Litco Systems Alpha4 review | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The following is a review from Model Helicopter
Technique. Tel. (512) 312 0908. If you are into
helicopters it is a great magazine.
Litco Alpha-4 Charging System Review
You've heard me write about the Litco Alpha 4 charging system in my column before. Some of you may have even seen the Litco ads (black with small white lettering) in RCM. If you're like most people, the Litco ad doesn't look any more special to you than any of the other zillion ads that appear monthly in RCM.
Before the '94 Toledo show, one of my flying buddies, Ray Liptak, started talking about this Alpha 4 charging system. He had called Litco, received lots of tech information, and was truly excited about this system. Normally, I talk to Ray about every other day, and the topic of conversation seemed to always center around this charger. He was making me crazy with this thing.
Truthfully, I wasn't paying a lot of attention to Ray's praise of the Litco system. Why should I consider another charger? I had a Digipace, the chargers from the radio (and two extra), and a gel cell charger. All of these worked perfectly, so I didn't see any reason to shell out another $200 bucks for one more charger. I just thought that crazy Ray was trying to waste his money on some useless gadget (again).
Since it was almost time to go to the Toledo show, I suggested to Ray that he go through the show and get as much information on all the chargers and cyclers he could, and then make an educated decision on which one to buy. Being as persistent as a pig looking for truffles, Ray proceeded to talk to anyone and everyone at the show who sold chargers, cyclers, or charging systems. In his mind, he still couldn't come up with a single charger or cycler that could match the Alpha 4 for cost and features.
To finish up my lengthy introduction, Ray got his Alpha 4 system shortly after coming back from the Toledo show. When we would get together and work on our machines, he would give me a little "show and tell" with his new gadget. After numerous demonstrations, I came to realize not only that he didn't waste his money, but all of his praise was indeed warranted, and his research yielded a real jackpot.
So what's the big deal about this system? The list is long, so hold on and here goes. One of the neatest features is that this unit works off of 115 volt AC power. (A large 9.2 VAC 3 AMP "wall wart" is supplied.) It works as a field charger off of your car's 12 volt (DC) battery or your 12 volt field box battery, and you can even use a 10 cell Ni-Cd pack as your power to charge other batteries.
Different power to the unit is handled by plugging the transformer plug (or other power lead) into the power port on the left side of the charger. Personally, I made up my 12 volt DC power cord with two alligator clips on its end to clip directly to my car's battery. And, the Alpha 4 doesn't even care if you hook up the 12 volt power cable with reversed polarity (that's not a typo)! Other pilots I know have put a cigarette lighter attachment on one end of their 12 volt power cable. One neat note on using the Alpha 4 with a cigarette lighter attachment is that you can use the charger in your car while you are driving to the field. The motor noise from your car will not affect the charger or your batteries.
Another one of my favorite features of this flexible charger is the fact that you can simultaneously "process" four separate batteries with the ten build in "devices. How does it do that? By the use of "sophisticated multitasking operating system firmware." High tech words for high tech equipment.
This unit contains three different cyclers, three fast chargers, including a wet and gel dual rate charger with float, sophisticated voltmeter ESV, two C/10 chargers, and one trickle-only charger. How do they get all these "devices" inside this small box (6.25" x 6.25" x 1.35")? The Alpha 4 system is "firmware" based, while most other manufacturers use discreet components like resistors and transistors. In other words, all of the Alpha 4's "devices" are burned into small eprom chips which are used in conjunction with a RISC type microprocessor to make for a very small and neat package. If this unit, with all its features, was manufactured the traditional method by using discreet components, it would be the size of a Volvo station wagon (only a slight exaggeration).
What do they, mean by "devices"? These devices include:
Device #1- Indefinite C/10 charger terminating in a trickle.
Device #2- Advanced slope following peak detector charger terminating in a trickle. This mode fast charges to 100% and displays a four digit digital voltage readout.
Device #3- Fast charger that detects voltage and terminates in a trickle. This mode fast charges to 80%, and then slow charges to 100%, then goes to a trickle. This mode also displays a four digit digital voltmeter.
Device #4- Wet and gel cell charger terminating in a float mode, also displaying a four digit digital volt meter. This device will handle wet and gel cell batteries from 2 to 18 volts (1 to 9 cells).
Device #5- Rapid cycler and fast charger, voltage detector terminating in a trickle. This mode allows for one hour cycling of a 500 MAH Ni-Cd.
Device #6- Super fast cycler and advanced slope following peak detector charger terminating in a trickle.
Device #7-Voltmeter with two four digit voltage displays, one for no load and one for load. Voltage range is from 0 volts to 24 volts, which is sufficient for testing up to 16 cell Ni-Cd packs. This mode also has a provision for 1 through 9 Ni-Cd cell single keypress test with full diagnostics. A final feature of the voltmeter mode is a momentary quick charge keypress provision to bring completely discharged batteries to an acceptable voltage for further processing.
Device #8- Trickle only charger, capable of handling up to 48 Ni-Cd cells in various pack combinations.
Device #9- Normal cycler and overnight C/10 charger terminating in a trickle.
Device #10-. Normal C/10 charger with no trickle. This mode is intended for new battery priming.
