jolynsbass
Posts: 6
Joined: 11/2/2007
From: Norman,
OK, USA
Status: offline
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Hi there,
As per my previous thread on the forum(this one is even longer!), I just got a Traxxas Rustler XL-5, along with a Tenergy 4500mah battery, and of course, a Super Brain 960. I've had a great time with it, and have now completed 3 charge cycles on my battery. Problem is, non of them has gone as planned...
1st time I charged on 0.5 amp - the batt was already charged somewhat from the factory, so any weirdness in my experience on that one is explainable.
After running my car for the first time (whee!, I might add), I hooked it up to the charger. I set it to 4.5 amps, since I've seen similar settings reccommended for batteries of such capacity. I set the mv peak threshold to 25mv, and hit start. After about 15 minutes, it started making a very loud high pitched whining sound, with a regular pulse in the sound about every second or two. I felt the charger, and it was very warm indeed. So I grabbed a fan and blew cool air across it to see if it would help, but it wouldn't stop the loud whining, even though it began to run somewhat cooler. I finally hit stop on the thing after about 30 minutes, and restarted it at a lower amp setting, and it stopped making the high-pitched whining. The battery finished charging normally, and I used it the next day for some more fun! (again, whee!)
So, for my third charge, I figured I'd go with the default 3.0 amp setting, since it ought to work well, and I'd expect a charge time of 1.5 hours. However, same story as 4.5 amp, after 20 minutes or so(may have been more like 25-30 actually, I forget) it gets loud and whiny, and I go feel the thing, and it's hot to touch! So, I break out the fan again... keep it blowing on there for another 20 minutes, and it peaks! after only about 50 minutes total charge time! Maybe I didn't discharge the batts all the way? (even though I did discharge them to where my rusty's wheels were slowing down a *lot* while not even touching the ground...) That's not really the issue, though. It's the heat and noise!
So, is it possible that it is charging at a higher rate than displayed? That could explain the extra heat and shorter than expected charge time... For the record, my ambient temp is quite reasonable - 70F give or take a few degrees. The overheated charger, in this case, is not because of high ambient temp.
Also for the record, I have charged another battery(9.6V Nicd) succesfully, with no extra heat/noise, but I was using 1.0 and 1.5 amp settings on it.
So, should I use the 2.0 amp setting for my 4500mah batt? I don't understand how the 960 is getting so blasted hot! The smell of hot plastic is not my favorite! the product info sheet/descriptions on the web talk about how much cooler it runs that the 959 did... Finding that hard to believe.
Can anyone help me out here? Thanks!
Edit: Well, as no one has replied, I'll try out the 2.0 amp setting, and see if it will charge without "overheating" (only in quotes because I don't think it's actually overheated too far, since it never has shut off, like it's supposed to if it gets too hot according to the manual...)
< Message edited by jolynsbass -- 11/5/2007 12:09:11 AM >
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Printable Version
All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> Batteries & Chargers >> MRC Charger Product Support (i.e. Super Brain, etc) >> Super Brain 960 gets hot and noisy - help? 
Super Brain 960 gets hot and noisy - help? - 
