which charger/batteries?

[jchaf]

i just bought a tc3 with a novak cyclone tc and 11 turn motor and was wondering what charger and batteries i should get. i'm not going to be racing or anything but i don't want crap either. is the novak melinnium overkill for a non-racer? do i need a seperate discharger or anything extra? batteries - which will give me most voltage and longest run time, or is that what has to be compromised? would extra cells be the way to go if i don't care about being race legal? sorry about all the questions but any info would be appreciated - i'm new. thanks, jared

[jchaf]

about how long do batteries take to charge anyway?

[Grizzbob]

Well, 3000mah NiMh batteries would be the wau to go for longest run time, but I still have my doubts about their reliability(the first generation ones didn't survive a year, & the newer ones aren't that old yet, so it remains to be seen), but 2400mah NiCd's will give you excellent voltage, runtime & will last a VERY long time(lots of runs, as long as you take good care of them. NiCd's can definitely take more abuse). Also, with NiCd's, you don't need the best chargers around, one like the Duratrax Intellipeak will do nicely(as will a number of others), but with NiMh's you MUST have one that has an adjustable delta peak(that means it can look for the pack's voltage to peak, then drop a specified amount before it shuts off, & some chargers let you choose exacly how much voltage drop it allows before shut down), to prevent the NiMh cells from being overcharged & getting cooked. As for how long they take to charge, it depends on the cell & the charge rate you use. With my 2400's on a Millenium at a 5 amp charge rate, they take about 31 minutes(give or take), a NiMh pack would naturally take longer.... :)

[ChumsGum]

I really like NiCd's punchy feel over NiMh. If you want the best batts for your buck I'd go with those Peak Performance Maxx Packs. The sell them in pairs, 2 6-cell 2400 packs for only $49. The best deal in batteries if you ask me.

[roadrage]

hey at tower they have 2400 by trinity for $41... assembled

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: roadrage ]

[Railman]

Roadrage, That price Chums quoted above is for TWO packs...sounds like one heck of a bargain!