chargint vtc 5 batteries

[saqueeb]

I am wondering if i can use my rc heli/airplane charger to charge these batteries? i have not found a battery it will not charge.

it is an iCharger 306B
charges all battery types, lithium, nicad, nimh, PB.
charges from 0.05-30.0amps 1000 watts


ProgressiveRC - iCharger 306B

I just hate to spend more $$ on a charger when i have a top of the line charger already.

thanks!

 

[Ryedan]

Yup, you can. You just have to make some nesting for it to allow you to hook up to the cells. You've also got to work out balancing so you can charge multiple cells at once.

However setting this up will be all on you as will covering all safety aspects. What worries me a bit is that if you are asking the question, it may be that you're not quite knowledgeable enough about it to know how to do this properly. That's not a dig at you at all so please don't take it the wrong way. I'm just being honest. I would also much rather you ask if not sure about anything like this.

I also fly RC planes and have a good hobby charger. I gave the same thing some thought before I bought my first 18650s. I ended up buying a xtar WP2. I think it cost me about $20. My reasoning was that coupled with using a DMM it would do a very good job of charging my batteries safely and I wouldn't have to drag out my hobby charger whenever I charged. The hobby charger setup would also include the wiring to hook up cells and an external balancing board which I had. Or I would have to wire it to use the internal balancing for the number of cells I would charge. It really seemed to be quite a messy way of doing this.

After about 1 1/2 years I'm still very happy with the Xtar. It's small, has only one adapter cable and works very well. All I need to decide when I charge is 0.5A or 1A. Works for me

 

[saqueeb]

thanks for the response. i didn't not take it the wrong way at all. i was quite sure that the 306b can charge them as i have made 18650 2s packs with balance ports for flight packs many times in the past, as well as building my own 3-6s lipo packs with balance connections, etc... just have never used one of these VTC5 batteries, and everything i have read says you HAVE to use a good charger or it wrecks the batteries. so i figured this 306b is better than any 18650 charger out there so why not use that.

You are correct though the portability of the device and having to always carry a power source around to use it, and the time and materials that would go into the battery holder kind of negate this being a practical solution for me.

I was actually looking at the xtar wp2, so i think i will just go with one of those.

thanks again.