A bit of a rant about charger recommendations.

[gragner66]

Ok IMO …the charger to get is..lol. Seriously most people that been in RC for a while will tell u getting a nicer charger up front is better in the long run. Sounds like you have a specific build for what you’re doing for right now. If I stay in RC I’m sure your charging needs will change. I’ve been in RC for over 20 years. I’ve bought 3 chargers. A nicad charger for the electric start on a nitro rustler. A 2/3s lipo charger for the first lipo battery models I built then the Venom Pro Charger. Getting a nicer charger up front will save u in the long run. I dont think Venom is around any more but getting a charger with different charging options I think I’ve had this one over 12 years or more now. It charges everything I could do RC wise. Plus pro chargers now are cheaper and better than when I got mine

 

[biggman100]

Ok IMO …the charger to get is..lol. Seriously most people that been in RC for a while will tell u getting a nicer charger up front is better in the long run. Sounds like you have a specific build for what you’re doing for right now. If I stay in RC I’m sure your charging needs will change. I’ve been in RC for over 20 years. I’ve bought 3 chargers. A nicad charger for the electric start on a nitro rustler. A 2/3s lipo charger for the first lipo battery models I built then the Venom Pro Charger. Getting a nicer charger up front will save u in the long run. I dont think Venom is around any more but getting a charger with different charging options I think I’ve had this one over 12 years or more now. It charges everything I could do RC wise. Plus pro chargers now are cheaper and better than when I got mine

View attachment 203371

Venom is still around, but, both chargers I found from them supposedly have the ability to catch on fire. I have been beating on RC cars, planes and boats for over 30 years, and, until recently, it was easy finding chargers that did exactly what I needed, without costing a fortune, or full of features I will never use (who needs wireless phone charging on a lipo charger anyway?), but, either I get told they aren't good enough, or, in most cases, without explaining exactly why, I get in a situation like this, where everyone pushes for a single, specific item, but not one time, in any posts I have made about chargers, has anyone specifically stated what is so great about it. Everything I have learned about the Hota that everyone keeps pushing, I either get from reading the specs, or YouTube, or some other source, and the one thing that stuck out to me is that, at 1C, a 5000MAH 2S will take 45 minutes or more to charge, which is about the same time it takes the cheapo IMAX B6 to do the same thing, so where, exactly is the advantage here? And, more importantly, if it still takes just as long to charge as the cheap charger does, where is the justification for the higher price? Before I switched to the B6AC, I could balance charge a 5200MAH 2S ZEEE lipo in about an hour and 10 minutes at 5A, so, again, where is the reasoning for the higher price of the Hota?

I'll use this info I found for a comparison. The SkyRC T100, from people I have talked to, takes roughly 56 minutes to balance charge a Liperior 2S 5000MAH battery at 1C, and costs less than $50, so, if the Hota takes just as long to charge that same battery at 1C, why exactly should I spend the extra $30 on features that I have no use for? And, that is what no one can seem to explain.

 

[gragner66]

For me in chargers it’s the flexibility. U can do ac/dc, any type battery, any rate. On pro chargers I am upset I can’t charge my phone though. But u got a decade on me and sounds like a specific setup. I’d just keep using what I have unless it needs replacing

 

[biggman100]

For me in chargers it’s the flexibility. U can do ac/dc, any type battery, any rate. On pro chargers I am upset I can’t charge my phone though. But u got a decade on me and sounds like a specific setup. I’d just keep using what I have unless it needs replacing

For me, I don't need that flexibility. I get that everyones situation is different, but, for my specific situation, I just need something that I can charge batteries at home with, before I go out and beat on whatever cars I happen to bring with me that day. I don't need dc charging, because I will never have a need to charge using my car, or while I'm out in what ever park or field I'm at, and, I don't need something with super fast charging capability, since I never fast charge, or charge above 1C, and, in everything I have read or seen about the Hota, I can't justify spending that much just to have a whole bunch of, to me, useless features.

