A123 SETUP GUIDE

Every system setup comes with a decision chain. Here, we'll look at the various common charger, connector and aircraft layouts and you should be able to determine after scrolling through this basic primer what you need, what to order, and how to set it all up. Be sure and visit the A123 FAQ for technology comparisons, care and feeding notes and general LiFe support information.
Where to start? The Charger... What you have vs. What you need. - The most basic circumstances of any equipment layout starts with the support equipment and the requirements to check and charge the system's packs from outside the plane. Via Basic Flight Line Darwinism we've learned that it is utterly crucial to check and observe individual cell voltage of A123 packs, we've also learned that maintaining the cell balance of the pack is critical to the 'fly - no fly' decision. Just as we know we can't use a Turbine without the right field gear in support and so it is with A123 batteries, you are definitely going to need an A123 compatible balancing charger and access to the pack to check the cells. - Sounds simple enough.. unfortunately, as with most evolving new technology, the perceived needs and the equipment have changed a bit. As of this writing we're into the fourth generation of A123 compatible chargers. - There's an awful lot of chargers out there...
It's quite likely you already have an A123 compatible charger. Quite a few of the 'lithium capable' mutli- chemistry chargers already have LiFe or A123 charge or balance charge support. They also have two output cable arrangements.. the banana plug 2 wire output for NiCad and NiMH packs and a molex connecting strip, aka 'balance board', for lithium balance charging. Some use only the balance tap on the A123 for charging.
First Generation Chargers: These share a common trait... they require either an external balancer or if equipped with an internal balancer, that balancer requires a second set of leads connected to the pack for balance charging. The better ones we called 'Programmable Two lead Chargers'... they use a two wire lead for fast/unbalanced charging, usually from a banana plug type output AND they have a three or more wire 'balance charge' cable, usually a little white molex type charge socket on the side of the charger to accommodate it and/or an external adapter/balance board. Eventually, the majority of charger MFG's adopted this 'two lead' charging format for balance charging. Most of these early LiFe capable chargers were pretty rudimentary as far as programing algorithms and safety checks, setting up LiFe capability usually required an 'overwrite' to the LiPo algorithm. The worst of them had no reporting ability at all (just a blinky light for 'Done' !!) and predictably, cooked battery outcomes were fairly common.
Second Generation Chargers: These are easy to spot... they have only one output port (per pack) and it's ALWAYS a 'molex' type port. Various pack connection types are handled by the simple expedient of adding a RC system standard charge connector to the end of the molex cable they provide to fit the little molex port on the side of the charger. In the case of the FMA Multi-4 charger (shown, now long discontinued) we made packs available with the matching balance tap plug built on them to connect directly to the charger... but with A123 packs (and with giant scale airplanes) pulling the pack out of the plane to make it accessible to the balance charger can be a mite problematic. We sold the charger pictured WITH an adapter cable that will allow you to plug directly into our A123/LithiumWerks 6.6v packs .. either to the packs JR/Univ balance lead & then via a small dedicated separate charge port or, via our unique 20g three wire Combo power feed equipped pack thru a 'Combo Chargeport Switch'.
FMA's Multi-4.. FMA folded in the early 2020's. Sadly this excellent little unit is no longer available
Third Generation Chargers: Single Pack/Dual Connection Smart Chargers. The majority of these RC specialized multi-chemistry chargers are set up with this connection format; Banana ports for + & - connection to the packs separate power feed AND a 'molex' 4S or 6S JST-XH format balance board port for connection to the packs separate balance lead.. In order to balance charge or display or engage the chargers overcharge and auto cell count & crucial safety features BOTH the banana port and JST/XH port connector cables need to be connected to the A123/LiFe pack. These chargers are quite competent in dealing with field checking, fast field charging and reporting charge status if both connections to the pack are made... however, getting both those connections made to the pack while the the pack is in the plane can be problematic... two complete cable setups must be run from the charger to each pack every time you need to charge or check the status of that pack.
