Duratrax Piranha CX-15 Fast Charger

Duratrax is a pretty well respected company in the R/C community, so when I needed a new battery charger I decided on this model CX-15. This model allows the use of AC power (plugged into the wall) or DC (using a 12v car or similar type of battery).

One of the first things I noticed when I removed the charger from its box was the nice thick cords, and the larger size clamps for connecting to DC power. The charger was remarkably well packed into the box, and also included an extra fuse and plug adapter. Charging a standard 1800mah battery pack took about 28 minutes which is about average for chargers in this class. The charger automatically switched to a 35-75ma trickle charge after the timer went to zero, allowing me to keep my pack fully charged indefinitely.

The CX-15 has a discharge switch, allowing you to properly discharge or cycle your batteries easily, a nice touch if you don't want to purchase a separate discharge unit. The timer seemed pretty accurate and the meter worked well, especially for monitoring the discharging of my battery packs.

I do have one dislike about this model: no instructions. It's not that I don't know how to use the charger, but all of the directions, charge time charts, and tips for use are printed on the box.

The CX-15 is one of several battery chargers Duratrax makes. This model sells for about $32.00, and like all Duratrax chargers, is backed by their 5 year warranty. It will handle any 6 or 7 cell pack.