Spektrum Smart Batteries and Chargers

Spektrum is aiming to revolutionize the way we use batteries in the RC hobby, but what can their technology do?

For years, lithium polymer battery technology has remained mostly the same. Our chargers haven't altered too much and the process of manually charging, balancing and discharging them has continued as standard. This week, though, Spektrum released a new line of batteries and chargers with an 'ecosystem' that aims to shake up the old guard. Here's an introductory video of what this Smart Technology has to offer.

The Batteries

One striking feature of the new batteries you might notice is the extra wire that protrudes from the connector. This is actually connected to a microchip that is installed on every Smart battery. If you're thinking - 'Hey! Why does my battery need a microchip?' - it's so that the battery can communicate with the charger. In a nutshell, it's what makes the battery smart.

So, why does this matter? Well, Spektrum wants to make battery charging a seamless and more intuitive experience for the hobbyist. No longer will you need to manually input voltages and chemistry types, the system will work this out for itself.

The Connectors

On each of the new Spektrum batteries, there are next-generation IC3 or IC5 connectors. Although these are new, including the extra wire for the battery chip, these are compatible with older EC3 and EC5 connectors found on many RTF aircraft. You can also use the batteries with older chargers and systems that are 'non-Smart'. This means you're not tied into the system. You can still use your older batteries without worrying about changing over connectors or keeping a whole box of adaptors.

The Chargers

There are two main chargers. Firstly, there's the small compact S1200. This is a portable DC charger with 200W of output power.

Secondly, there's the larger, dual-output S2100. This one is a bigger version of the S1200 with the capability to charge two batteries at one time.

Both of these chargers are all about simplicity and usability. Spektrum have designed them to have as many automatic features as possible. Most of the time, you'll only have to press the “Start” button to get your charging process underway. The microchip will remember your previous settings so you don't have to manually input them every time.

But how much does this system cost? Well, the smaller S1200 charger is priced at $64.99 while the largerS2100 chargeris set at $149.99. If you wanted to pick up a couple of 11.1v 3s 2200mAh batteries along with it, you'll be looking at $33.99 each.