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All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Batteries & Chargers >> MRC Charger Product Support (i.e. Super Brain, etc) >> Need Help with MRC 989 Charger
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Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 9/30/2007 10:24:33 PM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		This is my first attempt to charge with my brand new MRC Super Brain 989 charger. The battery in question is this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300140081870&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D300140081870%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1

I set it up with the following parameters: LiPo, 3 cell, 2200mAh, 2.00 amp, 140F, 1.85 volts, and Auto Cycle, hit start and I get Err b 1.

What am I doing wrong and what do I need to do to correct it.
       Post #: 1

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 10/1/2007 9:25:17 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		What's voltage in the battery when you first plugged it in? The "bl" error code usually means the battery voltage is low.

Tim

< Message edited by Tim@MRC -- 10/1/2007 9:26:05 PM >

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 2

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 10/2/2007 4:04:26 AM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		It's a brand new battery and I would "assume" that it has never been charged?

(in reply to Tim@MRC)
       Post #: 3

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 10/2/2007 2:52:27 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		When you enter in the parameters of the battery, 3 cell LiPo, the charger expects to see a certain voltage in the pack. If the voltage in the battery is too low compared to what the charger expects to see, the you'll get the error code you got. It's part of the safety features built into the charger. Again, what was the voltage reading on the charger for the batttery when you first hooked it up? Was it the 1.85 volts? If it was, then that voltage is WAY too low for that battery. If it's a 3 cell LiPo, then the minimum the voltage should be is about 9 volts under load, and about 9.9 to 11.1 volts sitting static. Otherwise I'd say that battery is no good.

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 4

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 10/2/2007 8:27:23 PM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		It's supposed to be a brand new never before charged battery so it is an unknown as far as what the charge in it is. The data on the battery says it's a 11.1 V 2200 mAh 12C battery.

(in reply to Tim@MRC)
       Post #: 5

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 10/2/2007 9:06:38 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		It's supposed to be 11.1 volts, but what's the actual voltage?

Tim

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 6

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 2/25/2008 2:50:45 AM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		Update: right around Thanksgiving, I tried to charge this batter for the Nth time. I didn't have a safety pack but did leave it on the concrete floor in the cellar at least 3' from any flamable material. I forgot that I was charging it went outside. Aparently it caught fire and set the smoke detector off which my youngest son heard going off. I ran down stairs to find the battery FRIED along with the leads and a black smudge on the floor.

Lessons learned: no more Ebay cheap batteries or ESCs (Tower Pro 80A was a waste of money too as I never got it programed or an any support from Tower Pro).

I've since bought a EVO battery from Tower Hobbies. When I hooked it up to the Power Brain, it setup in about a minute and proceeded to charge it with no problem. The sales rep at Tower Hobbies STRONGLY suggested I buy the safety bag (and I didn't tell her about the burned batter either) and suggested a power/watt/amp/voltage battery balancer too. All in all EVERYTHING that I have bought from Tower has been EXACTLY what I should get/need/want.

BTW, shotly after my "fire in the hole" battery fire, a happy homeowner in Endicott, NY burned his house down with an unattended LiPo battery fire. Moral of the story: NEVER LEAVE A CHARGING BATTERY UNATTENDED!

(in reply to Tim@MRC)
       Post #: 7

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 2/25/2008 7:29:45 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Sorry to hear about the problems you had with that battery. Thank God no one got hurt. Glad you were able to get your Super Brain working with a good battery. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Tim Sandor

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 8

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 3/30/2008 7:39:28 AM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		Tim:

Will the Super Brain run a brush motor that runs on 8.4 to 9.5 volts DC at 5 to 6.5 amps? It's a E-flite EFLM108 http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLM108

(in reply to Tim@MRC)
       Post #: 9

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 4/2/2008 4:25:00 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Yes, it should. The 989 may "search"for the proper amperage at the voltage you input. If it does, just pay attention to the amperage reading at the voltage you need, and then input that.

Tim

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 10

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 4/2/2008 5:54:47 PM   
DuceNova


 

Posts: 100
Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Endicott, NY, USA
Status: offline 		Tim:

Thanks AGAIN for the prompt reply.

I did indeed attach the E-flite EFLM108 to the 989 and it ran it flawlessly.

I didn find that the bananna connectors from the power supply to the brain couldn't be tightened down on the wires which was giving me fits because the brain would randomly lose power for no reason. I have spare 4 mm male gold connectors, soldereed them on, put color coded heat shrink on them, and problem resolved.

Sincerely,

John

(in reply to Tim@MRC)
       Post #: 11

RE: Need Help with MRC 989 Charger - 4/9/2008 6:50:30 PM   
Tim@MRC


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 7/24/2006
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Glad to hear everything worked out for you. Please let me know if you ever need anything else.

Tim Sandor

(in reply to DuceNova)
       Post #: 12

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All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Batteries & Chargers >> MRC Charger Product Support (i.e. Super Brain, etc) >> Need Help with MRC 989 Charger
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