Fourth Generation Chargers: Expanded Multiple Pack/Dual Connection Smart Chargers. These pretty much retain the format connectivity of all the previous 'two lead' balance chargers' but have added PC or SmartPhone connectivity and added some features advantageous for larger LiPoly Electric Flight Motor packs. As with all the previous iterations, in order to balance charge or display or engage the chargers overcharge and auto cell count & crucial safety features BOTH the banana port and JST/XH port connector cables need to be connected to the A123/LiFe pack. Most of these chargers, being both DC or AC powered are quite competent in dealing with field checking, fast field charging and reporting charge status if both connections to the pack are made... however they retain the same connectivity issues in getting both those connections made to the pack while the the pack is in the plane. Two complete cable setups must be run from the charger to each pack every time you need to charge or check the status of that pack. No Worries, tho.. we've whupped this issue, making access to the pack with third and 4th & 5th generation chargers a 'single cable no-brainer' with our Combo Charger Cable. This charger type uses the very common Banana Plug Combo Charger Cable, More on that below, read on...
HiTec's X2 AC Plus. Nice little dual port AC/DC smart charger with Bluetooth capability.. and recently discontinued. (2024) This was the last charger we stocked here at NoBS Batteries and sold for less than $80
Hitec RDX2-800... 200 watts output on A/C, 800 watts via DC source. Sells for about $180. at https://hitecrcd.com/
Fifth Generation Chargers: Expanded Multiple Pack/Dual Connection Smart Chargers. These tend to have significantly more output power than previous generations... the target customer base is usually the Electric Flight folks. It's fairly common to see these dealing with large high cellcount EP LiPoly packs. and they've gone to specialized 'proprietary' power connectors. Depending on the brand of charger it could have Specktrum's IC3 port or XT-60 for the power feed. These pretty much retain the programming format & connectivity of all the previous generation balance chargers and have expanded WiFi, PC or SmartPhone connectivity. Despite being engineered with large LiPoly packs in mind they are also program-adjustable for LiFe technology packs. As with all the previous iterations, in order to balance charge or display or engage the chargers overcharge and auto cell count & crucial safety features BOTH of the charger's Power and JST/XH port connector cables need to be connected to the pack. Normally two complete cable setups would be run from the charger to each pack every time you need to charge or check the status of that pack. No Worries, tho.. we have the right connectors available on our Combo Charger cable - in this case, with XT-60 connector instead of the Banana Plug configuration - to give you single lead charging convenience for whatever charger configuration you have.
Now, there's several routes your decision chain can take.. & before we can decide what pack connector configuration you need, we have to decide how your going to set up power delivery from the pack to the radio and servos and how we're going to give your particular charger type access to the pack - while in the plane - to field charge, balance charge and/or check individual cell voltages in the pack.
Comparative Advantages between Chargers: While the two cable connection types get the job done, the big difference amounts to the ease of connecting up an A123 pack for charging in the plane. With a 'two cable charger' a second charge port is normally required.. as well as a separate 'tap' on the pack to connect it to in addition to the usual system connector to the switch. This means the Rx pack will have two connectors... one prime feed to the switch and off to the Rx and servos.. the other for balance charging. With some 'generation 1 chargers' that meant you needed 2 connections to every pack being balance charged and as a result, 2 charge ports on the side of the plane for field charging each pack. Below are some examples of what a 'standard' two cable balance charging connection looked like, alongside a single cable charging setup to the right.
1st Gen Typical 2 Cable Balance Charging
2nd Gen Typical 1 Cable Balance Charging
Note the separate 'ernst' type small Univ Chargeport
No second chargeport required AND no second lead on the pack!
Generation 2 chargers required only one connection to the pack.. (best example was FMA's Multi-4; now discontinued) and with a simple modification to your existing HD Chargeport switch (we'll cover that in the Switches section) will allow balance charging through the switch chargeport... without any other holes in your plane. Fear not.. if you have a two cable charger, there is also a solution for that & we'll get into that below..
