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Team Check•Point Programmable TC-1030 with 30A Discharge
By 78dave
Aug 21, 2007, 08:13 AM
Introduction
We all like to think we are keeping up with technology and at the same time we are thankful there are engineers out there coming up with ideas to make our lives easier. The Team Checkpoint TC-1030 programmable charger with 30A discharge, advanced motor break-in and backlit LCD is distributed by Great Planes and is one of those great ideas. Many of the features of the TC-1030 are geared toward the competition-level race. I want to thank Brad Cunningham, a local racer, for his insight into this charger.
Features
TC-1030 Standard Features
TC-1030 Special Features
The Charger
According to the instructions, you must have at least a 15 amp power supply (if you are like me, you probably use a converted computer power supply which is not adequate for the TC-1030). I purchased a 20 amp power supply from my local hobby shop for testing the larger batteries but this is only necessary when you are charging higher capacity cells. A converted power supply will provide plenty of power for most charging loads. From the instant you open the box you know this is a heavy duty charger/discharger with some real horsepower. Many of the features are for competition RC auto racing, but it also is an affordable alternative power source that can give you enough juice and help you avoid the sticker shock of larger LiPos for your glow to electric conversions. Many of the features for RC racing can be employed if you use Sub-C cells for your flying.
Instruction manual
I really like the instruction manual for one main reason: when it gives instructions for a particular method using the charger, it also tells you why this choice could be right for your application. The manual is not full of technical jargon, and in short, the manual is succinct! It gets to the point and categorizes all the procedures into logical sequences. Because of the flow of the manual, you are more inclined to try everything in sequence to better understand each feature.
RC RACING AND SUB-C MIMH AND NiCD
To begin the testing, I enlisted a good friend that is well involved in racing. Brad Cunningham (World's Greatest Mechanic), is a long time Mid-Missouri racer with just about every track gadget in his tool box. His insight into the Team Checkpoint charger and its many options greatly enhanced this review. There is level of investment into the hobby of RC racing that goes beyond money, and Brad is a guy who solders his battery into the car each time he races. I definitely respect his opinion!
DischargingTo begin, we did a simple discharge of a 3800 amp 6-cell Sub-c battery. We set the program for 20amps (even though the limit available was 30amps). A .9v/cell cutoff was selected; we did not want to draw the pack down below 5.4v. Using the supplied temperature probe we discharged the battery down in about 10 minutes and measured the charger with an IR temperature gun at 120°. The battery, as measured through the probe, was at 107°. When the cell was discharged we clearly heard a tone indicating the process was complete.
Motor TestingI realize brushless motors are the popular choice, but if you are like me, my Speed 400 motors are still good for many uses, and I still keep a few planes in the hanger that combo up nicely with the brushed system. For RC racers, this charger is an absolute must unless you have made the move to brushless. First up was the motor break-in. With new motors, the brushes need to be mated to the commutator by running the motor for a few minutes. The newest brushes are serrated so they break-in much faster. No need to overrun the motor or run it too fast with a high voltage. We only ran the motor three minutes and 48 seconds at 3.0 volts. Even then we got the motor up to 128°.
Next up was the 4-step motor break-in, a handy way to let your motor know the runs will not be at one speed but rather at increasing and decreasing speeds. At each of the four steps the output voltage, run-time, and cool-off time can be customized.
Our third test determines the condition of the motor. We used two motors for this test: a stock motor with a 27-turn motor and a modified motor with ball bearings and a 12-turn armature. For each motor we chose a voltage of 4.8 so each of the four sequences increases, with a short cool down period, by 1.2v. With this test you can look at the average amps drawn by the motor and the peak amps; the lower the average amps the more efficient the motor.
The motor test feature differs slightly form the motor break-in feature. With break-in the values for the output voltage, run-times and cool-off periods are user defined, but with the motor test function the voltage is automatically increased through the steps by the charger.
We also wanted to show how easily you can adjust the voltage of a motor and register the amperage.
There is also a lathe feature for this charger. Lathing is used to cut the carbon off the commutator and to re-surface the area for re-mating with new brushes. It is a precision instrument that holds the armature in place and gradually moves it toward the lathe where the other knob moves the armature back and forth across the diamond tipped cutting knife. Below is a picture of the lathe with a motor installed.
Charging
There are four linear charging options and three non-linear options for NiMH and NiCD batteries and a separate mode for LiPo/Ion batteries. I have provided a table with the features offered below
We did our charging sequence using the 3800 mAh battery we previously discharged at 6 amps. Below is the charge screen you see during the charging sequence.
As you are charging or discharging you can also see the graph of the process. In this feature, you can adjust the zoom or detail of the graph, the voltage center and the voltage range. There are two modes for the graphs: automatic and manual.
Cycling
NiMH and NiCD SummaryThere are a multitude of features available for NiMH and NiCD batteries with this charger. Clearly, Team Checkpoint has done their homework in addressing the needs of their consumers. Since I had solicited the help of an expert in these types of batteries, I asked what it was about this charger that would make him want to buy one. First, he was comfortable with the inputs - consistency in the way information is input saves a lot of time on the learning curve. Second, he felt the motor break-in feature was very smooth and performed just as he had hoped. Third, he was impressed with the 30 amp discharge feature and the reserve time function. He mentioned it would not be unusual that a charger might be on for 10-12 hours during a race day working all the time. The backlit screen was something he wished for in his other chargers (three of which were present). Add the five year warranty, and he was really impressed. I as well thought the charger performed very well through the paces of NiMH, NiCD and motor break-in. I learned a lot, and could tell these features are well worth the investment. This charger is far removed from others with its many features.
LiPo Charging
For all of you electric flyers this might be your section, but let me start by being clear that the TC-1030 does not have a cell balancing feature. It uses the constant current/constant voltage technique. I began my testing of batteries with ones more consistent with my use pattern. These included a 600 mAh 9.6 NiCd transmitter battery, a 4.8 volt 200 mAh NiMH receiver battery and a 11.1 volt 2000 mAh LiPo battery. Each type of battery was first discharged and then charged using the TC-1030. The graphing feature lets you see the pace of the charge. You can zoom in to 5x, watch the battery resistance and monitor the voltage center point throughout the charge. Moving through the menus was easy but does require some attention to which button you should NOT push (the left arrow button will exit the charging sequence). There was no extreme overheating of the batteries, nor were there any issue with the TC-1030 chassis getting too hot. In fact, through all the tests the charger only reached about 120° surface temperature.
Comparison of the Triton charger and the TC-1030.
ConclusionThere are many great features built into the Team Checkpoint TC-1030 that allow it to grow with you in your hobby. It will most certainly handle everything you have in your hangar now with a great deal of precision. I recommend the Checkpoint TC-1030 without hesitation to anyone with a need for a high quality charger that is ahead of the technology curve.
Pluses:
Minuses:
Last edited by Angela H; Aug 21, 2007 at 08:10 AM.. |
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Aug 21, 2007, 10:43 PM
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#2 |
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Ritewinger
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 210
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So basically it is a hopped up Duratrax ICE charger that has a backlight, larger amp discharge features and dual cooling fans? Is it worth to get rid of my ICE and get this?
Cameron |
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Aug 22, 2007, 06:33 AM
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#3 |
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Dr. Dave
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Howard County, MO
Posts: 861
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My sense when I reviewed the TC-1030 with a local racer was the power was worth it and the dual cooling fans were an improvement over the ICE. The backlight screen is really nice too. If you need to discharge quickly and want to be able to put a charge into the battery at a higher rate than the ICE there are no chargers out there better than this one. Besides, you can never have enough chargers.
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Aug 22, 2007, 05:24 PM
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#4 |
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Ritewinger
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 210
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Thanks for the response. I think am going to pick this one up.
Thanks, Cameron |
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Oct 08, 2007, 06:22 PM
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#5 |
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RadioPro
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 16
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A LiPo charger with no cell balancing!
They must be nuts!
I'm amazed any vendor would put out a LiPo charger that does not have balancing capabilities. Now that this is known to be the prime cause of charging fires (cell imbalance causing a cell to overchage & explode) I am amazed that they would taek the risk of bearing the liability for such occurrences! But looks like a reasonable charger for the older technologies. WC |
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Feb 06, 2008, 05:53 AM
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 41
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It's a brilliant charger, and that's a great review. I use 3 chargers for my NiMh racings pack and the TC is my favourite.
One question that I need help with Please anyone... I have been unable to invoke the trickle charge on my nimh packs, I have tried all charging modes (except auto) and the trickle charge feature just will not kick in ?? Any help would be great, Many Thanks |
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