Integy 16x5 Charger

[hankster]

Note: This item was reviewed a number of years ago but it may still be interesting some.

Charge, charging, charged, peak charge, peak charger, re-peak, two repeaks, NiCad, nickel metal hydride, 4 amps, 5 amps, timed, digital, ac, dc, ac/dc, discharger, cycler… where does it end? The ever changing world of radio control and battery charging probably never will! From the early days of R/C, we did not know what a "matched pack" was, let alone a "team matched pack". But now, more than ever, technology of rechargeable batteries are changing, and so are the chargers.

I am one of the first, to be somewhat skeptical of anything new. No, not stuck in the old ways, but as my wallet opens, my significant other’s eyebrows raise further. Questions like "how is this going to help you race?" or "Do you REALLY need this?"… "um… yes… um… no… I mean… the batteries are expensive now and you need to take better care of them so that you don’t have to buy new batteries as often. (WHEW!!!)." I look at the UPS truck and the U.S. Postman as Santa Claus in person. If they are bringing ME a package, then it MUST be Christmas… right?

On to the subject at hand. Integy has a new battery charger/discharger/cycler on the market, the Integy Indi16x5 with VESC technology. First impressions were WOW! I like the size, I can put TWO of these in my… um… no… that would involve raising eyebrows and we already covered that subject. But, two would fit just right and still have more space left over for other pit box "stuff".

At this point, I must confess. I broke down from being a "man’s man". Yep, you heard it right here, in print, I READ the directions FIRST! I know, I know… but I have never seen anybody else use one, so, I thought that should be step one. But the box did tease me though, the directions were under the charger. So, after wiping the drool off of the charger, and shooing the postman away, I sat down and read the charger.

After reading the directions (ok, I just skimmed them and looked at the pictures), I fired up the charger by testing the power supply over voltage protection first. I have a power supply that has an output of 16+ volts and I thought, why not "test" all the functions of the charger first. Sure enough, the input voltage protection greeted me with beeps and the display was correct, the power supply output was too much. Recommended voltage input is 11.5 to 15.0 volts. Not a problem, as ALL electrical devices have a specified range in which they operate, the 16x5 just happens to help out the user before they run the risk of destroying the new hardware. Next, I plugged in the old aluminum finned dinosaur of a power supply, and the charger was ready to be put through the paces.

16x5 directions are simple and straight forward including the various functions that this cycler is capable of. Adjustable drop back voltage of 3 millivolt (mV) to 20 millivolt (mV) per cell is a great feature of any charger. Drop back voltage is how the charger knows when to stop the charge function when charging batteries. 16x5 is capable of charging 4 to 8 cell packs (perfect for R/C use, which includes transmitter batteries – there is a lookup table in the back of the instruction manual for NiCad and NiMh cells of varying capacity). Charging current values are fully adjustable from 0.1 to 7.0 amps in 0.1 increments.

The discharge mode is used more and more by racers and hobbyists everyday. This is one of the best ways to find out how much actual runtime is left in the pack after a race and great way to discharge every pack down to the same level every time. The discharge mode cuts off the pack voltage at the specified 0.90 volts per cell by the number of cells selected in the setup menu at the beginning of the discharge or cycle mode. Discharge amperage rate is adjustable from 0.1 to 20.0 amps in 0.1 amp increments.

Cycling mode has a capacity of 1 to 9 cycles. When the Indi 16x5 is in the cycling mode, two built in fans run continuously during the discharge cycle. The internal fans remove the heat from the large internal heatsink when in the discharge mode or during the discharge mode of the cycle. The fans may come on during the charge cycle as the internal temperature of the charger is continuously monitored.

This 16x5 was not disconnected from the power supply for almost 160 continuous hours the first week after arriving. I figured this was a good "let it burn" test and it allowed me to continue cycling packs during the waking hours.

On to the good stuff… the BOTTOM LINE! What do I like about the charger? Capabilities, adjustability, size, and price. Capability of the charger/discharger/cycler is at least everything that is currently available on the market. Combined with the VESC linear charging technology, adjustable drop back voltage during charging, adjustable discharge rate, and the capacity to cycle packs. The charger can be purchased with and without a power supply which is a another plus to the price category. If you already have a 12 volt power supply, no extra cost is needed.

The other bottom line. At first, I did not like the audible beeps when scrolling through the menu programs, but I grew accustomed to it shortly. Now, I actually like the beep, as audible tone lets the user know when a particular function that was selected is done. Now I do not have to watch the clock and check every few minutes when I think the charge is done.

Would I buy one? No… but I would buy TWO!

Tom Englehart