In this one small box you have the above listed ten "devices" that you can use in your workshop or at the field Most importantly, it will "process" packs anywhere from 1 cell to 12 cells.
Sound too good to be true? I thought so, but I was wrong. Sound confusing? Maybe a little at the beginning, but after about three minutes it's a piece of cake. Actually, there are only four of these "devices" that you will use on a regular basis; the rest of them you will only use occasionally. I'll touch on some of the features of these four most used devices.
Easy overnight charging of your Tx and Rx packs:
After a flying session, when you need to charge your Ni-Cds back up at a normal rate, the "device" you use is: Device #1- Indefinite C/10 charger terminating in a trickle. This will safely charge your transmitter, receiver, and glo driver, automatically turning to trickle when the Ni-Cds are charged properly. You can also leave your Ni-Cds left on the trickle portion of this device indefinitely.
Overnight charge rates are automatically set according to the battery capacity at a C/10 rate (C/10 = capacity divided by 10) from 10 mAh to 1000 mAh in 1 mAh increments.
How does the Alpha 4 know when to switch to trickle? Does it use a 16 or 17 hour timer like most of the other chargers? No way, that's old technology. To do this, the Alpha 4 uses four analog to digital converters, one for each port. Each one is capable of measuring voltages and converting it to digital form. This information is then stored in the internal memory. Now the Alpha 4 can follow the voltage verses time curve of the battery and determine exactly at what state of charge the batteries are.
These "slope detection" methods allow the unit to switch to trickle on the particular portion of the battery voltage versus time curve avoiding any overcharge. Ni-Cd slope turns negative, while the nickel metal hydride (NIMH) slope does not. For this reason, peak detector chargers (negative slope devices) should not be used with nickel metal hydride, batteries. (I guess I forgot to mention that this unit will also charge nickel metal hydride batteries; just don't use the peak detector function with Nimh batteries.)
The old-fashioned "timer-based" chargers that we're all used to go for 16 or 17 hours no matter what the batteries really need. This results in a buildup of pressure, which ultimately causes venting and then loss of capacity. Been there, done that.
I've described why device # 1 works, but now I'll show you how easy it is to use. We're going to hypothetically charge one of my flight packs. It's a 5 cell 1400 MAH pack. After plugging your pack into port #1 (or any other port), begin the programming by pressing the "P" key on the sealed soft-touch keyboard. At the choice prompt, press "P" again. The Alpha 4 will then ask you to "Enter Port." You respond by pressing "1" for port 1. Then you'll be asked to "Enter Funct." This is asking you to enter your choice of device. You'll respond by pressing the number "1" key which will tell the Alpha 4 to use the C/10 indefinite charger terminating in a trickle mode. Next, you'll be asked "Number of Cells." Press "05" for five cells (or "04" for four cells, etc.). The last question you'll be asked will be to "Enter Cap." The Alpha 4 is asking you to enter the capacity of your battery pack. You key in "1400" for the 1400 MAH pack. At the end of these questions, just press the "R" button which tells the Alpha 4 to run the program. That's all there is to it. Just sit back and monitor the LCD readout to see when the Alpha 4 goes into a trickle mode. Repeat as necessary for the other three ports as needed.
One quick note about port # 1. Let's say you accidentally unplug your Alpha 4 from its power source. Well, as long as you have a battery pack plugged into port # 1, your charging, cycling, (or whatever) will continue normally as soon as you hook the Alpha 4 back up to either AC or DC power. I've used this neat feature many times.
What if there is a problem, or you keyed in the wrong information for the batteries you're trying to charge? Not a problem, the Alpha 4 will not let you be stupid enough to hurt your batteries (obviously designed specifically for use by males). For example, let's say you keyed in a charging program and pressed "R" to run the program, and there was no battery hooked up to the port you've chosen. The Alpha 4 displays "OPEN" on its LCD screen, which reminds you to hook up the battery. Or, how about if the cable or connector is shorted out? In this situation, the Alpha 4 displays "SHORT" on its LCD screen, again not letting you blow up the charger or your battery pack. What if you made a teensy-weensy error in soldering the cable on your battery or charging cord, and you accidentally reversed the polarity? Again, the Alpha 4 saves your butt by displaying "REVER" on the LCD screen, informing you that the polarity in the battery or cable is reversed. Last, but not least, if you key the wrong information into the Alpha 4, you may get a "V.LO" or "V.HI" display telling you that the battery voltage is too low or too high for the type of battery specified (NiCd, wet or gel cell). It's like having the Alpha 4 designer, Peter Figielski, standing next to you smacking your hand when you make a rare error.
Now class, let's review.... after a I flying session, just plug the pack (or packs) into the charger, press a few keys for about five seconds, and your gear will be charged to perfection whenever you want to go flying again, whether it's the next day or two weeks down the road, without fear of damage to your battery packs.
Charging your flight box battery:
How about charging your gel cell flight box battery? You'll use the "W" device (#4), and it's just as easy as charging a flight pack. Hook up your battery to the port of your choice. Press "P" to program and follow a few prompts on the LCD screen. Remember, when the Alpha 4 asks you to "Enter Cells" for a wet or gel cell battery, you should respond by keying in "06" for a 12 volt battery and "03" for a six volt battery.
