What is a good battery charger to get?
January 20, 2009 by Baja Planet
Filed under F.A.Qs
The charger that comes with your Baja 5B RTR or 5T is an “Overnight Charger”. It will work just fine to get you going. As its name states, you will need to plug your battery in overnight or for MANY hours to have it fully charged. If it is left plugged in to long, you can run the risk of damaging your battery and possible causing it to overheat and cause a fire. If you choose to use it, check it often and do not leave unattended.
In the long run getting a battery charger that uses “Peak Detection” is much faster and safer then using the stock charger. Rather then charging by time, it will detect when the battery is fully charged and either shut off or enter into a trickle charge to keep the battery topped off. Once the charger indicates that the battery is fully charged you can be assured that you will not get a runaway due to a low battery. When using an overnight charger, you have no easy way of knowing if your battery is fully charged.
There are many different peak detection chargers available in many different price ranges. Choose a charger that fits your budget and has the bells and whistles you would like. Here is a small list of things you will want to think about before buying a charger.
- Is it a peak detect charger.
- AC or DC. Will you be using this charger only at home or out in the field.
- Amp settings. The higher the amp setting the faster the charge. 1amp, 2amp, 3amp are the most common.
- Will you be using this charger for other RCs. Look to see the requirements of your other batteries.
- Does the charger specify Nickel Metal Hydride. This is the most common battery that is used in the Baja
- Will it charge a 5 cell Sub C battery pack. This is the most common battery that is used in the Baja
If you would like more information or to ask question about this topic, please visit our forum.
