NIMH batteries okay for transmitter?

[helijohn]

Ok read all the above....if your TX says 12v 50mah only and is centre +ve then go buy a Futaba TX charger.

This is the way but does the DEVO use the same size DC power plug.

[nobbycopter]

This is the way but does the DEVO use the same size DC power plug.

Good question well asked

[Keratos]

Apologies, but why is that a good question?

We are back where we started

I.E, i have a DEVO 10 and dont know which wall charger to buy

???????

Good question well asked

[nobbycopter]

Measure the jack......

[nobbycopter]

You've told us the rest....

[Keratos]

Ok, hold my hands up

I give up

I am

Closing this threadz

[Mark_T]

The only missing piece of information is the size of the jack plug that you need, in all other respects a standard Futaba tx charger will be adequate so you just need to check the plug size.

Worst case just take the radio to your local hobby store and try one for size.

If you want to charge faster there are better alternatives that would let you charge the pack outside the radio, but the Futaba charger will work, just will take a while.

[helijohn]

If you want to charge faster there are better alternatives that would let you charge the pack outside the radio, but the Futaba charger will work, just will take a while.

The DC plugs do tend to be much the same diameter but I just don't know anything about DEVO.

As for charging time, I tend to leave the battery on charge overnight so giving about 14hrs which is enough to give me my morning's flying.. Fortunately with non LiPo this is viable. Now and then I cycle the battery as well.

As a simple solution you could charge individual batteries with something like this.
Lloytron Mains Battery Charger for AA, AAA, 9V PP3 Ni-Mh Rechargeable Baterries | eBay

[Keratos]

thanks guys
sorry about my post above, I just felt I was becoming frustrating for you all.
you see, the problem with measuring the jack is that , certainly on sites I have searched, the jack size is not stated.
in terms of size, I have 5 DC chargers on the desk in front of me , all with different size jacks.
the best solution is for me to go to the Maplin supastore here in Blackpool.
cheers

[Keratos]

I am going to by a fast charger. Dont fanncy spending 60hrs to charge - but then again I wouldnt let the batteries run down anyway.

It will help if you say what you don't understand. NiMh stands for Nickel Metal Hydride. They are rechargeable. The information on your tx is wrong. There are two ways of charging up a NiMh battery. You can either charge it in 1 to 2 hours at a high current or for a long time at a low current. The chargers that often come with a tx are low current chargers that are also called slow chargers. They are used to do an overnight charge. The charge information is on the battery. There are different sizes of battery. The very old 500mah NiCd batteries would be charged at a current in ma equal to teir capacity in mah. Hence 50ma on your tx. The NiMh batteries that you will buy will have much higher capacity. Perhaps 2500mah. These will take around 60 hours to charge at 50ma. If you want to overnight charge you will need a charger that suits the batteries. Or you can look in the Argos catalogue and choose one. These will be fast chargers (mainly) and will stop charging when the battery is full.

[royotr]

Unless i have missed it in earlier posts do you have a single tx pack or are you using separate AA rechargeables ? if its a single pack please ignore the next paragraph.

For many years the BMFA have state that Tx and Rx batteries should consist of " welded " packs of cells and not loose single cells and definitely not "dry cells" . In fact I know that some clubs will not allow the use of Tx 's that are not welded packs , certainly at any competition or display, clip in single cells are not allowed. This is for safety reasons and not any kind of equipment elitism. I had "radio problem" many years ago with separate cells before the BMFA ever mentioned it . More recently a modeller I know , had intermittent radio problems with his DX6i system . A welded pack cured it .

If your Tx is fitted with the recommended "welded pack" the there' no problem , but also an easy solution to some extent. With modern low discharge high capacity cells , ie 2500 mah, there is no need to be charging the Tx every flying session. Most 2.4ghz txs use between 100 & 200 ma ( some 4 cell Txs like the Spektrum DX6i is only around 60ma) so constant "topping up" charging is not needed and is possibly bad. As most , if not all "computer " txs have a digital voltage read-out as well as a low voltage warning it is possible to fly for several flying session between charges. You just need to check the battery voltage reading occassionally, Although slightly less convenient than using the Tx charge socket just take out the battery pack and charge directly to the battery. I use a delta peak field multi charger same as I use to charge my heli . It a simple red to red, black to black.

[royotr]

I am going to by a fast charger. Dont fanncy spending 60hrs to charge - but then again I wouldnt let the batteries run down anyway.

Constantly topping up nimhs is not a good thing . It reduce the capacity and reduces the life. It is better to give the batteries a full cycle now and again . If not in use for several weeks/ months then a full discharge/charge cycle is recommended . Many field chargers have this function built in . Unfortunately to do this on a Tx battery , you have to take out the pack and charge direct. This is because most Txs have a polarity protection diode in the charging circuit. The diodes can also affect the delta peak accuracy of you fast charger.

