MRC SuperBrain 969

[ayk_driver]

does n e one have this charger? if so can u plz lemme no if it is as good as it seems...... me and my dad r thinkin' of gettin' one cuz of all the things it can do.... thanx

[guver]

I had one and really liked it, but I like the piranha digital a little better for the cheaper price. It does a little more.

[ayk_driver]

hm..... i think i wood still prefer all the battery options when charing with it...

[trw]

i have a SB959 and i hate it, it false peaks all the time, and it gets rediculously hot unless you keep a fan on it. Was a waste of a good $70.00 for me

[Jamedup]

I've been using the SB 959 since they were out and it's perfect for me since I only run nitro. I plugged the charger into a 110 receptical that was wired for 220 and fried the charger like huge. It's so easy to fix if something goes wrong and MRCs customer support is top notch. I needed another LCD display and the rep went WAY above and beyond the call of duty.
I like the 959 so much that I'm planning on buying the 969 during the off season.

btw.... my 959 cost me $45

[Grifter]

What's up with Chargers!! First I hear the Piranha Peak is good charger so I get that one, well it's complete garbage, always false peaks. Then I hear the Brain 959 is awesome, great Charger, great price, now people are saying how bad it is!!

So what's a good charger?

Thanks!

[mavrick0]

Guys you need to really read carefully before you reply. He asked about the SB969 not the 959. The 969 just came out and they've fixed all the problems as well as made it better since you can now charge 2 batteries of different ratings at the same time or charge one and discharge the other. It will also charge lead acid and lithium batteries as well as Nicads and Nimh's. From what I've read in the recent edition of RCCA it will be great. It has a built in fan, uses a separate power supply like a laptop so you don't have this heavy charger to lug out to the track if it's an outdoor without power.

I have a 959 and with the cooling fan runs perfectly and I have an older model that didn't have that resistor that when it got hot would cause the charger to false peak but that can be removed and you have a very reliable cheap charger.

[blownsi]

trw,
I have a perfect home for your SB.

[rccardude04]

Originally posted by mavrick0
Guys you need to really read carefully before you reply. He asked about the SB969 not the 959. The 969 just came out...

I just felt i should say that i agree with that statement :rolleyes:

And with the charger as new as it is, I wouldnt expect a very comprehensive description of its performance quite yet. Wait for it to be out for a while so we have some longer term evaluations.
But it sure looks like a heck of a deal!
-Eric

[guver]

sorry my mistake about the 969. I'm going to get one, it looks really good. so far, Not bad for a hundred dollars.

[ayk_driver]

well we live and canada and with the dollar we wanna buy now so we wont blow a fortune on it...

[highster]

guver, It does not do more, as the digital peak can not charge lead acid, or lithiums.

grifter, go spend some money and buy anything made by Competition Electronics. There is not a better charger made.

Now for the 969, it looks like agreat charger for anyone into planes, electric or nitro, the power supply nor the charger really supplies enough power to charge rc car race packs. I believe it only charges up to 3.5 amps. i perfer to charge my race packs at, atleast 5 amps, most time up around 7-8 amps. This opinion is solely based upon what I've read in RCCA............

[ayk_driver]

i dont race so that woodnt hurt me n e

[eliseracer]

Now the decision: A used Quasar Pro or a new SB969??? What should I get?

[mavrick0]

highster re-read the article it has a max output of 4.5amps. Now I'm not sure if that it will do 4.5amps while charging two batteries but 4.5 is enough to charge any car battery well enough for the average basher. And if it will do both batteries at 4.5amps then it's even better for the maxx guys.

CE's are nice for the advanced to pro guys but for the back yard bashers or the guys just running in stock classes this is a wonderful charger. It was only a couple of years ago I upgraded to a Tekin BC-112a and BC-112c over my bottom of the line Tekin peak charger from 6 years ago that never falsed peaked on me and always charged my batteries at 4.5amps. I do love my BC-112's and wouldn't get rid of them for the world but I also have 20 packs I have to take care of and manage and these chargers let me do that. Now I might just pick up one of these 969's because they are cheap and have a lot of features that would be good for my bashing packs and only use my Tekin's for my racing packs so I can pump them at 5amps.

