Charger problems?? I think??

[hipluther01]

I have an Associated rc 18t. I bought a Hitec CG-340 field charger. The battery is a Duratrax 2/3A 7.2V 1600 maH. The other battery that I had was 2/3A 1100 maH. They both are Nimh. The first time I used this charger it toasted the 1100 maH battery pack. I had it set on the nimh setting and turned to about 1.5 amp. Well I had to purchase a new battery pack and got the Duratrax. I have put the Deans plug on the battery. I made sure that Positive and Negatives were running the same and turned the charger on this time setting it t .5 amp. After about 5 min the battery got Super hot and started to kinda sizzle. I immediatley unplugged the charger. The battery pack was SUPER hot. The battery was saved. I plugged it up to the truck after it cooled down and the truck ran like a little beast. I used the battery on my truck to power the charger. Does anyone know why this charger trying to murder my battery packs? Is my truck battery putting out too much volts for the charger? I'm lost. I know nothing about electric side of Rcing. All help is appreciated!!

 

[Metalhead Matt]

.5 amp shouldn't be heating the packs up like that. As long as the charger is designed to run off of a 12 volt power source, then the truck battery should be just fine. I charge tiny 7.2 volt packs for my old school mini ultima with the traxxas power pack charger and they don't get warm for about 25-30 minutes. I wish I had a better answer for ya, but I'd say the chargers messed up. Certainly not sure, though. All I know is if it ruined one battery, and you where using it correctly, I wouldn't use it again.
And yes, the tiny packs I speak of are the original nicd batteries that came with the ultima when the guy I got it from bought it in 1988! Must have been assembled on a Wednesday!

 

[hipluther01]

.5 amp shouldn't be heating the packs up like that. As long as the charger is designed to run off of a 12 volt power source, then the truck battery should be just fine. I charge tiny 7.2 volt packs for my old school mini ultima with the traxxas power pack charger and they don't get warm for about 25-30 minutes. I wish I had a better answer for ya, but I'd say the chargers messed up. Certainly not sure, though. All I know is if it ruined one battery, and you where using it correctly, I wouldn't use it again.
And yes, the tiny packs I speak of are the original nicd batteries that came with the ultima when the guy I got it from bought it in 1988! Must have been assembled on a Wednesday!

According to the manual I should be able to turn it up to 1.5 amp being the battery pack is a 1600 mah. I dnt know. I'm going to call the LHS tomorrow and find out whats up

 

[hipluther01]

I took that charger back to my lhs and he put a volt tester on it. It was pulling almost 12 v just sitting there with no load on it. Definately bad. He exchanged with no problem!