I delta peak charge all my Tx batteries for speed and safety ( I'm there while its being charged) where as the trickle chargers is left plugged in the wall unattended for hours. The higher output ones ,150ma , seem to get quite warm even after a short time , some have no fuses and buzz loudly !

[royotr]

Your tx and rx batteries are key to the reliability of you heli, no battery ***!!!
Before you spend money on any form of charger , it will save money in the long run if you consider all your requirement now and in the near future. The simple ac/dc slow charger is ok for initially checking out your heli. But many people who fly FBL helis use lipo cells via a regulator ( I believe that's what's on you heli) and because the servos are constantly working their buts off all the time, they have large capacity airborne packs or resort to frequent charges while down the field. This means that they require a charger powered from a 12v battery . There is a great variety of chargers in both price, versatility , accuracy and reliability. Anything that is just a couple of LEDs and a push button is just a brief stop gap . Knowledge is power. From the offset its worth considering a multicharger which charges Nimhs,Nicads,Lead acids(PBS), Lipos,Lions and Lifes cells up to 6s packs at a power output of at least 50 watts 200watts is required if you think you may venture into electric helis above 450 size. For effective discharge function the same ratings apply to a lesser extent. Beware some only have a 5watt discharge function which is nigh on useless.
With an half decent charger you have lots of information available , individual cell voltage, recharge capacity, discharge capacity, etc all indicators of how your batteries are performing.
Not just radio batteries, I charge, starter batteries, glow stick batteries , household items , power drills , torches .......ETC.

I have used one of these for a couple of years and fulfills most of my requirements:-

http://www.giantshark.co.uk/a610-200...-p-404525.html

[Keratos]

?? we are talking Tx (transmitter) here are we - it is the Tx I am querying in this topic

there are Qty 8 AA NiMh batteries that clip into a pack that is removable from the Tx box - there is a dark red tiny connector at the end of the wires from the pack.

what I would like to know please, is how best to charge the batteries, I provided a link above to the battery type.

it would really help a novice like me if you could just the name/brand of the charger - thats all I need really because at the moment I dont understand the technicalities Im afraid

Your tx and rx batteries are key to the reliability of you heli, no battery ***!!!
Before you spend money on any form of charger , it will save money in the long run if you consider all your requirement now and in the near future. The simple ac/dc slow charger is ok for initially checking out your heli. But many people who fly FBL helis use lipo cells via a regulator ( I believe that's what's on you heli) and because the servos are constantly working their buts off all the time, they have large capacity airborne packs or resort to frequent charges while down the field. This means that they require a charger powered from a 12v battery . There is a great variety of chargers in both price, versatility , accuracy and reliability. Anything that is just a couple of LEDs and a push button is just a brief stop gap . Knowledge is power. From the offset its worth considering a multicharger which charges Nimhs,Nicads,Lead acids(PBS), Lipos,Lions and Lifes cells up to 6s packs at a power output of at least 50 watts 200watts is required if you think you may venture into electric helis above 450 size. For effective discharge function the same ratings apply to a lesser extent. Beware some only have a 5watt discharge function which is nigh on useless.
With an half decent charger you have lots of information available , individual cell voltage, recharge capacity, discharge capacity, etc all indicators of how your batteries are performing.
Not just radio batteries, I charge, starter batteries, glow stick batteries , household items , power drills , torches .......ETC.

I have used one of these for a couple of years and fulfills most of my requirements:-

GT A-6-10 200W Balance charger & discharger

[royotr]

I know the subject of the thread is charging a set of transmitter batteries , but as there are numerous types of batteries use by heli flyers during the flight process each with its own voltage, current and type requirement I pointed out the long term benefits and saving by choosing a multicharger. If you look at each battery as an individual problem then you will end up with a draw full of chargers.

If you end up travelling a distance to a flying site then a field charger is a prudent backup device to have in your field box.

In one of my post I did put a link to a charger sold by Giant Shark ie:-

GT A-6-10 200W Balance charger & discharger

From the link you showed the cells are separate AA pen cells , although as previously stated , no recommended for RC use because of contact un reliability. The fact that they are mounted in a wired carrier indicates that a one piece welded pack of nimhs is an option considered by the manufacturer.

As taking out individual cells or the whole battery tray bring forth their own problem perhaps at this moment it may be prudent to ignore my previous posts and just get a wall ac trickle charger from a local model shop. Take you Tx and let them match plug size and polarity to your transmitter. Even if its only 100mah once you've charge them up the first time for about 24hrs, only a few hours trickle would be required now and again . They are pretty foolproof because of their low output ( below 1/10 capacity charge rate) they can be left on almost indefinately, which is hand if you forget theyre switched on. That should cost you less than £10.

Can't help with a particular make to buy ,but you could perhaps phone up "Buzzflyer" UK:-

http://buzzflyer.co.uk/Helicopter-Ra...-Rx/p-74-1371/

They sell walkera helis and radios rebadge under their own name. They may be able to answer other queries re your Tx as regards to simulator connection as well