Chargers & LiPo Balancers

Need more power for your miniature RC? Thunder Power has just released two new ultra-micro, high efficiency, one cell LiPo batteries. For use with your new batteries, Thunder Power is making portability and charging easy with their new one cell LiPo wall charger.

Ultra-Micro LiPo Batteries

Thunder Power RC introduces all-new 1S 3.7V 125mAh and 160mAh G4 Pro Lite 25C series ultra-micro LiPo batteries delivering more capacity and power at the lowest possible weight, up to 5-times more cycle life and 5C charge rate capability with no loss in power or cycle life delivery. Plus they can be matched with the all-new TP103CQ Quad Port pocket-sized charger for hours of non-stop flying fun.

Pocket-Sized Charging Power and Convenience for Ultra-Micro Batteries

The TP103CQ-ACDC combo is the ideal, pocket-sized charger and power supply setup to charge the 1S 3.7V LiPo batteries typically used to power ultra-micro and similar class airplanes, helicopters and other models. The TP103CQ quad (4) port charger can be easily and conveniently powered from a 100-240V outlet using the included TP1201P AC to 12V DC, 1-amp power supply while the included DC input power leads can be connected to almost any 11-15V DC power source including a 12V Pb (lead-acid/gel cell) battery for charging on the go. The charger features four ports that operate independently and allow you to charge one or up to four batteries simultaneously at a rate of 0.3A per port. Other great features include advanced multi-color LED indicators for each port that signal red when in charge mode and green when charging is complete for the simplest possible operation. The TP103CQ is compatible with Thunder Power RC ultra-micro class batteries (sold separately) in addition to most other similar class batteries available from Blade®, E-flite®, Force RC™, HobbyZone®, ParkZone® and others. And for those that may not need the AC power supply, the TP103CQ is also available separately as the charger with DC input power leads only.
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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

When was the last time you went to get your RC aircraft ready to fly or RC car ready to drive; only to find out you don’t have the right charging cable? There are many standards for RC charging leads, and keeping track of all of them can be a pain. The redesigned Tarantula Charging Cable is a quick and inexpensive solution to this common problem, featuring charging leads for all these common connectors:

• Tamiya
• JST
• Futaba J servo
• Traxxas
• EC3 (E-Flite)
• Standard Glow Plug Igniter
• Plain Wire Leads

The standard RC glow plug igniter charging cable allows you to charge your glow plug igniter quickly and conveniently with your standard charging equipment. This means that you can finally throw out the old “wall wart” type chargers that glow plug igniters come with, and use your standard charging equipment instead. Most standard chargers can run off a 12 Volt field battery (or 12 Volt power supply), so you won’t have to end a good day of flying because of a dead glow plug igniter again.

The plain wire leads allow you to easily solder on other connectors, such as the proprietary ones that come with some RC toys and vehicles. Don’t wait 4 to 5 hours for your battery to trickle charge with the proprietary connector. Swap it for a standard Thunder Power charger and charge your equipment in minutes.

The Tarantula Charging Connector is also compatible with all Multiplex aircraft including the Easystar, Minimag, Funjet, Twister, and Blizzard.

You can replace all of your old, inefficient chargers with a high quality Thunder Power charger and a single Tarantula Charging Adapter. Make the move to a more efficient and reliable charging setup today.
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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
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Web: www.rctoys.com
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Lithium polymer batteries are great for RC aircraft, but they have an explosive chemistry that must be treated with caution.

