Back To The Basics....Of Charging

       Once you've picked out your perfect RC car, boat, or plane, matched the perfect battery to go with it, it's time for the real fun to start! Electric remote control has come a LONG way, but with electric, comes batteries. Each battery type is unique, and has it's pros as well as it's cons. (Our Battery Breakdown Blog speaks more on this). To get started you will need to charge your batteries for your RC. We are going back to the basics using a Traxxas Charger as an example. Traxxas offers the EZ-Peak Charger, in single, dual, as well as LIVE depending on the type of battery you are charging. It is important to note if your charger can charge the # of cells your battery contains. The Traxxas EZ-Peak Dual charger we are looking at today can charge NiMH as well as up to a 3S Lipo battery.

      Faster charging means you get to spend more time behind the wheel. The EZ-Peak Dual puts out a full 100 watts of power that equates to 8-amps of charging horsepower. It’s a twin turbo-equipped charger. Traxxas iD LiPos (4000mAh or higher) charge nearly 2x faster in High Output Mode. The EZ-Peak Dual isn’t just for iD LiPos; the Multi-Chemistry nature of the charger means LiPos and NiMHs can be charged at the same time. Advanced Mode opens the door for backwards compatibility. This allows EZ-Peak Dual to charge any Traxxas Power Cell battery equipped with a first-generation Traxxas High-Current Connectors and Traxxas iD batteries independently or simultaneously. There are two balance ports built into the charger for Traxxas LiPo batteries equipped with external balance leads. Take full advantage of the 8-amp output and experience the pinnacle of charger flexibility and power.

     With iD® Auto-Battery Identification there’s no need to worry about the battery chemistry or capacity. EZ-Peak Dual identifies the type of battery and its capacity. EZ-Peak Dual also cuts down on wasted time by eliminating the hassle of programming and using complicated setups. Just plug an iD battery in and press Start. That’s it! Keeping with the simplicity and ease of use, the iD system eliminates fragile balance wires and clunky balance leads. The iD system streamlines the entire charging experience.

      **Traxxas chargers are recommended for use with Traxxas batteries and ID plugs, however they have a built in balance port. This feature can be used if you are charging a battery that has a balance port as well as an ID charger plug adapter. Be sure to plug the balance port in when charging. The ID plug has a built in balance port.**

     Lipo batteries come with a built in safety feature called low voltage cutoff. If you RC vehicle is still running, but not in complete functionality it is likely your Lipo battery cut off. It is essential at this time to charge your battery. If you continue to run the battery you will take the cells below a rechargeable voltage, ultimately killing your battery. While charging and storing your Lipo battery we recommend a Lipo charging bag for ultimate safety. They come in a variety of shapes, and sizes fitting one to many batteries at one time. 

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      Not planning on using your Lipo battery for an extended amount of time? You should charge your battery on storage mode to place your cells at an appropriate storage voltage. This will ensure the longest life of your battery. 

     Once a battery swells, no longer charges, or is used passed the low voltage cut off, immediately recycle. (Please see our Battery Breakdown Blog for more information). **When not using your RC it is essential to unplug the battery from the ESC or the battery will continue to draw down power.**

     If using a different battery/charger combo, please read all instructions in the manual or look up the charger on YouTube. Most chargers will state their functionalities and capabilities. It is important to select the type of battery, number of cells, and charging amperage. 

    Visit our charger page featuring a video by Horizon about understanding your charger!!! https://www.whiterosehobbies.com/collections/radio-control-rc-chargers