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Author Topic: Spark Ignition battery charger  (Read 1088 times)

Offline Jim Kraft

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Spark Ignition battery charger
« on: October 02, 2014, 05:23:03 PM »
I have been using the Tenergy 01006 nicad/NIMH completely automatic battery charger for several years and it works really well. It will charge 2 to 6 AA batteries in series in about 30 minutes or so. It is a pulse charger that cuts off when done charging. It has to current settings at .9 and 1.8 amps. There is a solid red light when charging and it turns to green when done. If you reverse polarity or short something it blinks red. I solder my batteries together in series and add a Deans connector to charge them and to plug into the ignition on the plane. A great deal at Amazon for around $19.00.
           I also use it to charge my camera batteries on. I just use a battery box from Radio Shack to charge individual batteries.
Jim Kraft

Offline Don Hutchinson AMA5402

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2014, 12:25:53 PM »
I just use an old "wall wart" with a current limiting resistor in the plus line. 200 ma for 2000 mah eneloop cells. Monitor with a voltmeter and stop when getting up around 4.0 volts. These batts will hold a charge for over a year!
Missed you at Tulsa!
Don

Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2014, 02:09:11 PM »
Hey Don; The nice thing about the Tenergy charger is you can just plug in the battery pack and leave it as it is all automatic. It is for dummies like me that forget that I have a battery on the charger. One of the free flight guys turned me on to it several years ago over on RC Groups. I am going to have to get some of those eneloop batteries. Do they put out the current that we need OK? My wife has been using them in her camera, and they work just fine there.
    Sure missed being at Tulsa. Hope to make it next year.
Jim Kraft

Offline James Lee

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2014, 03:55:36 PM »
Jim
I use three of the eneloop AAA batteries in my Go Devil with Stovepipe Atwood...   good for 5 - 6 flights or more....

Jim

Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2014, 04:18:34 PM »
Ok guys. I will get some eneloop batteries next time. Jim, are you still using a booster to start or will it start OK on the three AAA eneloop batteries? I have thought about going to smaller batteries.
Jim Kraft

Offline James Lee

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2014, 04:37:58 PM »
Jim
I normally use a booster withe three AA eneloop batteries, just because....   However, if your sparker is starting in a flip or two ( like yours normally does!!) I don't think the booster is necessary....
Jim

Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2014, 06:54:30 PM »
Thanks Jim;
    I might have to try going to 3 AAA just to lighten the load some. Not to big of a deal to add a booster jack if I need to.
Jim Kraft

Offline Don Hutchinson AMA5402

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2014, 01:19:42 PM »
The Eneloop cells will put out all the current you need to start without a booster. I will assume you are using some kind of transistor unit. Takes the point problems out of the equation. Typically, the ignition system draws about 7-800 milliamps while running so in theory the Eneloop cells should run over two hours of run time. A 6 minute run will consume about 80 milliamp hours. Translates to 20-25 flights. I like these cells!
Don

Offline FLOYD CARTER

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2014, 04:45:04 PM »
Remember that the 700-800 mA is an "average" current while running.  The duty cycle is somewhere about 30%.

Your battery still must be able to supply the instantaneous peak current, which can be up to 4 1/2 Amperes!  That's why some battery types cave-in on current peaks and result in a weak spark.

I don't use any high-zoot charger.  I cobble up my own.

I usually charge NiCd batteries at C/10 rate, or 10-12 hours.  I have plenty of time.

Floyd
90 years, but still going (mostly)
AMA #796  SAM #188  LSF #020

Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spark Ignition battery charger
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2014, 07:50:04 PM »
I think just about everyone is using some sort of transistor ignition now. Don, I have one of yours with the cut off that now has many hours of running on it and it is still going strong. I also have one of Floyds that is still going strong. I have a few with just a single transistor that work well also. All of them work, even a condenser will work just fine. The transistor units are better in that they do not burn the points, and it is not so critical to have them perfectly clean but it sure helps. I was out flying Ringmasters today with Andrew Hathaway, and he brought out his Humongous. He put up four flights with it and it started second flip every time and had a perfect motor run every time without touching the needle from the last time he flew it at Topeka's contest a couple of months ago. He is running one transistor and three AA NIMH batteries. When things are right these old sparkers will start easier than glow and make you smile.
Jim Kraft


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