Prevent this from happening to your batteries by following these tips:

1. Store lithium polymer batteries in a flame proof LipoSack while charging. - Charging your lithium polymer batteries in a flame proof LipoSack can contain a fire should it occur. It could mean the difference between a minor clean up and the loss of your house or car. Also make sure that the storage area is well ventilated.
2. Read the manual – The importance of reading your battery and chargers manual cannot be emphasized enough. The battery manual will state the proper charging rates and times.
3. Use common sense – Don’t charge batteries unsupervised. Even when you do everything right, incidents can occur. Also, do not charge lithium polymer batteries in your car. A flame out can be disasterous if it occurs inside a vehicle.
4. Use the right battery charger – Charging a lipo battery with a charger designed for other batteries will cause problems, and will probably result in a fire.
5. Charge lithium polymer batteries on a fire proof surface – It’s really important to charge lithium polymer batteries on a flame proof surface such as concrete. In the event of a fire, a fire proof charging surface will stop it from spreading, or at least slow it down significantly.
6. Keep a fire extinguisher, or bucket of sand near the charging area – If a fire does occur, you don’t want to be running around looking for something to put it out with. Water will not help put out a lipo fire. Being a conductor, it will cause a short circuit and could even make the fire worse.
7. Don’t charge lithium polymer batteries near flammable substances – Lithium polymer batteries are flammable enough as it is. Don’t make the problem worse by storing flammable substances near charging batteries.
8. Check lithium polymer batteries for swelling prior to charging and each use – A puffed battery is unstable, and can be in danger of exploding. If you see a puffed battery, immediately disconnect it from the charger or aircraft and put it in a bucket of water. Dissolve a few tablespoons of salt in the water to aid conductivity, and leave the battery in the bucked for about 4 days. The salt water depletes any power remaining in the battery by creating a short, and it can’t catch fire while underwater. After the four days are up, take the battery out and cut off the connectors (which may come in handy for other projects). You can then dispose of the battery in the trash. The battery no longer contains toxic metals, won’t harm the environment, and by using the salt water you’ve guaranteed that it won’t catch fire. This should be done as soon as you see a puffed battery. You can’t salvage a puffed battery, the best you can do is to dispose of it safely.
9. Never charge a lithium polymer battery in a model – If you charge a lipo battery in your RC airplane or helicopter, you are risking the total loss of your model. Only charge lithium polymer batteries on a flame proof surface, in a LipoSack.
10. Make sure the charging leads are connected properly – Connecting positive to negative and negative to positive can cause a major fire.
11. Don’t overcharge batteries – By their very chemistry, lithium polymer batteries cannot be discharged to a potential of less than 3 volts without damage. For the same reason, don’t charge them to over 4.2 volts. This means that you have to land your rc aircraft before the motors stop turning. Some aircraft come equipped with a voltage cut-off, others do not. If you don’t have a voltage cut-off, then land as soon as you sense the propeller or rotors slowing down.
12. Double check that the charger settings are correct – Lithium polymer battery chargers require you to set the battery configuration. Ensure that this configuration matches the battery you’re charging, or else your lipo could get overcharged and explode. Some chargers automatically sense the battery configuration, but make sure that the setting is correct regardless. They have been known to be wrong on occasion.
13. Balance lipo batteries – Lithium polymer batteries have balance connectors, designed to make sure that each cell in the pack has the same charge. If this isn’t the case, some cells can become overcharged and explode.
14. Never let the battery leads touch – If the battery terminals touch each other, the battery will short circuit and, in most cases, be destroyed. If this happens and you get a puffed battery, dispose of it by following tip 9 above.
15. Don’t ever store / charge lithium polymer batteries in your car – Unless you hate your car. Batteries can and do explode, and if this happens inside a vehicle the result is usually catastrophic. On a hot day, temperatures can rise inside the car and cause stored packs to rupture.
16. In the event of a crash, remove the battery and supervise it for at least 4 hours – A crashed plane’s battery can appear fine, but can have an internal short circuit. This short circuit can cause an explosion, even hours after the crash occurred. A LipoSack is a great place to keep a battery that’s been in a crash. If enough time elapses and nothing happens, then your battery is probably fine. If you see puffing, dispose of it immediately following the instructions in tip 9 above.

Always use common sense, read the manual, and know the risks associated with lithium polymer batteries. Handled properly, the risk of a fire is relatively small. Store lithium polymer batteries in a LipoSack for additional saftey.

