Review: The SkyRC D200neo LiPo Charger – A Worthy Challenger to the D6 Pro?

LiPo charger is critical to FPV as it ensures LiPo battery safety and optimum performance. Today, we’re going to check out SkyRC D200Neo LiPo Charger. This multi-functional dual-port charger comes with impressive power capabilities and versatility, making it an appealing choice for FPV pilots. We’ll explore its specifications, performance, and ease of use.

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Think of the D200Neo as the more compact sibling of SkyRC’s flagship charger, the T1000. While the T1000 caters primarily to users charging larger batteries, such as those for RC cars, it might be overkill for FPV drone pilots. Enter the D200Neo – a more affordable, compact charger boasting a similar feature-set. More importantly, it stands toe-to-toe with the beloved D6 Pro, a long-time favorite within the FPV community, when it comes to specs and price point.

Where To Buy?

You can get your SkyRC D200 Neo Charger from the following vendors:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DDitGNJ
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/43wnyR6
• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-h4pn

Your purchase includes the charger, a power cord of your plug choice, and a quick-start user manual. There’s no other accessories. For a more comprehensive guide, a detailed instruction manual is readily available on the SkyRC website.

Specifications

• DC Input Voltage: 10V to 30V
• AC Input Voltage : 100V to 240V (both 50/60Hz)
• Charger power from AC: 200W Max
• Charger power from DC: 800W Max
• Charge current (per channel): 20A Max
• Charge current (Parallel mode): 35A Max
• Balance current: 1.5A Max
• Discharge power
  • Main port: 10W x 2
  • Balance port: 37W MAX
  • External discharge: 350W MAX
• Discharge current: 2A Max
• Discharge current (with external discharger): up to 40A
• Supported Battery Types and Cells:
  • LiPo/LiHV/LiFe/LiIon: 1S to 6S
  • NiMH/NiCd: 4-15 cells
  • Pb: 3S/6S/12S
• Operation
  • LiPo/LiFe/LiIon/LiHV: Balance, Charge, Discharge, Storage, Parallel
  • NiMH/NiCd: Charge, Cycle, Re-peak, Discharge
  • Pb: Normal, AGM Charge, Cold Charge, Discharge
• USB-C Output:
  • QC3.0: 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓2A, 12V⎓1.5A 18W
  • PD: 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓2.2A, 12V⎓1.67A 20W
• Case Material: Plastic
• Case Size: 116*110*79mm (L*W*H)
• Weight: 602g

Here’s the quick start user guide.

Powering Up the Charger

In line with well-known chargers like the Hota S6 and ToolkitRC M6DAC, the D200neo possesses the ability to be powered by a DC source, such as a battery or an external Power Supply Unit (PSU), within the range of 10V to 30V. When powered by DC, this charger unleashes its ultimate capacity, offering a whopping 800W of charging power – provided your PSU can handle this output. This is arguably one of the highest power ratings you’ll find in chargers of this compact form factor.

To get a power supply, check out my recommendations here (if you want to enjoy the full 800W power, a 1200W PSU is a good choice): https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Choosing-the-Right-Power-Supply-for-Your-Charger

The D200neo also supports Alternating Current (AC) power, meaning you can conveniently power this charger directly from a wall socket if a PSU is not within your reach. However, this option limits the power output to a significantly lower 200W. Although this is a substantial drop in performance compared to DC power, it still meets the needs of most FPV pilots. With 200W, you can fully charge eight 4S 1500mAh LiPo batteries simultaneously in less than an hour (using two parallel charging boards).

This flexibility means that regardless of your location or available power supply, you can reliably power this charger. However, remember to use only one power input at a time, either DC or AC, to avoid damaging the unit.

Build Quality and Design

The SkyRC D200 Neo comes with a sleek, polished design with a durable plastic exterior.

The front of the charger houses dual output ports. Each port features an XT60 connector and a balance connector that supports up to 6S. The dual outputs enable you to charge two batteries simultaneously, it’s like having two separate chargers. You can charge two completely different types of batteries, with varying voltages. You can even be discharging one battery while charging another.

Moving to the back of the D200Neo, it features a large cooling exhaust fan, alongside AC and XT60 DC power inputs.

