Purpose of Separate Power Supply?

[alexchen86]

My Hyperion EOS0606i had issues with the balance port so I sold it a while back. I now have been using my back up Hitec X1 AC/DC charger for my lipos.

With that being said, why is it that racers tend to use power supplies in the pit while using their chargers? What's the purpose of a separate power supply when they have wall plugs present?

I noticed there's a lipo fast charge setting on my Hitec X1, can I use this feature with a standard 110V AC wall plug?

I've been in r/c for just over 3 years, so I still consider myself a noob lol.

[Mud Puppy]

most internal power supplies are not as high amp as external ones. For example a charger I have can only go up to 3 amps on the internal power supply but can charge at 8 amps on an external supply.
Plus one external supply can often run more than one charger, so it becomes more cost-efficient to have an external supply if you have multiple chargers.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Mud Puppy

most internal power supplies are not as high amp as external ones. For example a charger I have can only go up to 3 amps on the internal power supply but can charge at 8 amps on an external supply.
Plus one external supply can often run more than one charger, so it becomes more cost-efficient to have an external supply if you have multiple chargers.

+1, way back when, I used a 30A car battery charger as a DC supply. It ran 3 Tekin NiCD chargers and a Tekin discharger with no issues. That way I only needed a single 110VAC plug.

Newer chargers seem to need a slightly better DC supply to prevent false peaks during a charge.

[JeremyH]

I use one because I needed the power supply for multiple reasons....for my charger as well as for my motor master (what I use to power my comm lathe and break in new/fresh cut motors).

[alexchen86]

Well since I'm just tooling around getting into e-buggies I doubt I would need an external battery supply unless I really start competing and may look into getting another Hyperion charger. Thanks for all the info guys!

[sim]

If your charger can charge your batteries at 1C with the internal power supply, you certainly can get by without a separate power supply. I don't power mine with one, but I have a small separate 7A power supply for powering cooling fans (and tire warmers if needed). The faster the motor cools down, the more I get to play, so it's handy.

[alexchen86]

Yup the Hitec X1 can charge lipos at 1C with the internal power supply. Looking at the specs between my old Hyperion EOS0606i and my Hitec X1, the X1 pretty much does everything my Hyperion can do.

Hitec X1 (50 watt power limit): Input 11-18V DC or 100-240V AC power source, can charge up to 6s and 6A max charge current
Hyperion EOS0606i (50 watt power limit): Input 11V-15V DC or 100V-240V AC power source, can charge up to 6s and 6A max charge current

It just seems Hyperion's build quality is nicer since it's aluminum versus Hitec being plastic.

Should I just get another Hitec X1?

[fred0000]

my race track does not supply 110v power so most of us without generators charge off of our cars, I chose chargers that are DC only since they are lower profile, I run 3 of these chargers off of my power supply while i'm at home.

(I keep a booster box in my car now too, it's not un common for someone to kill the battery in there car after a day at the races)

Hyperion chargers are very good, but it seems everyone at my local track is switching to hitec chargers, I don't think you could go wrong with either, if it was me i'd get another hitec, 2 of the same charger looks cooler then a mix match setup.