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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The Venom LiPo Balance Charger 2-Cell/3-Cell VEN-0653 is a handy little charger for your 2 and 3 cell lithium polymer batteries and at under $30 this little Venom LiPo charger has great value. The Venom balance charger has integrated balance connectors to charge your LiPo battery packs directly through the balance tabs. This means for use with Thunder Power LiPoly batteries you need to have a balance adapter cable to be compatible with the Venom 2s3s balance charger ports. Other brands of LiPo batteries may plug directly into the Venom balance ports with no cable needed.

Thunder Power RC lithium polymer batteries use a different type of balance connector than the type on the Venom charger. But don’t worry, we have a special adapter cable to attach your Thunder Power 2 and 3 cell Li Polymers to the Venom 2s3s balance charger. This Thunder Power Charging Cable for Venom Balance Charger plugs directly into the 3 cell balance port. Thunder Power 3 and 2 cell batteries are compatible with this one adapter. Don’t worry about charging a 2 Cell TP pack using the adapter connected to the 3 cell balance tab on the Venom charger because the two tabs on the Venom charger go to the same internal connections within the charger.

How to connect your Thunder Power LiPo to the Venom VEN-0653 Balance Charger

1. Power up your Venom Balance Charger by connecting the included power adapter.
2. Plug the male end of the Thunder Power to Venom Balance Cable adapter into the 3 cell balance port on the Venom Charger.
3. Make sure nothing is connected to the power/charge leads on your Thunder Power battery.
4. Place the battery on a fire resistant surface like a pail of sand or in a LipoSack.
5. Plug the balance tab on your 2 or 3 cell Thunder Power RC lithium polymer battery to the female end of the balance charger adapter cable.
6. The Venom Balance Charger will automatically start charging and balancing each cell of your Thunder Power Lithium Battery though the balance tab – not the charge/power leads on the battery.
7. The charge light on the Venom charger will blink while charging and turn on steady when the battery is fully charged.
8. A complete charge will require between 1.5 to 2 hours for a 3s1320 LiPo.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. sells the Venom 2-Cell/3-Cell Balance Charger, the Thunder Power balance charging cable adapter for the Venom Charger, LipoSack charging safety bag, as well as the complete line of Thunder Power RC lithium polymer batteries. Remember, you get FREE shipping on all Thunder Power products!

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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The new Thunder Power RC 1010C USB Programming Cable PGM-V2 is now here at RCToys.com!

The Thunder Power PGM-V2 cable is required if you want to update the firmware on your TP1010C battery charger. Updating the firmware on your TP-1010C charger allows this charger to charge/discharge not only lithium polymer batteries but now also NiCd, NiMH, Pb, and Lithium ion A123′s.

Read this related article all the new features your TP 1010C charger will acquire after updating it’s firmware to Version 2.3a. Thunder Power 1010C Charger with Version 2.3a Software Quick Reference and Setup Guide

The software used with the Thunder Power RC 1010C USB programming cable PGMV2 is a free download from the Thunder Power RC web site. www.thunderpowerrc.com/html/download.htm

Basic upgrading information for upgrading the firmware on your TP1010C charger using this Thunder Power PGMV2 USB programming cable:

1. Install the PL2303 USB driver file into your Windows operating PC. Download the driver from the Thunder Power RC Web site
2. Next, there are 2 ways to connect a power supply to your 1010C
   1. Connect your TP1010C charger input wires to a 12V power supply with the supplied 10 Ohm, 5 W resister in series, or
   2. Connect your TP1010C charger input wires to a standard 9V battery (sold separately)
3. Connect the 6 pin connector into your 1010C charger and the other end into the PGM-V2 programmer
4. Connect the USB cable into the PGM-V2 programmer and the other end into a USB port on your Windows PC
5. Now your TP1010C charger is powered up, connected to the PGM-V2 and the PGM-V2 is connected to your PC
6. Open the PGMV2 TP1010CVxx.exe software on your PC (download the latest program from Thunder Power’s Web site.
7. Click the Upgrade button in the software.

