AstroFlight Lithium charger 10 years old worthless ? Pros and cons for me to keep it

[rearwheelin]

This thing has been used maybe 8 times and the last was probably 8 years ago. It’s like brand new and still have 2 balance cards . Why should I keep it ? Thank you EF0E8CD3-BE75-4040-B8AB-166F0D4EAB76.jpg

[Fluid]

Because it works, is simple and has no functions you don’t need. I have three and still use them more than my more “modern” chargers. But keeping them means some millennials will call you old skool....as you whoop them on the race course.


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[rearwheelin]

Because it works, is simple and has no functions you don’t need. I have three and still use them more than my more “modern” chargers. But keeping them means some millennials will call you old skool....as you whoop them on the race course.


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That’s a good enough reason to keep it for me !!

[TRUCKPULL]

I hade 6 of them up untill a few years ago, I kept 1 when I sold mine off.
The reason that I kept 1 is, if you have a pack that is two low on charge that it will not start on a new type charger. An ASTRO will bring it back into range for the newer charger to take over.
Also I always used a Hyperion LB-10 balancer with them.

Larry

[rearwheelin]

I hade 6 of them up untill a few years ago, I kept 1 when I sold mine off.
The reason that I kept 1 is, if you have a pack that is two low on charge that it will not start on a new type charger. An ASTRO will bring it back into range for the newer charger to take over.
Also I always used a Hyperion LB-10 balancer with them.

Larry

Thanks Larry , good to know .

[Capt'n Crash]

I still have one of these but I purchased an early version which needed to have the IC chip upgraded as it was reported that under certain circumstances it would mistake the number of cells being charged. After upgrading the chip I never had a problem with it.

[rearwheelin]

I still have one of these but I purchased an early version which needed to have the IC chip upgraded as it was reported that under certain circumstances it would mistake the number of cells being charged. After upgrading the chip I never had a problem with it.

I wonder if the upgraded chip is a benefit

[Capt'n Crash]

Looks like Astroflight still has the version 2 ic chip available.

Main advantage is no longer having to worry if it's going to burn your workshop down.

You can read about the advantages here:

https://www.astroflight.com/550-upgrade-chip-for-109-lithium-poly-charger-version-2-0-details.html

[30nitro]

Yes...That is still a great charger....mine still goin strong....!

[rearwheelin]

I’m going down into OSE forum history on who keeps there AFLC the longest! lol

[tlandauer]

I’m going down into OSE forum history on who keeps there AFLC the longest! lol

I got two since 2011.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[NativePaul]

The big con to me is that it uses a standalone balancer that has no communication with the charger. If you have a pack with a cell that goes down to the point that the chosen balancer can't equalize it , the charger will have no idea and will carry on charging regardless, until the total pack voltage hits 4.2v times the number of cells, which means that all the good cells in the pack will be overcharged which is not a safe condition.

To exacerbate this issue the Astroflight Blinky balancer has a maximum balance current of 150mA, and I would expect a modern charger of a similar purchase price to have a maximum balance current of 300mA on its internal balancer. The Blinky balancer does however have a much higher balance current than most of the modern cheap Chinese external balancers that could also be used with the 109, but only have a 50mA maximum balance current. They do however have the advantage of displaying individual cell voltages, so you can see when the first cell hits 4.2v and manually reduce charge current to below the balance current, as a modern integrated charger will automatically, to prevent overcharging.

IMO these chargers were behind the times when they were released, and I went the Hyperion route for integrated balancing, but if I had one and nothing else I would use it with the blinky balancer, but use a multimeter to check individual cell voltages after ever charge to make sure things aren't cascading out of balance. if you do see an imbalance discharge it normally then do a 150mA charge to rebalance it.

[TRUCKPULL]

Paul

That is why I used the Hyperion LBA - 10 balancers.
It can be used as a stand alone, or inline with a charger.
It workers perfectly with the Astro Flight chargers.

The LBA-10 is the same balancer that comes today built into the Hyperion chargers


Larry