This was another one that a few people on another forum recommended, but, someone said something about it needing a separate power supply, which I don't get, https://www.amainhobbies.com/ruddog...ttery-charger-6s-15a-500w-rdgrp-0405/p1258998

Same thing with this one. A bunch of people recommended it, and then I was told it needed a separate power supply, https://www.amainhobbies.com/toolki...rger-workstation-6s-15a-250w-tlk-m6d/p1236929

 

[biggman100]

Hopefully I can find a justification for the $113 I just, to me, wasted on the Hota D6 pro that everyone absolutely insisted I just had to have. With tax and shipping, that's what it came to, on AliExpress, with a 3-5 week wait to arrive.

 

[Greywolf74]

Hopefully I can find a justification for the $113 I just, to me, wasted on the Hota D6 pro that everyone absolutely insisted I just had to have. With tax and shipping, that's what it came to, on AliExpress, with a 3-5 week wait to arrive.

We've already shown you where to get a D6 pro for under $100.

 

[332_RC]

Not dissin' you @Greywolf74

 

[Littlemotor]

We've already shown you where to get a D6 pro for under $100.

You are wasting your time.

Post in thread 'A bit of a rant about charger recommendations.'
https://www.rctalk.com/forum/thread...t-charger-recommendations.143525/post-1473107

Post in thread 'A bit of a rant about charger recommendations.'
https://www.rctalk.com/forum/thread...t-charger-recommendations.143525/post-1473207

There have been multiple threads, and across multiple forums of folks genuinely trying to help this guy, explain recommendations, educate him, and even help him to educate himSELF, and make his decision based on what works for HIM.

He wants to argue, and then tells the next guy that chimes in to help, that everyone wants to argue with HIM..

 

[RustyUs]

...I'll use this info I found for a comparison. The SkyRC T100, from people I have talked to, takes roughly 56 minutes to balance charge a Liperior 2S 5000MAH battery at 1C, and costs less than $50, so, if the Hota takes just as long to charge that same battery at 1C, why exactly should I spend the extra $30 on features that I have no use for? And, that is what no one can seem to explain.

As cells age, they can do so at varying rates, and a charger with better balancing current can significantly affect the duration of the final constant voltage stage of a balance charge.

My first B6AC chargers only had 300mA balancing current. I upgraded to slightly more powerful charger, Hitec X2 AC Plus, which only had 200mA balancing current. Finally, the Ultra Power UP120AC Duo that I got only had 300mA balancing current.

When LiPo packs have cells that vary in their aging, my chargers could take up to two hours to fully complete balance charging at a 1C rate for some packs. This led me to investigate "the best" LiPo chargers available and understand what sets them apart from the less expensive models. The only thing I could come up with was the balancing current being so different/greater on higher end chargers.

Features like touch screen, cycling, external discharging, regenerative discharging, being able to increase power with separate power supply, internal resistance measurements, etc, etc,... you choose what's important to you.

Time is the most important thing to me when it comes to charging up a pack and being able to play. I chose to do 2C charge rates nowadays. 20~30 minutes after getting home from work, and I'm out at backyard track in my happy place. Having said that, I'm currently looking to upgrade my Hota D6 as it doesn't have quite enough power to do 2C charge rate for my one SCT's batteries. If Hota had a dual channel version of their most powerful(?) charger, the H6 Pro, I'd be pressing the "Buy It Now" button yesterday.

Again, you do you.

 

[CertifiedMike]

I'm in need of a new charger too. My charger is prob as old as you and not dual but I can get you all my real world info and review if you like.
You've mentioned that you have "your specific needs" about a dozen times and are asking any of us to put ourselves in your shoes and do your research to solve your problem. Do you see YOUR mistake?
These guys you are challenging have in some cases tested thousandS of dollars in batteries.
Most guys have hundreds to thousands invested in their batteries. It makes PERFECT sense that they would protect their investment with a slightly more expensive and far more reliable charger with a better track record than the one that MIGHT damage this investmentc
This logic only doubles for anyone trying to protect their home or loved ones from even the SLIGHTEST possibility of harm or fire. This should not need explaining.
If you want to roll the dice on a fire loss for $20, have at it.
Most of these ppl have started with nicad or small lipos as you are and quickly found themselves buying new kits with 3s, 4s, 6.8... Expandability is key and is clearly something you've already convinced yourself out of.

