Whats the fastest charger for my traxxas 11.1v 3s 5000mah 20c lipo batteries?

[ksb51rl]

iChargers from a great source.

[traxxasandme]

So does the voltages not matter because it looks like the I charger 208B takes more volts than the green power supply supplies? Or am I looking at somthing wrong?

[87 GN]

even charging at 2c the charge time will be slowed with balancing @ the end of the charge. unless you do not balance.
I always balance....

[traxxasandme]

Doesnt an I charger 208B still balance @ 2C

[snowslider]

Ok I was worried about the volts and how do u figure the wattage?

Look at my signature.

[traxxasandme]

Lol that works!

[traxxasandme]

So the voltage is ok that the green power supply puts out to power the I charger 208B at ful power?

[O.G.]

The batteries will say right on them if they can be charged at 1 or 2C... in looking at the photos on the traxxas battery pages it looks to me like they are listed as being 1C capable. So, you'd charge 2 of them in parallel at 10 amps. The Icharger 206B is a great choice. Im sure the G350 LaTuFu suggested is fine as well. There are many others out there that will do it. Traxpower 25amp, Protec super pro 20 etc etc. They are all good choices. You just need to make sure its 20-25amps minimum... that way when the time comes and you buy some SPC packs, you can charge them at a full 2C. (which they ARE capable of).

What is the advantage to charging two batteries in series. Is it the convenience of not having to disconnect and reset the charger after each single battery is charged? Can't you charge two single batteries about as fast as charging two in series?

Sent from the cockpit of my Jeep Wrangler

[O.G.]

Currently my venom pro charger is adequate for my needs, but my son is going to start racing and with me in two classes and him in one class for now, the venom just won't be able to keep up unless I buy more batteries.

I'll need another similar charger or one that can charge two or more simultaneously, not in series.

Sent from the cockpit of my Jeep Wrangler

[traxxasandme]

So its for shure that the I charger 208B will work with the green power supply even with the I charger at full power?

[87 GN]

Doesnt an I charger 208B still balance @ 2C

yes if you set it to balance mode...

[pavmentsurfer]

I have found the higher quality chargers balance MUCH faster than the lower quality ones. The way they handle the balancing seems to be very different. My Ichargers and my PL6 will balance charge 2X 5400mah 2S packs in less than 30 minutes at 2C. Which is strange because you'd think it should take 30 minutes AT LEAST. But it doesnt.

Charging 2 packs at one time is really only a benefit of convenience if your charger is capable of doing them at 2C. If you can do one pack at 2C or 2 packs at 1C it will take the same. If you can do 2 Packs at 2C then your cutting your charge time in half. As I said, my PL6 can balance charge both my 5400mah 2S packs at 2C in less than 30 minutes at 21.6 amps. BUT... it can LSO balance charge BOTH my 8200mah 2S packs at 2C at the same time in less than 30 minutes. Thats over 32amps... Sweet.

[traxxasandme]

I was planning on doing the exact same thing pave its good to know the I charger can do all that in less than 30 mins. And my old charger took 1 hour to balance charge each of my 5000mah lipos.

[traxxasandme]

Iv made a decision on what im doing im getting an I charger 208B with the green power power supply and im going to charge my 2 traxxas 5000mah lipos in parallel @ 2C or 20 amps charge rate. And ill also charge my venom 8000mah packs in parallel @1C or 16 amps.
And one last question do u like leave the ps plugged in when charging your batts. Or do u unplug it and like plug it in when its not in use?

[pavmentsurfer]

Get the Icharger 206B... not the 208... you don't need the 208.

You can leave the PS and charger plugged in all the time as long as the power supply has a on/off switch. If it doesnt, just leave it plugged into the charger and unplug the power supply from the wall.

[traxxasandme]

It says that the 206 only does 10 amps and the 208 does 20. Is that not right?

[traxxasandme]

Will someone else check it too I saw the 206 does 10A and the 208 does 20A and thats what I need. Am I looking at somthing wrong?

[snowslider]

It says that the 206 only does 10 amps and the 208 does 20. Is that not right?

206= 20A, 6s

208= 20A, 8s

Unless you are into huge planes/helis the 208 is a ''waste''

[snowslider]

Ooooooooooooops! Sorry!

[traxxasandme]

So why is the 208 like $30 more? Is it just because it does 8s lipo?

