Hota F6 first impressions, UI overview

[@DanielCruz-vp7mg]

Great !!!! finally an overview of this charger, I think for the price you can't get anything better than the f6. Thanks for the video

[@fenrirfpv]

I agree! Thanks for the feedback, glad it helped. 🙇🏽‍

[@MrProbs]

Only disadvantage is the 1A balance, the D6 pro had 1.6A. But never the less I ordered one for in the field

[@DanielCruz-vp7mg]

@@MrProbs true but in my case is good enough.

[@fenrirfpv]

@@MrProbs The stats are true, however it's very important to note that they are per channel! Thus it's usually not a disadvantage. That 1A is x4 Channels on the F6, for the D6 it's 1.6x only 2 Channels. Here is why you win in the end: If you have 4 individual Lipos, you can let them balance on individual ports, balancing with 4amps total. On the D6 you have to connect two balance boards and balance with only 3.2 amps. And for even more LiPos the same concept holds true, you can always split them over more ports on the F6 and thus profit from the 4 amp total. The only case where you would be at a disadvantage is if you are balancing two LiPos or one individual one. On three it's 0.2A difference, almost neglectable. I've not tested combined charging yet - but maybe you could even leverage the power of both balancing plugs if you were to put that in parallel too. Just need to reconnect the parallel board with the second charging slot, just like with the XT60. Test this at your own risk though, it's probably a terrible idea. They don't show it that way on the F6 product page either.

[@sleepyheadfpv1507]

1,000 percent agree! The D6 duo pro was a huge game changer in chargers. I had toolkit but then got the D6 and it was the best decision ever. I couldn’t stand how inaccurate charger voltage readings. Hota has my buiness for life lol

[@SANDY-FPV]

Awesome charger, got mine today, hope it wont explode😂 I dont understand that no one else is talking about it

[@fenrirfpv]

I feel you! Apparently appart from inside China, Hota seems to be quite niche. They don't invest a lot in marketing or publicity I think, so reach is limited. The F6 especially has fallen victim to this. It's a shame most people skipp them! I still don't know any other 6S 4-Port Charger

[@ivrj]

The only negative point is the very slow detail screen. But I like very much my F6 charger! Very good charger, very precise!

[@pravyadav5264]

Nice 👍🏼 Can I use 90watt usb c charger with xt60 cable for input ?

[@frankposterello1628]

You have good taste - I'm looking at this as my second charger to follow my D6+ also. Thanks for posting your impressions - not much out there. Mostly I'm worried about a couple quality control issues I've seen in reviews. Otherwise - 4 channels? 500W max for a single channel? It's a winner - I wouldn't have gotten an external PS if it wasn't for the existence of this charger.

[@alexdefelice2448]

Thanks for the video. Mine worked for a few cycles. Last night it tried to light everything on fire. Was charging 4x 2S 450Mah on storage mode, and it exploded the batteries on channels 2 and 4 and smoke came out of the charger. It's toast. Technically channels 1 and 3 might work but I'm not risking it.

[@fenrirfpv]

Oh damn, glad you caught it live and you're ok! I assumed it was 1+2 and 3+4 that were the combined charge modules, one each side with a dedicated cooling fan. Have you contacted Hota yet? I'm glad this is a single incident so far

[@alexdefelice2448]

@@fenrirfpv Strangely enough you're correct. 1+2 and 3+4 appear to be on their own boards internally, but they are interconnected. I could send some pictures. I haven't contacted Hota yet, as their website currently shows a security warning.

[@fenrirfpv]

@@alexdefelice2448 I would be very curious to see, yes please! Can you upload them? I checked the site for you. You can reach Hota at [e-mail]

[@alexdefelice2448]

@@fenrirfpv Sure thing, how can I send the pictures to you?

[@meralharbes]

@@alexdefelice2448 You can upload them to imgur for example and send me the link. Google Drive, Dropbox, any cloud storage where you can share will also do. But imgur is really easy

[@calvintys]

Anyone know to setup F6 for Nickel-metal battery to charge and discharge cycle automatically . I have a few old MH battery which i want bring back its capacity

[@yaronskp]

How do you update the firmware for it? I tried downloading the Hota Firmware uploader and F6 firmware but when I follow the instructions : CH pressed->power On->Connect USB nothing happens. The PC doesn't identify it. Any idea?

