Shop said I don't I need a better battery charger?
 

Hi All, new to airsoft.
I picked up a slightly used Kings Arms P90
Which is supposed to use a 8.4 1600mah battery.
I went to a local shop to pick up a battery and charger.
They did not have any NiMH 8.4 batteries.
The sales guy told me I can use a 7.4 LiPo. he said it would be fine.
But this is contary to what I have read online.....

Also he sold me a cheap cheap charger "supposed to be intelligent" but it's really plain.
I asked about using a IMAX B6 balance charger and he said, those are mainly for RC control people that want to squeeze more performance out of their cars.
And that it wouldn't make much difference out of an airsoft gun.....
But I'm thinking I want to squeeze more performance our of my airsoft gun so should I have gotten that???

Dunno why he would rather sell me the cheap item :???:

7.4v lipo is perfectly fine.
if you where going to a 11.1v then I would see issues.

As for the shop guy saying the cheap charger is fine.
it might be "OK" but the B6 is much better and honestly when using lipo its not something to cheap out on. Go back and get yourself the IMAX B6

Well hopefully the so called "intelligent" charger is made to handle lipo's. Also he probably wanted to sell you the cheaper charger because he makes more profit off of it.

Lipo batteries *needs* a balance charger

End of story

Of course your 7.4 lipo will be fine, when its fully charged it will be above or close to 8.4v.
If your slightly used Kings Arms P90 is still factory internals you wouldn't have an issue running a 7.4 lipo at all.
A cheap 20$ balance charger will be fine also but of course if you want to go for something that will charge anything and greater types of lipos, then a IMAX is a good investment.

You will need a balance charger.
You don't have to use a computerized charger like iMax B6, but it is good to have, and it is worth it.

IMAX is a cheap charger which gets the job done. Airsoft guns are on/off shooting machines, so I doubt a well computer managed charging system is needed. He sold you a cheap charger, because most airsofters are cheap to begin with and don't see the need for a better charger.

I use my iCharger and Revolectrix Powerlab 8 for airsoft and all my other Lipo charging needs including helis and RC cars. If you want the best Lipo charging system, that would be it. These are multi-chemistry chargers and charges anything.

Get a iCharger 106, this is an older charger that RC racers don't use anymore and can be had for $60 and beats any of these cheaper chargers.

Question: Shop said I don't I need a better battery charger?

Answer: Shop lied

What charger did the shop sell you?

Because he bought a $250 gun. Do you think he will buy a $50+ charger?

I don't know, let the customer decide?

A cheap gun doesn't mean a poor player. I've had most of my fun with 150$ tuned rifles.

I have also recently bought a bone stock King Arms P90, so is the general consensus regarding Lipos is:

If I am running a 7.4 lipo with say 20c rating I do not need a mosfet because it would not over strain the electrical system. It would be "comparable" to running a 9.6 battery.

Only when running a 11.1 Lipo would I need to consider running a mosfet due to the electrical arcing that will occur, which would result in burned out trigger contacts.

Thank you kindly.

Because he's using lipo batteries, do you think he'll risk burning his place or gun down by NOT using a $50 charger?

The charger side of things for lipo is VERY black and white. Either it's a great charger, or it's not. There is no middle ground like there is with nickel based batteries.

Anyway, you are much better off with lipo, but buy any future batteries from hobbyking.com
More inconvenient than local, but usually at a fraction of the cost for higher quality batteries.
Also, I'm curious as to where you read that 7.4v lipo's were NOT good for an AEG? If there's bad info out there, I'd like to correct it!

Do it right, and get an appropriate balance charger. The IMax B6 is the benchmark for reliable airsoft lipo chargers. You don't "need" something that good to play, but think of it this way; it'll extend the life of your batteries, protect your airsoft investments, and later when you branch out into other guns or needing other batteries, you'll have what you need already. Lipos don't tend to burn or explode anymore, but the odd one still does.

There are adequate $30 lipo chargers out there. Make sure that your charger does an appropriate balance charge, and is reviewed as being reliable.

The airsoft community for the most part will recommend a charger like the IMax B6, due to collective experience. For safety and equipment care, a charger is one of the places you don't want to cheap out on.

just because canadian tire and walmart sell groceries doesn't mean I buy groceries from there.

Just because an airsoft store sells batteries and chargers doesn't meant I buy them there. ESPECIALLY when it comes to lipos.

Over discharging your lipos in the best case bricks them... worst case they swell up, release hydrogen and catch fire.

over charging your lipos without a balance charger in the best case results in FIRE because one cell has more volts than the other and aren't balanced, so you overheat one cell, it swells up, releases hydrogen and catches fire. If you're lucky it doesn't take your house.

do it right.