[87 GN]

206B
$124.99
Maximum charge power capacity: 300W (@ input voltage > 18V)
•Charge current range: 0.05-20.0A
•Discharge current range: 0.05-20.0A
•Input voltage range: 10-28V DC
•Maximum discharge power capacity: 20W
•Maximum external discharge power capacity: 500W @ 25V/20A
•Current drain for balancing: 350mA
•Balance accuracy: <10mV
• LiPo/LiIo/LiFe: 1–6 series (up to 8S LiFe in non-balanced mode)
•NiCd/NiMH battery cell count: 1-17 series
•Pb battery cell count: 1-12 series (2-24V)
•Battery setup memories: 10
•Intelligent temperature control: Yes
•PC Connectivity: USB port
•Weight: 315 g
•Dimensions (LxWxD): 134x83x25 mm
•Warranty: 1 year

208B
$139.99
Maximum charge power capacity: 350W (@ input voltage > 17V)
•Charge current range: 0.05-20.0A
•Discharge current range: 0.05-20.0A
•Input voltage range: 4.5-32V DC
•Maximum discharge power capacity: 30W
•Maximum external discharge power capacity: 600W @ 30V/20A
•Current drain for balancing: 350mA
•Balance accuracy: <10mV
• LiPo/LiIo/LiFe: 1–8 series (up to 10S LiFe in non-balanced mode)
•NiCd/NiMH battery cell count: 1-25 series
•Pb battery cell count: 1-18 series (2-36V)
•Battery setup memories: 10
•Intelligent temperature control: Yes
•PC Connectivity: USB port
•Weight: 420 g
•Dimensions (LxWxD): 143x97x25 mm
•Warranty: 1 year

looks like 50 watts & two more cells.. to start with...
I have the 208 & two PSU wired in series for 24v.
Also have the PowerLab 6 & two PSU wired in series, have yet to use it, still reading up...

[traxxasandme]

Ok ill go with the 206B then

[pavmentsurfer]

So why is the 208 like $30 more? Is it just because it does 8s lipo?

Essentially, yes. The extra 50 watts isnt an issue for you. So save the $30. The 206B is more than enough charger for %90 of us here.

[traxxasandme]

Ok thanks to everyone who has helped me! And someone mentioned series charging what is that?

[O.G.]

I am so subscribed to this thread

Sent from the cockpit of my Jeep Wrangler

[pavmentsurfer]

Series charging is far less safe than parallel. More opportunity to make mistakes.

Basically instead of charging the 2 packs as one BIG one with alot of capacity, you charge 2X 3S packs as a single 6S pack. The packs must match exactly. The charger will see ONE 6S 5000mah pack and will read all 6 cells but with this method there are far more chances for plugging things in wrong and/or charging problems. Anyone I've ever talked to has said if you want to charge multiple packs you should charge in parallel NOT series.

[bazookamaxx]

the hyperion duo chargers will charge your 2 packs as a single, great for emaxx's and revos

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA0R00671024

[traxxasandme]

So its not any faster or anything than parallel charging is? And I thought parallel it was like charging one pack.

[87 GN]

parallel charging links..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p-xUtWM1w
===
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d2uf...feature=relmfu

EDIT...
http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread...=1#post5098828

[traxxasandme]

Whats the advantage to series charging is it somehow faster?

[87 GN]

series let you see the voltage of all cell.

[traxxasandme]

So u just see the combined voltage and thats all thats different

[traxxasandme]

So should I stick with parallel it sounds easier and jist as good as charging in series is at least from what i'v read.

[BL-Bob]

Series is safer. No cell can hide from the charger. Higher voltage, lower amperage, lower temps. You guys are still balance charging?

The same argument for charge rate works for balancing, discharge at 150a balanced but can't fill at 5 amps and stay balanced?

Let's keep the fanboi comments out of here.
-ksb51rl

[traxxasandme]

What! So is series or parallel safer at first I was thinking parallel but bl-bob is telling me the opposite.

[BL-Bob]

That's my opinion at least. I still use both methods depending on the task and what charger is available.

[traxxasandme]

What different task does series proform? I was watching some vids on series charging and it looks kinda confusing like one battery is the positive and the other is negative. Theni guess u dont combine the mah.

[fuzion]

imagine the 3s batteries is already a series of 1-cell 3x bateries... so if you put on series 2 of them you get a 6s battery.

there are other batteries that are already using cells in parallel, called 2s2p lets say, which means 4 cells connected as 2 pairs of parallel in series. read a bit about voltages currents and power sources before you get into these things.

i have tried both ways, i believe either one is safe but each one needs different precautions. series: dont confuse the balance plugs between them or you ll damage some stuff, parallel: batteries must be approximately the same voltage to avoid great discharging-charging from one batt to the other.

still i d buy as much wattage as i could of a single 6s charger like the powerlab6 and parallel charge everything from there. think future-wise as well not only by what batts you have now. its a mistake when you spend $150. and the pl6 isnt expensive.

[traxxasandme]

Ok im just going to stick with parallel charging then series doesnt seem to have any big advantages or really any.

[pavmentsurfer]

Im not going to argue with bob on this one because everyone has their own opinion. But the vast majority of people (experts included) will say stick with parallel. Less chance of things getting hooked up incorrectly and therefore things going wrong.

traxxasandme... youve got 2 solid pages of advice now. If you need more specific info its time to do some research of your own I think. We have given you every bit of info you could need to know where and what to look for in your own searches. Those of us who have given you advice have, for the most part, done a ton of research of our own. It takes alot of reading and double checking/reading again to fully understand this stuff (and I certainly don't profess to understand it fully at all). So with the info and ideas we've given you, hit up google and youtube and go more in depth. We can't explain ever facet of charging here... it will simply take too long and this really isnt the place.