Hello everyone - following on from the 50mph run with the Tamiya, the next set of modifications will be focusing purely on stabilising the car so we can get more speed out of it.For now though let's take a moment out to look at the charger I am using for my batteries. I decided to go for the Radient Mistral for around £30This price puts it firmly in the budget fast charger range, but it can do Nimh and Lipo batteries up to 6s.
Box contents pictured above - several different connectors catered for.
This charger has a charge rate of between 0.1 and 5 amps that can be adjusted simply by turning the dial before starting the charge.First thing to do when plugging in is to set it to the correct setting depending on whether you have a Nimh or Lipo battery but pressing the dial to switch between each mode - I am using a 2s 4000mah Lipo.
Once you have done this, you need to set the charge rate. As my battery is 4000mah, I will set the dial at four amps. This is because there are 1000 milliamps in one amp.The charge rate sets the amount of time it takes to charge your battery. A 4000mah battery will take approx one hour to charge at a 4 amp rate and the same for a 3000mah battery charged at 3 amps etc. Always try to stick to charging your battery in one hour. In theory you could charge a 4000mah battery at a 5 amp rate and charge it in less than an hour, but you risk damaging the cells.
Once you have got your battery connected to the charger it is very important to also connect your balance lead. This ensures the cells are equally charged which is essential to prevent overheating during charging and for a battery's overall health.
As you can see the white balance ports above are all different sizes so you will only be able to plug your balance lead into one of them depending on the number of pins.One more thing to do - if charging a lipo battery, place it in a fireproof charging bag. We advise everyone to have one of these for lipos as they are a great safety precaution in the event of a battery overheating or worst case scenario, catching fire.
Lipo bag
NOW YOU ARE READY TO CHARGE!
Begin the charge by pressing and holding the dial in. You will hear a few beeps and the red light will turn green and flash continually - the charger will also make a continuous whirring noise. This means the battery is charging.
It is best to charge on a nice open solid surface such as a kitchen table. Never leave a battery charging and go out - it is always best to wait until charging is complete.When the battery is fully charged you will hear a series of beeps and the flashing green light will change to solid green.You can now remove the leads and the battery is ready to be used. If there is any kind of connection issue when you try to begin charging, the charger will beep several times and all three lights will flash red continually until you press the dial again and you will get the original solid red light come back.
My Review
Overall I absolutely love this charger. It is a great option for anyone wanting something to use for larger batteries for more powerful brushless cars while retaining the capability of charging basic Nimh batteries also.
I genuinely do not have a bad word to say about it - the only possible improvements would be having a few extra charge leads in there for more connector types, and the fact that chargers like the Etronix Powerpal 3.0 have more programmable functions and a higher maximum charge rate.
However, I would argue that this charger is one of the best on the market in terms of value for money. Super easy to use and whether you have an Arrma Infraction or a Tamiya TT-02, it is up for the job.
I rate it 9/10.
Get yours here!