[@fenrirfpv]

I've not updated mine yet and currently have a hardware fault on the right side. However I had updated the D6+ multiple times and don't remember specific problems or startup combination. Best contact Hota directly, however I had trouble getting responses from both info at hota-exp.com as well as candy at hota-exp.com. if your charger is working, maybe leave it at the current version. Otherwise reaching out via social media might be an option.

[@JackalFPV]

Looks nice!

[@cavin154]

How do you check the IR of a battery on this

[@25Kam25Kam25]

Did anyone notice the F6, P6 is now 1A for balance vs 1.6A with D6, D6+ etc. Any difference in charging time whene you lose 60% in balancing ?

[@fenrirfpv]

It's per port, so you still win 0.8A of balance current if you are using all ports. I have responded with a longer explenation why this is still beneficial in most scenarios in another comment. Also per Port you loose 37.5% (1-1A/1.6A), not 60%. In practise I have not noticed any downsides in charge times for my personal use in the field.

[@grbfpvfreestyle7614]

My Hota f6 model, which I used for about 6 months, broke down recently. While using storage mode, the internal board inside the charger burned and broke down.I recommend never using it in storage mode.

[@fenrirfpv]

Did all channels die or just one side? Contact the vendor for warranty if you have any. Otherwise try Hota directly. Did anything happen to the LiPo that you were storaging? Storage mode itself is unlikely to have anything to do with it. It's the same software on all Hotas and ISDTs

[@atomicskull6405]

Gonna cost around $140 for the cheapest "acceptable" 1000W PSU for this (a used Mean Well SE-1000-24) or you can look for a used SP-750-24 on Ebay (which are common and cost around $50) which will give you about 180w per channel which is more than enough to charge 4 6000mah 6S packs at 1C (8 amps max per channel). Mean Well PSUs are derated 20% so unlike the cheap chinese PSUs they will provide the rated max current without problems. There are cheaper options than the Mean Well but I would not consider them unless you are OK with a PSU catching on fire.

[@lgarnand318]

I use a 12 VDC car battery with a tender on it at home. Remember this charges on the balance leads, you do not need a higher voltage power supply than the voltage of the paks you are charging. I leave a car battery in my car and this setup right beside it, works great for all my 3, 4 and 6s paks.

[@ATN007]

Could you make a complete review? :) Would be nice to know if its a good buy :) Its between this, and 2xToolkitRC m6d Does the F6 have the option to store battery presets?

[@fenrirfpv]

I like the F6 a lot, it has served me well ever since. What information would you still need for a review? There are no presets, but it remembers your choice voltage for all modes. The only exception is balance where it helps you by automatically setting it to the closest balance voltage. It's the same firmware as all ISDT/Hota chargers

[@ATN007]

@@fenrirfpv Some tests :) 1: 4cell 1300'ish from 3.5-3.6 to full and balanced - time it takes and how well balanced 2: storage charge the same battery from full (so really a discharge) - time it takes and how well balanced Tests at 1C Can it discharge at full rate back into a battery if you use a battery as power source? Also is Hota the same as ISDT (since you brought up the firmware?) I know its a lot to aske, but just time it the next time you do a charge/storage charge :)

[@fenrirfpv]

​@@ATN007 1.a As you said yourelf, the charge time depends on the rate you set. The balance current (1A per Channel on the F6) on ISDT and Hota chargers is plenty for charge operations, it will not be a bottle-neck. I have 3 year old lipos and they still don't take any longer. If you charge a 3.85V storaged battery to full it will be the normal 25-30 minutes. If you want it even faster, just use 2C on healthy quality batteries. 1.b. As for how well balanced, it approaches the limit of the voltage measuring tolerance. 2. This is really limited by the 15W/0.2A discharge module. You can probably speed it up by using the two-channel mode and make use of two module at once. That way it wil be the fastest of any chargers unless you buy a dedicated discharger. Discharging to storage takes roughly 2.5 hours from full 4.2V I'd imagine. Even if you were to do such tests, you'd have to do them with the same healthy battery on many chargers, and unless there is something wrong with the implementation on a charger, you'll find similar results. As far as I remember, regen-discharge has the same limits as charging. Hota and ISDT are separate brands. As far as I know they are individual companies, but Hota might well be a subsidiary of ISDT. It's unkown what the licencing deal between them is, I just observed from the products that they ran the same UI, options and firmware versions.

