Is this power supply ok.....please help!!!

[jamesbernatchez]

I have a Competition Electronics Turbo 30 w/ upgrade and need a power supply for it. Is this one from radio shack ok:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103960&cp=&pg=14&y=5&origkw=power+supply&x=3&kw=power+supply&s=D-StorePrice-RSK&parentPage=search

I will only be using it for the Turbo 30 and also maybe a Duratrax Ice if i get one. From what i gather is i can charge the packs no problem using 5 or 6 amps but i wont be able to discharge at 30 amps....right? Is the max i can discharge at 15 amps with that one. Anyone know a good power supply that i can pick up at Radioshack/Sears/Etc. that isnt nesessarily made for RC but will work fine?

I plan on buying this in the next 2 hours so help would be very helpful. Thanks again.

Please only post if you actually know what you are talking about.

If you can point me to a better one that would be great. I would like to try and keep it under $100 though!

[AreCee]

No, the discharge is not dependant on the power supply but rather on the resistance circuitry built into the discharger. (ie electronic resistors)

[jamesbernatchez]

No, the discharge is not dependant on the power supply but rather on the resistance circuitry built into the discharger. (ie electronic resistors)


So thats not a good one....... :confused: So it will discharge at 30amps? You've confused me more than before :p

James

[AreCee]

What don't you understand about the discharge function of the Turbo 30 that it does not depend on the amperage of the power supply?

If you have any doubts then do yourself a favor and spend a little more for a 30 amp power supply.

[jamesbernatchez]

What don't you understand about the discharge function of the Turbo 30 that it does not depend on the amperage of the power supply?

If you have any doubts then do yourself a favor and spend a little more for a 30 amp power supply.


Ive never used a DC charger before. What i get out of what your saying is that even if the power supply is only a 15 amp that doesnt mean the Turbo 30 will only discharge at a max of 15 amps.

It WILL only charge at a max of 15 amps(if the charger was capable of charging up to that)

Im more of a nitro guy so all this electronic talk is a bit confusing to me.

I understand that that powersupply will supply enough amps to charge my batts no problem. But your saying the discharge function on the Turbo 30 has no relation to the amount of amps the power supply is putting out. So with that power supply it WILL discharge at up to the full 30 amps then?

Hope im understanding this...:)

[AreCee]

Yes, now you've got it.

[tucsonbroker]

The power supply will supply voltage to the charger, and the charger will pass the voltage to the batteries. That is the charge cycle.

To discharge, the reverse happens with a slight modification. The battery passes current to the discharger, but not all the way to the power supply. The current is used up by the discharger which has built-in resistors. Think of resistors as lightbulbs. They generate no light, but they expend the energy in the form of heat. Hence why your discharger/charger has a heat sink built into it.

[jamesbernatchez]

Awesome...thanks so much for the help. I guess ill try this power supply out and see how it goes. The guy i got the charger from said he uses a radioshack power supply and has had no problems with it. I will probably get a higherend RC specific power supply when i get some more cash and get my turbo 35 gtx but for now hopefully this will do.

Thanks again you guys! :)

[guver]

You got the discharge part, but back to the chargeing part (which depends on the ps)

The radio shack ps you listed will power the ice OR the Turbo 30 to the max.

[jamesbernatchez]

You got the discharge part, but back to the chargeing part (which depends on the ps)

The radio shack ps you listed will power the ice OR the Turbo 30 to the max.


yep i got that...what would happen if i tried to use both at the same time.....say both chargers were charging a 3800 nimh pack at 6 amps... combined its under the max of 15 amps so would it work?

[guver]

6 cells is about 9 volts max when chargeing at 6 amps, let's figure 10 to be safe and easy. 10 volts x 6 amps = 60 watts for each battery pack or for each charger.

Your ps is about 200 watts so you'll be fine.

[jamesbernatchez]

Cool, thanks for the clarification :)