RC Car Info

So you purchased that fine RC airplane car, boat, helicopter or whatever with LiPo batteries. What about the RC battery charger? Batteries can only last so long and replacements are costly. RC hobbyists like me, who own a variety of RC vehicles, are constantly required to recharge multiple types of RC batteries. To make this a productive and safe endeavor a quality RC multi function battery charger can be one of the most important items in our pool of accessories. Just think we spend a lot of money buying RC batteries and battery packs, so it is reasonable to expect that we will do our best to take care of them with proper charging for higher performance and a longer life span. After all, when we are ready to go, battery power should not be our major concern. RC battery chargers are often taken for granted and most new comers will buy the charger recommended by a friend or sales person without doing any homework.  This will cause them to purchase a charger that does not meet their needs and leave out some important features that are available on today’s robust multi function chargers. Purchasing a quality multi function charger is an investment for years of enjoyment and fun with your RC hobby vehicles, so don’t take it for granted. LiPo and various forms of lithium chemistry such as LiFe, and lithium ion, are very popular so good lithium battery charging & balancing support will make or break a good multi function charger. The first considerations when buying your multi function charger is how much power it can deliver and maximum cell count it will support. Most good RC multi function battery chargers support at least 6S LiPo cell counts and up to 15 or more NiCad, NIMH celled packs.

 For the last year or so, I have used the Venom Pro charger/w/Power Supply and found it to be a great asset for charging all of my RC batteries. They have been a bit hard to find but a few are available now. Here are a few notes on this quality charger that has a very reasonable price tag.

It is available in both DC and AC/DC power configurations (very important) so there are no limitations. This machine can handle charging, discharging, balancing (LiPO/LiON/LiFE cells), cycling and more!

If you have multiple kinds of RC vehicles and other battery charging needs, the Pro Charger is able to service multiple types of batteries.

This multi function Pro Charger as a stand alone charger can handles five different kinds of batteries; NiCD, NiMH, LiPO, LiON/LiFE ,Lead Acid batteries and a whopping one to fifteen cells for NiCD and NiMH batteries.

This charging system allows users to define charge rates from 0.1 amps to 5.0 amps depending on what they need and also allows the user to create up to ten different charger profiles with a USB PC connection.

That’s my take. Check out a RC multi function charger and keep your RC vehicles batteries powered and ready for your next big RC adventure! Zoooooooom!

Finally, a small break  in the weather and a great day to head out to our local RC airfield. The time had come to fly my new  HPI 456MB Delta Twin RC Jet airplane. I have been waiting all winter for this opportunity and was totally pumped. I was greeted at the airfield by an old friend who is considered to be an expert in flying RC jet airplanes and since this was my first RC jet, help was in order and welcomed. The Delta twin model I purchased was RTF brushless, so there was nothing to do but review the manual, checkout the engine, connectors and control transmitter and we were ready to fly. Taking the transmitter, my friend instructed me in the skills required of flying a RC Jet airplane. You should have been there to see this baby perform. Getting altitude, dives, loops rolls the whole nine yards. Here is the best part, after a brief indoctrination, I was flying this RC Jet airplane alone and with great confidence. What a great combination, learning and flying!

A few tips before you run out and buy your own RC jet airplane

First, if you are a beginner just getting into RC jet airplanes, do your research and learn carefully about all the different models currently available for sale today. The knowledge you gain will help you make a informed decision. Your local RC airfield is a great place to start. Experienced RC pilots will greet you with a warm welcome and answer your questions about this exciting hobby.

Don’t try to buy the fastest and most expensive RC Jet airplane out there. You can get a wonderful RC jet airplane for under $150. Like any other RC hobby, learn the basics first and when you are comfortable with the high speeds you will be able to progress. Radio controlled jets are fast and can fly at speeds of up to 100 miles an hour. You will need good reactions to maintain control. Beginning pilot thinking of flying a fast radio controlled plane should start off with something a little slower.

RC jets airplanes come in many different sizes, different engine types and plane shapes. As you would expect one of the most popular choices is the RC jet fighter airplane. You can get the popular ducted fan RC jets that are easy to fly in comparison to the other types. Ducted fan jets are safer to use since, both the propeller and engine are tucked away inside a duct out of harms way. Next would be the pusher versions. Pusher jets are a bit slower than the ducted fan jets and are easier to operate. This is your cheapest option. Pusher jets have their propeller right in the center of their backs and work in a simple way. The propeller pushes the RC jet through the air. So, even beginners can fly these RC jets and make the hard banking turns with unbelievably quick moves. Turbine ducted jets more challenging to fly. They use real jet fuel and will fly at incredibly fast speeds. They are the kings of the sky RC jets but you must have a great deal of experience to fly one. Turbine ducted RC jets are not planes for beginners; they can very quickly turn in to a lethal weapon if they get out of control!

Enjoy your RC Jet experience, what a thrill.

Trying to decide between a Brushed or Brushless RC Motor for your dream RC model? Making a big RC motor decision with price in mind? Well, this is an easy choice if you are talking about motors for hobby grade RC models. The two main types of RC electric motors are – Brushed and Brush less.

Brushed motors- have small contact brushes inside the motor to make it spin! This is what you will find in a lower hobby grade RC, like toy grade RC trucks. Most, but not all have replaceable brushes that can be fitted. Regularly cleanings are necessary since dust and debris will builds up inside and cause overheating. Brushless- motors in the RC hobby world are more popular now than ever before and offer more benefits with no brushes. There is much less friction and the motor produces less heat for faster and longer run times. Brush less motor can take more voltage than the brushed motor so speed and performance is greatly improved.  Overheating becomes less of a problem and you will be less likely to burn out the motor. Brush less is worth the extra cash outlay but you will save in the long run. Now, go get your prized RC.