Looking at Triton charger: what do I need?

[Phaserburn]

I am looking to charge battery packs, namely the 12 cell ones from Ginseng's upcoming Polaris buy. I also want to charge regular nimh cells as well as packs. I realize that the Triton is a DC charger, and that I need a power supply. I am considering this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48708&item=5752116300&rd=1

Is this a good unit? Anyone have any experience?

My other question is this: what else do I need to:
A) attach the Triton to the power supply
B) attach the 12 cell pack from modamag to the Triton
C) attach regular loose cells to the Triton. How do you charge multiple cells that aren't in packs?

I know there are many Tritons out there, so I'd appreciate your feedback. Also your usage history; what are you charging, and how?

Thanks, as always.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bogus1]

I came across this last night: http://www.thomasdistributing.com/mh-c777plus.htm

I am not technical by any sense, but it seems an alternative to the Triton.

 

[jtice]

The Triton is awesome, theres really not much it cant charge.
I have been looking at it for a while, just havent taken the plunge and bought it yet.

You will need a power supply for it, not sure of the exact connection terminals, but I am sure its nothing special, if it doesn come with the ones that fit your PS, then a place like radio shack is sure to have them.

Sway has had one for a while, and told me some of its features, it can discharge, charge, trickle charge, all sorts of things.

If you want a very versitile charger the Triton is the way to go.

As far as hooking it to your battery packs, you can do that any way you like, gator clips for example.
I think Sway used a wood working clamp, to clamp a single cell battery to a set of terminals when he wanted to just charge one cell.

 

[Phaserburn]

Wow, the Maha does seem like a much better deal than the Triton. It will charge 1-12 cell packs, and a variety of inexpensive holders are available for loose cells. No power supply needed, so it's around half the cost of the Triton. Is there a downside here? I know the Triton has more features, but what are the big ticket ones?

 

[bajaiman]

I've just bought one from Ebay and awaiting delivery...If for example I wanna charge 8AA nimh, do I just buy a 8AA holder then hook up -ve and +ve from Triton to the -ve and +ve wires coming off from the battery holder?

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Phaserburn,

The Triton will charge up to 24 cell packs, has charge rates up to 5.0 amps (2.5 amps for Li-Ion), discharge rates up to 3.0 amps, and adjustable trickle charge rates (0-0.25 amps).

The Maha will charge up to 12 cell packs, has a charge rate of 0.8 amps (0.4 amps for Li-Ion), a discharge rate of 0.3 amps, and a trickle charge rate of 0.07 amps.

I think those are some of the main differences...

Tom

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Phaserburn said:
Wow, the Maha does seem like a much better deal than the Triton. It will charge 1-12 cell packs, and a variety of inexpensive holders are available for loose cells. No power supply needed, so it's around half the cost of the Triton. Is there a downside here? I know the Triton has more features, but what are the big ticket ones?

[/ QUOTE ]
I have the MH-C777PLUS, PLUS-II, Triton and a ICE too!

A short while ago, I had a 9.6V 8 cell Ni-MH pack which had been charged on the Triton with no problems. The fan went out on the Triton but before I got the ICE, so I put it on the PLUS-II. It errored out for high temperature. The pack is fairly new and could have been unbalanced but it was so hot I could barely handle it! It has problems charging Li-Ion cell with a partial charge left, it will never terminate and the safety timer is hogwash, it just don't work!

Spend the extra money on a Triton, you'll never regret it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sway]

Phaser,

I like my Triton but really struggled with the price at first it's a lot of money to lay out for it and the power supply I just had to close my eyes and trust Wilkey, I'm glad I did now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

To charge loose cells the plastic holders work good if they are standard primary size for other sizes and larger Li-Ion I use a piece of PVC pipe the cells will drop into and a bar clamp to hold everything together works like a champ.

If you went out and bought chargers for all the different cell chemistries and sizes we are using around here you would end up spending as much or more and still not have some of the features the Triton has not many will handle up to 24 cells or 24V SLA's. In other words for some of us it's over kill at first but you have room to grow and shouldn't need another charger any time soon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I never thought much about using Li-Ion but now that I have a charger I want to put them in everything and have been think about trying some Li-Poly cells when I get a proper safe charging area set up.

I don't think you will be sorry........ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Later
Kelly

 

[Billson]

Do all of these chargers terminate automatically when the cells are fully charged or do you have to manually set the voltage for them to terminate? Incidentally, what is the fully charged voltage of a li-ion cell. I've read so many conflicting info ranging from 4.10-4.20. Which is the safest without shortening the cells life?

Thanks.

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Billson said:
Do all of these chargers terminate automatically when the cells are fully charged or do you have to manually set the voltage for them to terminate? Incidentally, what is the fully charged voltage of a li-ion cell. I've read so many conflicting info ranging from 4.10-4.20. Which is the safest without shortening the cells life?

Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
The MH-C777PLUS/PLUS-II just has two settings, Ni/Li, Li for Li-Ion and your Ni-MH and Ni use the Ni.

Triton/ICE, NiCD/Ni-MH, you set the number of cells and it figures the max voltage. On discharge you can set it for .8/.9V per cell, not sure how low it'll go, never tried it any lower than .9V/cell!

Li-Ion/Li-Poly settings are multiples of 3.6V/cell for Li-Ion and 3.7V/cell for Li-Poly. That's also means 4.1V/cell or 4.2V/cell too. A setting of 4.1V on a Li-Ion/Poly will give you more life but less capacity.

 

[Phaserburn]

A lot to consider; still on the fence. But, I'm still wondering what clips/clamps/wires etc. I'll need with one of these babies? What do they come with?

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Phaserburn said:
A lot to consider; still on the fence. But, I'm still wondering what clips/clamps/wires etc. I'll need with one of these babies? What do they come with?

[/ QUOTE ]
It comes with nothing, you have to make your own leads! Banana plug outputs. You can pick up wire, plugs and 10A clips at Radio Shack or if you order from Tower Hobbies they have leads that you can buy too. If you want the temp. probe which is a good idea, get it then too.

I like the 10A clips from RS because I use 1/4" dia. super magnets to connect to batteries often and aligator clips only work on 1/8" dia., they slip off! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

 

[Phaserburn]

Where did you get the super magnet lead attachments?

 

[jtice]

wow, cool!
You have magnets to connecto to the batts????
Yea where did you get those? I want some /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[wptski]

Got the link at home, will post later!

Don't know how many times this has happened where I the 1" x 1/4" magnets in the clips and they are so strong that they get pulled out by eachother, leaving my finger caught in the clips! Ouch!!! They snap together pinching my skin leaving a blood blister has happened too!

 

[Phaserburn]

Does the magnet introduce any resistance? Do the cells come off the charger at the proper voltage? There are lots of magnets on the net; does it matter which to use?

 

[Ginseng]

HI Phase,

I have used my Triton for about a year now and have been quite pleased. It is flexible and powerful. Practically, it will not charge/discharge all pack sizes at the max rates, there is a power limit. However, I find the lack of leads a good thing. I build them as I need them and a single pair of clip leads + rubber bands + jumpers made from thick wire have allowed me to charge any pack or cell I've ever encountered.

Connecting to the DC source is easy, I cut off the clamps on the wire of the Triton and hard wired it into my DC power supply. Rock solid.

The nice thing is you can build leads with any type of connector you want. Clips, pins, bare, Dean's Ultra, Sermos, barrel, you name it. All you need is a pair of $2 Radio Shack plugs on the other end to plug into the Triton.

I don't think you'll be sorry. The only thing that seems to bug people is the fan. It sounds like a small, quieter hair dryer. Gotta dissipate that heat!

Oh, and spring for the thermocouple sensor. It's only $8 I think and good insurance.

Wilkey

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Ginseng said:
HI Phase,

I have used my Triton for about a year now and have been quite pleased. It is flexible and powerful. Practically, it will not charge/discharge all pack sizes at the max rates, there is a power limit. However, I find the lack of leads a good thing. I build them as I need them and a single pair of clip leads + rubber bands + jumpers made from thick wire have allowed me to charge any pack or cell I've ever encountered.

Connecting to the DC source is easy, I cut off the clamps on the wire of the Triton and hard wired it into my DC power supply. Rock solid.

The nice thing is you can build leads with any type of connector you want. Clips, pins, bare, Dean's Ultra, Sermos, barrel, you name it. All you need is a pair of $2 Radio Shack plugs on the other end to plug into the Triton.

I don't think you'll be sorry. The only thing that seems to bug people is the fan. It sounds like a small, quieter hair dryer. Gotta dissipate that heat!

Oh, and spring for the thermocouple sensor. It's only $8 I think and good insurance.

Wilkey

[/ QUOTE ]
My fan was just replaced and this one isn't as noisey!

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Phaserburn said:
Does the magnet introduce any resistance? Do the cells come off the charger at the proper voltage? There are lots of magnets on the net; does it matter which to use?

[/ QUOTE ]
They are NdFeB type magnets, all over the net. I never seen any difference between using them with clips or using a 4 "C" cell holder with steel spacers.

Li-Ion cells negative end is has less ferrous metal, so using a 1/4" is better than 1/8' diameter.

I don't have a link to where I bought mine, I'll have to look in my paperwork but are lots of places selling them.

 

[wptski]

[ QUOTE ]
Phaserburn said:
Where did you get the super magnet lead attachments?

[/ QUOTE ]
They aren't magnetic leads, they are leads with clips attached to round magnets. I use the Radio Shack 10A clips with wide jaws.

EDIT: Here's the link to the site I got mine from: Magnets I think that I ordered from this site also: Magnets