Chargers & LiPo Balancers

If you own, or plan on buying, the Thunder Power RC TP820CD charger or Thunder Power RC 820CD LiPoly Charger & Rip Max Pro-Peak 270W AC-DC Power Supply, you should be aware that there is a firmware update that needs to be installed on the TP820CD charger. Please note, MOST customers WILL NEED TO PERFORM THE UPDATE. All TP820CD owners should identify the version of firmware currently operating the charger to identify if further action is necessary.

To identify which version of firmware your TP820CD is operating, simply turn on the charger. You will see the version firmware your charger is running, as noted on the bottom right corner of the initial screen displayed. All TP820CD chargers with a firmware version other than v4.3 will need to install the update.

Instructions on updating the Thunder Power RC TP820CD

Please note: When new firmware is made available for any Thunder Power RC Charger, it should be installed to allow for optimal operation of the product.

Thunder Power RC is always striving to improve their products. Since 2003, Thunder Power RC has been the world-leader in the advancement of Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery power and charging solutions for a wide variety of RC, UAV/UAS and other applications. Continuing to set industry-leading standards in performance and reliability is why more pilots, drivers and professionals world-wide choose Thunder Power RC LiPo batteries over any other brand. Thunder Power—# 1 in Performance and Reliability.

For charger firmware updates go to ThunderPowerRC.com

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Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors, and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
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© Draganfly Innovations Inc. Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907 Email: info@rctoys.com Web: www.rctoys.com

Just after joining the Thunder Power RC team, Jörn Neumann TQ’d and won at the JConcepts Clash powered by TPRC.
		Just after joining the Thunder Power RC team, Jörn Neumann TQ’d and won at the JConcepts Clash powered by TPRC.Multi-time, European Off-road Champion and Team Durango driver Jörn Neumann signed an exclusive sponsorship contract for 2012 for the use of TPRC batteries and chargers. The 20-year-old from Germany has been a top contender at several major off-road events around the world. Thunder Power is happy to announce the addition of Jörn to our talented team of drivers. Jörn stated, “I am really happy to join the Thunder Power RC team and to use the batteries in all of my cars. When I tried TPRC batteries, I was impressed by the performance. TPRC LiPo batteries are a must-have for every racer.
Jörn raced for the first time representing team TPRC at the JConcepts Clash last weekend in Florida. Powered by TPRC batteries and charger, Jörn TQ’d and won the 1/8th Electric Buggy and 1/10th 4WD Buggy classes. Jörn won racing with the new G6 Pro Race 65C 6000mAh 2S (TP6000-2SPR65) batteries in his 1/8th Buggy, the new G6 Pro Race 5000mAh 65C (TP5000-2SPR65S) Saddle packs in his 10th 4WD Buggy and charged them with the TP820CD Dual port charger. We would like to congratulate Jörn on his victories at the JConcepts Clash. Jörn joins a top group of drivers from Thunder Power and will play an integral part in expanding into the highly contested off-road market. Jörn’s next big event will be at the 2012 Reedy Race of Champions in January.

Download Press Release
JORN NEUMANN SIGNS AND WINS WITH THUNDER POWER RC

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Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors, and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
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© Draganfly Innovations Inc. Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907 Email: info@rctoys.com Web: www.rctoys.com

Thunder Power RC introduces all-new TP1430C High-Power Multi-Chemistry Charger/Discharger/Cycler/Balancer System.

The all-new TP1430C is our most powerful multi-chemistry charger, discharger, cycler and balancer system ever released from Thunder Power RC. With up to 1000 watts of total charging power, the TP1430C can charge, discharge and cycle a wide variety of 1-14S LiPo, LiIon and LiFe (A123) batteries, as well as 1-40 cell NiCd and NiMH along with 6-48V Pb (lead-acid) batteries. The built-in 2-14S LiPo/LiIon/LiFe (A123) cell balancer and included balance connector adapter board are readily compatible with all Thunder Power balance connectors and the JST-XH balance connectors found on most other batteries.

Boasting the same compact design and technology as the TP820CD, the TP1430C is capable of charging at rates up to 30 amps offering the ability to charge many of the latest-generation LiPo batteries at ultra-fast rates up to 9C and beyond. Additional features include built-in data monitoring and viewing on the large class-leading and easy-to-read 48-character blue backlit LCD screen, internal resistance measurement and an advanced Storage Mode function to automatically charge or discharge LiPo/ LiIon/LiFe (A123) batteries as needed. Other great features also include dual computer-controlled cooling fans and temperature protection, an attractive and extremely durable aluminum case, plus the ability to install future firmware updates available for free download from www.ThunderPowerRC.com using a standard mini USB cable. Best of all these incredible features are all available at a value that’s hard to beat while being fully supported and backed by Thunder Power RC’s industry-leading 2-year warranty.

