Power, Sound, R/C
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Battery
Affordable Battery Charging
Jan 19, 2005
By Jon D. Miller
LSOL.com Reviews Editor |
Author
Bio
Here is a possible solution to your Nicad and NiMH battery pack charging requirements. That solution is the Hitec CG-340.
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Here is a possible solution to your Nicad and NiMH battery pack charging requirements. That solution is the Hitec CG-340. This charger is a 4-16 cell Nicad and NiMH Peak Charger. The charger is configured to charge packs of 4-5 cell Nicad, 6-16 cell Nicad, or 4-16 cell NiMH batteries and requires a 12V power source.  Hitech CG-340 A number of us in the Tidewater Big Train Operators Club have been using this charger for our 16 cell NiMH battery packs. We are using two packs of eight double AA NiMH batteries wired in series to power our on-board receivers and locomotives with good results.
On an interesting note we've found the most economical source for AA NiMH batteries is Walmart in their camera section. The eight cell battery holders are being purchased from Radio Shack. More on how we do that in a later article.
The CG-340 Hitec charger is available through Radical RC, Dayton, Ohio. Their phone number is (937) 256-7727. Or they can be reached on the web at Radical R/C. The cost of the CG-340 is $39.00 plus shipping. Their price is the best we've been able to find for a charger that has the capabilities of the CG-340. This is one charger that I can recommend based on my own experience with the device plus that of fellow club members.
Battery Rules and Percausion Before I tell you about the CF-340 here are some things to keep in mind when using the this charger. Many of these ideas apply to general use of charging batteries. - Never leave batteries on charge unattended.
- Do not charge at too high a rate, if the battery gets so warm that you cannot comfortably hold in your hand, use a lower charge rate next time you charge.
- Do not use a hot battery, let it cool to room temperature first.
- Do not charge a hot battery, let it cool to room temperature first.
- Do not adjust the "Charge Rate Adjustment" knob within the first 6 minutes in any charge cycle or the battery could "false peak".
- If the battery to be charged is attached to the charger "backwards" or in reverse polarity, the entire structure of the Universe as we know it will be substantially altered as time will then run backwards and it will be your fault.
Really... with this unit if the charger is attached to the power source "backwards" (in reverse polarity), nothing will happen.This many not be the case with other chargers. - Charger can get very hot, up to 80C or 176F, at the lower right area when charging high amperage batteries.
- Be careful not to charge fully charged batteries again.
The Charger: The CG-340 can charge the smallest 50ma cells up through larger motor battery cells of up to 3000ma. One of the CG-340's strong advantages is the ability to charge up to 16 cells at a time. The real strength is to charge two or even three smaller packs in series at the same time. Use caution when charging more than one pack at a time in series. The cells must all be the same capacity and the packs must be at the same approximate voltage or "state of discharge" before the charging process begins. The CG-340 is an ecomonomical field charger capable of charging either NiCd or the latest NiMh cells. With an adjustable charge rate it can charge a wide variety of TX, RX, and small power packs.  Applications:
- 4-16 cell NiCd or NiMh 50-3000 mAh battery Packs
- Input Voltage: 9-13.9 Volts DC
- Min Input Amps: 4.0
- NiCd Charge Rate: 4-5 Cell - 0.2-1.5 Amp.
- 6-16 Cell - 0.2 -3.0 Amp.
- NiMH Charge Rate: 4-16 Cell - 0.2-1.5 Amp.
CG-340 Capabilities and Specifications:
- Peak charges Nicad and Nickel Metal Hydride hobby batteries
- 12 Volt D/C, minimum 4amp input power source required
- Features the exclusive Hitec "No False Peak" circuitry
- Shuts down automatically after 120 minutes
- Wide input voltage range (9-13.9 Volts)
- Automatic Nicad trickle charge
- User adjustable charging rates
- Handy built-in wire holder
- MOS-FET drive control
- Delta Peak cutoff
How I do it. The Hitec charger will work powered by any power pack with the exception of the anemic starter set units. These power pack just do not have enough juice to work. I personally use a MRC 6200 to power the CG-340 charger. 
The DC taps are used and you must set the power pack for 12 volts of output. I use a multi meter to set the power pack to the correct voltage. Make sure to keep the output setting right at 12 volts. 
 The charger will also work connected to an automotive 12 volt battery. I've been using the charger for NiMH batteries. I've found it takes the charger about three hours to charge a 16 cell pack of NiMH AA batteries.  You can increase the rate of charge but I've found the batteries get more than a little warm. Probably best not to "push" the NiMH batteries and generate all that heat in the cells. The documentation supplied with the charger explains in sufficient detail your charging options and recommended settings for both Ni-cad and NiMH cells.
Remember there are basically two types of hobby batteries. - Fast charge-Fast discharge. Most of these are optimized as electric motor batteries.
- Slower charge-Slow discharge. These are our transmitter and receiver batteries.
All batteries have a charge rate suggested by the manufacturer. Make sure to follow their guidelines whenever possible.  There are three options to select from on the CG-340.
- 4-16 cell NiMh pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 1.5amps
- 4-5 cell Nicad pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 1.5amps
- 6-10 cell Nicad pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 3.0amps
- 11-12 cell Nicad pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 2.7amps
- 13-14 cell Nicad pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 2.3amps
- 15-16 cell Nicad pack charge rate
selectable from 0.2 through 2.0amps
The key issue in charging battery is to not have the cells warm up to a temperature hotter than you can comfortably hold in your hand. If the pack gets hot, your charge rate was too high. Use the chart below as a guideline only, your results may vary. All batteries have a charge rate suggested by the manufacturer. Make sure to follow their guidelines whenever possible. Nicad charge recommendations for receiver, transmitter and small motor batteries | 50ma | 0.2amp | | 110ma | 0.4amp | | 225-350ma | 0.4-0.6amps | | 500-700ma | 1amp | | 800-1100ma | 1 - 1.5amps | Nicad charge rate recommendations for fast charge, fast discharge motor batteries | 500-600ma | 1.5 to 2.5amps | | 1200-3000ma | 3amp | NiMh charge recommendations | 110ma | 0.2amp | | 270-350ma | 0.5-0.7amp | | 500-1100ma | 1-1.5amps | | 1650ma and larger | 1.5amp | Top of Page
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