SkyRC iMax B6 mini - universal home charger

SkyRC iMax B6 mini - a small but very useful box that can replace all the chargers that are stored in your home. Read more about the possibilities of this versatile device - in this review.

The company produces a balanced SkyRC chargers to charge the lithium-polymer battery of the radio-controlled toys and familiar to all modelers. Balanced chargers allow charge / discharge multiple "cans" of the same type, connected in series.

SkyRC iMax B6 mini - the most popular model of the manufacturer. In addition to compact size, it attracts a variety of functions and can automatically select the current settings for the connected battery.

Appearance

Charger - a small blue box with LCD-screen and four buttons. With their help, setting is performed and a charge control process. At the ends of the device are all necessary connectors. Left - a port for connecting an external power supply, microUSB for synchronizing with the computer and the three-pin connector for the temperature sensor.

The right is the two entrances of the "banana" (plus and minus), and five connectors for connection of the balance 2-6 batteries or cells.

The dimensions and light weight secrete iMax B6 mini among such devices. It can even be put in a pocket if you wish.

Characteristics

Capabilities

SkyRC iMax B6 mini - smart charger. Unlike many cheap devices, it charges the battery of several elements two input - balanced and power. Separately balanced does not work. It's harder than use conventional chargers, but it is possible to connect to the battery directly, without controls, allowing for faster charging. For example, the battery quadrocopter Walkera QR X350 Pro from the native charger charging six hours, and from iMax B6 mini - only an hour.

This type of connection is required for the uniform cyclic charging / discharging of the battery (the reduction of capacity). Also, a balanced type of charging is useful to charge several batteries at once or work with lithium-ion (Li-polymer) elements.

Power outputs can be operated without balanced. So, for iMax B6 mini plug lead car batteries, or third-party devices, then the charger operates as a regulated power supply. Consuming medium 16 B and 2 A, the device can give up to 20 V and 2 A in 0.1.

Free setup only works for the power cables. To avoid incorrect charging / discharging, and not to spoil the elements for the balanced charging has configuration profiles. These can be selected directly in the System menu using mechanical keys or from the drop-down list when you connect to a computer. To set the required values, the parameters of the current need to either manually enter or specify the number of items and their relative capacity. At the wrong choice of the device will display an error and refuse to work before specifying the correct values.

Connection via microUSB - plus another iMax B6 mini. When you install the appropriate software from a computer, you can update the firmware of the charger, set the desired job profile and see detailed statistics.

If you enable the sensor to the appropriate port, the charger allows you to monitor the temperature of the charge member. When the critical value is shut down.

results

The cost of the original SkyRC iMax B6 mini is $ 40 plus the cost of the power supply. Most suitable for home use may be the universal power supply or supplies for laptops. The price of such in the near underpass - 500 rubles ($ 8). Universal, like me, may be more expensive.

Thus, a universal home charger for all rechargeable batteries will cost $ 50. For comparison, you can see how many different chargers have to keep, and calculate their total cost. I am sure that it will be more. But if the hand only to devices with USB, it is better to buy something like.