Battary Charger Help - TLP 4000C & Smart Charger (NPT Charger)

[Cottoni]

Hi, I have just ordered my first AEG, and now i would like some help on choosing the right charger in order to preserve my batteries.

I have searched the forums and found some info, but most do not compare the TLP 4000C and the ones know as Smart Charger (such as the NPT Charger).
Which one would you guys recommend, if what i want is a good charger that can prolong the life of my batteries.
I have both 8.4 V small and large type batteries.

I will be able to get any of the charges at a similar price (Smart charger: $70, and TLP4000C: $75, both with shipping to Canada already included).

Would the smart charger like the NPT one be able to charger a 8.4 V Intellect 8.4v 3300mah or 3600mah Battery?

Does the NPT smart charger comes with both large and small battery adapters?

Thanks guys, your help will be much appreciated it.

[Cottoni]

Holy crap, a quick search for Smart chargers on Ebay gave me the following chargers:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Universal-Smart-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-Universal-Smar...QQcmdZViewItem

These Smart Chargers' picture and features description seems EXACTLY the same as the ones sold here in Canada for twice as much, such as the Advanced NPT 1000-3000mah Charger sold at bbbastard.com and others smart charges.

I even emailed one of these sellers and he said that he do not see any difference between them ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...5430%26fvi%3D1 )

So ALL these Smart charges are basically the same? I mean do they have exactly the same technology and features?

I know from the forums that bbbastard.com offers an excellent warranty for the Advanced NPT 1000-3000mah Charger they sell, and would replace a charger if anything happens, and that alone is priceless, and worth paying the extra over an Ebay seller, which basically offers no warranty at all.

But i thought that the NPT Charger feature and technology was something developed by them, but i guess all these smart charges are pretty much the same regarding the features, correct?

please guys if you know more about these smart chargers, give me some help or any insight.
Thanks

[leblanc74]

do not scimp out on battery charge, get a good one lilke a deep cycle, fuzzy logic, trickle charge, types...

[Kos-Mos]

just go to a hobbyshop and get the one you like. AVOID getting cheap charger or things that do not have more than 1 LED or and LCD. (like the cheap chargers from ebay)

I am using a Duratrax ICE, but used a GreatPlanes Triton, Piranah Digital peak charger and Intellipeak lineup.

I can tell you they work GREAT.

You can also get some other hobby grade chargers. Some run for only 50$ and outperform any "Smart charger" you can find for cheap (or not that cheap).

I can get these "smart charger" for 25$ +shipping... and they are not worth it.

[Cottoni]

Originally Posted by Kos-Mos

just go to a hobbyshop and get the one you like. AVOID getting cheap charger or things that do not have more than 1 LED or and LCD. (like the cheap chargers from ebay)

I am using a Duratrax ICE, but used a GreatPlanes Triton, Piranha Digital peak charger and Intellipeak lineup.

I can tell you they work GREAT.

You can also get some other hobby grade chargers. Some run for only 50$ and outperform any "Smart charger" you can find for cheap (or not that cheap).

I can get these "smart charger" for 25$ +shipping... and they are not worth it.

Thank you Kos-Mos, there isn't any hobbyshop, that i know of, where i live, so my only option is actually only purchasing online, and it would most likely be more expensive, since everything in Alberta is so freaking expensive

So basically i should just forget about these Smart chargers, right? (even the NPT one???)

I've read some good reviews about the DuraTrax Piranha AC/DC Digital Peak Charger NiCd/NiMH AND the TLP All In One Charger (model 4000C) ( http://aasurplus.ca/airsoft/product_...products_id=85)
http://cgi.ebay.com/DuraTrax-Piranha...QQcmdZViewItem

You mentioned you've used the Piranha Digital peak charger, how did you like it?

Would you recommend the Piranha Digital peak charger OVER the TLP All In One Charger (model 4000C)?
I think i will decide between one of these, as i know where to get them online.
Please let me know what do you think about the TLP All In One Charger (model 4000C) and the Piranha Digital peak charger, because I don't really know what are my other options for a decent, but not so expensive charger.
Thanks

[Cottoni]

Originally Posted by leblanc74

do not scimp out on battery charge, get a good one lilke a deep cycle, fuzzy logic, trickle charge, types...

Hey leblanc74,
How about the TLP All In One Charger (model 4000C), would you recommend that one? have you ever used one of these?

In the features specifications, it says that this charger has adjustable charge current, Fast/Slow/Dis-Charge, Fuzzy Trickle Charge, Maintenance Routine, AC/DC input, Cooling Fan, NiCd and NiMH compatible, etc.

So i think this has the deep cycle, fuzzy logic, trickle charge you mentioned correct?

Sorry guys for such lame questions, but i've never had any of those "fancy" chargers, as i've always used the cheap ones.
But since i am getting into AEG Airsoft now, and I know that batteries are expensive so I want a good charger now to preserve the battery life as much as possible.
thanks

[Kos-Mos]

I REALLY prefer the pirahna because it charges the battery a lot better, you can adjust current and you have a LCD display showing current voltage and current. It also give a good idea of the actual capacity your battery is holding.

It does not discharge, but I found that the TLP chargers tend to be very inconsistent on the discharge. Best thing to do it to get 5 car headlamps (the cheapest ones) and weld them in parallel. You will get a 5A discharger an then you just need a voltmeter to monitor. Gives a lot better results than any other technique used... discharge your pack at 0.9v/cell, so a 9.6v pack (8 cells) should be downed at 7.2v (dont go further)

if you have a mini pack, you should be discharging at 10A... I thing the TLP chargers are doing 2A....
A large pack should be between 25-30A. (That means 30 light bulbs... takes a lot of space and generates a lot of heat. but 5A is ok....)

