MRC Super Brain 989?

[ZeusNJ]

I returned the el-cheapo Dynamite LiPo charger (DYN4060) to the LHS and they sold me the MRC Super Brain 989. They told me it was the BEST charger that they sold and they fully recommend it to all their customers. I've been looking online for info on this charger, but can't seem to find any good info. Just keep finding stuff on the 977 and the 959's which looks like they had a lot of problems. I'm hoping that I didn't go from one dud charger to another. I'm going to be using it to charge LiPo's for my TREX 450SE v2.

Any opinions, experiences, advice about the 989??? Please don't post about your bad experiences with the 969 or the 977... I've read all the posts on them. I just want to know about the 989. I need to find out if this is a keeper or not.

Thanks for you time! :thumbup:

[hoot]

It's got a lot of features including becoming a variable power supply. It comes with a really nice separate 10amp 12V power supply with female banana receptacles. I use it as an extra portable supply... I can carry it and plug it in anywhere in the house. I have a heavy 22amp unit that's not so portable.

I tried to use it to charge a lead acid battery but it kept giving me an error. 12v is 6 cells. You program 6 cells, you will get an error. I find out later that for pb (lead acid) you are supposed to program half the number of actual cells. Doesn't say anything about that in the instructions. I think it's a program error in the charger.
I haven't charged anything else with it yet. I just needed a cycler charger with a lot of power and features.

It does provide a wealth of information and it also comes with a a thermistor to monitor battery temp during charging. You can program temp shutdown. Nice feature.

[Ultraviolet]

The reason that you can not find very much info is because MRC chargers have had a lot of problems with charging a lipo correctly. Most people stay away from them !!

The best charger for your Trex lipo's is without a question the Cellpro 4s charger from FMA Direct. You will only hear good things about this charger because it really is an excellent charger.

I would return the MRC charger and buy a Cellpro instead.

2c

[ZeusNJ]

Thanks for the info... I've been able to find lots of info on the older MRC chargers (and all of it is bad reviews)... but not much at all on the 989. The LHS seems to be using it exclusively in the shop and they swear by it. I'll have to check and see if I can return it... maybe exchange it for some other merchandise such as batteries or etc... and then just go buy the Cellpro charger online.

Thanks!

[TMoore]

The reason that you can not find very much info is because MRC chargers have had a lot of problems with charging a lipo correctly. Most people stay away from them !!

The best charger for your Trex lipo's is without a question the Cellpro 4s charger from FMA Direct. You will only hear good things about this charger because it really is an excellent charger.

I would return the MRC charger and buy a Cellpro instead.

2c

Let me say this straight out. There is nothing wrong with a 989. It charges Lipos just fine and it is my main charger for doing lipos and a host of nicads. The charger works and I wouldn't be afraid of it. Jeff Green at MRC stands behind this unit and I know of no one that is more reputable in this industry. The problems with MRC units were with one series of chargers and that's it.

TM

[Ultraviolet]

TM, Your right the 989 probably charges nicads OK. The best (and safest) method for charging a lipo pack is with a charger that utilizes active cell balancing and individual cell monitoring technology.

If you want to charge lipo's with your 989, go right ahead. Personally I would recommend a charger like the cellpro to a beginner wishing to charge lipo packs. Safe, accurate and easy !!

[TMoore]

TM, Your right the 989 probably charges nicads OK. The best (and safest) method for charging a lipo pack is with a charger that utilizes active cell balancing and individual cell monitoring technology.

If you want to charge lipo's with your 989, go right ahead. Personally I would recommend a charger like the cellpro to a beginner wishing to charge lipo packs. Safe, accurate and easy !!

The 989 works superbly with or without a balancer attached, as does the TP1010C with TP210V, the Shulze Pocket Charger and the Duratrax Ice. I charge lipos with all of those chargers with no issues.

TM

[warpspeed]

I've been using the 977 to charge lipo's for years. MRC got a bad rap for one little issue that's user-repairable on a model that's long discontinued. Nothing wrong with their stuff.
Still, once you add a separate balancer you're looking at almost what a BC6 costs. I understand UV's point though-for a noob the Cellpro is a 'safe' choice.

[Fyrfytr]

I've used my 989 along with a Binky balancer for prob close to 50 cycles. I started out measuring each cell before and after a charge with my multimeter. It has worked flawlessly and I actually don't even use the blinky every time because the cells have stayed within .01 of each other. I use the 80% rule which seems to be a good practice. I can't comment on the other chargers but I've used this one on lipo's and all my other batteries without any problems. I actually plan on charging my two 6s A123 packs in parallel on a 5s lipo setting which will charge at 6.5amps. This is pretty good because the 989 will charge at 1.5c.