Situated on the right side of the charger, you’ll find a 20W USB-C port, handy for charging your cameras, tablets and phones. This port also serves for firmware updates and is used for SkyRC’s data logging software. If you need to charge multiple USB devices simultaneously at a higher power (up to 100 Watts), you can opt to purchase the PD Charging Hub PCH150: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBEgILj

On the left side, there’s a discharge port where you can connect SkyRC’s own external discharger (needs to be purchased separately).

The charger features a smart fan control system, ensuring it remains cool during charging and discharging, thereby enhancing its longevity.

User Interface

The SkyRC D200Neo’s user interface is intuitive, simplifying the process for those not familiar with computerized chargers. Its design and functionality are on par with other smart chargers available in the market, facilitating a seamless transition for those switching to this charger.

The charger employs an aluminum scroll wheel for menu selection, and a dedicated button for toggling between the two ports.

Further adding to its modern feature set, the D200Neo supports Bluetooth. By installing the SkyRC app on your phone, you can remotely control and monitor all aspects of the charger. While this may offer an added layer of convenience, I would recommend staying close to your charger during operation for safety reasons.

The charger also provides a USB connection for PC monitoring and control. However, as of the time of this review, their PC software only supports Windows.

Despite these impressive features, there are a few areas that I still find challenging. For instance, the scroll wheel doesn’t serve any function on the main screen (where it displays both channels). It would be handy if the scroll wheel could cycle through information such as cell IR and cell voltages right on the main screen, eliminating the need to navigate to individual profiles.

Also, adjusting the current during charging or discharging is not an option unless you stop and start the process again. Additionally, once you’ve started selecting an option, there’s no way to cancel and exit unless you make a selection.

These are just a few examples that demonstrate that SkyRC still has some ground to cover in terms of user experience with their chargers. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that these minor issues can be addressed in future firmware updates.

Charging Performance

Before initiating the charging process, the user interface allows you to set parameters such as the battery type, cell count, task (including balance charge, storage, or discharge), termination voltage, and current. The SkyRC D200Neo is versatile and supports a variety of commonly used battery chemistries, such as LiPo, LiFe, Li-Ion, LiHV, and others.

While your batteries are charging, the unit displays various information, including the amount of capacity transferred into the pack, the power output, cell voltages, and the duration of the charging process.

However, it’s worth noting that the D200Neo does not provide cell internal resistance readings during charging. For this information, you would need to use the Battery Meter feature available in the system menu, which is kind of unexpected.

One crucial aspect of any charger that often goes overlooked is its balance current. Chargers with superior balancing performance can complete the charging process more quickly, particularly when your LiPo battery’s cells are out of balance. The D200Neo has a commendable balance charge current of 1.5A, which is comparable to other competitors such as the D6 Pro and S6 from Hota (1.6A) and surpasses that of the M6DAC from ToolkitRC (1A).

The smart power distribution feature deserves a mention here. For instance, if you’re charging two batteries using AC power (which limits the charge power at 200W), the D200Neo automatically adjusts the power distribution. Once one battery reaches full charge, the unit redirects the full power to the second port, ensuring efficient charging.

Each port can deliver up to 20A of charge current, making it an ideal choice for parallel charging multiple batteries. If you’re charging a larger battery that can take more than 20A of charge current, for example a 6S 30Ah, you can leverage the D200Neo’s unique “Parallel Mode”. By connecting the battery to both ports, charging in Parallel Mode will let you charge it at up to 35A. While this is an rare used feature for FPV pilots, who typically deal with smaller batteries such as a 6S 1100mAh, it’s a handy feature to have available.

To put the charger’s performance to the test, I connected several 6S LiPo packs to two parallel charging boards to see if the D200Neo truly delivers 200W of power when powered via AC. During the charging process, the fan immediately kicked into gear, and it reaches 8.6A, indicating a realistic, true-to-value power output level.

Discharging Performance

The SkyRC D200Neo doesn’t just charge – it also comes equipped with internal and external discharge capabilities.

However, it’s worth noting that discharging doesn’t appear to be the D200Neo’s strong suit. The maximum discharge current of the internal discharger is limited to 2A, which may be slow for those who want to discharge many or large batteries. To reach higher discharging rates (up to 40A), you’d have to purchase an external discharger the BD350 – an optional accessory (review).