[eliseracer]

Lemme get this straight: the new SB969 can charge 2 battery packs at once? Meaning it has 2 plugs? Man, if that's so, sold!

[guver]

yes that is correct.

[ayk_driver]

eah thats y im gettin' one... and it will charge 2 pax at 4.5 amps says the mag.......

[mavrick0]

http://www.modelrec.com/products/batteryChargers/product.asp?ID=1323&Subcategory=Battery%20Charger

I'm not sure if it will do two packs at once at 4.5amps. The reason I say that is the power supply is only rated for 5 amps.

[ayk_driver]

well they tested it in the mag so i guess it wood work......

[blownsi]

If I didn't totally misunderstand what I've read: It will only charge two packs @4.5 from a 12v source. This means you are correct about the 5V power supply. 2 packs plugged into the wall 2.5A might as well not bother lol. My advice by two used 959's from all the people who run out and buy the new one. Then just make sure you do the "brain surgery" to them.

[mr_dove]

i asked MRC about the max voltage when charging dual packs and this is the response that i got.

I have been able to get 3 amps per channel on 2 - 7.2 volt batteries. If you are only using one side, you can get the full 4.5 amps. You are pretty much limited to the output of the power supply. We will have an auxiliary power supply available that will work in conjunction with the one supplied, and then you can get the full 4.5 amps per channel on 2 batteries.

I'm still a bit of a newb. can anyone say if 2.5 or 3 amps is enough to get a good charge and good performance out of a pack? Or does it just slow down the charge?

[The_In_Kid]

i'm really happy with my digital pulse charger

http://www.rctech.net/reviews/review_intellipeak_graphics/pic2.jpg

[groovesafe]

i'm deciding on that charger myself - hows it run, does it get hot or false peak?

[MrHorspwer]

they've fixed all the problems as well as made it better

So you own one, have used it for many months and can verify correct operation?

Maybe everybody is mentioning the 959 because of the constant problems people had with it? I remember reading magazine articles that the 959 was a great lo-buck charger. Magazines know a whole lot don't they?

MRC screwed alot of us over with the 959. It is a piece of crap. Great, doing the fan mod (which I had to do to mine since I couldn't afford a new charger) helps with the false peaking. That is still something that shouldn't have to be done. No customer should have to significantly modify a product to make it work properly.

Have people forgotten how much of a pile of crap the 959 is? Everybody complained about it for ages. Now they come out with something new (and as of yet, untested by the masses)... and it's alright? Would you buy a Yugo if they sold it as "We fixed all the problems and made it better"?

MRC will not get my business with this new charger. I'll take my $100 and buy an Intellipeak Digi or add a few extra bucks and buy a Quasar.

[RonnieRayGun]

check this (http://pub143.ezboard.com/fjeepinatorsforumfromhellfrm11.showMessage?topicID =716.topic) out, a pretty good review i think, just read past the first post... for great justice.

[Dirtwerx]

Anyone who is trying to draw similarities between the 959 and 969 has no clue what they are talking about. They OBVIOUSLY don't own a 969, and probably didn't own a 959 either.

Personally, I have owned a 959 and now own a 969. The 959 was a piece of garbage...that I will openly admit. However, the 969 is a quality charger. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 959 AT ALL!

No, I haven't owned it for several months, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to distinguish a bad charger from a good one. I've had my charger for roughly a month now.

I have been very pleased with the performance of my 969 thus far. It is AC/DC compatible, can charge any type of battery pack you will likely EVER own, and can charge 1-8 cells.....not to mention being able to charge/discharge 2 packs at once. I get a continuous voltage readout, mah readout, and charge rate information.

Find me another charger anywhere near $100 that can do all that. Actually, find me another charger PERIOD that can do all that. I can't think of one off hand.

The 969 is well constructed, and has a much better feel to it. I have had no issues with false peaks so far, or any other issues of any kind. My batteries stay nice and cool, and I can charge every pack I own (including my glow ignitor) with it.

Before you bash the 969, perhaps you should be at least somewhat knowledgable about the product, or better yet...don't open your mouth in the first place. :rolleyes: