!Dynamite Passport Ultra Force Duo
| spec2
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|> Product: |< Passport Ultra Force Duo
|> Retail price: |< $249.99
|> Input Power: |< AC 100-240V/DC 11-18V
|> Charge Current: |< 10A per channel
|> Current Drain: |< 300mA
|> Charge Modes: |< 1-6s Li-Po/Li-Fe/Li-Ion, 1-15C Ni-MH/Ni-Cd, 2-20V Pb
|> Max Output Wattage: |< 200W x2 (400W total)
|> Length: |< 10.5" (267mm)
|> Width: |< 7.75" (197mm)
|> Height: |< 3.25" (82.5")
|> Available from: |< Horizon Hobby

The Dynamite Passport Ultra Force Duo 400W Dual AC/DC touch screen battery charger is a premium, high-performance charger available from Horizon Hobby.

With dual 200W output capability, the Duo can charge many low-to-medium capacity Li-Po batteries in half the time it takes with lower wattage/amperage chargers. With the easy to use touch screen you will be able to charge virtually all battery types on the market today.

Let's check it out and see how it stacks up!

!Review Video

Dynamite Passport Ultra Force Duo Charger - RCGroups Review (4 min 43 sec)

!What's in the Box

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The Ultra Force Duo ships with several connectors to get you going quickly, including 2x EC3 to banana, 2x XT-60 to banana, 2x 2-6s JST-XH balance boards, T-type to banana, and an RX to banana adapters. This should set you up nicely for getting started with the Passport Ultra Force Duo.

The only thing I would like to see added is the DC power cord so that you have the option out of the box. As it is, you need to order the cable separately and it's available HERE. Mean Joe would defiantly suggest picking one up.

Concerning the DC cable, I would also like to see Horizon make this a banana style connector to the alligator clip end. This way you can charge straight from a lead acid battery or you can plug right into a power supply, if like Mean Joe, your charger setup is in your trailer.

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!Charging

The Ultra Force Duo has a simple touch screen setup menu that is easy to follow along with and is user friendly. Just plug in your pack, select the appropriate options and you're on your way. With its multi-chemistry charging functions you are sure to find the settings for all of your packs.

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Everything is set up from the touch screen and I found it super simple to follow through and get the packs charging. Even a new hobbyist should be able to get each port set up in a few minutes and be charging in no time. Let's walk though the set up on my E-flite 3s 2200Mah pack and you'll see what I mean!

First, I got the pack all plugged in and ready to go.
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The next step was to get all of the proper settings entered into the port I was using for this pack. This was a 3s 11.1v 2200Mah battery, so I just selected all of the settings using the touch screen and I was all ready to go. All that's left at this point is to push and hold charge and we're off! The one thing I will point out is you actually push and hold the word "Charge" on the touch screen. Pretty cool.

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Once you have your pack charging you have a couple of different options to view pack health as you go. You can select the data graph view, or the pack cell view. This is a nice way to keep an eye on the pack while you charge.

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A couple of other built in features of the Passport Ultra Force Duo are the balance option, and you can check the internal resistance of the packs you have plugged into the unit. I like these features a lot, and they will make it very easy to keep track of the health of your packs.

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!Programmable Options

The Passport Ultra Force Duo comes with several set up options already pre-programmed into the unit. Each one of these options is fully user programmable though the setup menu on the touch screen. So how ever you want to have your unit set up is just a few clicks away.

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A couple of the other cool features built into this unit are the USB charging options, and 20 pack programmable memory. These features have become mainstays with most of the high-performance charger units on the market today and Horizon did not disappoint! These features are a very welcome addition and will come in very handy at the field!

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!In Closing

In closing, I would say that the Passport Ultra Force Duo charger from Horizon Hobby is a great dual port charger that's got plenty of options and power to become one of your go to chargers for all of your battery needs. If you're looking for a new addition to your battery charging repertoire, then look no further than this little powerhouse! ~Mean Joe

Would consider it if charged at least 4 Batteries. Price point is a issue also.

Originally Posted by J3 guy

Would consider it if charged at least 4 Batteries. Price point is a issue also.

Four of what batteries? It's a pair of 200W 10A chargers. If you are talking 3S 2200mAh batteries you could charge eight of then at one time. Four on each channel. All you would need is a couple of parallel charge adapter boards.

But yes, it does seem a bit expensive at about $250.

And I personally don't care for the touch screen. I have fat fingers. If the screen were bigger then touch might be OK.

Glen

In closing, I would say that the Passport Ultra Force Duo charger from Horizon Hobby is a great dual port charger that's got plenty of options and power to become one of your go to chargers for all of your battery needs. If you're looking for a new addition to your battery charging repertoire, then look no further than this little powerhouse! ~Mean Joe

I would have liked to see some testing data.
How well does it balance (only has 300ma balance current)?
Does it charge at the specified current?
Is the mAh returned to a pack accurate?
Will it produce full power on both AC and DC?