The Common Battery Pack Connector Choices
We set up packs with a pretty confusing array of connectors. To clear up some confusion and make it easier to visualize whats going on with the switch and tap layouts peculiar to A123's, here's some pics of the most common configurations for A123 packs.. NOTE: Plugging our packs JR/Univ balance connector directly into a balance charger or it's balance board can damage your charger or the pack... the pin positions in the JR/Univ housing are not compatible on their own with the pin positions in your charger's molex balance port. You'll need a JST-XH or FMA to JR/Univ adapter to make the connection from your planes chargeport to your balance charger; they are available on the A123 packs page. See the A123 FAQ for more details
A123 2500 with Univ balance lead and Standard 20g JR/Univ Power Lead
A123 2500 w/ Single 3 Wire 20g Combo Univ Connector
A123 2500 w/ Univ Balance Lead and 18g Deans, EC3, etc
A123 2500 with JST-XH Balance Lead & JR 20g power lead
On the top left, our 2500 A123 w/ the 'Combo 20g Three wire JR/Univ Combined Power & Balance' connector.. the simplest A123 setup when combined with our 'Combo Switch' & 'Combo Charger Cable'. The top right & bottom left are shown with connector setups that can also easily permit balance charging in the aircraft via a separate 'ernst' type universal charge port & will permit single cable balance charging with the appropriate 'Combo Charger Cable' or adapter specific to your charger. The pack above on the bottom right is shown set up with either an FMA or JST-XH 2S balance tap and is the only balance lead connector configuration that nominally requires you to remove the pack from the plane to balance charge or check individual cells...an a appropriate configuration for LiPoly types since they nominally require removal of the pack from the plane for balance or fast charging and individual cell voltage checks.
'Combo Solution' Rx & Ignition Switches and Chargeports
Every RC application requires some way to isolate the battery from the Rx and servos when not in use or being charged. The key common components to accommodate that are a switch and a chargeport. Below left, a Univ Chargeport, below center, HD after-market system switches as commonly used in Giant Scale Applications and, on the right, our own custom made Combo Switch for A123. Now, lets see how we put 'em to use with the various charger types, pack cabling choices and connectors most often used in Giant Scale.
'Earnst Type' Univ Switch Chargeport
ED UltraSwitch II - 22g Chargeport Switch
NoBS Combo Switch, 20g Power Feed
Perfect for 'Standard' 2 lead A123's
R/C System standard for NiCAD or NiMH packs
Shown with Dual 22g JR/Univ Output Connectors
The Basic Combo Solution Switch Mod for Single Lead Balance Charging Q: I've got 22g type standard three wire in, three wire out 'chargeport' switches. Can I use them with your A123/LiFe packs or do I need to buy your 'Combo' switches? A: Our 'Combo Switch' has a few advantages over standard chargeport switches. Where your switch is all 22g in and out w/JR/Univ or FJ connectors, our Combo Switch is set up with 20g three wire twisted inputs & outputs that match our Combo Packs. Even better.. it's also available with an even heavier 18g two wire output... finished with your choice of Deans, XT-60, IC3/EC3, Multiplex, Anderson, etc.. perfect for most high demand, high current load projects. However, If you've got an existing sport or scale project with Nicads or NiMH packs in it and it's set up with 22g three wire in & out cabled JR/Univ or FJ switches, here's where we show you how to take advantage of those existing chargeport switches with our Combo Cabled A123 packs. With the mod shown below and a Combo Solution Charge Cable... and, you've got most any of the A123 capable balance chargers out there.. you'll be good to go with no muss and little fuss.. and no extra holes in the plane. Same goes for you owners of FMA's single lead Gen 2 chargers supplied with our FMA to JR/Univ adapter cable.. do the switch mod shown below and you are good to go with A123's . The idea is to set up an A123 system without a separate Univ Chargeport on the plane or separate cell balance tap on the pack. With a quick modification, a standard ElectroDynamics Ultraswitch II chargeport switch can be bent to the task. Notes on Binding with Modifed Switches: Most all HD chargeport switches are set up with three wire feeds to the RX, the original intent was to enable the 'DSC' feature available on top end 72 MHz Tx's. 