Servo - August 2010

PARTS IS PARTS: Bantam E-Stati n BC8HP Charger Review

● by Nick Martin

The BC8HP charger is an update to Bantam’s already popular BC8 model. In short, Bantam has kept all the good features, increased the power rating, and improved the ergonomics. The main feature is in the “HP” part of the name — a power increase from 150 to 280 watts and a maximum charge current of 12 amps. This will definitely interest builders in the larger weight classes or users of the latest 5C charge rate Lipo packs.

sealed and labeled better than earlier models.

The cabling is vastly improved over previous models; the charging and balancing outputs are now both on the righthand side, which is far more convenient. The connectors are labeled better than before, but could still be improved.

others let you pick your own model (see Photo 2).

Capabilities In the Box Compared to the Original BC8

The new charger has the same dimensions of the BC6 and BC8 models. The backlit LCD screen is virtually identical, but looks smaller due to the garish yellow front panel (see Photo 1). The buttons are now The BC8HP package comes with the charger, software CD, USB adapter, USB cable, battery cable, and manual. Some sites list the USB adaptor as an extra, so check when ordering. The manual is well written and jinglish free; most users will be up and running in 10 minutes. The box is also supposed to include a LiPo balancing adaptor; some shops include a standard model with Thunderpower connectors while

PHOTO 1. The charger front panel.

The BC8HP will charge almost any battery chemistry: up to eight Lithium Polymer, Lithium-Ion, or A123 cells; up to 27 NiMH or NiCD cells; and lead acid batteries up to 36V. Don’t underestimate this last feature! Fast charging a dead car battery has gotten me out of trouble several times!

Keep in mind that the maximum rating of 280 watts and Ohm’s law limit your maximum charge current at higher voltages; after about 22 volts, the charger will not be able to supply the full 12 amps. To get an idea of your top charging current, divide 280 by your pack voltage. I found that in practice, the current never quite reaches this value, so take off about 10%.

The LiPo balancing works very well. After a charge, my packs are usually balanced to below the resolution of my multimeter, and you can monitor individual cell voltages on the display while charging.

Experts and tinkerers can use the included software and USB adaptor to analyze their packs. The PC program graphs the voltage, current, capacity, and temperature curves. It also shows the individual voltage of each cell in the Lithium battery pack.