The 8S offers improved performance over the 6S, despite the fact that 8S technology is still in its infancy due to limited supporting hardware, as explained in my post. Since there are only a few 8S compatible chargers on the market, in this review we’ll look at the cheapest option, the HOTA T8, to see if it’s an ideal choice for FPV pilots looking for the affordability and high functionality of an 8S charger.
Learn more about choosing an FPV LiPo charger here: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/
Where to buy
You can get the HOTA T8 from:
The box comes with a T8 charger, a USB cable for firmware updates, and a user manual.
specification
Input voltage: DC 7.0V ~ 35.0V @ MAX 27A
Maximum charging power: 22A
discharge power
- Normal mode (internal discharger): 0.13A at 20W
- Recycle mode (external discharger): 0.1~22A at 650W
Balance Current: 1000mA @ 4.2V
screen: Color 2.8″ IPS, 320×240 resolution
USB-A output: 5V @ 2.1A
Supported battery types
- lithium battery: Smart Battery/LiHV/LiPo/LiFe/LiIon/LiXX/LTO: 1-8S
- nickel based battery: NiZn/NiCd/NiMH: 1-20S
- lead acid battery: PB: 1-12S
- different: Eneloop: 1-20S
measurer
- PWM:880us-2200us@20-400Hz
- PPM: 880us-2200us x 8CH @ 20-50Hz
- sbus: 880us-2200us x 16CH @ 20-100Hz
- voltage: 1.0V-5.0V @ 1-8S
- internal resistance: 1-99mΩ @ 1-8S
- ESC: 1-20A @ 1-35V, max 650W
calculation
- PWM: 500us-2500us @ 20-1000Hz
- PPM: 880us-2200us x 8CH @ 50Hz
- sbus: 880us-2200us x 16CH @ 74Hz
- power supply: 0.5-22A @ 1-35V (CC+CV mode)
physical size
- size: 97mm × 69.5mm × 34mm
- weight: Approximately 194g
design
A standout feature of the HOTA T8 is its 8S compatibility, making it one of the few affordable chargers that can handle 8S LiPo batteries. It also features balance and discharge functions, which are standard features on modern smart chargers.
The HOTA T8 has a compact and lightweight rectangular design, but can only be powered by DC 7V~35V input via the XT60 connector. This setup can be powered from a battery or a power supply unit (PSU), but portability may be limited due to the lack of a USB-C (PD-compatible) input.
Is this your first time using a charger PSU? Check out my tutorial here: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Choosing-the-Right-Power-Supply-for-Your-Charger
One side has an XT60 input connector and a 5V 2.1A USB output.
On the other side are the XT60 output and balance ports, along with two servo connectors for signal generation and measurement.
The user interface is simple, with an “Exit” button and a scroll wheel for menu navigation. The menu design is intuitive and similar to other smart chargers from HOTA and ToolkitRC. The screen is clear, bright, and easy to read even in direct sunlight.
The T8 is also useful for monitoring battery health and performance by measuring internal battery resistance during charging.
Here is the floor.
How to use T8
Using this charger isn’t difficult, although the included manual is pretty useless.
To start using the HOTA T8 charger, connect it to a power source via the XT60 input, then connect the battery to the XT60 output and balance port.
You can start charging by specifying the charging settings as needed. It’s simple and efficient.
The T8 can also be used as a voltage checker. If you connect a battery to the XT60 output without powering the charger itself, the battery voltage will be displayed. However, if I only connect the balance lead, there will be no power to the charger.
Additional features
Like many of ToolkitRC’s other smart chargers, the HOTA T8 is versatile and doubles as a power supply, signal generator, and measurement tool.
in power supply modeYou can set the output voltage from 1V to 35V and the current from 0.5A to 22A.
in signal generator modeT8 outputs SBUS, PWM and PPM signals. Although these signals are less common in the hobby, PWM signals are still useful for servo testing, especially on fixed-wing models.
in Signal measurement modeThe T8 detects SBUS, PPM, and PWM signals and uses these signals to help troubleshoot receiver issues, but is deprecated.
The T8 also includes a USB output (Type A) for charging devices such as GoPros or smartphones. However, the output is limited to 5V and is not Power Delivery (PD) compatible.
Charging Accuracy
After fully charging the 8S battery, we measured the voltage of each cell to determine whether the HOTA T8 was overcharging or undercharging. The results showed some overcharging, with the cells going about 0.01V below the target voltage. This is a minor discrepancy that is on the safe side and should not be a problem. T8 also allows you to adjust the final voltage higher or lower, which is a nice feature for fine tuning. For example, the final voltage can be set to 4.21V to compensate for undercharging.
| gun | 33.57 |
| cell 1 | 4.191 |
| cell 2 | 4.193 |
| cell 3 | 4.192 |
| cell 4 | 4.188 |
| cell 5 | 4.183 |
| cell 6 | 4.190 |
| cell 7 | 4.199 |
| cell 8 | 4.197 |
Voltage reading accuracy
To ensure the accuracy of the T8 voltage readings, voltage measurements were double-checked against a calibrated digital multimeter (DDM). The readings are very accurate and I am very satisfied. The biggest error I encountered was only about 0.01V. This is so small that it can be ignored and is not a problem at all for hobbyist use.
| source | charger | DDM |
|---|---|---|
| XT60 input | 23.9V | 23.97V |
| CH1 XT60 | 30.66 | 30.62 |
| cell 1 | 3.830 | 3.824 |
| cell 2 | 3.829 | 3.824 |
| cell 3 | 3.829 | 3.824 |
| cell 4 | 3.829 | 3.822 |
| cell 5 | 3.832 | 3.823 |
| cell 6 | 3.830 | 3.825 |
| cell 7 | 3.827 | 3.825 |
| cell 8 | 3.826 | 3.824 |
Maximum power and charging current testing
When charging a large 6S battery, I set the current to a maximum of 22.0A, which theoretically should boost the power up to 530W when the voltage per cell reaches 4V. However, the charger only reached 19A, limiting it to 495W. Although it doesn’t meet full specifications, this is still plenty of power for most FPV pilots. Especially considering that even at 2C (very aggressive charging), parallel charging of six 6S 1100mAh batteries only requires about 13A, or about 300W.
For those not doing parallel charging, the power requirements are much lower. For example, charging an 8S 1000mAh battery typically requires only about 30W to 60W, so the performance of the T8 is sufficient for realistic charging requirements.
conclusion
HOTA T8 is the most affordable 8S LiPo charger, offering solid performance in a compact design. Although the T8 doesn’t reach its stated maximum output (instead reaching 19A and 495W), this is still more than enough for most enthusiast needs. The user-friendly interface, accurate voltage readings, and accurate charging make it a worthy option for anyone looking for the ability to be particularly compatible with 1S to 6S batteries while also being future-proof for potential 8S battery use.
You can get the HOTA T8 from:
My favorite LiPo charger for 6S and below is the Q6AC: https://oscarliang.com/toolkitrc-q6ac-lipo-charger/
My favorite portable charger is the SkyRC B6Neo: https://oscarliang.com/skyrc-b6neo-lipo-charger/
The T8 takes advantage of the USB-C PD input, which would make it better suited for travel. It only has an XT60 input, so you’ll need to purchase an external power supply powerful enough for your charging needs. If you need help choosing the right power supply, check out this guide on LiPo charger power supplies: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Choosing-the- Right-Power- Charger Supply