'DSC' means 'direct servo connection'.. it gave you a means to power up and actuate the Rx and servos on the plane without actually 'transmitting'. Early on, this switch feature also enabled 're-binding' via the switch chargeport on some 1st generation 2.4Ghz systems that would lose 'bind' fairly often. In a world filling rapidly with significantly more reliable 2.4 GHz radio systems the DSC feature is not often (if ever) required for binding and 2.4GHz Rx ‘re-binding’ in the plane is not handled via a switch chargeport. In any case, most HD chargeport switches are still equipped with that 'third' output wire to the Rx.. it's a 'signal' lead and we need to remove it from the plug that goes into the Rx so we don't put power to the Rx on that lead. To remove it you need a razor knife and a bit of electrical tape. With this mod, we're going to turn your switches 3 wire Rx power feed into a 2 wire power feed. Check the photos below..
Lift contact retainer tab, slide out contact
Fold back contact, tape to insulate
Done! - ready to plug into Rx
Perfect for 'Standard' 2 lead A123's
Perfect for 'Standard' 2 lead A123's
Perfect for 'Standard' 2 lead A123's
Ok, Now your HD chargeport switch is ready for use with a NoBS A123 pack with a single HD 3 wire combo feed. No Univ Chargeport required.. just use the switches chargeport with a single connection to your Generation 2 charger. If your considering switching to A123 Rx packs in an existing project, you don't yet have an A123 charger and you want to use your existing switches.. this is how it's done. Note that failing to pull that signal feed wire to the Rx from that plug will likely damage your Rx.. so don't attempt this without first modifying that plug. On the plus side.. no extra holes and extensions in the plane and the A123's along with a 2nd Generation charger like the FMA Multi-4 make this an exceptionally easy, neat and clean setup in any aircraft with any pack configuration... parallel, single or ignition. Just pull the 'signal' feed to the Rx from the switch, drop in the A123's, hook up a Combo Solution Charge Cord or standard JR/Univ to FMA adapter to your charger and you are good to go for balance and fast charging, all through the switch chargeport!
Pack w/ Combo Connector & HD Chargeport Switch
Q: I like this.. what do I order, what connectors should be on the pack?
A: You need the NoBS 'Combo Lead Single Lead Pack' configuration, NoBS Combo Switch & NoBS A123 Combo Solution Charger Cable if you have a two cable balance charger. Be sure and read thru our A123 FAQ for important info on balance charging!
Leveling the Playing Field - Upgrading your 1st, 3rd thru 5th Generation 2 cable charger to Single Cable compatability
THE COMBO SOLUTION CHARGER CABLE Up until recently, if you had a 2 cable 1st, 3rd or 4th generation balance charger you were pretty much committed to two holes in the plane for each pack to check cell voltages and two cables from the charger to the pack to balance charge as well as two leads on the pack to make it all work.. Some work-arounds involved just doing unbalanced charging at the field and balance charging 'occasionaly'.. suitable for R/C trucks and park flyer foamies, not suitable for a 30 pound Warbird worth about 500 toy trucks and flying burger wrappers. We need to be able to get the charger's balancer, reporting and saftey features in play on every charge and to do that we need a three wire connection to the pack.
