The 8S provides a performance boost over the 6S, although the 8S technology is still in the early stages due to limited supporting hardware, as noted in my post. With 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 the 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 HOTA T8 from:
The package includes a T8 charger, USB cable for firmware update and user manual.
Specifications
Input Voltage: DC 7.0V to 35.0V @ MAX 27A
Maximum charging power: 22A
Discharge power
- Normal Mode (Internal Discharger): 0.13A at 20W
- Recycle mode (external charger): 0.1-22A at 650W
Balance current: 1000mA @ 4.2V
Screen: Color 2.8″ IPS, resolution 320×240
USB-A output: 5V @ 2.1A
Supported battery types
- Lithium batteries: Smart Battery / LiHV / LiPo / LiFe / LiIon / LiXX / LTO: 1-8S
- Nickel-based batteries: NiZn / NiCd / NiMH: 1-20S
- Lead-acid batteries: TK: 1-12S
- Other: Eneloop: 1-20S
Measures
- 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
Exit
- 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 dimensions
- Dimensions: 97mm x 69.5mm x 34mm
- Weight: Approximately 194 g
Design
A standout feature of the HOTA T8 is its 8S compatibility, making it one of the few affordable chargers capable of handling 8S LiPo batteries. It is also equipped with balance and discharge functions, which are standard features of modern smart chargers.
The HOTA T8 has a compact, lightweight rectangular design, although it can only be powered via a DC 7V to 35V input via the XT60 connector. This setup allows for battery or PSU (power supply unit) power, but the lack of a USB-C input (PD compatible) may limit its portability.
New power source for charger? Check out my tutorial here: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Choosing-the-Right-Power-Supply-for-Your-Charger
On one side you will find the XT60 input connector and the 5V 2.1A USB output.
On the other side is the XT60 output and balance port along with two servo connectors for signal generation and measurement.
The user interface is straightforward, 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 display is bright and clear, readable even in direct sunlight.
The T8 also measures the battery’s internal resistance during charging, which is useful for monitoring battery health and performance.
Here is the bottom.
How to use T8
The included manual is pretty useless, but using this charger isn’t complicated.
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.
Set the charging as needed and you can start charging. It’s straightforward and efficient.
T8 can also be used as a voltage check. When you plug a battery into the XT60 output without powering the charger itself, the battery voltage will be displayed. However, note that connecting only the balance cable will not supply power to the charger.
Additional features
Like many of ToolkitRC’s smart chargers, the HOTA T8 is versatile, acting as a power supply, signal generator, and measurement tool.
IN Power modeyou can set the output voltage between 1V to 35V, with currents from 0.5A to 22A.
IN Signal generator modeThe T8 outputs SBUS, PWM and PPM signals. While these signals are becoming less common in the hobby, PWM signals are still useful for testing servos, especially for fixed-wing models.
IN Signal measurement modeThe T8 detects SBUS, PPM and PWM signals, which is useful when troubleshooting receivers using these signals, even if they are already obsolete.
In addition, the T8 includes a USB output (type A) for charging devices such as a GoPro or a smartphone. However, it is limited to 5V output and not compatible with Power Delivery (PD).
Charging accuracy
After the 8S battery was fully charged, I measured the voltage of each cell to verify that the HOTA T8 was charging or overcharging. The results indicated a slight undercharge, with the cells ending up about 0.01V below the target voltage – a minor discrepancy that leans on the safe side and isn’t a problem. The T8 also allows you to set the terminal voltage higher or lower, which is a nice feature for fine-tuning. For example, to compensate for undercharging, I could set the terminal voltage to 4.21V.
| Total | 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’s voltage readings, I double-checked the voltage readings against a calibrated digital multimeter (DDM). The data is quite accurate and I am very satisfied with it. The biggest error I ran into was only around 0.01V – so small it’s negligible and shouldn’t be a problem for hobbyist use.
| Source | Load | DDM |
|---|---|---|
| Input XT60 | 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 |
Testing the maximum power and charging current
When charging a large 6S battery, I set the current to a maximum of 22.0A, theoretically the output should go up to 530W at a voltage of 4V per cell. However, the charger could only reach 19A, which is the limit for 495W. Even though it didn’t meet the full specs, it’s still enough power for most FPV pilots, especially considering that parallel charging of six 6S 1100mAh batteries even at 2C (quite aggressive charging) only requires about 13A, around 300W.
For those not parallel charging, the power requirements are even lower. For example, charging an 8S 1000mAh battery typically only requires around 30W to 60W, so the T8’s power is more than sufficient for realistic charging needs.
Conclusion
The HOTA T8 is the most affordable 8S LiPo charger available, delivering solid performance in a compact design. While the T8 didn’t quite hit its claimed maximum output (hitting 19A and 495W instead), it’s still more than enough for most hobbyists’ needs. The user-friendly interface, accurate voltage readings, and precise charging make it a useful choice, especially for anyone looking to future-proof the potential use of an 8S battery while still being compatible with 1S to 6S batteries.
You can get HOTA T8 from:
My favorite LiPo charger for the 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 would benefit from a USB-C PD input to make it more travel friendly. Since it only has an XT60 input, you should get an external power supply that is powerful enough for your charging needs. To help choose the right power supply, you can check out this guide for LiPo charger power supplies: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/#Choosing-the-Right-Power – Delivery for your charger