KenC Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 It seems so different to the good old Futaba and nicad, so I try to read and understand. I have the Spektrum 2000mAh Li-Ion battery that can be charged with its specific charger whilst in the Transmitter. I read that these batteries are best stored out of the transmitter, yet I also read that constant removal will damage the plug in the TX. Some say only charge in a "safe" bag and store at 60% AND DO NOT OVERCHARGE. Yet I note the charger supplied is designed for in TX charging , and has no indication of when a charge is complete. This all seems rather contradictory. There is also a comment I read that stated in their blurb, " DO NOT USE AN EXTERNAL CHARGER WITH THIS BATTERY I guess they mean an independent unit. Would those with experience of these systems please off a "best practice" method, and clarify this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Yes Ken, a lot of info, but the Spektrum battery has its own protection circuit fitted inside the battery that does all the balancing and overcharge protection and just needs its own charger plugged in and no other type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 As Don says + there is an indicator light on the front of the TX (my DX9 has) which is illuminated when charging and goes out when complete. I am using the supplied wall wart charger which has no lights on it. Works perfectly for now coming up to 7 yrs all be it slowly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 My DX9 charger just stopped working a few years ago, so I have to take the battery out to charge, which I do just like my other batteries, in the Bat Safe. I am somewhat concerned by the frequent removal and reinsertion of the battery. I also purchased a third party 4000mah 2s1p lipo, which I keep charged in my battery bag as a back-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Leccyflyer, couldn't you split/extend the existing battery lead and incert another more robust plug to take the strain? I appreciate its another failure point but has to be way more robust than the existing fiddly/fragile plug? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Carpenter Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 My DX9 is 14 yrs old and the battery has been charged with the supplied charger. Zero problems. The capacity of the battery seems unchanged too. Only flown 5 times through this crap winter but voltage still ok on the meter. It gets a charge about 3/4 times a year normally. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 30 minutes ago, Ace said: Leccyflyer, couldn't you split/extend the existing battery lead and incert another more robust plug to take the strain? I appreciate its another failure point but has to be way more robust than the existing fiddly/fragile plug? I could do so - my third party battery has a Spektrum plug, a Futaba plug and a balance lead, so it would be easy enough to put a short extension to the socket on the TX - that's a great idea - I'm going to do exactly that. Thanks. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 8 minutes ago, Colin Carpenter said: My DX9 is 14 yrs old and the battery has been charged with the supplied charger. Zero problems. The capacity of the battery seems unchanged too. Only flown 5 times through this crap winter but voltage still ok on the meter. It gets a charge about 3/4 times a year normally. Colin I have two DX8 g1's and DX8g2, all batteries get charged in the TX on the kitchen table while I am doing other things in there (cooking with fire mostly) with zero problems. Can't see the point of disconnecting and reconnecting the TX battery just to charge it and risk damaging/wearing out the connector of the sake of £20 for a new Spektrum charger (inferior products are available). We had someone at the club messing about because he forgot to charge his TX, so he took to swapping batteries form other TX's and IIRC managed to plug it in incorrectly. Didn't make his day with a non functioning TX and at least a visit for the TX back to the service centre with what could be an expensive repair bill. Sure people will say will it shouldn't do that, but where does it say in the Spektrum manual "take the battery out to charge it" IMO people should not be confused with general advice and that by the specific manufacturer for their product (which over rules the former). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Fair point well made. I couldn't find a replacement Spektrum charger when mine went down, but I see that Spektrum do now offer a generic one for about £20 -ish. That's a better long term solution. Thanks. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted March 10, 2023 Author Share Posted March 10, 2023 Thanks gents, one further extension to this charge and store in TX..... How often do you top up the charge because of drain from being off but connected ? To the long time owners of the Spektrum battery please confirm you charge to full at each charge ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 I used to leave the TX on charge until the light on the front of the DX9 went out, which is when the battery is supposed to be fully charged. I charged the TX every few flying sessions, long before the voltage had gone down too far, as indicated by the charge indictor bar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxG Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 I have a Radiomaster Tx16S and I do not like charging the Lipos I use in the Tx although they say you can. I didn't like all the plugging and unplugging into the Tx so I used a short connector lead which goes into the Tx and the battery plugs into that. So if the battery connector fails in the future I just change the short lead and not worry about the connector in the Tx. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Colman Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 I charge my DX9 with the supplied charger until the light on the Tx goes out. I remove the battery compartment cover to allow for some air flow. Never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 That'll teach me to look before leaping. The "original" battery in my DX9 isn't a Spektrum battery anyway, it's a 4000mah 2s1p Turnigy lipo, so I shouldn't have been charging it with the DX9 charger in the first place. I've just wasted £20 on a replacement DX9 charger. I'll retire that one, use the third party battery and do what I do with my DX7 - balance charge the lipo without disconnecting it, through the Futaba plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted March 10, 2023 Author Share Posted March 10, 2023 Thank you to all responders, I take from this that the native solution supplied is more than adequate. I also understand that charging in the set is safe enough to continue. Great to hear how many long term batteries there are , and quite reassuring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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