Overdriven

iTrader: (18)

Unfortunately I can't view Nvision's site on my phone, but looks like any of the other "4 button" clone chargers which all have some sort of NiCd/NiMh peak detection/charge cutoff. No experience with them but I'd assume you can adjust the peak sensitivity as well since NiCd requires a higher value for less sensitivity. Lowering the charge amperage I'm sure helped but 100min sounds too long and making the peak sensitivity more sensitive should stop the charge sooner.

Did a quick look to refresh my memory and around 5mV/C is the norm for NiMh. Either way going to a lower value will increase sensitivity. So if it's set for say 8mV/C, going down to 5mV/C will make it more sensitive and stop the charge sooner. This value is adjustable since not all batteries peak the same and false peaks or not detecting the peak is possible.

I've heard people stating how many mah went into their pack after a charge using these simple 4 button chargers so apparantly they're pretty capable. Try finding the peak sensitivity setting and lowering it to its lowest setting. Charge and measure the pack voltage after its done. Max NiMh voltage is 1.4v per cell, adjust the peak sensitivity until you're seeing somewhere north of 1.3v per cell after a charge cycle.

Tzicul

Why don't you buy a cheap yet capable Imax or Imax AC? I have one (among others) and it's doing its job pretty decent. You can see and change almost any parameter.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s..._GENUINE_.html

Herrsavage

I have a rebranded one of those - but not at home. That still requires pushing a bunch of buttons, and the battery never gets warm at all, which makes me wonder if it's really full. I've always thought nimh packs should be slightly warm after being fully charged. Of course, I could well be wrong.. I never had to think about this stuff with the older, simpler chargers. And I like it that way. I have always gotten years and years and years out of all my nimh stuff though, I might add.

I really just want something simple. Plug in, charge, wait for beep. For ALL nimh batteries - 1600 hump packs, 3600 stick packs, etc..

Herrsavage

Thanks for all that. But I studied the nimh menu, and couldn't figure out how to adjust anything except the input amperage (or power or whatever you call it. 1.5 was too high, so I reduced it to 1.0)

But yeah, that's my problem. 1.0 for 100 minutes, and no clue how full or not it is. It wasn't warm. My old charger, I hooked it up, pressed a button, and waited for it to beep. Done.

Tzicul

Try something like this, you have the advantage of charging each battery by itself. It's a good thing, especially with older batteries when the specs are not necessarily the same for all of them. Of course, more expensive it is, more information you'll get about the charging process
http://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesal...y+Charger+NiMh

Herrsavage

I need to charge 6v hump PACKS and 7.2v racing PACKS.. Jeeze, for like eight years all I had to do was press a button. Now nobody even knows what nimh packs are...

Overdriven

iTrader: (18)

This is one of those situations that makes me glad I have the equipment that I do. My charger is a Hyperion 610i, fairly old now. Forum people said I spent too much, shoulda went to Hobbyking, etc. I figured out my charger in an afternoon. It has more than 4 buttons but is so easy, so adjustable and the manual is actually helpful telling you where the adjustments are and what they do. Everything Herr is complaining about is a nonissue for me. And I can save 10 different battery profiles into memory, just scroll to the correct one and hit charge. Not saying to get one or that other stuff is junk, just an observation and the thoughts going through my head as I read this.

Sorry I can't really help you Herr. I had an awesome Trinity branded charger for NiCd/NiMh, just turn the dial to set amps and hit the button for a perfect charge every time. But that was forever ago and I haven't kept up with those kinds of simple chargers. Maybe look for a used Superbrain 959 or something, they were simple and should be cheap.

Like I said I'd break out the multimeter and double check the results of a charge. As far as how hot the pack should be, mine would get just barely warm during the first charge of the day. Obviously the hotter they're getting the harder the charge is and for longer run time NiMh and especially NiCd is better of being charged slower. Hit it with a higher amp charge for more punch, at least that's what the racers always used to say.

Herrsavage

It's not really a big deal. It's just annoying that you can't just stick a battery on a simple charger and press ONE button. I don't even want to adjust anything. I always take spare hump packs out for a big nitro day anyway. That's what I did for years and years, and I still have like six or seven 8th scale nitro RC's.. - all with nimh packs. Plus two dual-pack starter boxes, and five glow ignitors, a Losi Spinstart, etc. And I'm sure as h.eck not going to buy lipo receiver packs and upgrade the servos for them or research how to bypass having to do change servos etc et...

Thanks for the input though..

On a sidenote, I'm thinking of getting a new chassis, transmission, and 2-speed, and building up a new LST. My two trucks are pretty ragged. But the engines - a 454 and LRP ZR.30X - are just sssooooo good... I really ought to do that, and consolidate down to one LST2 with a new chassis, the rest for spares etc..

Tzicul

I'm using, for a few years now, not lipo, but life packs. One disadvantage - not as powerful as lipo, but you don't need that power in this case. In rest, only goodies - Nimh compatible voltage, no issue regarding storage voltage, fast charging. One 1.700 mah pack will easily last a day

ruudxd

Maybe this is something for you?

http://www.bigsquidrc.com/hitec-x1-nano-charger/

LosiMadMan

iTrader: (2)

It's a real bummer to see the RPM arms discontinued.

Herrsavage

IMO anyway LST's don't need RPM parts...

FLDan

I agree, the stock arms are plenty sufficient. Not only that, but the turn buckles on the upper arms that came with the RPM's weren't so great. Most guys would get the Lunsfords and those get pricey. That being said, I've had my same rpm arms going on 7 years...

LosiMadMan

iTrader: (2)

I broke to many stock arms to not have the RPM. I was thinking about getting the new Brushless LST XXL but no RPM arms and some of the other things they discontinued made me second guess.

Herrsavage

I have RPM arms on my first LST2, which is like 10 years old. About two years after getting it, I got a second LST2, which I was just as hard on. I don't remember it ever breaking an arm. OK, I've mostly had lighter tires(truggy tires for the track, then HPI Savage XL tires for bashing..) on that truck the whole time. Stock LST tires weigh a ton, so maybe you'd break and arm now and them. But in my experience I don't see RPM arms as an absolute must, unless you're really trying to jump over houses landing on concrete etc..

Part of my perspective too is based on the fact that at least you used to be able to get stock arms dirt cheap off ebay chop shops. A full set of RPM arms with spacers and Lunsford turnbuckles, which everybody said you also needed, wasn't all that cheap..

Anyway, IMO there are better ways to spend money on an LST. Wing, tires, New Era roll-bar (if you can find one), etc..

ps - BTW, I learned a big RC lesson with my second LST2: quality varies. My second LST2 had a warped bumper, leaky shocks, and some other minor gremlins when it was new, that I never had on my first one. That means you can buy model X, then buy the exact same thing two years later, and have a very different experience of it. There are a lot of variables involved in RC (and life). Not only could the quality very well be different, but YOU are different two years later, so how you approach it, your expectations, your increased RC experience, etc., affect how you experience something. With my second LST2 though I definitely felt the quality was lower. For all I know it had been stored in an overhot warehouse for five years or whatever...(got it on a sell-off when the Losi XXL was being released..)