No, frankly, I have no clue what you mean, since, how is it discharging if you start at say, 3.4V per cell, and finish at 4.2V per cell?

Clearly, you haven't a clue. Well said.
Some of these guys have alteady forgotten more than you and I will EVER know about Lipo's, charging, discharging and what is goid and what is not WITH REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE.
Perhaps you are looking for ppl to agree with your choice in the wrong place?
Check an ER for instance?
Good advice is all around you.
Save money and invest in the recommended products or read why ppl like them and find a similar product with simiar features at a price YOU like.
Wait for a sale.
No one here put the price tag on the Hota.

 

[WickedFog]

@Greywolf74 just put together one helluva charger setup. He might be able to give you some suggestions.

 

[paytonimusrex]

Hopefully I can find a justification for the $113 I just, to me, wasted on the Hota D6 pro that everyone absolutely insisted I just had to have. With tax and shipping, that's what it came to, on AliExpress, with a 3-5 week wait to arrive.

I got one on amazon and just got some new charging leads and it is amazing i’ll say that. i’ll share the leads I got if you are interested the charger is worth every single penny, plus it’s got usb a, usb c, and a wireless charger so you can plug other thing in like your phone while at the track, I just threw in an extra charging cable in my bag so i’d have a charger with me

 

[Greywolf74]

@Greywolf74 just put together one helluva charger setup. He might be able to give you some suggestions.

Hes already been told by multiple people to either get the HOTA D6 Pro for $85-$90 or go back to using two Imax b6ac's (or two of any cheap ass charger) and save $25-$30. IDK what hes still trippin' about.

 

[WickedFog]

Hes already been told by multiple people to either get the HOTA D6 Pro for $85-$90 or go back to using two Imax b6ac's (or two of any cheap ass charger) and save $25-$30. IDK what hes still trippin' about.

I was referring to the comments Rusty and Mike made above about them wanting a bigger charger.

 

[Greywolf74]

I was referring to the comments Rusty and Mike made above about them wanting a bigger charger.

Oh, gotchya. I didnt understand at first

 

[biggman100]

Hes already been told by multiple people to either get the HOTA D6 Pro for $85-$90 or go back to using two Imax b6ac's (or two of any cheap ass charger) and save $25-$30. IDK what hes still trippin' about.

Because, as I have stated multiple times, it's not $80-$90 shipped to me. I used the exact link that was provided, and,by the time I got ready to check out, it came to $112.84 shipped, and that is exactly what I ended up paying. That is why I was looking for something else in my price range, every time, because it doesn't matter what you find it for, it is always a way higher price where I live. On top of that, it won't even be here until October 11TH to the 17TH, so, it won't get used now for quite a while, because it is quickly getting colder out. Go back and take a very good look at the screenshot I posted about it, and read carefully what I said about that screenshot. The crossed out $107 is what I paid before shipping.

This is the exact one I ordered, because I needed the charging cables with it, and, if you look closely, you will see the $107.65, that is crossed out, and that's the price I paid before tax. I am not a new, or casual buyer on AliExpress or Banggood, so I don't get those new buyer or promotional prices anymore.

 

[biggman100]

I got one on amazon and just got some new charging leads and it is amazing i’ll say that. i’ll share the leads I got if you are interested the charger is worth every single penny, plus it’s got usb a, usb c, and a wireless charger so you can plug other thing in like your phone while at the track, I just threw in an extra charging cable in my bag so i’d have a charger with me

I ended up paying way more than I really wanted to, for something that I won't ever need most of those features for. I don't ever leave chargers of any kind plugged in when I'm not using them, so none of the USB charging or even the wireless charging feature will ever be used by me (I don't get the point to wireless charging anyway, and, 90% of the time, my phone gets charged by USB in the car).