The firmware on your TP1010C charger will now be updated to the latest version.

Where to buy:
Order the Thunder Power PGMV2 USB programming cable for TP1010C chargers online or by phone at Draganfly Innovations www.RCToys.com. Remember, we have FREE shipping on all Thunder Power RC products.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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Quick reference and setup guide for the Thunder Power TP-1010C charger with the V2.3a software update. Note: if you do not currently have V2.3a software installed in your TP 1010C charger, you can do so by downloading it from Thunder Power’s Downloads Page. Complete instructions are listed on that page. To program your TP-1010C charger you’ll need to purchase a 1010C USB programming cable.

Thunder Power 1010C Specifications:

The TP1010C is capable of charging/discharging:

• 1 to 10 Lithium Polymer cells
• 1 to 30 NiCd or NiMH cells
• 6V, 12V or 24V lead acid batteries
• 1 to 10 A123 Lithium Ion cells
• Maximum charging current: 10A
• Maximum discharging current: 2A

Note:

• The Thunder Power TP1010C is capable of 220 watts output which limits the max current a pack can be charged at, e.g. a 5S Lipo pack could be charged at 10 amps whereas a 10S pack could only be charged at 5 amps.
• The Thunder Power TP1010C is capable of dissipating up to 2 amps max current with a power limit of 22 watts, e.g. a 3S Lipo pack could be discharged at a maximum of 2 amps whereas a 5S pack could only be discharged at 1 amp.

Navigating the V2.3a Thunder Power 1010C Software:

There are two basic sets of information that will be displayed on the Thunder Power TP1010C screen:

• operational screen data, e.g. data that pertains to charging/discharging and
• setup screen data for the various kinds of charging/discharging that can be done with the unit.

Thunder Power 1010C Front Panel Button Functions

There are 4 buttons on the front panel of the Thunder Power TP-1010C. The buttons can be used in two ways, short presses (less than 1 second) and long presses (greater than 2 seconds). Generally, long presses are used to enter/exit setup menus and to commence charge/discharge. Short presses are used to change menu selections within the setup menus, change cell counts and currents and also to stop charging/discharging on the operational screen.

Thunder Power 1010C Startup Screen

When first powered on, the TP-1010 charger will immediately display its manufacturer (Thunder Power), model number (TP-1010C) and software revision (V2.3a). Following that it will display the operational screen it was last used for.

Thunder Power 1010C Startup Screen with Software Version 2.3a

Selecting the Battery Type on your Thunder Power 1010C

The Thunder Power 1010C with V2.3a Can Charge your NiMh Battery Packs

1. Select, using short presses, either charge or discharge using the “SEL/MOD” button
2. Then use the “CHARGE/ENT” button to select the cell count (displayed as “XsPACK”) or current (displayed as “C or D =X.XXA”
3. From here the “-/DEC” and “+/INC” buttons are used to alter the numerical value (the X’s) of these two parameters
4. To enter the Thunder Power 1010C setup menus, long press the SEL/MOD button
5. The TP-1010C display will show “Battery type” and a chemistry, most likely “LiPo”
6. To change the type of battery, push either the “-/DEC” or “+/INC” buttons to scroll through the 5 available chemistries
7. Once the proper type has been chosen, short pressing the “SEL/MOD” button will take you through the various parameters that can be changed for that type of battery
8. The following tables show these parameters along with a description of each and a range of adjustment.
9. Once you have dialed in all the specifics for the battery you want to charge or discharge, long press the “SEL/MOD” button again and you will be taken back to the operational screen.