Technical Specifications Powerful 1000W charger, discharger and cycler system with built-in LiPo/LiIon/LiFe (A123) cell balancer. Includes a balance connector adapter board readily compatible with 2-14S Thunder Power and JST-XH balance connectors. This powerful and compact single port design charges, discharges and cycles 1-14S LiIon/LiPo/LiFe (A123), 1-40 cell NiCd/NiMH and 6-48V Pb (lead-acid) batteries. Up to 1000 watts of total power with selectable charge rates from 0.2 amps up to 30 amps for ultra-fast charging. 12 user-programmable memories plus built-in data monitoring and viewing with internal resistance measurement and more. Fully-adjustable charge capacity limit (NiMh/NiCd/Pb), per cell end voltage and low voltage cutoff settings to maximize safety, charge and discharge performance. Wide 12.0-36.0V input voltage range with adjustable input power current limiting to maximize performance and protect power supplies. Durable and compact aluminum case with dual computer-controlled cooling fans and an extremely easy-to-read blue backlit LCD screen.

Download Press Release
All New Thunder Power RC TP1430C Press Release

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Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors, and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

This guide contains everything you need to know about charging LiPo batteries. The process is very simple and not much different from charging any other battery type. Keep in mind that brand does not matter when it comes to LiPo chargers. A Common Sense RC LiPo charger will charge a Thunder Power RC LiPo and a Thunder Power RC charger will charge other brands of LiPo batteries (see the note on balance plug types below.)

How to Choose a Charging Setup

1. Decide what Batteries you Want to Charge – Cell count and pack capacity are the most important factors when choosing a charger for your LiPo batteries. Find the number of cells in series that your LiPo packs have; this will determine the voltage. Also find out what the capacity of the pack is in mAh. If you’re new to lithium polymer batteries and want a guide, we have an FAQ written.
2. Decide how Many Amps you want to Charge at – Generation 6 Thunder Power batteries support charging at a rate of up to 5 times their capacity (5C). As a rule of thumb, this is faster than most people can and should use, as charging at rates of over 1C has been shown to shorten battery life. A safe charging rate is generally accepted to be 2C with a balancer. Multiply the capacity of your pack in amp hours by 2 to get a good estimate of the number of amps you will need your charger to provide.
3. Choose a Li-Po Charger with an Appropriate Number of Watts – The number of watts is the only really important variable here. Watts equals volts times amps, so take the number of amps that you want to charge your packs at (as determined by the last step) and multiply by their voltage. The result is the minimum number of watts that your charger should have. Keep in mind that cost tends to increase with the number of watts a charger can provide.
4. Choose a Balancer Compatible with Your Battery Leads – All LiPo batteries over 1 cell should include a set of balance leads, which are used to keep the voltage of each cell the same. It’s critically important that you use a balancer when charging at rates of over 1C, otherwise imbalances can build up and result in over or under-charging different cells in a pack. Note that many computerized chargers include a built in balancer. You may have to purchase an adapter cable to use internal balancers with your particular brand of LiPo battery. There are basically 3 common leads that LiPo batteries use. They are, according to brand:
   • JST-XH - This type of lead is the most common. It is supported out of the box by the TP610C, TP610C-ACDC, and TP820CD balance chargers.
   • Thunder Power RC – Thunder Power balance leads are used by all Thunder Power RC LiPo batteries. They will work with all Thunder Power chargers, although if you want to use them with another brand of charger you will have to purchase a Thunder Power to JST-XH adapter cable.
   • Hyperion – Hyperion uses their own proprietary balance plug. We do not carry an adapter cable at the time of writing.
5. Choose your Charging Leads – You will need a set of leads that go from the charger to your battery pack. All of the chargers that we carry include a set of leads that will either work out of the box or that you can solder plugs of your choice onto. Consult the individual charger’s product page for more details. As a rule of thumb, the leads that plug into the chargers output jack are usually 4mm bullet connectors.
6. Choose a Power Supply – Some LiPo chargers have their own built in power supplies and do not need to be plugged in to an external 12 volt source (such as the TP610C-ACDC and CS-ACDC-6.) If you require a power supply, the RipMax Pro Peak is a good choice. Make sure that the power supply you choose can provide an appropriate number of watts. A good rule of thumb to determine how many watts you need a power supply to provide is to take the number of watts that your charger can output and add 10%. The extra 10% accounts for power lost due to resistance and heat.

How to Use Your Charging Setup

1. Read your Chargers Manual – There’s no substitute for this, read the manual cover to cover before you try to charge LiPo batteries.
2. Plug the Charger into your Power Supply
3. Connect the LiPo to the main Charging Leads and Balancer Port – If you’re using a Thunder Power to JST-XH adapter cable you will need to use this now.
4. Verify Settings and Begin Charging – In particular, you must make sure that the voltage and number of amps to charge at are correct. Charging up to 2C is generally regarded as safe, but there is no margin of error when it comes to pack voltage. Charging at an incorrect voltage / cell count will result in a fire.
5. Do not Leave the Battery Charging Unsupervised – LiPo batteries must not be left to charge unsupervised. Although the technology is safe, accidents do happen and it is important that you are there to react to any situation that may arise.