Also the price is a bit high for a 400W charger, even if it is a duo.
There are several 400W to 500W DC chargers available that even with the cost of a DC power supply would be cheaper.

Glen

I dont think this really competes with anything, especially at this pricepoint...

Tons more power with the dual port TP820hvc for $99.

Selling point is AC and 200W per channel, compact unit. I don't know other AC chargers which have dual 10A/channel.

edit

That is a good price for that charger, I have the non HV one and it is my primary field charger. The charger in review has AC and a lot of AC power, many of the AC DC chargers do not have a very strong AC power supply. The one thing I do not like about the charger in review, for me, is it does not take a 24 volt DC power supply, I have to many of them not to make a mistake. So for me 24 volt input capability is a must, otherwise it would be on my wish list.

The charger being reviewed look a lot easier to use then my Thunder charger or the HV one you reference.

Originally Posted by Vapor Trails

I dont think this really competes with anything, especially at this pricepoint...

Tons more power with the dual port TP820hvc for $99.

Overpriced, compared to any 4 port Hitec or knock off Chinese charges. I have 2 of those and i paid $200.00 for 2 on-line + shipping. I can charge 8 batteries at a time, pretty sweet.

I have just bought one of these and couldn't be happier. Only down point is that it is quite noisy with its cooling fans but thats not much to grumble at when u have at decent AC charger that can parralel charge many lipos at once and can charge my 5s and 6s lipos is double quick time.

Originally Posted by Treeguy1984

I have just bought one of these and couldn't be happier. Only down point is that it is quite noisy with its cooling fans but thats not much to grumble at when u have at decent AC charger that can parralel charge many lipos at once and can charge my 5s and 6s lipos is double quick time.

I just got one too and noticed that the fans immediately kick on when charging starts, even if the charger is cold. None of my older Passport Ultra Duos (previous model to this one) start the fans immediately. It's almost like the fans are no longer thermostatically controlled like they were in the older model.

Does yours kick the fans immediately on charge start?

Outside of the cell IR reading feature (which the Ultra Duo sorely lacked), I'm not feeling as much love for this one versus the Ultra Duo, primarily because of the bloody fan noise.

and same shady Horrizon hobby is selling the same charger under yet another name (own brand)

https://www.horizonhobby.de/en/p/dym...ge&rdebox=box1

https://www.horizonhobby.de/en/p/dyn...ge&rdebox=box2

What I do not get is the price difference...

Originally Posted by OrbitalGolem

I just got one too and noticed that the fans immediately kick on when charging starts, even if the charger is cold. None of my older Passport Ultra Duos (previous model to this one) start the fans immediately. It's almost like the fans are no longer thermostatically controlled like they were in the older model.

Does yours kick the fans immediately on charge start?

Outside of the cell IR reading feature (which the Ultra Duo sorely lacked), I'm not feeling as much love for this one versus the Ultra Duo, primarily because of the bloody fan noise.

Did you ever get an answer to the fan being thermostatically controlled or not?

I have a pair of the previous Duo chargers (I have two) and have liked them a lot. it is nice when the fan shuts off when they aren't needed. Thinking of getting another pair so I keep keep my field charges in their cases and keep a pair for home charging. Like some of the others here I like the built in and (relatively) high power internal power supplies. I can charge even my largest batteries at 1.25C and that's typically find for me as I like to treat them gently.

Dave

Originally Posted by Davegenet

Did you ever get an answer to the fan being thermostatically controlled or not?

I have a pair of the previous Duo chargers (I have two) and have liked them a lot. it is nice when the fan shuts off when they aren't needed. Thinking of getting another pair so I keep keep my field charges in their cases and keep a pair for home charging. Like some of the others here I like the built in and (relatively) high power internal power supplies. I can charge even my largest batteries at 1.25C and that's typically find for me as I like to treat them gently.

Dave

The fans are no longer thermostatically controlled. Horizon indicated this was done due to the higher heat generated by the touchscreens, though I suspect the real reason was to reduce internal temperature dramatically from the earlier Duo unit. I have had two Duo units fail completely (no power-up), with the most recent failure having happened after charging two 4500mAh 6S batteries in parallel at 1C. The fans were running during that charge session and there were no signs of premature failure prior.

My original Duo is still working, though storage mode on one of the sides appears a little weak. The other two Duos and touch-screen Duo are working fine.

Originally Posted by Pompecukor

and same shady Horrizon hobby is selling the same charger under yet another name (own brand)

https://www.horizonhobby.de/en/p/dym...ge&rdebox=box1

https://www.horizonhobby.de/en/p/dyn...ge&rdebox=box2

What I do not get is the price difference...

These are actually not quite the same. The less expensive one has fewer connectors provided. (No EC3, XT60, Deans, etc. leads ...) The more expensive one doesn't have input leads with alligator clips.