Help! Battery charger suggestion

[Sean2448]

hello everyone my name is Sean and I am 53 and after nearly 20 years of non flying R/C planes I’m getting back into it but since then it seems a lot has changed. First off I had to buy a radio (spectrum (Nx10) since my old futaba doesn’t seem to work with today’s technology. I am looking to buy the tms 1800 mm ranger but I am open to other suggestions. This is where I need help…
I know they will recommend what battery and recover to use but I would like to get the best battery for flight time and a battery charger that will charge Quick. Maybe even multiple batteries at once and a speed control to handle the load. I am aware that it will cost more but you get what you pay for sometimes also a good 6 channel receiver. Thanks in advance

 

[Piotrsko]

Quick charging lithium polymer batteries makes them warmer than ambient. Quick discharge during a flight takes that warm battery and makes it hotter. Not good juju. Don't have the heat problem as bad with NICADS, but flights were 3 minutes only on my Aeroflight stuff

Speed control won't help, best case just slows charge process down and gets hot itself. A half dozen charged batteries quick swapped can last many hours. Pop off the hatch, pull the connector, pop a fresh one in, plug it in, go fly. Repeat until you need a bathroom really bad. I'm old, too. Really want to loiter, you want gliders: battery lasts 4-5 hours if there's enough lift

My futaba stuff is from 1975-76(?) Still use it, can buy AM receivers last I looked, but YMMV. Sorry doesn't have settings for other models, no mixers or servo reverse. Mmm mixers, no twitchy vector directors needed for flying wings and you get to do flaperons.

 

[Shurik-1960]

The best battery charger is the IMAX B6. It is a reliable and easy-to-use charger.

https://aliexpress.ru/item/1005006194929567.html?click_id=9mTZ22J2bXZaFv4&af=2926_Y6Ljx9&cn=2urusk9vzei0y1mifue7hv16utnos55u&cv=2&cv_source=default&dp=2urusk9vzei0y1mifue7hv16utnos55u&utm_campaign=2926_Y6Ljx9&utm_content=2&utm_medium=cpa&utm_source=aerkol&aff_fcid=e0e583a674f34354a05abd8edc5c113e-1727106602473-01896-_DFZoXEv&aff_fsk=_DFZoXEv&aff_platform=api-new-link-generate&sk=_DFZoXEv&aff_trace_key=e0e583a674f34354a05abd8edc5c113e-1727106602473-01896-_DFZoXEv&terminal_id=2e4c04a426b44f788457fd9199f307a4&sku_id=12000036217505055

The best batteries are from Gens. Recommended Battery: Li-Po 14.8V 3300mah - 4000mAh

 

[Merv]

...the best battery for flight time and a battery charger that will charge Quick...

The first thing you need to know is concept of C, that is how fast can you charge or discharge a battery. 1C is the milli amp hour capacity of the battery divided by 1,000. To calculate how many amps that can be drawn out of a battery take the milli amp hour divide by 1,000 times the C rating (mah/1,000 x C). Example a 2,200 mah, 25 C, battery can supply 55 amps (2,200/1,000 x 25 = 55). As far as flight time, more mah equals longer flight time, up to a point. At some point the additional weight of a bigger battery will cost you flight time. That is if a 2,200 mah battery gives 10 minutes of flight. a 4,400 mah battery may only give 15 minutes.

To prolong the life of my batteries, I charge at at 1 C. I usually get 3 years of so from a battery before is is retired. The size of your battery should dictate the charger you consider. I use 2,200 mah batteries and the IMAX B6 is a good match for me. I can charge a battery in about an hour. But the B6 would take far too long to charge a 6,600 mah battery, it just cannot put out enough amps.

I don't like to wait on batteries to charge, the B6 is cheap enough I can afford to own multiples. I prefer this to a much higher price multi channel charger. With the multi channel charger, when one channel goes bad you are stuck. When one of my eight B6's goes bad, I chuck it and replace it.

Rather than charge each battery quickly, I charge many batteries slowly.

 

[peteparkerh]

Welcome back to the hobby. I did the same thing about 6-7 years ago.

For a charger, I use the toolkit RC 4 way charger. Four batteries at once up to 4s. All can be different.
ToolkitRC Q4AC RC Battery Charger... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY2FPPRY/?tag=lstir-20

 

[peteparkerh]

Welcome back to the hobby. I did the same thing about 6-7 years ago.

For a charger, I use the toolkit RC 4 way charger. Four batteries at once up to 4s. All can be different.
ToolkitRC Q4AC RC Battery Charger... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY2FPPRY/?tag=lstir-20

I set the amps at whatever the mah is. 2200mah = 2.2 amps. This is 1C charging.

 

[Foamforce]

I’m happy with my Hota F6. It’s the DC only variety for $80 on Ali. It’s small, has four ports, and you plug the balance lead and the main lead (XT60) directly into the unit without extra leads. That makes it a lot more compact for me to bring to the field. Just the charger, a source battery (or your car battery), and a single wire to connect the two. I fly with my two boys so we charge a lot of batteries at the field. 🙂

 

[HVB79]

You could buy a IMAX B6 (or re-branded copy) and get 2006 technology or for the same price buy a much more capable 200 watt charger with a better screen and better user interface.
Example: iSDT Q6 Nano

If you already own a fleet of eight B6 chargers I can see why you would buy a B6 replacement to keep everything consistent. But otherwise, I don't know why you would buy a B6 instead of one of the many better modern options.

 

[Bricks]

It comes down to time, how long do you want to wait to recharge a battery? My Hyperion Duo 2 will charge a 2200 battery in about 20 minutes or charge at 2C and even faster. I can charge up to 12 batteries at the same time with a balance boards.