Novak Ionic AC/DC charger

[mavrick0611]

Im thinking of placing a order for one on tower. any one have any opinions on it yet? Or any one own a Novak charger? hw do you like it? its my first novak charger.
thanks
aj

[Isky]

dont buy from tower...buy from your LHS...no mail order hobby shop will help you if you have a problem...once they have the sale, they dont care about you. Thats where your hobbyshop comes in handy. They'll show you everything you need to know, and more. The Ionic has some good features, but in order to use it youll have to know how to operate it...thats when your LHS can help you, especially if they have a race track. They'll know what to do...tower will just blow you off.

[mavrick0611]

heres the reason im ordering it from tower.

1)my lhs only carry crappy 15 chargers. i have ever seen a novak charger there or even a duratrax intellipeak.

2)if it takes tower a month to get it it will take my lhs 2 or 3 months

3)i can get discounts.

i would order from my lhs if they would have it but they wont unless they special order it.

any opinions on novak chargers?????

aj

[Grizzbob]

I can't really comment on the Ionic(don't have one), but I do have a Millenium, & I have to say I'm delighted with it. I think Novak is one of those special companies that always puts quality above & beyond all other considerations, both in products & service. I've been using their ESC's for over 10 years, & now also have a Millenium & N-Power, & as expected, I've never been disappointed..... :)

[Isky]

grizz, they also go over & beyond with the prices...lol...The ionic should be alright...but the charging rates are bull...4.0, 1, .5 amp...thats messed up...there are ac/dc, dc versions out. Umm...thats about it for now...

[Grizzbob]

Well, I never said they were cheap, but you know the saying...."You get what you pay for"... :)

[Obi112]

Isky, calm down. Sometimes, people don't have a LHS near them. And other times the LHS doesn't care what the customer does with the product after it has been payed for. They wouldn't bother helping you if their life depended on it. If someone wants to buy from Tower, let them.

The Ionic looks to be extremely easy to use, so buying from your LHS won't matter here. As long as you can read instructions you won't need help using it. You choose the battery chemistry, # of cells, the amp rate, and then hit a button to start the charge.

Who says Tower blows you off after the order is payed for? I've had trouble with my orders and always found them extremely helpful to work with. And if something goes wrong with the charger, you have Novak's great customer support to fall back on.

The Ionic should be a great charger (though I wish they gave you more amperage options... or at least change the four amps to 4.5 or 5).

[mavrick0611]

Id get a intellipeak, but iv heard they false peak. and they have more apms to choose from but novak is the top dawg...

thanks for the help!
aj

[chizzler]

millenium............

[Ras Thavas]

RE: Intellipeak. Mine false peaks on all battery packs made without matched cells. With the two matched cell packs I have made it does do not false peak. I guess it is just very sensitive. That is probably a good thing, might keep you from overcharging a pack. If you are going to race, you are going to peak the packs 2 or 3 times anyway, so its not really a big deal. I like the fact that you can charge up to 6.5 amps. I give my 2400 packs that final charge at 6.5 right before I use them in a race. Their customer service is good also. The ac power supply crapped out on mine, and they repaired it and had it back to me within 2 weeks.

Although Novak makes good stuff, I think the price for the Ionic is sort of high for the features.

As far as where you shop, that is up to you. I refuse to spend significantly more money for an item at my LHS, so I only use them for small purchases, or purchases where they are no more than 10% higher than I can get the same product on line. There is nothing wrong with being a smart consumer.

[Obi112]

About the Intellipeak: I have the digital version and have yet to have a false peak. I use two 1500 sport packs, two 2000 sport packs, and one matched 2000 mAH pack. I've probably gone through at least 20-40 charge cycles. And, like I said, no false peaks.

[chizzler]

but you can use other chargers withs the npower at the same time...........

[XXXER]

I do not have an Ionic, but I DO have a Rhino, and I must say, Orange Rules! Never had a false peak, and charges like a champ, every time. Never warms up, or anything.

[Nairb]

I have two Rhinos (I keep one for my brother) and a Millenium. They all work very well and have never given me any trouble. I love Novak products because of their cool design, impeccable quality, ease of use, and frankly, because they kick (_!_). :D If you want to go for a Millenium and don't want to pay $140 for an N-Power (I hear ya there!), go here http://www.mpja.com/product.asp?product=12422+PS and buy this power supply that is lighter, smaller, and delivers 2 more amps than an N-Power for $45! Mine works great with TWO chargers at the same time. That'll save you a LOT of money and get you a lot farther in charging ability and adjstability. For roughly the same price of a low-adjustability-factor AC/DC Ionic, you can get a top-o-the-line Millenium and power supply. What could be better for the money? Nothing... Go for it!

Isky, most of us here are perfectly capable of reading and understanding Novak's simple instructions; I'm sorry if you're not. One quick skim of my new Millenium's sheet and I knew how it worked inside and out...

[mavrick0611]

but still $140 please $45 ($185) for a power supply is wayyyyy more then i want to pay.

