EG1

I'm happy with my 977, wish it stored battery info like already stated but its all good. For international folks like myself its great that it takes 110-240.

N1EDM

My Feedback: (2)

The inside rear cover of Inside RC shows the Super Brain 989. I think that there was a 987 just before it.

If/when they make firmware upgrades, they probably just 'up' the model number as well...

Just my $.02

Bob

PedeBeater

This thread has been very usfull to me seeing how I am planning on getting as soon as I get the money.

guver> You mean that it still gets hot even though it has that fan?

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Yes, when doing over 100 watts it still gets hot, but has not let me down.

Jims123

Guver ,
what amazed me is how cool the 977 seems to run U have yet to feel it get warm at all.. tho the FAN does start off .. I think it's well designed.. and i am conservatively charging 600MAh 8.4 v NiMH's by the book and have only had it a couple weeks and gone thru about 6 cycles on each of 8 of these small 7cel AAA sailplane batteries cycles.. i also have a 1200mAh 3 cel 11.1v Lipo .. and thought it a pain monotoring the cel voltages manually thru that 4 pin connector.. so just got a AstriBlinky BAttery Balancer Pn106 for $23 today..have not tried it yet tho.

I got it in part cause I noticed one of the 3 cells to climb to 4.20 about 0.25vdc faster, and got above the other two to 4.25 vdc before i manually shut the 977 OFF.. can you tell me if i messed up leaving the Delta peak set at 15mv it was Blinking "Lipo" as it should, and Charging to a 1200 limit and got to about 895mah (I believe), and had the correct cel count of 3 before I started .. but did not Auto Shut down after about 45 mins and it hit this 4.25 vdc level on one of the 3 cells.. .. this was the 1st and only time I have tried charging a Lipo on the 977 .. did I mess up?

Shouldn't the 977 Auto Shut off, if I set its peak detector up correctly.. i could not find where to set the Delta Peak setting for a 3 cell 11.1v Lipo tho, perhaps i mised it.. .. Will the Blinky resolve this and allow the normal Auto Shut Off like the MRC 977 does when it STOPS to go into trickle charge after about 30 mins on all my NiMH's.. ?.. as well as assure auto-balancing during charging issue? If you don't know, fine I can perhaps call and Ask MRC's tech rep.. just hoping to avoid blowing anything up.. Thanks in Advance JimS

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Yea, you may have to ask Tim to comment on the mv setting. My understanding is to set cell count with battery plugged in and that sets "lipo" which you had. Adjusting the mv before hand really should do nothing. Mine stops at 12.6 indicated on the display if I remember correct.

I don't think you mesed up, was the total voltage 12.6?

Jims123

Guver
To answer the earlier question.. yes i believe it did charge normally to 12.6 vdc initially...

But, I'm afraid now I really did mess up.. forgot to unplug the Lipo after a flight.. so . after three days of Reciever drain I can't seem to get one of the three cell to charge at all .. tried several for several hours at the lowest .20 amp setting both with and without the balancer plugged in .. can't get past 7.6vdc so think one of the 3 cells is damaged.. any tips on recovering it.. or should i give up and get another, chalking this up to a Lesson Learned experience i won't forget.
.. .. Regards, JimS

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Uhoh, yes. Well maybe at this point it's best to check the voltage of each cell before going on.

If they were all equal I'd attemt to slow charge just temporarily to bring the minimum voltage up to (whatever) 9 volts?
If they were'nt equal then it may be a goner and could possiby be made into a 2S pack.

chriz238

can u charge 2 7 cell batteries at a time with this charger

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Yes.

kbreese

I had the same problem with this charger false peaking on brand new GP 3300 batteries. Does anyone know if this problem has ever been addressed or solved?

guver

My Feedback: (325)

The 977 is unchanged as far as I know. If it stops too early then a restart is ness.

kbreese

In otherwords it's a problem with the charger that people have to live with if they keep it, b/c the manufacturer doesn't feel the need to fix the problem.

guver

My Feedback: (325)

I like to view it as "very conservative" safety stops rather than a problem. It may be a probem with new, old, batts that sat a long time.

A few cycles and your new packs should've charged normally on the 977.

synergisticity

Hey There Y'all,
Doing some research, and I think the 977 will work for me. I know it's complex, but please look at my situation (below) and comment.

Thanks!

SML


OK: Just bought Ofna Chrome Top Starter Box in order to get rid of roto-start and glow plug driver (both seem to die too easily when car's not running so well). So, I have the following batteries to charge: 2 RX pack (1,500 mAh NiCad), 2 TX (8 AA 2200 mAh NiMH rechargables- DX2), 7Ah 12V Gel Cell.

I'd like to be able to charge the 2 RX packs at once (I'm guessing @ 4.5 Ah = 20 minutes), 2 TX packs at once (@ 4.5 Ah = 30 minutes), and 12V Gell Cell at once (@ 1.4 Ah = 5 hours).

Does this make sense?

SS Pede

The 977 should work fine for you. I've never tried charging a gel cell with mine but I assume it works fine. It's actually not a very complex charger to use, you will be fine. Those charge rates for the Rx/Tx packs seem too high. I don't know exactly what is recommended, but I think more like 1 or 2 amps would be better. I know they won't charge as fast but small cells like those don't like to be hit with 4.5 amps.

guver

My Feedback: (325)

I think the rates are also too fast for radio batts and a problem may occur when dropping the rate down too slow with the 977. It may detect a rise in voltage that's "too slow" and stop. A restart would be in order.

If your into being in a hurry then it probably would work fine.

99cavyz

BuMp...anybody else charging lipo's with this charger? this is the charger i have and plan on going to go lipo...don't wanna have to drop another $100 bucks for a charger/ps to charger lipo's (i know that this charger says it can just wanna make sure it WILL without issues).

Thanks.

guver

My Feedback: (325)

It will charge lipos, verify the termination voltage on your particular one when it is done.

crobi

I just bought a super Brain 977 a couple weeks ago from Tower Hobbies and it fried on the third charge . I plugged a battery into channel A and the charger read 15V and started sizzling and smoking like crazy. I unpluged it and it eventually stopped smoking. I plugged the same battery into Channel B and it was fine. Any battery I plugged into channel A read 15 v. The thing is toast. Smells fried, but Channel B still works. I will say that John over at MRC is a nice guy and they said they would replace it if Tower won't, but Tower stood behind the product and is exchanging it for a new one. I think it's probably a fluke and I wll give the super brain 977 another try. Anyone else have any issues like this?

guver

My Feedback: (325)

Not me, a couple of noisy fans and some buttons that finally got so bad to push. They were old style buttons.

SS Pede

Never heard of this happening with a 977, looks like bad luck.

superfrog

The 977 can charge a 2s lipo at 2.5 amps, and a 3s lipo at 3 amps. How long would it take to charge a 8000mah????

guver

My Feedback: (325)

8000/3 amps = 2.67 (charger delivers 8000 mah in 2.67 hrs)
8000/2.5 amps = 3.2 hrs

jayblazer

My Feedback: (2)

sorry to dig this up ut i saved it in favorits along time ago and after reading through it i still have a ? and since there are so many on here that have knowledge on this charger it seams like the place to ask.
alright i have an E-Revo and i want to run 2, 3 cell lipos in it so can i charge them both on the 977 at the same time? and if not would i be able to charge 1 then the other and run them together in the revo or would one bottom out faster since they were not ballanced together?