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Rockfrog · 09-30-2009, 11:48 PM

Ok, so I've tried searching for my answer and got no love ...
I have an Onyx 220, about a week old, and I'm trying to charge my batteries -
2 x 7.2V DTX 4200mAh 6cell SubC's w/ Tamiya connector
1 x 7.2V Venom 1200mAh 6 cell split 2/3A w/ std Micro connector
1 x 8.4V Thunder Tiger pre-made 1200mAh 7 cell 2/3A w/ Tamiya
1 x 9.6V Venom 1200mAh 8 cell 2/3A w/ Tamiya

On all the batteries my charger shuts down and says COMPLETE after about 80-90mAh input.
I have the peak set at 5mV, tried charging at 5050mAh @ 1A and 2.5A for the 4200 SubC's, and 1450mAh @ 1A and 1.5A for the 1200 2.3A's. I started with it plugged into the wall, then thought maybe there was an issue with our generator power frequency (60Hz) so I switched to a 12V power supply (output 13.7V up to 10A). I'm out at work so I'm running off a Cummins Bt4/60kW genset.
Currently trying a .2A slow charge for the 2/3A 8cell pack as I'm still trying to get it's first charge in (same for the 7 cell pack). The 4200's have been charged once already with a simple Pihranha DC 4A charger, and the 6 cell 2/3A pack has been charged numerous times with a losi wall (AC) peak charger for a mini T (and still charges fine on it). All my batteries show the same issue regardless of what I set the charger to.

Everything seems fine once the charge starts and the input power reading is fairly stable at both AC and DC input.
Am I missing something? I'm just getting back into things and most of my experience was with the old 1500mAh NiCd's and the usual timed charges and feeling temps near the end.
Did I get a bum charger?

Rockcrawler · 10-01-2009, 12:30 AM

Have you charged anything on this charger yet? If not, I would take it back and swap it out. I would say to try a different mv setting but I would think that one of them would have charged. If you have some spare time, bump it up to 7 or 8 and try it again. Also, double check all the settings on the charger. I have never owned that charger so I cant say much on them.

clockworks · 10-01-2009, 12:48 AM

If you've got a problem with the AC from your generator, chances are you'll have the same problem when you use the DC power supply.
Can you try running the charger from a car/truck battery?

Rockfrog · 10-01-2009, 12:12 PM

OK, I'll give that one a shot ... I can try off the forklift battery.
i've been letting it trickle at .1A until it times out after 5hrs(300 mins) and then starting again ... at least that works ... leads me to believe it is probably a fluctuating voltage issue common to generater power systems (but then I still have the same problem when we're running off the inverter as well).

Rockfrog · 10-09-2009, 01:10 PM

well, finally drained the battery and now that I'm home on city power it'sall working fine.
Thanks for the help guys.
Didn't realize our generator power was that unstable.

09-30-2009, 11:48 PM	#1
Rockfrog Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Duncan, BC, Canada Posts: 750	Charger problem or power problem? Ok, so I've tried searching for my answer and got no love ... I have an Onyx 220, about a week old, and I'm trying to charge my batteries - 2 x 7.2V DTX 4200mAh 6cell SubC's w/ Tamiya connector 1 x 7.2V Venom 1200mAh 6 cell split 2/3A w/ std Micro connector 1 x 8.4V Thunder Tiger pre-made 1200mAh 7 cell 2/3A w/ Tamiya 1 x 9.6V Venom 1200mAh 8 cell 2/3A w/ Tamiya On all the batteries my charger shuts down and says COMPLETE after about 80-90mAh input. I have the peak set at 5mV, tried charging at 5050mAh @ 1A and 2.5A for the 4200 SubC's, and 1450mAh @ 1A and 1.5A for the 1200 2.3A's. I started with it plugged into the wall, then thought maybe there was an issue with our generator power frequency (60Hz) so I switched to a 12V power supply (output 13.7V up to 10A). I'm out at work so I'm running off a Cummins Bt4/60kW genset. Currently trying a .2A slow charge for the 2/3A 8cell pack as I'm still trying to get it's first charge in (same for the 7 cell pack). The 4200's have been charged once already with a simple Pihranha DC 4A charger, and the 6 cell 2/3A pack has been charged numerous times with a losi wall (AC) peak charger for a mini T (and still charges fine on it). All my batteries show the same issue regardless of what I set the charger to. Everything seems fine once the charge starts and the input power reading is fairly stable at both AC and DC input. Am I missing something? I'm just getting back into things and most of my experience was with the old 1500mAh NiCd's and the usual timed charges and feeling temps near the end. Did I get a bum charger? Last edited by Rockfrog; 09-30-2009 at 11:51 PM.

10-01-2009, 12:30 AM	#2
Rockcrawler I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hueytown, Alabama Posts: 6,777	Have you charged anything on this charger yet? If not, I would take it back and swap it out. I would say to try a different mv setting but I would think that one of them would have charged. If you have some spare time, bump it up to 7 or 8 and try it again. Also, double check all the settings on the charger. I have never owned that charger so I cant say much on them.

10-01-2009, 12:48 AM	#3
clockworks Rock Crawler Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: UK Posts: 818	If you've got a problem with the AC from your generator, chances are you'll have the same problem when you use the DC power supply. Can you try running the charger from a car/truck battery?

10-01-2009, 12:12 PM	#4
Rockfrog Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Duncan, BC, Canada Posts: 750	OK, I'll give that one a shot ... I can try off the forklift battery. i've been letting it trickle at .1A until it times out after 5hrs(300 mins) and then starting again ... at least that works ... leads me to believe it is probably a fluctuating voltage issue common to generater power systems (but then I still have the same problem when we're running off the inverter as well).

10-09-2009, 01:10 PM	#5
Rockfrog Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Duncan, BC, Canada Posts: 750	well, finally drained the battery and now that I'm home on city power it'sall working fine. Thanks for the help guys. Didn't realize our generator power was that unstable.

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