I have had 1/18 lipo's without balancing them, but everyone seems to be using them. Which is a good one for Orion lipo packs? I use an Ice charger.
Thanks!

Check out this (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=209348&highlight=balancer) thread. Read post # 13, it has some good info!

For the Orion packs and a lot of other brands of hard shell packs they have a weird balancing lead. You plug the positive and negative wires of the balancer onto the positive and negative charge leads with something like "pass-through" banana leads. The middle balancing wire goes in this small little banana jack on the Orion pack.

Any balancer will work. You will just have to convert the balancer plug on the balancer to use the banana connectors. It's not difficult as long as you have basic soldering skills. The pass through banana plugs you can get a Radio Shack. I am unsure about the small banana plug. I don't know if it is a standard item radio shack carries or not.

If you don't want to deal with any soldering, get the TrakPower one. It comes with the correct leads for balancing a 2s pack. See the following link. Tower sells the balancer for $50 which is a little pricey for a balancer.

http://www.trakpower.com/Products/tpvbalcomplete.asp

One final thing. You probably would want to verify with someone who has actually owned the TrakPower balancer that the middle balancing lead is the correct size for the Orion packs. I am assuming it is but have no hands on experience with the TrakPower balancer or the Orion packs.

One final thing. You probably would want to verify with someone who has actually owned the TrakPower balancer that the middle balancing lead is the correct size for the Orion packs. I am assuming it is but have no hands on experience with the TrakPower balancer or the Orion packs.

It works for orion packs. I have one.

I heard a rumor that CheckPoint is going to have a balancer very soon -- it comes wired for Orion packs. I can't wait -- hope it's red too like my CheckPoint 1030 charger :)

Tower has the Checkpoint balancer in stock. Cost $40. Does 2s or 3s. Looks like it basically an LBA6 balancer.

Hey guy's I have been running the trackpack 4900 for almost a year and have the balancer. In my opinion the balancer is a waist of money cause I have only seen the balancer lights come on one time. Just my 2 cents

Tower has the Checkpoint balancer in stock. Cost $40. Does 2s or 3s. Looks like it basically an LBA6 balancer.

Yup -- I saw it today. I'll use my $20 off code :)

I use the Trakpower balancing lead with my Blinky Balancer for Orion, Peak, and Trakpower packs. Works great. The Trakpower lead is only about $6

I just got the Team Checkpoint Pro Balancer -- nice unit. The only thing I don't like about it is that in charge-thru mode, when the charge is done it goes into its stand-alone balance mode -- which will lightly discharge a cell if it needs to. I'm not crazy about any discharging after I've charged a pack.

Not sure if the other balancers act like that on charge-thru mode ??

I believe the trakpower does the same thing