Losi Mini Battery Charging Problems

[coopdad]

Howdy all... first thread after much lurking.
My problem. I got a Losi mini racer from Santa this past Christmas. It ran great a few times before the battery pack stopped charging it. Took it back to the hobby store to be fixed. Worked again for a few charges then died again... ended up on the shelf as a model.
Well, I was a the hobby store recently and noticed how expensive it really was and thought I was stupid to not run it. So, I emailed the contacts at Losi only to be told that "it if worked from the factory, it wasn't defective" and they won't fix it.
Did some detective work and I believe that it is the electronics of the battery charger that are not working. Is it that all the electronics do is act as a timer? Can I just pull it out and re-solder the wires to go directly to the plug and watch it like a hawk?

Thanks all for your advise.
John

 

[gottorque]

Its not worth pulling apart the stock battery. so id say get a proper charger and a new battery

 

[Rockfrog]

If it's the same Blue 1A peak detection charger I have ... then no, it's not just a timer.
If the charger is coming on the baterry you are charging is most likely deffective. I just went through the same issues after pulling my junk out of storage after 4yrs becuse the bug bit me again. My packs wouldn't charge as the soldering was corroded and there were some dead cells. I at first thought the charger was toast but tried a new pack and it worked just fine. Batteries ust don't like storage for long period without a recchaerge now and then. If there is anykind of fault with the battery te charger wil detect it and not turn on at all. It's been a pretty solid little charger for 2/3A 6 cell packs for 4.5yrs now.

 

[coopdad]

Thanks all for the help. No, the light on the battery charger pack is not coming on when plugged to the car.I did use my handy Volt-ohn meter and found that no electricity is making it out of the pack but if you say it detects something outside itself, then that test would not tell me anything (I assume). Is there a way to test the pack with the meter?
John

 

[Rockfrog]

you'll need to pull it apart and test each cell individually most likely there is a dead cell or a bad connection ... otherwise there would be even a slight charge to the pack. You're charger is acting like there is no battery attached for this reason