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Electric RC Cars: Charger Tips
Electric rc cars imply the need for a battery charger. That's right. Sooner or later you'll need to replace power in the spent battery packs. You know that suppy the juice that makes your electric rc cars go?Covering the basics, your garden variety battery chargers come in two flavors:
• Peak Chargers
• Timer Chargers
Let's take a quick look at each.
Electric RC Cars and Timer Chargers
Now you may have heard that timer chargers are also known as "battery killers". Sad but true. So may not be your best bet.Problem is sometimes they can melt battery packs. Which isn't a good thing.
Why the melt? Because it’s VERY easy to overcharge a battery pack using timer chargers.
Don't know about you, but that tells me you might want to avoid timer chargers if at all possible!
Besides, given the price difference between timer chargers and peak chargers you don't have to ruin too many quality battery packs (probably less than one) before you will have burned through enough cash replacing batteries to have paid for a decent peak charger. And that’s assuming you don’t burn the house down first.
Peak Chargers
By default then, ANY peak-detection charger is a huge improvement over a timed charger. Reason being it will automatically stop charging once the battery pack hits full.That’s right. Peak chargers use a computer circuit to monitor pack voltage. When the voltage peaks, peak chargers switch from fast charge to trickle charge. Which is why they're called peak chargers. Who knew?
This handy little feature not only guarantees a full charge every time, but even better all but eliminates the danger of over-charging.
So I wouldn't settle for anything less than a peak charger. They are perfect for charging packs no matter what state of charge the pack is in.
Okay given that what do you look for? Here’s a quick
Quick Peak Charger Checklist
• Most decent chargers charge at or around 4 amps. Better yet they're adjustable. Regardless, you still want to find out the maximum amps rate it will charge. Charging at 4 amps may be fine at first as you learn to drive, but once your driving skills improve you will want to be able to charge at a rate of at least 5 plus amps for more speed.Anyway, those are some of the things I’d want to know about a peak charger. Obviously what you WILL need depends on what kind of electric rc cars you’re running. But in any case I’m betting you’ll be happier in the long run with a peak charger than a timer charger.• Check to see if it's Nickle Metal Hydride (NiMH) compatible? A standard peak charger will kill a NiMH pack probably the very first time you use it.
- Electric RC Cars Pit Tip: Generally speaking charging at a lower amp rate will give more run time while a higher charge rate will give more voltage meaning more speed.
• Find out if the charger is AC, DC or AC/DC? Remember, unless you can scrounge up a 12v power supply somewhere using a DC-only charger means you'll have to use a car or maybe a golf cart battery for charging.
• Does it offer adjustable current to let you charge all sorts of battery packs? And how many cells will it charge at a time?
Want 4 Electric RC Cars Battery Pit Tips?
More Info: Batteries by the Numbers
Budget Peak Chargers
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