ThinkMax® 4 In 1 X4 Battery Charger for Hubsan
CUSTOMER REVIEW
Ok guys. I didn't read ALL 80ish comments there were on the product by the time I bought it, so I'm not sure if the solution I'm writing here has been mentioned by someone else before.
That aside, let me begin. The charger works PERFECTLY FINE. I had all the problems I read in a few reviews, but as an electronic engineer, my first reaction before returning the product was to open it and figure out how it worked and why it wasn't working properly. Let me tell you something, the only defect this product has is not including a manual (for a charger? you kidding me right?). Allow me to explain:
1) Connectors: Just like most people commenting on this product, the first thing I realized was how flimsy the charger feels, and how the connectors won't fit. WRONG. All you need to do is push them all the way to the bottom, until they "click". Don't worry. After opening it myself, I saw how they are fixed to the plastic case and no matter how hard you push 'em, they won't break or anything.
2) Flickering LEDs: The circuit itself is quite simple once you analyze it. Instead of going through unnecessary technical stuff, here's what you need to know. The LEDs WILL turn on for less than half a second when you plug the charger to your USB source. That's perfectly normal. When you start connecting batteries to it, the LED corresponding to the slot you're connecting (and usually LEDs on other slots, even when nothing is connected) will flicker. Bear with me for a minute. 4 components in the circuit need to be saturated before normal operation. When plugging in a battery, you're actually putting a load in the circuit, creating current pikes that may light up other LEDs "randomly". Trust me, it's not affecting the battery, the charger, or your computer or whatever you plug this in.
3) More flickering / no charge: After several tests with plugging charged and uncharged batteries, combining them and so, I realized the charger was not lighting up the proper LEDs, or it was lighting up all 4 even with 4 batteries connected. The reason? The current supplied by your USB device. I tested a USB hub with different current ratings I have, and guess what? This charger will seem to operate "erratically" when plugged to a high current host. The solution? Connect it to a low current wall charger / pc slot. The simples way to find out that is this: Can your charger charge tablets? Can it charge other "big gadgets"? If it can, then don't use it with this charger. Look for a cheap iPhone wall plug (Make sure it's not for iPad. They ARE different, even if they look the same size).
4) Connectors too tight: Yeah, When you insert the cable ALL THE WAY IN, it's a little hard to disconnect it. Well, the first few times only. Trust me. All you need to do is grab the tip of the cable with your fingers AND the battery in the palm of your hand, and gently pull both at the same time, avoiding to stretch the cable. After a few times, the connector will get softer and it will become just as easy to disconnect them from your X4.
Is it perfect? No. Is it dirt cheap for what it does? Yes. Keep in mind the RC world is mostly a DIY hobby. If this is your first experience with this kind of stuff, don't get frustrated. Not like you had to do some soldering or anything to get it to work. Just follow these simple steps I mention, and you'll soon be very happy for purchasing this charger.
I include a picture of how the connectors look when properly plugged in. All LEDs are off except one because three batteries have been fully charged.
Happy flying!
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