You can buy Thunder Power lithium polymer batteries and chargers on our website. If you need a Thunder Power RC to JST-XH adapter cable, we carry those as well.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Many electric RC enthusiasts fly small indoor models that use 1 cell lipo batteries. These 1 cell batteries are usually charged with simple multi port chargers that come with ready to fly and bind and fly RC planes and helicopters. Although these simple chargers do the job, they don’t support features such as displaying cell voltage and selecting the charge rate. Using the Common Sense RC Micro-6 charging adapter, you can charge up to 6 of these micro batteries at a time using your existing computer charger / discharger / cycler.

The Micro-6 charging adapter works by connecting 6 batteries at a time in parallel. Charging is still done using a 1 cell battery setting, but the charging rate can be increased by a factor of the number of batteries you’re charging. Here’s how to use the Micro-6 charging adapter with any typical computerized lipo charger:

• Select the 1 cell lipo charge mode.
• Ensure that all the micro batteries you are charging are at roughly the same charge state.
• Plug the batteries and the Micro-6 charging adapter into your computerized charger, ensuring you follow the correct polarity.
• Charge at the rate you would usually charge a single 1 cell lipo of a given capacity, times the number of batteries that you are charging. For example, if you typically charge a 1 cell 100 mAh lipo at 2C (.2 Amps), 6 of them would be charged at a rate of 1.2 Amps.

You can discharge batteries following the same procedure, just make sure to select the right discharge rate. A good rule to remember is that multiple batteries wired in parallel act as a single larger battery at the same voltage. When charging 6 1 cell 100 mAh batteries in parallel, you would use the same settings as when charging a 1 cell 600 mAh lipo.

A note about balancing: charging cells in parallel won’t keep the voltage in each cell the same. This is why it is important to start parallel charges with the voltage in each cell approximately the same, to ensure that no cell gets overcharged. A good technique would be to store your micro 1 cell lipo batteries at about a 50% charge (3.8 volts), then charge them all at once before you want to go flying using the Micro-6 charging adapter. You can then fly the batteries to your speed controller’s low voltage cutoff and charge them all together again.

Using the Micro 6 Cell charging adapter, you can use your existing computer chargers and equipment with 1 cell batteries. When done properly, charging in parallel makes battery maintenance and charging simple and efficient. Update your micro models with the Micro-6 adapter today!

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Common Sense RC has recently released a new low cost 50 watt multi charger with a built in power supply. The ACDC-6s balance charger is an elegant and low cost replacement for a complicated mess of wall-wart or specific chargers, and a hard working addition to your existing chargers and field equipment. If you fly electric RC planes, you can use the ACDC-6s charger to keep all your expensive lithium polymer batteries in top working condition. If you fly glow or gasoline RC planes, the ACDC-6s comes ready with a set of leads for charging glow drivers and receiver packs using servo-style leads. Whether it’s a well needed update to an old charging system, or an economical addition to an electric RC enthusiast’s equipment, the new ACDC-6s is an excellent low cost addition to any RC setup.

Built in AC Power Supply

Many low cost multi chargers require an external power supply to work. Power supplies that can deliver 50 to 100 watts typically cost anywhere from 20 to 50 dollars, which adds to the cost of your charging setup. The Common Sense ACDC-6s avoids this problem by including its own, built in 12 volt power supply. This means that it can be used right out of the box on standard AC power, cutting costs and saving you money. The built in power supply is high quality, and can deliver the full 50 watts that the ACDC-6s requires.

If you have an existing 12 volt power supply for your other chargers and equipment, the ACDC-6s can use that as well! This charger features a built in 12 volt plug and alligator leads, so you can run it off of the 12 volt equipment that you already have. This is perfect for situations where you don’t have an AC power source available, like out at the flying field. Simply hook up the ACDC-6s to any 12 volt battery and you’re good to go.

Flexible power options at a low cost make the Common Sense RC ACDC-6s charger one of the best deals on the market.

Common Charging Leads Included

The ACDC-6s charger comes with a set of common charging leads, so you can start using it right out of the box without additional equipment. Packaged charging connectors include the:

• Standard Deans type
• JST style
• Female RC servo type (Futaba / JR / Spektrum and similar)
• Glow driver plug
• Alligator Leads (for charging a 12 or 24 volt sealed lead acid battery)

Using these charging leads, you can start charging all of your existing RC equipment right away, without the expense and hassle of ordering matching adapters for all your equipment.

Built in Li-Po Balancer

The Common Sense RC ACDC-6s features a built in balancer that can handle Lipo batteries with up to 6 cells. Besides eliminating the need to use a separate balance adapter while charging, the ACDC-6s can keep track of and display balance information such as the voltage of each cell while charging. This takes the guess work out of charging your batteries – if you suspect a pack has a balance problem, you can plug it into the ACDC-6s and check!

Fully Computer Controlled and Programmable

The ACDC-6s has advanced features that you normally only find included in higher echelon chargers such as the TP-610c. You are able to program all important functions such as LiPo battery discharge cutoff, NiMh delta V peak detection, and even safety parameters such as capacity cutoff and temperature sensing. You are also able to cycle batteries and display cycle information, which helps with pack maintenance and monitoring.

You can learn more about the Common Sense RC ACDC-6s charger on our website. Update your RC equipment with this hard working and economical charger today!

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com