Programming the Thunder Power 1010C for NiCd and NiMH Cells

Programming Thunder Power 1010C for Pb Cells (Lead Acid)

Programming Thunder Power 1010C For A123 Li-Ion Cells

Programming Thunder Power 1010C For LiPo Cells

Setting Up the Thunder Power 1010C To Start Charging/Discharging

1. From the operational screen, to select charging, discharging or cycling, you short press the “SEL/MOD” button.
2. To change the number of cells or charge/discharge current, you short press the “CHARGE/ENT” button which will initiate blinking of either the Pack size or charge/discharge current.
3. From here you use the “-/DEC” or “+/INC” buttons to alter the numbers.
4. Once the proper numbers have been set, long press the red “CHARGE/ENT” button to initiate charging, discharging or cycling. Note that short pressing the red “CHARGE/ENT” button also halts the current charging, discharging or cycling process.

Understanding the Thunder Power 1010C Display

As a battery charges or discharges, information is given on the main screen.

• In the upper left of the screen you will see two letters that change every two seconds, these are the battery type and function being performed.
• Just to the right of that you will see the current voltage across the pack.
• To the right of that you will see the charge current.
• Just to the right of that you will notice that there is another character that changes back and forth, this will show either A for amps, CC for constant current or CV for constant voltage depending on what kind of charging you are doing.
• The second row of the TP-1010C display shows the amount of charge placed back into the pack in mAhrs and overall charge time.

View Individual Cell Voltages on the Thunder Power 1010C (LiPo & A123)

If using a balancer in closed loop mode, you can at any time during a charge or discharge cycle (LiPo and A123 only) check to see any of the individual cell voltages.

1. Long press the “SEL/MOD” button until a screen with CH and CL are displayed on the far left end.
2. From here you can use the “-/DEC” and +/INC” buttons to scroll through the cells, two per screen.
3. To the far right of these screens you will also be shown the maximum deviation voltage between cells.
4. Leaving the unit alone for about 6 seconds will return it to the charge screen.

Using the Memory Settings on the Thunder Power 1010C

From the main charging screen, the one that you initiate charging from, there are three parameters that you can alter, the cell count, charge/discharge current and memory position.

1. At the far upper, right end of the display you see [M 1-10], this is the memory location. To access it short press the red “CHARGE/ENT” button quickly and the number in the brackets will begin to flash.
2. You can use the “-/DEC” and “+/INC” buttons to change the location. Note that each location will keep the cell count and charge current stored.
3. There are 10 memories per battery type for a total of 50 memories. Note that the memories cannot be named

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Where to Buy a Thunder Power 1010C

Draganfly Innovations Inc. is the best place to purchase a new Thunder Power 1010C charger. Draganfly Innovations offers FREE Shipping anywhere in the world on all Thunder Power 1010C chargers. Buy online 24 hours a day at www.rctoys.com or order by phone 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907 during business hours.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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Thunder Power RC has released a new firmware version for the Thunder Power 1010C charger. Version V2.3A contains many great features that re-affirm this charger’s position as a market-leader in features and performance. Among these features are the ability to now charge NiCd, NiMH, Pb (lead-acid), and A123 batteries. It’s another free upgrade from Thunder Power RC. All you need is the Thunder Power 1010C USB Programming Cable to apply the update.

Most important of all is the new procedure for applying the firmware upgrade. This procedure protects the charger from damage, and failure to use it will negate the 1010C’s warranty. The procedure is detailed by Thunder Power in their pdf note. The firmware can be obtained from the Thunder Power RC download page.

Changing the firmware requires that you power the charger from a simple 9V battery while applying the update. Alternatively, you can use a 10-15 Ohm ceramic block resistor inline with one of the power cables if you power the charger from your usual charger power supply.

Use the new 1010C firmware upgrade procedure to enjoy the many new features of V2.3A while maintaining your warranty.

TP1010C V2.3A Upgrade Features:

1. Added NiCd/NiMh/PB(SLA)/A123 battery charge/discharge/cycler functions
2. Memory slots (10) are independently assigned to each battery type
3. A123 top off voltage adjusted to 3.65V/cell
4. Added System timeout(selectable to 2-10Hour)
5. The last cycle of charge and discharge data before an error interruption occurs can now be read by pressing the [Sel] button
6. Discharge power factor added
7. 1′s decimal digit added to the voltage display

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