[@shotbyarian]

it seems really loud, doesn't it? @3:10

[@mikaelbackstrom]

Awaiting mine. Very curious about the degenerative discharge can be used for discharging batteries into a larger battery when I get rained in. The spec says it can push 4 x 250w in the discharge.

[@fenrirfpv]

Let me know the results when you test that! I've never used regen discharge before, always just swapped which battery is the input. And if I had lots to discharge, I would use the ISDT FD-200 and hook all LiPos up with a parallel board. Keep in mind, with regen discharge you just swap the energy into another container. You are not dissipating it like with a discharger. The actual discharge limitation for 6S is -0.2Amps per Channel on the F6, and any other charger i know has roughly the same 15W discharge limit per channel or lower.

[@MrProbs]

The isdt FD-200 is very very nice. Also the Bluetooth is handy

[@mikaelbackstrom]

@@MrProbs it is what I use today, but would like to be a bit more green and reuse the power by restoring it to a larger battery pack to reuse it. Maybe stupidity bit why not... :D

[@MrProbs]

@@mikaelbackstrom can u also do this back into a li-ion pack? How about the balance?

[@mikaelbackstrom]

@@MrProbs I have not yet experimented with the feature but my plan is to use a Li-Ion with it's own BMS as a "at home" charge pack and just dump it back. Setup a switch to select input between 30v 1000w and the battery pack when charging.

[@pavelnew2863]

Hi and thanks for the review. How loud is the fan on F6? And how often is it turned on? Say you are using 3 channels - will it be on?

[@fenrirfpv]

My pleasure! Hope you got something out of it. I don't have anything to measure Db, so I can't give you exact numbers. Like all chargers I have used extensively (Hota D6+, ISDT Q8, Prophet Precept), they will prioretize cooling over noise. The F6 is no exception. But like all ISDTs and Hotas it regulates the fan speed based on the internal temperature of the charge modules. If you are just charging 3x 4S LiPosat 1C, one on each port, then the noise will be significantly lower than when charging 3x paraboards with 3x 6S LiPos each, at 2C, one on each port. When charging under heavy load all these chargers are loud-ish. I don't know any charger that can deliver this performance quietly. But all of them also regulate the fan and are more quiet on low load. Some just jump to high fan speeds quicker. In either case i trust the manufacturer tune here.

[@pavelnew2863]

@@fenrirfpv Thanks again for the detailed response! I am trying to make up my mind - hota or toolkitrc m4q… Most likely it will be hota…

[@fenrirfpv]

@@pavelnew2863 Beware the M4Q can only do 4S. If you ever upgrade you'll also have to switch chargers. Or if you get a 6S field LiPo. The F6 is the first 6S capable 4-channel charger I know that is still affordable, which is why I am so hyped for it. Looking at the specs alone and only 20 USD price difference, the F6 seems quite ahead. Also consider which UI you like better. I can also attest to Hota's Quality with the D6+. I have two of those and they went trough many places with me, never had an issue. I'm actually surprised considering all the flying dust and dirt they had to endure with me. I'd estimate one is soon two years old, the other about a year. Important with any charger: You will only get the full performanc with 24V input power. Many don't notice the limitations on 12V though.

[@MrProbs]

Can u also long press the power button to exit charging menu?

[@fenrirfpv]

Jep! You can just short press "CH • Exit" to get back. No need to scroll to "back" in the menu. If you are in any menu (channel settings, adjustment or charger settings): - The "CH • Exit" button will exit with a short press. No long press required. - Long pressing the Task/Settings radial does nothing in those menues. When viewing a channel in operation: - Long pressing the "CH • Exit" button will cancel the operation - Long pressing the Task/Settings radial will also cancel the operation When viewing all 4 channels in the quad view: - Long pressing the "CH • Exit" button will cancel the operation on the channel currently selected - Long pressing the Task/Settings radial cancels all operations and upon long pressing again goes into the system settings.

[@MrProbs]

@@fenrirfpv thx 🙏🏻

[@Tripleainside]

Hello , I bought this charger, I need power supply recomendation and or a lipo pack to safely charge four times 1550 6cell 120c bateries.Any help greatly apreciated

[@fenrirfpv]

For 1C charge rate you only need about 150W. The HP Server Rack 12V power supplies are really good and have multiple protection mechanisms. Smallest is 460W on Banggood with an XT60 presoldered for +/- 35 USD. Better just get the bigger ones, they are not much more expensive and you can use the power in the future. Alternatively ISDT has 24V PSUs as well: SP2417 and SP2425. More expensive, but you get quality and full 24V

[@Tripleainside]

@@fenrirfpv thank you, I have ordered the RDQ Power Supply - 400w/16.7a/24v and will gove it a try , hopefully it works well, could not find one you mentioned

[@fenrirfpv]

@@Tripleainside That's superb, should serve you well for some time!

