Charging transmitters

[SimonCornes]

No but, in the past with - other transmitters - I take the back off and just drill a hole - maybe 5 or 6 mm - into the side of the case and then attach a charging socket with a couple of screws and link it up to the pos and neg terminals of the battery holder with a couple of wires. Very simple and it works but I'm trying to get a 2 pole jack plug and a 'top hat' type socket to go into the charger. Once upon a time it was very easy!! Progress maybe?!!

[SimonCornes]

Just found on ebay

10 x 2.1mm x 5.5mm round panel mount female socket DC connector jack plug - £3.79 (for 10)

1 x 2.1mm x 5.5mmDC Power male in line plug - £1.75

You can buy panel mounting sockets as well but I would avoid those because they are all metal so I would be nervous about getting electrocuted!! The ones above are basically plastic

Now I just need a 7.2v DC charger with a fairly low output for AA cells. You don't want a 'fast' charger - the sort that does a 7.2v tank pack in a couple of hours or less because I dont think typical AA cells are vented so fast charging could cause trouble. I'm looking for an overnight charger.

I've just come across Component-Shop on line so I'm going to ask them about chargers. They reply within 2 business days apparently and based near to Bangor, North Wales

[abramsky]

I don't think charging the batteries in the transmitter is a good idea. I use an IMAX B6AC 80W 6A Dual Power charger like this:

https://www.banggood.com/pl/IMAX-B6AC-8 ... rehouse=CN

together with Eneloop AA rechargeable and from my own experience I can say that you should be very careful even with new cells ...
During several charges, despite the 1/10 C charging current setting and setting the correct charge cut-off capacity (1900mah) before the charger finished its work, the batteries became very warm (almost hot). In addition, they do not always load equally
(because Ni-Mh doesn't have a dedicated connector - I use a four-pack basket) and some of the cells get warm much earlier. My conclusions are that even the new Ni-Mh Eneloop batteries require supervision during charging, and the convenience and saving a few seconds of work to remove them - are not worth accidentally damaging a much more expensive transmitter if one of the cells fails ...

[SimonCornes]

I don't think charging the batteries in the transmitter is a good idea. I use an IMAX B6AC 80W 6A Dual Power charger like this:

https://www.banggood.com/pl/IMAX-B6AC-8 ... anEALw_wcB

together with Eneloop AA rechargeable and from my own experience I can say that you should be very careful even with new cells ...
During several charges, despite the 1/10 C charging current setting and setting the correct charge cut-off capacity (1900mah) before the charger finished its work, the batteries became very warm (almost hot). In addition, they do not always load equally
(because Ni-Mh doesn't have a dedicated connector - I use a four-pack basket) and some of the cells get warm much earlier. My conclusions are that even the new Ni-Mh Eneloop batteries require supervision during charging, and the convenience and saving a few seconds of work to remove them - are not worth accidentally damaging a much more expensive transmitter if one of the cells fails ...

Thats very interesting - I've never had problems in the past but then I was charging Ni-Cd's not Ni-Mh. Not familiar with Eneloop cells I'm afraid. Charging overnight at a low rate should mean that cells have even charges - same as slow charging 'C cells in the tank pack. The recommendation used to be a slow charge every 10 charges. Just looked at the charger you mention - looks very impressive !

[abramsky]

Well. My experience tells me not to trust electronics, especially Chinese electronics ... no matter how advanced.
I always charge NiMh with 1/10C current and I have no problems with 7,2V , 8,4V , 9,6V or larger batteries. It is different story with AA. I only use Enellop for RC transmitters, and for my son's toys, some cheap no name. Every time I charge them (no matter - Eneloop or no name) they get warm at the end of charging even though they have not reached their capacity. From what I noticed, the charger does not detect a voltage drop at the end of the charge, despite the different settings from 7 (recommended) to 20 mV. With this voltage drop, the charger should automatically detect that the battery is full ... but it doesn't. I have recently connected the heat sensor while charging, so as not to damage the battery or the charger.

[Jofaur86]

No but, in the past with - other transmitters - I take the back off and just drill a hole - maybe 5 or 6 mm - into the side of the case and then attach a charging socket with a couple of screws and link it up to the pos and neg terminals of the battery holder with a couple of wires. Very simple and it works but I'm trying to get a 2 pole jack plug and a 'top hat' type socket to go into the charger. Once upon a time it was very easy!! Progress maybe?!!

if I understand correctly, you install a parallel charge of the plus and minus of the battery on the IC? so view that not originally planned? you supply the electronics at the same time? never had any worries?

[SimonCornes]

No but, in the past with - other transmitters - I take the back off and just drill a hole - maybe 5 or 6 mm - into the side of the case and then attach a charging socket with a couple of screws and link it up to the pos and neg terminals of the battery holder with a couple of wires. Very simple and it works but I'm trying to get a 2 pole jack plug and a 'top hat' type socket to go into the charger. Once upon a time it was very easy!! Progress maybe?!!

if I understand correctly, you install a parallel charge of the plus and minus of the battery on the IC? so view that not originally planned? you supply the electronics at the same time? never had any worries?

I think I'm with you on that Jofaur. I was thinking this morning, I have some 6 cell battery holders that I used when I was racing radio controlled yachts. They used AA cells so I already have a charger that can charge 3 packs at a time so I may well charge the cells out the transmitter after all. I don't like frequently removing and then replacing cells in transmitters because things can break though!

[Jofaur86]

I do not criticize the way to load? just what questions me about adding a load socket on a TX HL or Taigen or there is not? and not provided? it now exists on all transmitters, but designed for. But remains a personal opinion. Have a good day

[SimonCornes]

Its certainly easy enough to add a socket Jofaur but, as you say, the manufacturer doesn't provide one. All of my Futaba transmitters have charging sockets - but they also use 8 cell battery packs. Its never been an issue but I don't know if its because Heng Long and Taigen think of these tanks as 'toys' that they don't include rechargeable transmitter batteries.

[jarndice]

Its certainly easy enough to add a socket Jofaur but, as you say, the manufacturer doesn't provide one. All of my Futaba transmitters have charging sockets - but they also use 8 cell battery packs. Its never been an issue but I don't know if its because Heng Long and Taigen think of these tanks as 'toys' that they don't include rechargeable transmitter batteries.

I think it is as high tech as the fact that the moulds for the Transmitters were designed years before such things were thought of and any change would add to a cost that Heng Long/Taigen/Torro would not get back.