Charger set that can charge 2S and 4S, two of each at the same time
 

As the fleet is growing, I realize that I have outgrown my i206b charging setup. My son and I are often running two classes, 1/8 and 1/10, so we need keep 2 4s and 2 2s batteries in charge most of the time.

I currently have a i206b using an HP DPS 600pb (12v 575w) and a charging board. I like to charge at 2c while at the track, to reduce charge time.

what charger is recommended and how do you calculate the wattage needed from the power supply? Batteries are in the 5000-6000mah range. Can the PS I have handle that? Can I buy another one and pair them up for 24v?

I would like some options that cover the value range, as well as the top of the price range.

thanks!

In the iCharger 406 and x6 topics is a lot talked about calculating power and current limits of those chargers @12v and @24v which would be a good choice. You can get one x6 next to your 206 or get a 406 which is a 2 port charger.

Ok, so my math says that I need about 300w for my 4s at 2c and about 150w for my 2s at 2c. So that would tell me my power supply can handle two chargers, or 1 big charger.

so now it’s time to see which direction to go for the charger.

It depends with what current you want to charge. Basically it is charging voltage x charging current and with some losses you have to add some power to that.

The sugeste iChargers have an input current linitation of about 30 to 35A, that is 400w@12v and 800w@24v

I typically charge at 10-12a, I am running 5600mah most of the time.

Let's ignore the 2S batteries, since a charger that can handle 4S charging at 2C can handle 2S. 4S = 16.8V fully charged, 6000mah battery charge rate at 2C = 12A. 16.8v x 12 = 201w. If you're doing 2 batteries that's 400w. Your 575w power supply should be more than enough.

As for chargers, you need to decide if you prefer 2 independent chargers or one dual channel one. I used multichannel chargers for years, but after having one channel go bad on two different units, I decided to go back to single chargers.

That seems about right, but I do need the power supply to be able to handle the 2-2s batteries simultaneously.

right now I am leaning toward two separate chargers, keeping the 206b and I am looking at the ISDT Q8 as the second charger. Thoughts?

Have you looked at ToolkitRC's M6D charger? Dual Channel charger capable of charging 2 4s batteries at 12amps at the same time. (250W per channel).

I ended up getting the ISDT Q8, it’s a small footprint and lots of power. I powered it up tonight and did a quick test, it seems pretty nice for $70. I ran a separate 12v feed from my PS so I will easily be able to utilize my 575w.

no racing this weekend to put it to the test. I’ll report back once I do.