What im planning on doing is getting back my team losi xx 'cr' buggy, it has like 10 sets of tires. and sell it on e-bay. hope fully get $70. The guy says hes sending a xxt also so that would be like $50

Sell a novak duster II esc for $30. A futaba receiver and 2 stick radio for $25.and a speed gems motor for $15. all together that should be $190.

If i get $190 ill most liekly buy the Millanium and the cheaper power supply.

Im selling all those things on e-bay and im just estimating the lowest the prices will be at the end of the auction.

NIARB: how do you charge that power supply???

thanks
aj

[Obi112]

You don't charge a power supplies. You plug it into an AC outlet and it converts the power to DC (which the charger needs to run).

About my batteries: Four of my battery packs are pre-assembled stick packs. One of them is a matched, hand-built, side x side pack. But no false peaks on any of them.

[Drayken D]

I got a Millennium and N-Power, and it is worth every cent. I think it is about the bast charger under $200. THey are all over at my track. If you are willing to spend the money for a great charger, but don't want to, or have the cash for the powersupply, then spend $20 on a lawnmower battery, it will make a good power supply. Many people helped me on another forum about this very subject, when I needed a new charger. All I can say, is spend the money now, because you WILL spend it, either now, or later, when you realize that you should have gotten the one you really wanted. Be it Mill. or the Ionic. I think Novak makes some high quality chargers. I have seen 3 intellapeaks go bad, and they falsed alot too. just my .02

[mavrick0611]

i was looking around and i found the pitbull
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p.pgm?Q=1&I=LXWP36&P=7

i have a bunch of tower discount codes and stuff so i can buy it for $146.98 for shipping. But i really dont see any differeance in it and the millanium. o well, ill probibly get the millanium. i shouldnt ask any more. you people just keep getting my bill monger and longer and longer...
:D
aj

[nsane]

Then again, you just picked another good charger, competition electronics has always made good stuff.

Personally, coming from a race minded point of view (and I have an Intellipeak Digital - and I'll be picking up a millenium soon) I'd buy the Novak. (That is unless you want to drop the 350 or so for a Turbo 35 :) ). Whether or not you get the Ionic or the Millenium is really up to you, the biggest difference being the charge amps - which puts the Ionic at a SLIGHT disadvantage; however I don't consider it a major one. Most of us aren't charging much over 4 amps anyway, 'cept maybe on the 2400s and 3000s.

Like many other decisions in R/C, its up to you in the end but Novak isn't one to disappoint so I think you will be fine either way.

[Ras Thavas]

I have the Intellipeak Deluxe. I wish I had just paid the extra few bucks and got the digital. Oh well, did not think I would be getting so much into this hobby. Funny thing now, is I am considering spending the money and getting the Turbo 35....

[cck]

If you can afford Ionic, why not just buy the Millennium instead. I have the Millennium and N-Power for couple of months, so far they work fine.

[mavrick0611]

i agree with novak stuff being over priced.

Ras Thavas: which intellipeak are you using?

Obi: are you using self made packs or pre assembled or both? i would much rather save $40 but if it false peaks ill be happeir with the Ionic.

Chizz, if i buy a Millanium, ill have to pay $140 for a N-Power. No way.

L8R
aj

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: mavrick0611 ]

[mavrick0611]

Okay, i have decided on a Novak Millanium Charger with the $45 power supply.

thanks for all of your help!
aj

[cabbynate]

Mav, STOP. Get the pit bull. It has a long lock out. The Novak dose not. You can't beat that $146.00 you can get it for eather. :)

[mavrick0611]

whats lock out?

[mikedude]

Always, always buy from whomever can get it for you the fastest. Wait? are you kidding me. I will gladly pay more money for an item I can have today. The temptation for me to hit Tower comes around when the LHS doesn't have an item in stock or doesn't carry the line at all. Case in point, LHS, really nice, really big, really helpful staff, carry only one radio line, the JR. I want a Airtronics, I'm out a LHS choices at that moment. It's a balance, would you buy gas from only one place? food? handi-wipes? Thank you. :confused:

[mavrick0611]

ummm,,, did this type of message come up in the first few posts on this thread???

If your not a part of the solution, your just a part of them problem.
aj

[cabbynate]

Lock out you use if your batteies false peak in the first mins of charging. Some older packs do it. Better to have it and not to need it than to need it and not have it. Trust me. ;)

[cabbynate]

All so, the Pitbulls have it and so do the Tekin 112a,c. I have four Tekins, one 112c, two 112a and a bc48. They all work great but I may get a Pitbull any way. Maybe two. They are SWEET!!!

[Coconut]

take a look at the Integy 16X5 before you make up your mine. Their all good chargers;I just think the 16X5 is alittle more charger for the money.

[cabbynate]

I did end up getting a Pitbull and I love it!! It works great. My 3000's don't get too not when they peak like they did with my Millennium. It is a great charger. Works great for Transmitter batteries too.