[ZeusNJ]

Well, after two months of using the SuperBrain 989, I can say that it works FLAWLESSLY! Not a single problem with it at all. I use an astro blinky balancer when charging my LiPo's and it works like a charm. I also like that the 989 gives me the flexibility of charging so many other different types of batteries as well. I check my LiPo's with my Fluke multimeter after every charge, and it charges them to perfection.

I also love the discharge function, and the temperature probe. Additionally, it will charge the big 6S LiPo's when I eventually move up to a TREX 600.

I was kind of worried when I first got it, after reading some negative remarks about it from others (who of course have never used this charger and were only going by what they knew about the old 969 and the problems that charger had).

To all those naysayer's, I say: :nanabobo

[hamslice]

mine fried in two weeks. guess you got lucky and i got the shaft.

[TMoore]

mine fried in two weeks. guess you got lucky and i got the shaft.

See, you just didn't talk to it nicey, nicey like ZeusNJ did.

Glad you like it ZeusNJ.

TM

[gitmomike]

Mine melts the banana plugs, and just yesterday it fried while charging 4400mAh 6S2P. This will be the second time i have to return it to MRC for repair, for the same thing! I like the charger because of the display and functions, but I sucks if it keeps overheating and melting plugs. Two other people I know have the same problem, it melts banana plugs, theirs has not needed to go back, yet.

Anyone else have the same problem?

I was thinking of replacing the banana plugs and wire when it comes back, they may not have a high enough current rating.

[Fyrfytr]

Mine melts the banana plugs, and just yesterday it fried while charging 4400mAh 6S2P. This will be the second time i have to return it to MRC for repair, for the same thing! I like the charger because of the display and functions, but I sucks if it keeps overheating and melting plugs. Two other people I know have the same problem, it melts banana plugs, theirs has not needed to go back, yet.

Anyone else have the same problem?

I was thinking of replacing the banana plugs and wire when it comes back, they may not have a high enough current rating.
Mine also started to melt the banana plugs. I replaced with new ones and all has been well for over 40 cycles charging my 6s1p A123's on a 5s lipo setting at full amps. I think over time when you pull the banana plugs out repeatedly then begin to lose contact. A restricted contact area will produce heat and melt the plastic housing on the plug. On my old plugs the set screw would get real hot and on the new ones they don't get hot at all.

[p00rboi]

I had the same problem with mine while charging 6s 5000mah lipo packs. After being repaired twice by MRC they replaced the entire unit including power supply on the third time. Now the fan in the power supply runs almost continuously during charging and the banana plugs don't even get warm.

[russking123]

My experience with the 989 charging 6s1p 22.2v 2500mah Flight Power packs has been nothing but positive. However, the 989 will not charge LiPo's faster than 1.2C. Says so right on the box. Good feature for safety, but I wish I had the option to OCASSIONALLY fast charge at 2 or 3C. i.e. when the sun is setting on a Sunday evening at the flying field and you're kicking the dirt cause your wife wouldn't let you buy another spare pack. But I digress.

[ZeusNJ]

How are you balancing your 6S packs with the 989? I might eventually move up to a larger heli and right now I'm using a Blinky to balance my 3S packs on my 989. From what I understand, the Blinky will only balance packs with up to 5 cells... so I need to figure out how to balance the 6S or larger packs and not have to buy a new charger. I have had nothing but a positive experience with my 989.

[juniorrex]

I also own the 989 and nothing gets warm, the fans turn on etc.
all is good.

My beef right now is the power supply does not seem to work like it should.

I also read people using it to charge A123 good to know!!! I have not completely reseached this stuff but I do hear good things. the mAh seems a tad low hence I am in no ruch to get some plus I have 6 lipo 6s2p packs at the moment.

[AzHeliCrasher]

Mine has worked flawlessly for me. I have had it for a while. I do use an electrifly balancer with the lipos however I have charged nimh and nicads with no problem as well.

[juniorrex]

UPDATE,
Tried to charge my 6S 4200mAh pack at the MRC989 max. of 1.25C..Needless to say the banana plugs and connector on the 15vdc MRC power supply melted. Plus the DC power supply is no longer working. The SUPER Brain works fine though, I did get beter banana plugs and connecting wires, drilled venting holes so that the internal fan flows air better from left to right over the heatsink.
Decided to get a variable Power supply 5-16Vdc rated at 32 Amps!!!:smokin: Should work well.:thumbup: