change the plug to be compatible with most chargers-common problem. I also have a Duratrax Compact Switching Power Supply www.duratrax.com/caraccys/dtxp4300.htmlwhich I cannot recommend. It CLAIMS it is 12v/7A but REALLY is 15v+ which shuts down a LOT of chargers. I had to put some rectifiers in line to bring the voltage down below 15v. It's OK now but there are better. The only place I ever use a battery in at the field. Do NOT use a lead battery charger as a power source-very dirty juice. I saw you said you got a Dynamite AC/DC charger. Looked at their site and they have a confusing 3 PAGES of charger (power supplies too). The Cellpro doesn't have "all the bells and whistles". It just charges park flier lipos well and safely. It's the ONLY charger of a bunch I haven't been disappointed with. |
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Post by patmatgal on Dec 20, 2008 20:56:31 GMT 1
Alright, thanks for the advice. And to think I just wanted a fun pastime, delve into this too much and it gets a bit confusing, delve into it a lot and I get brain overload. But, woo hoo, having way too much fun...
Happy & Safe flying to all
Thanks again
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Post by flydiver on Dec 20, 2008 22:13:18 GMT 1
Then YOU are EXACTLY the kind of person that should have a Cellpro 4S. They'll even sell you a power supply.
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Post by patmatgal on Dec 21, 2008 2:47:01 GMT 1
fly You gettin' some kind of kick back on these?  But seriously, yeah will do it. I'm just in it for the fun, heck a year ago I probably would of poked my eye out with a soldering iron. All I want to do is charge, fly, charge again and fly some more. Cellpro 4S with a power supply, here I come... (thinking the reconditioned one for $38) Happy & Safe flying to all Thanks again |
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Post by patmatgal on Dec 21, 2008 3:01:58 GMT 1
should have posted this on the last one... Saw this one, www.fmadirect.com/detail.htm?item=2262§ion=45 and hope it does what I think. I'm thinking the bigger box plugs into the wall, the Cellpro 4S plugs into the smaller box and the battery plugs into the Cellpro (?) |
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Post by admiralev on Dec 21, 2008 3:41:51 GMT 1
yup, thats it. AC wart into the wall, banana plugs from the cellpro into the transformer. walah! power
admiral
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But seriously, yeah will do it. I'm just in it for the fun, heck a year ago I probably would of poked my eye out with a soldering iron. All I want to do is charge, fly, charge again and fly some more. Cellpro 4S with a power supply, here I come... (thinking the reconditioned one for $38)