[@Tripleainside]

@@fenrirfpv i noticed the one i ordered is 16amp compared to the one you recomended wich is 38amp is that going to make a difference charging all four 1550s at 1c? I just dont want them to charge all day

[@fenrirfpv]

@@Tripleainside 16A will be plenty, even for the future. You will only use 6A at 1C, 12A at 2C charge rate. And since your PSU is at 24V already you won't have much loss I assume. Don't worry!

[@default.m1che644]

It is able to charge to storage , isn`t it ?

[@fenrirfpv]

Yes, there is a storage task and in that you can select between 3.7V up to 3.89V in steps of 0.01V, so you can set the exact storage voltrage target you desire.

[@default.m1che644]

@@fenrirfpv Perfekt thank you

[@hshpegel]

Do you know if they fixed the bug where the target voltage must be reset each time the charge is interrupted?

[@fenrirfpv]

I'm not sure I ever had this issue with any Hota charger. As I perceived it, the voltage is saved when you start a program. How do I reproduce the issue you mention?

[@hshpegel]

@@fenrirfpv The bug I was referring to is in the other KZbin on F6 called HOTA F6 Quad Charger Full Review - Banggood. Please go to 5:55 where he describes the bug. It would be great if this is fixed as I plan on buying this charger. Many Thanks.

[@fenrirfpv]

@@hshpegel I remember this. What is described there is a feature, not a bug. You will actually find a comment form me under that video from 4 months ago. The creator does not understand what charge and storage modes are for. That comment for you here for reference: "This is because you are misunderstanding what the balance program does. Balance is there to exclusively balance a battery. All other operations (charge, storage, discharge) also balance your LiPos by default. That's why you get a warning if the balance lead is not connected. Charge and storage are the normal operations you should use in every day use. Only use Balance if a LiPo is unbalanced and you want to rebalance it again without charging or storating at the same time. This is why it sets the target voltage to the LiPo cell voltage, it's convenient. The other modes save the voltage setting you had last used for each mode."

[@hshpegel]

@@fenrirfpv Please accept my apology for making you answer the same question 2 times. After watching the EdawardRC video a second time, I see that I missed what mode the charger was in when he sited the "error". In any case, should have read the comments to see your clarification. I have just placed my order for this charger as having 4 ports is just what I need. I often have a few different types of batteries to charge and this charger will speed up my charging process. It surprises me how little coverage this charger is getting. It is versatile and priced very reasonably. Thanks for you helpful video and for answering my question.

[@fenrirfpv]

@@hshpegel All good, my pleasure! It's how the FPV community works, we help each other. I'm glad to have helped you make an informed choice. I really like the value and versatility of the F6 too. Enjoy the charger!

[@Hirthirthirt]

Does it have no Blutooth-App?

[@fenrirfpv]

I don't think so. Hota has an App .apk on their site, but I never tested it. It was for the D6+, I don't know the current state of it. They are not advertisting it, so likely they stopped developing it.

[@Hirthirthirt]

@@fenrirfpv seems to be no competitor for the SkyRC Q200

[@fenrirfpv]

@@Hirthirthirt If you don't need more than 2x 100W and 2x 50W then you might appreciate the Q200 with it's built-in power supply. However I really appreciate the raw power and small form of the F6 both for home charging and in the field. Personally I find the Q200 overpriced for it's form factor, low power output, legacy banana connector and separate monochrome displays with old charging firmware. I'd rather get two D6+ if I wanted built-in power supplies and insisted on 4 Ports (instead of parallel charging). I'd only pay slightly more but be upgrade ready a home by adding a power supply later on

[@MullaneyRC]

Is the input power connector xt60?

[@fenrirfpv]

Yes, it's XT60.

[@MullaneyRC]

Fenrir FPV thanks

[@Whyusemyname]

What about the output ports, xt30/xt60? Do you think that information would be available through the manufacture but I’ve looked everywhere and cannot find it. Just trying to find out what adapters I need to charge my batteries so I can order them before the charger arrives.