Battery Analyser

What initially caught my attention about the D200Neo was its unique battery analyzer feature. This tool records voltage and current data in real-time that you can save as a CSV file, and creating an informative graph. If you’re like me and enjoy performing battery tests from the comfort of your home, this feature could be a game-changer for you.

What’s more, the Battery Analyze Software is available to download free of charge!

To fully utilize this feature, you’ll need an external discharger such as the BD350 discharger, which is sold separately. When paired with the BD350, you can achieve a discharge current of up to 40.0A.

That said, it’s important to note that I’ve encountered a few bugs while using the app. For instance, you are prompted an error when attempting to export data without saving the test first, and when you stop discharging on the charger, it still shows the discharging is ongoing in the app. Additionally, the discharge current often fluctuates a bit and appears a little higher than the set value, with discrepancies ranging from 0.1 to 0.5A.

Hopefully SkyRC will address these issues in future updates.

System Settings and Additional Features

The D200Neo charger is packed with an extensive list of comprehensive system settings, allowing you to tailor your user experience to your specific needs. These settings including task parameters, language selection, backlight adjustments, beeper volume, USB function settings, DC power supply settings, and so much more.

One particular feature that stands out is the battery meter, which allows you to check the internal resistance of a battery whenever you please. It applies a small load to the battery and assesses the internal resistance of all cells, an essential function for tracking battery health over time. While many other chargers offer this information after each charging cycle, the D200neo grants you the flexibility to test your battery at any given time.

There are several safety features too including options to set a safety timer and a maximum capacity, after which it will automatically shut off to prevent overcharging.

Another compelling features of the D200Neo, in my opinion, is its capacity to serve as a DC power supply. You can adjust the output anywhere from 5V to 20V, and the current up to 15A. This feature transforms the D200Neo into a highly versatile tool, extending its functionality beyond just a battery charger. For instance, you can use it to power a TS100 soldering iron or even to test your drone (it’s not meant to replace a smoke stopper). This level of adaptability truly sets the D200Neo apart from its competition.

Voltage Reading Accuracy

In the interest of accuracy, I took the time to cross-verify the voltage measurements of the D200Neo charger. The results were quite satisfactory, demonstrating that the charger’s voltage readings are precise enough for hobbyist use. However, it’s noteworthy that the D200Neo doesn’t offer the option to calibrate voltages or current.

Here is a comparison of charger-reported voltage readings versus Digital Multimeter (DDM) readings:

Unfortunately, I couldn’t verify the input voltage reading as the charger doesn’t display input voltage or input wattage anywhere! This lack of visibility could be considered a drawback that SkyRC may want to address in the future.

In terms of DC Power mode, when setting the voltage output to 25V, the charger outputs at 24.8V.

D200neo vs D6 Pro

The SkyRC D200Neo is a great value charger, meeting all the requirements of an ordinary FPV drone pilot and more. In comparison to the popular D6 Pro, the D200Neo is more appealing thanks to its unique features such as a battery analyzer, enhanced USB port, Bluetooth support, and greater DC charging power.

Conclusion: Is SkyRC D200 Neo Worth It?

The SkyRC D200 Neo provides an impressive range of features that makes it a worthy contender in the world of smart chargers. For tech-savvy users who want an analyzer to meticulously evaluate their batteries, the D200 Neo is a great choice. Additionally, the inclusion of a USB-C PD 3.0 port makes the charger even more versatile, catering to your other gadgets such as smartphones and tablets. It’s at the same price point as the popular Hota D6 Pro, while offering some additional features, making it an attractive option.

Certainly, there are areas where the D200 Neo can improve on – particularly its software and user interface. These are areas that could potentially be improved in the future through firmware updates.

For those who already own the D6 Pro or M6DAC, the advantages of the D200 Neo might not be sufficient to justify an upgrade. However, for those weighing up their options, the decision will likely depend on the specific type of battery you’re charging and how you plan to power the charger.

If you intend to power your LiPo charger from an AC source, any of these chargers would deliver similar 200W performance. But, if you plan to use a DC power source like an external PSU, then the D200Neo’s 800W capacity is certainly worth considering. But remember, you’ll need a sufficiently powerful PSU, such as a 1200W one, which can be found here: https://oscarliang.com/product-lq1c.

To purchase the SkyRC D200 Neo Charger, you can visit the following links:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DDitGNJ
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/43wnyR6
• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-h4pn