Enter the NoBS A123 Combo Solution Charger Cable. It's a single cable charger cord that combines the functions of both the output ports on your charger. It's set up with banana plug, XT-60 or IC3 for connection to your chargers main power output AND a spliced-in JST-XH balance board/balance port connector on the charger side that mates with nearly all of the balancing chargers currently in use. On the pack side, it's finished with a Female FJ/JR-univ charger plug that will fit any R/C standard switch chargeport. It's a comfortable 18" long; the output section is made out of HD twisted 20g cabling that matches our Packs (not 22 or 26g cabling like our copycats) and it can handle a full 2-3 amps continuous charge rate. Need it longer? It can be instantly extended with a 20g aileron extension. AND, of course, you get the full benefit of using your chargers balancer, reporting & saftey features every time you cable up to charge at the field, all through the switch's chargeport. That's right.. no separate chargeport on the plane required. Read on, and we'll show you how!
Simple Parallel Pack Systems, Hints & Hacks A 'Best Pick' for Aggressive Flying and High Torque Digital Servos
Parallel Pack systems are simplest and most expedient means to double the flying capacity, vastly improve redundancy and cut system impedance in half! Big Warbird, IMAC /3D flyers and Golden Age Scale flyers have for decades preferred Parallel Pack setups.. and A123's are perfect for the job... Just use two of our 2500 packs with our Combo 20g power feed as shown above, and a pair of our Custom Combo Ultraswitches w/20g JR/Univ output (or mod your own three wire switches) and you are good to go.. simplest, cleanest setup possible for a fully redundant parallel pack and switch system. All the benefits of the single pack, single connector system, times two. Nothing could be easier. Concerned about running without a 'battery backer' or an isolation circuit? Click on this text for a refreshing bit of common sense advice regarding simple parallel systems.
A123 Single Pack, Single Switch, Dual Output Feed SetupsThis configuration is very popular setups for getting your lighting or other auxiliaries powered up WITHOUT a second switch or pack! Our Combo Switch is available with dual JR/Univ 22g system connectors... The switch has a 20g single three wire twisted input, an exact match for the heavy duty 20g three wire feed on our packs. . and this version has dual outputs to the Rx, outstanding for spreading out digital servo current loads on the Rx board for folks flying weight-sensitive 40-60 sized Pattern & Aircraft.
Power Boards and 'Soft' Switches There's more than a few folks out there with really BIG setups, using power expanders, soft switches and a host of current distribution devices intended to deal with massive current loading outside the capabilities of your average R/C system standard connector set. We've got you covered too. Most of you use either Deans, EC3/IC3 or Multiplex connectors and heavy 16 or 14g power wire to deliver current to the power distribution system. For you folks, you'd use the 'Standard' pack cabling configuration WITH a separate JR/Univ balance lead on the pack and you'd install a separate Univ charge port to get access to the packs for balancing and checking via that lead. We can configure your packs with Deans, EC3/IC3 or Multiplex plugs and we will set the leads up for whatever lengths and gauge you need, just visit our A123 packs page to order.
1800 Combo Package DEAL! NoBS Batteries The 1800 Series 'Combo' Package... 1800 Pack, Switch and Charger Cable Deals.. Get the NoBS 1800 Series A123 pack with either -OR- both the Combo Switch and the Combo Charger Cable and SAVE! A123 1800 6.6v Pack & Combo Switch; Reg $68.90 (The On-Board Deal).. just $64.95* 1800 pack, Switch & Combo Charger Cable; Reg $95.85 (The Starter Deal).. just $84.95* * custom switch outputs add'l $
$64.95
2500 Combo Package DEAL! NoBS Batteries The 2500 Series 'Combo' Package... 2500 Pack, Switch and Charger Cable Deals.. Get the NoBS 2500 Series A123 pack with either -OR- both the Combo Switch and the Combo Charger Cable and SAVE! A123 2500 6.6v Pack & Combo Switch; Reg $83.90 (The On-Board Deal).. just $79.95* 2500 Pack, Switch & Combo Charger Cable; Reg $110.85 (The Starter Deal).. just $99.95* * custom switch outputs add'l $
$79.95
© Copyright 1995-2025 Hangtimes Hobbies, NoBS Batteries. All rights reserved. All registered trademarks herein are the property of their respective owners.