The "W" device addresses the special needs of a wet or gel cell battery by first charging the battery to 100% and then switching to a "FLOAT" mode, which only supplies enough current to neutralize self-discharging. This particular "device" also shows a 4 digit volt meter on the LCD screen. Don't expect this "device" to rejuvenate worn out wet or gel cell batteries.
After switching over to charging my gel cell battery with the Alpha 4, I've noticed that my gel cell battery is usable longer between charges.
Digital voltmeter:
The "V" device (#7) is actually a voltmeter that is two voltmeters in one; one voltmeter dis- plays a "no load," and the other voltmeter displays a "load." (The brief load is 1000 MA divided by the number of programmed ports... more in a minute.)
If any pack (Ni-Cd, wet, or gel cell) is completely discharged and the voltage is too low to be charged, you can use a "quick charge" feature of the "V" device (#7). This will bring the voltage up to an acceptable level to be processed by the "device" of your choosing.
A common use of this voltmeter is to monitor the voltage of your receiver pack in your heli between flights. No need to buy another voltmeter to do this task when the Alpha 4 will do it perfectly.
I'm not going to insult your intelligence by holding your hand through the programming procedure yet again. The procedure is just as easy as the above mentioned "devices."
Cycling your batteries:
I'm only going to cover cycling your batteries with the "Cycler, C/10, Trickle" (#9) device. This device will cycle your batteries as gently as possible without fast charging them. There are two other cyclers, the "Rapid Cycler" (#5) and the "Super Fast Cycler" (#6), and their use is similar.
Programming device #9 is similar to all the other programming of the Alpha 4. After pressing "R" to run this program, this device starts in its discharge mode, displaying, the measured capacity in MAH accumulated during the discharge. When the discharge mode is completed, the Alpha 4 automatically switches into its C/10 charge mode, and when that's complete it automatically switches to trickle. As per the other devices, this is easily monitored on the Alpha 4's LCD screen.
The discharge rates are 1000 MA divided by the number of ports programmed. You have a choice of the following discharge rates: 1000 MA, 500 MA, 330 MA, and 250 MA, depending on how many ports you have programmed. You can discharge any Ni-Cd battery at the maximum rate of 1000 MA, but if you feel the need for a lower discharge rate, you can select a lower rate by programming one or more of the remaining ports and not plugging anything into them. (Editor's note: One battery and one programmed empty port = 500 MA. One battery and two programmed empty ports = 330 MA, etc.)
One last feature, that I think is fantastic, is that there are ten minutes of the manual available at the push of a button via the LCD display. Are you listening all you radio manufacturers?!? With the ease of use that the Alpha 4 offers, you'll probably be like me and never open the manual again after your first read through. Actually, it took me some time to find my manual to help write this column.
Earlier in this column, I mentioned that the Alpha 4 charger costs about $200 bucks. (As usual, I paid full price for my review unit.) Actually, the Alpha 4 charger, AC Adapter, and manual are $199.00 plus shipping direct from Litco. To connect your batteries to the Alpha 4's ports, you can either buy pretinned wires with plugs installed on one end, or you can just buy the 2.5 mm plugs from Litco or Radio Shack and make up your own charging or power cords. Remember to follow the cord length recommendations supplied by Litco. If you're making up your own cords, remember to make the polarity of the center of the plug positive.
Not only does the Alpha 4 do a great job maintaining our R/C related battery packs, but some of the other typical uses are: cellular phones, camcorders, laptop computers, cameras, flashes, single cell grading, shavers, and practically anything else that's got a rechargeable battery.
One thing I hate about product reviews is the usual glowing report about the product. Nobody says anything wrong in fear of making the vendor mad. That's unfair to us as consumers. With that out of the way, here are my two annoying problems with the Alpha 4. The first problem has to do with programming. With this unit being "firmware" based, it would be neat to be able to preprogram your particular needs into the Alpha 4 to reduce the amount of keystrokes needed to process a battery pack. In the Alpha 4's defense, there are 10 preprogrammed set- ups already in the unit, they just don't work with my particular pack combinations. Problem number two deals with having to make up the ends on my power and charging cords. This took me an evening to make up all the combinations that I needed. I would have preferred to just buy the cords made up with the appropriate connectors and start playing with the Alpha 4 right away. Again in Litco's defense, they do offer completed power cords with alligator clips or cigarette lighter adaptor on the ends. Both of these two minor problems are just that, minor problems. You shouldn't let them stop you from buying this first class unit.
Once you try the Alpha 4, you'll wonder how you ever got along with all those old-fashioned chargers and cyclers you used to use. But, don't tell too many of your friends about the Alpha 4 system too soon, because if they all buy one, you'll have no one to sell all your other chargers and cyclers.
How to Get in Touch With Me If any of you novice or intermediate pilots have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me via: CompuServe: 72557,2135; America Online: SJD13; 24 Hour FAX: (216) 943-2717;
Day phone: (216)943-2700;
Please be patient, it may take me awhile to respond, but I will. MHT
.
.
.
