? Compatibility ?

Dapter is designed to work with 2S to 8S LiPo packs and 2S to 10S M1 (A123 Systems) packs. It is rated for up to 8 amps charge current. We have learned that there are a LOT of different chargers out there. So far, with hundreds of units in the field, we have not found an incompatible NiCad charger. Conceptually, Dapter should work with any constant-current peak-detect charger. The question "how many LiPos will my Brand X charger handle?" requires a little math. It takes at least 1.6 volts to peak a NiCad or NiMH cell. Dapter cuts off charge at about 4.2V for LiPo and 3.7V for M1. Based on this, #LiPo = #NiCad X 1.6 / 4.2 and #M1 = #NiCad X 1.6 / 3.7. Example: the Astro 110D is rated for 18 NiCad cells. #LiPo = 18 X 1.6 / 4.2 = 6.857 Better call it six! Let's work backwards: #NiCad = 8 X 4.2 / 1.6 = 21. In other words, if your charger is rated for more than 20 NiCads, it should do the rated number of LiPo. Working backwards for M1: #NiCad = 10 X 3.7 / 1.6 = 23.125 Again, if your charger is rated for more than 23 NiCads, it should do the rated number of M1. The emphasis on should is due to skepticism of some manufacturers' claims. It should also be noted that almost all chargers begin to run out of steam before the maximum rated cell count. For example, the Astro 112 Deluxe, a great charger, is rated at 7.5 amps up to 20 NiCads, dropping to 5.5 amps at 30 cells, and 4.0 amps at 40[!] cells. If you have a NiCad charger that can only do 7-8 NiCads, don't bother buying a Dapter for LiPo. There are inexpensive chargers on the market for 2 or 3 LiPo that will do the job cheaper. The Dual Dapter is simply two Dapters in series with switches to allow charging using either or both. It is rated for a maximum of 6 LiPo or 8 M1 cells on each side (12 max. LiPo or 16 max. total depends on your charger capability). Here is an incomplete list of chargers that are known to work:

Astro 110D, 112D, 110 Deluxe Great Planes Triton Schulze isl 8-936 Wattage PF-12 ACE H/D 500 Robbe Power Peak Infinity Robbe Power Peak Infinity 2

Alpha 4 (using N setting) FMA SuperNova 250S Simprop Intellicontrol, incl. V3 Graupner Ultra Duo +25, +30 Dymond SuperTurbo GWS MC2002

A customer has reported a problem with his Dapter. The setup had two different brands of "smart" charger connected to the same switching power supply. There was apparently some bizarre noise generated that caused the Dapter to go brain dead. With either charger individually there was no problem. Many charger manufacturers recommend against using power supplies. We personally have been using two Astro chargers with a linear power supply with no problems, but do not doubt that some combinations could be problematic. We highly recommend using any charger with a substantial 12-volt battery. We must advise against multiple chargers on a power supply when using Dapter. When trying any new setup, always pay close attention to the charge voltage.