[Scarecrow]

Don't dismiss the value of NPT technology. Just because its a less expensive charger doesn't mean what it does is not valuable. Also make sure it IS an NPT charger - I've seen "Advanced Chargers" that look like the ones that I sell but are nothing more than peak chargers. I wouldn't pay more than $4 for a peak charger. In fact I have a box of about 10 of them in my basement that I wouldn't sell because I wouldn't want my name associated with them.

Also, a lot of these 'fuzzy logic' chargers (not all but many) do nothing more than delta-v cut off for the charge - something that is also a standard method of detecting when to shut off the main charge and go to trickle - a standard feature of even peak chargers. There is nothing 'fuzzy logic' in that, its calling a standard required feature something special and making money off it. I won't begin to rant on the ethics of that crap.

Thirdly, in my experience, most users don't spend the time to learn how to use an adjustable charger (one with the dial for amperage) and consistently charge their batteries on higher settings, destroying the chemistry of the battery and reducing its life significantly. If you're going to use one of those chargers (and I have one as well that I use for reconditioning purposes about once a year) you need to bloody well understand what you're doing.

You can have all the fancy flashing LEDS and displays in the world, but if you don't use the charger property and burn your batteries, a gizmo laden charger is a liability, just as a hot gun in the hands of an asshole is.

SIMPLICITY HAS VALUE.

I have all kinds of chargers in my house for airsoft (having collected many over the years) and I still use the NPT chargers the majority of the time so I don't have to babysit my battery or get the settings wrong and mess up the chemistry (and cook the battery). The computer chip in the charger picks the right charging conditions without me screwing with it. That has value to me.

As for price, well, thats my price on my website but you're free to shop around and if you get a better deal, by all means take it. I go to a lot of trouble to respond to people's questions, I sourced out the PROPER NPT charger and not a disguised peak charger (yes there are blue box peak chargers marked as NPT chargers!) and I have an unconditional one year warranty on all charger and battery products - ask anyone here who has had a problem and I've swapped out batteries and chargers at the drop of a hat. What you pay for from me when you pay the extra $10 or $15 bucks (add your customs and taxes in as well friends) is service, my expertise and the gaurantee of being taken care of in the event of a problem or malfunction. And since I've sent several chargers back to my supplier and gotten new ones months later, I know what their policy is on returns and it frankly sucks, especially at those profit margins, they have no interest in serving you the way I do. I use expedited shipping and ship same or next day - you don't wait weeks for my products to arrive at your doorstep. Plus my associate Bastards all over Ontario appear at games selling these same products at the same prices as what is on my website, making it even easier for you to get my product with no hassles. Finally, I am local and people know me, I'm not some nameless eBay site that might screw you. I have a track record for service and value. Personally I think thats worth the premium of what amounts to perhaps a 5 to 10% margin.

Sorry, these threads pop up every few months and I just get pissed off when I read them, especially when many of the self proclaimed 'experts' on this board tend to know fuck-all about what they're talking about or at worst are chairsofters talking out of the tops of their heads.

Have a Merry Christmas and stick a bag of Bastards under the tree for your favorite weekend warrior!

[Scarecrow]

Oh and one other thing.

If you want a good discharger that doesn't burn your battery, is inexpensive and easy to find, go to Canadian Tire and buy a 12v automotive backup light and connect it to your battery to discharge it. The draw of the light is a load that is long and does not burn the battery and the light is visible so you know when its done. It also leaves the necessary residual charge in the battery - you should never completely discharge a battery, that destroys the chemistry. Total cost should not exceed $5. So buying a charger for the sole purpose of getting a 10A discharge circuit (which is TOO HIGH IMHO) is a waste of money.

[leblanc74]

you want a TLP... get the best from TLP which is the TLP TL-15 most of the people that I know uses it, including me and if they are not using this one they have the Systema LCD version. I charge anything, actually I recondition my car battery last month with it...a little complicated at first but once you know how to use it, you are good to go... In Canada this charger is almost 200$ at some places, but there are alot cheaper places in the US or in Hong Kong... here's a link to one the retailers that sells it...88$ sounds resonable for it...but shop around you might able to get it cheaper...

http://www.cobraairsoft.com/product_...4754856b20a1aa

[zone 69]

link for you:http://stores.ebay.com/eHobby-Asia-A...dZ2QQpZ2QQtZkm

I use a TLP-TL15 1-15 cells, gray.

[leblanc74]

Originally Posted by zone 69

link for you:http://stores.ebay.com/eHobby-Asia-A...dZ2QQpZ2QQtZkm

I know that Hong Kong company, they do not carry at this moment the TL15, but some other people carry it .... here...

http://cgi.ebay.com/TLP-TL15-AC-DC-F...QQcmdZViewItem

or


http://cgi.ebay.com/TLP-TL15-1-15-Ce...QQcmdZViewItem

[Scarecrow]

My understanding is that "fuzzy logic" on these chargers is nothing more than detecting the number and type of cells and pre-calculating what the peak cut off is - essentially advanced delta-v. Aside from that its is a conventional charger with no negative pulse functionality. It also relies on you as the user to set the dial correctly for the charge as opposed to using safe presets as detected by an intelligent process, so don't set it wrong. My charger does this automatically within a specific range and uses battery safe settings while optimizing charge time.

I have one of these TLP chargers and I only use it for pack reconditioning using the cycle-discharge function which removes battery memory. I condition my batteries about once every 14 months and in the interim use the NPT charger for game to game charging. I also use that mode to revive people's "dead" batteries that they send me. So the charger has value in that regard. Beyond that I would seek and NPT charger for game to game charging.

[Ibby]

You want one of these.

[Scarecrow]

Actually, CADEX UCC units use NPT technology - and were one of the first commercial battery conditioners to do so.