Smart Battery Charger for NiMH/NiCd 7.2V-12V 6S-10S Battery Packs, Compatible with Standard Tamiya/Mini Tamiya/Alligator Clip Connector for RC Cars, Airplanes, Airsoft Batteries

I bought this to charge the 7.2v batteries for this r/c tank I bought my teenager - 1/16 German Tiger Air Soft Rc Battle Tank (Upgrade Version w/ Metal Gear & Tracks) . I also bought this Ni-MH battery upgrade for the tank listed above - Tenergy 7.2V 3800mAh Flat NiMH High Power (38A Drain Rate) Battery Pack with Tamiya Connector for RC Cars and Sumo Robots . The nice thing about this charger is that it is designed to charge the battery fully, then stop, since it has an integral temperature sensor that is put against the battery pack to turn it off if the battery pack heats up. It's also able to automatically detect the proper charging voltage, from 7.2v to 12v, and it has a selector designed to adjust the output amperage for the given capacity of battery pack. The selector is set to the 0.9A position for packs with capacities ranging from 900mAh to 1800mAh, and set to the 1.8A position for packs with capacities ranging from 1800mAh to 5000mAh. One note is that this charger cannot be used with packs with capacities below 900mAh or above 5000mAh, but those are basically non-existent. The charger's default plug is the standard Tamiya connector, and it also comes with two adapter plugs. One of the adapters allows it to charge basically any type of battery having exposed posts using the two alligator clips on the adapter. The other adapter converts the standard Tamiya connector down to the mini Tamiya connector. The charger also comes with two spare fuses. Not a bad deal, and it works perfectly.

Works as it should, fast charging

I have an old original Black & Decker "Dust Buster" from the 1970's that I wanted to resurrect from "the dead." I had used it for decades to do little clean-up jobs and always kept it plugged in and charged. Over time I had to replace the NiCD battery pack a number of times. Long ago I had been able to get the packs already made up from Black & Decker, but that was ancient history. (I read that NASA originally asked B&D to develop what became the Dust Buster for the space program in the late 1960's.) For some reason (I think it got left in a spare room and forgotten) I stopped using the Dust Buster until recently, when I had a small spill of crumbs and thought, "Hey, I'll use the old Dust Buster." I wasn't surprised that despite being plugged in it was dead. It turned out that the wall-wort battery charger that the Dust Buster used had died some time ago and the NiCDs were gone as well. So I ordered up some NiMH batteries this time and built my own battery pack. Then I needed to charge these new batteries, but the old-style charger for the NiCDs wouldn't work well with new NiMHs, as they are completely different from NiCDs in design, materials and construction. I needed a "smart charger" that works with the battery type I was updating to, and this Tenergy Smart Universal Charger seemed to be the way to go. The charger comes with a quick-connect type of plug and an additional adapter plug with "alligator clamps" that connects to it for simple charging situations. I bought some quick-connect adapter plugs at a local hobby store (they're used a lot in charging the batteries used in RC car racing) and added one to my new battery pack in the Dust Buster. To charge the D'Buster I simply hook the Tenergy's quick-connect to the mate on the D'Buster. (I mounted the one on the D'Buster in the end of the vacuum's handle, as opposed to the original battery port that was on the bottom of the unit and plugged in to the wall mount plate that the vacuum hung on. It looks as if Black & Decker designed it that way.) This setup has turned out to work great. The D'Buster is still stored in its wall-cradle just as it always had, and it can be charged with the Tenergy either while it's hanging in the wall-cradle or simply sitting on a table. The new batteries last a long time, give the D'Buster more vacuum power than it had originally and is charged much more quickly. The Tenergy Smart Universal Charger for NiMH/NiCDs is a good buy and well made. Highly recommended.

If speedy charging is what you are after this charger is not for you. It charges fine, but does take awhile due to low amperage rating. It can charge smaller packs out of its "rated" charging bracket, but do so at your own risk. I have a 7.2V 700mAh Ni-cd that I charge with this and as per the instructions it is lower capacity than minimum. It argues with me each time I try and charge it as it seems to "know" the battery is smaller than it likes. By simply zapping the 200mAh with a 12V source for a split second it fools the charger into thinking it is larger than it actually is and will begin charging it. There have been no temperature issues with this as I always use the supplied thermister as per the instructions on all charges. It does seem to peak charge every battery I have tried, which is a plus. This charger can also charge market rechargeable batteries if a cell/battery holder is used with the appropriate adapter. Futaba, Airtronics, JR to name a few offer up to an eight-cell holder: B0015H1ASS for example. This will keep my aftermarket AAA, AA, C, D, 9V rechargeables working long after the phony wall mount charger burns up.

This charger is the perfect complement for the batteries Tenergy sells (go figure right?) matching the need to provide the higher current when building a 10 cell (12v) NimH pack. But not only does it actually shutdown at the proper voltage, the temperature thermistor bulb does add that degree of cell safety preventing unintentional overheating. I replaced the NiCd cells in a portable vacuum cleaner, gutted the garbage charging board and replaced it with a 5 pin din connector. This allowed me to permanently integrate the thermistor into the battery pack and make the charging as simple as plugging one connector from the charger into the battery on the vacuum! Works Great and Great Batteries!

A wonderful device for the occasional RC hobbyist. Straightforward and easy to use and moderately priced.

Buen producto

Plug and wait, easy to use and works fine

I like the versatility of the charger and I use it and the battery for my RC truck and equipment

Very fast charge. It's very safe to use cause of all the features and the thermal reading cord keeps in touch with the battery to ensure it doesn't overheat.

Very happy. Works well and will charge all my battery packs.