Cole Trickle

Nice review ! I like the layout.

Just for the record, 3 phase charging was present by Robitronic and Record Breaker, before the X3. I think ProTrak also have it, but I dont know when they started to use it.

A suggestion for future charger reviews: Measure the temp of the batts and include the ambient temperature. Also note at which charge settings.

About the charger: If it had the option of storing data (discharge curves), prefreable transferring them to a PC, I would get one at once.

And 20 amps discharge / motor run in would also be nice.

Personally, I would be happy to sacrifice the motor run in, if it could store data and have 20 a discharge.

Backlight is nice too, but not a need to have.

Any way, for the price, this is a really great charger. I tend to say THE charger with most value for the money for the moment.

Have some of you guys tried the multi phase charging? What do you think of it?

futureal

I think I should extend that comment to say that the Pitbull was the first to make the feature available to the mass US market. I have actually never seen a Robitronic or Pro Trak charger in use at any of the tracks I've been to, although I have heard that the Pro Trak, especially, is pretty good.

Thanks for the feedback!

Turbo Joe

iTrader: (41)

Too late for me...I already have one on order

FWIW...it sucks trying to read the text over the closeup of the charger (Firefox). Other than that, thanks much for the review!

John Malin

I have had a pro-trak for a year now and they had multiphase since I have had my charger. My only bithc with pro-trak is the motor run feature is not what americans are used to. I think its great. I like the idea of a full featured bargain charger though. They got it almost right. fix the discharge and motor run it and they got it. an upgrade for aff loading info to a computer would be the bomb

futureal

Try hitting F5 after the page loads to see if it will fix it.

I need to fix that bug; I know how to, but I was hoping I could find another way of doing it.

I'm not quite sure why Firefox doesn't render it correctly, since the code is correct.

ChrisP

iTrader: (11)

I guess the really big question is how this charger stacks up against the Pulsar Competition 2...looking at the feature set, it looks like that is its closest competition....

The Pulsar is a known commodity....the Ice provides graphine and LiPo....

but how do they compare with regard to the common features?

Cole Trickle

I dont think you can compare these two;

The LRP is backlit, has power failure recovery and a PWM circuit for better effiency. In my book these things are nice quality stuff, which usually only is present in more matured products.

Now the contender, the Ice, dont got the above. But it's loaded with features, which aint present on the LRP: temp-sensor with cut off, multi phase charging, impulse charge, LiPo, graphic display, 10 battery memories, temp cool off delay (for cycling), dial instead of buttons.... I'll bet there's more in the 40+ pages manual !

At my opinion, the Ice is in a class of it's own. Oh, I almost forgot: The Ice is much more budget friendly, than the LRP.

ChrisP

iTrader: (11)

The Pulsar 2 has multi-phase..and may not have 10, but does have multiple charging profiles...

Dial vs buttons for me is a wash...

backlit...not a huge deal for me as I don't race in the dark...

I've downloaded the manual for the Ice ....and it seems pretty intuitive...

Again....I'm looking for a comparison on how the Ice compares against the Pulsar 2 in the features that both share, namely how they fare at charging, discharging (both are variable 10A max...it's a wash) and motor-run-in...

If one charger has circuitry or programming which makes it superior to the other, then that is beneficial information, preferably supported by an explanation as to why that method is preferable.

ChrisP

iTrader: (11)

Oh yes....Budget...

for some strange reason..here in Canada, the Ice and the Pulsar 2 are both about the same price

Cole Trickle

When it's about the quality of charge, well, it's a little difficult to compare; Because batteries are different and if you use the same pack several times you need to let it rest several days, which make on track comparision difficult.

Even with a discharger with graphical output, it can be hard. I got 4 pack, matched, same brand and same specs. If I charge these 4 packs on the same charger, they dont peak at the same temperature! (varying from approx. 50-60 degrees, ambient temp constant, alle packs have the same use etc.) So it should be something like ten cycles on one charger, and ten on the other. Discharged on the same discharger. Then take the average values. That's both waste of a pack and very time consuming.

Cole Trickle

I looked in the manual for the Pulsar 2... I cant find the multi-phase thing...

Cole Trickle

Need to go now... I'll be back later, like to help, if I can...

Bob Nilsen

iTrader: (1)

I'm interested in the "quality of charge" as well. I'm going to attempt to compare it to my 16x5v6 and my pulsar sport once mine arrives (next week)... anyone have thoughts on how to best do a charge quality comparison?

By the way... tower just got these back in stock. And I think there's currently some discount if you're in the super-saver club... That, plus a $20 coupon i had for tower... just got mine for $101

futureal

Comparing charge quality is tough. I tried to devise a way to do it, but there are just so many factors. A single battery can differ from one charge to the next as it is. Plus, it's hard to come up with a benchmark.

You could do something like:

Take 3 packs. Cycle each three times, and establish an average as a baseline.

Take the same 3 packs with the same settings, delay times between charges, and so on, and repeat the test with the charger to be tested. Average the result and compare it to the original.

Of course by "cycle" I mean examine the discharge data (voltage over run time).

It's still not going to be all that accurate, though.

dakrat

does the lrp has adjustable peak detection? coz the ice does.