I was looking to get this because of not needing an external power supply, but it's power output seems low.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...rger-6S-5A-50W

Would I be better specifying another charger such as the Team Orion Race Spec?

Thoughts?

In my opinion, you're paying a lot for the brand decal on the charger since you can get the same features from Hobbypartz in the Thunder AC-6 for $55. I'd be really surprised if Orion acyually made that charger. They're buying them from somebody in Asia and adding their name and their profit margin.

The Race Spec charger would be a much better charger, it has more than 3x the charger power, it will not limit current due to its power limitations like the on yoiu linked will on bigger than 2S lipos. If your lipos allow higher than 1C charginbg, this one will do that, the other will not, it doesn't have enough charger ouput power. You will need a power supply though for the Race Spec.

I was afraid it was way under powered and would take forever to fully charge a 2S lipo. I liked the idea of no external power supply, but all of the internal powered chargers seem to be under powered.

The AC/DC chargers are pretty much limited to 100watts, with most being 50watts. Thats good enough to do a full 1C charge on a 2S ipo up to almost 6000mah (5952 to be exact), but forget doing a 2C or 3C charge with 50watts. Theres a big price bump jumping to 100 watts, more than doubles, but partly because currently there's really only one 100watt player, Dynamite.

If you're going to run lipo and move to higher cell counts or take advantage oif higher C rate charging, you need a powerful DC charger. I just popped for a 1000watt capable charger.

I used to live in Houston. I started RC racing there in 87 and stopped in 95. Live in Atlanta now and getting back into racing. Having to buy all new equipment. It's been slow going buying everything so I'm being cautious and doing research into the right equipment.

I came back in from the nitro plane side and surface has been all new, especially the electric side. I do a lot of reserch before a big purchase and it pays to make well thought out, informed choices. There's a lot going on in the rc world as far as new high powered chargers and power supplies. With lipos proving that 5C+ charging doesn't affect anything but charge time, chargers/supplies are trying to catch up. There are a few due in the next few months (Hyperion and Thunder Power).

its good but heres one that does the same thing http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/158400.aspyou can charge a 5000 mah 2s in like 54 with this one and it puts about 4950 if you run it all the way to lipo cut off

Its also another overpriced 50watt charger. ThIs has all the features, is AC/DC, has the same max charge rate and 50watts power for about half the cost -

http://www.hobbypartz.com/thac6smbachw.html


And I won't point out that these look like the same charger except for color and badging...

Probably a wise move since the front/near surface is different, the power plug is different, the slots on the left are different, one has 2 steps on top the other 3, etc...