Bino05

Both of these seem good to me, I like the hobbico elite because it comes ready with the bananna inputs and has memory for 10 packs and will cycle the batteries. I like the mrc because its 50 dollars cheaper and will also charge my field box battery. It also can charge up to 5amps while the elite only two. Why is this important? I dont like the mrc because it only has those tamiya style out puts so i would have make my own connections. Please help me choose. Just tell me about these too, I dont want to buy another charger and still have to by a power source. So if you HAD to buy one of these, which one and why. thanks

kx250ryder

The Accucycle is not ac/dc according to Tower's web site, so you would need a power supply, or connect it to a full size car battery charger.

Between the Triton, Accucycle, ICE, and Super Brain 977, I crunched all the numbers, and for what I do (1/8th nitro surface r/c) the Super Brain 977 was best for me, because it was ac/dc, could do 12 volt starter box batteries, and two different packs at once. Look at what kinds of batteries you need to charge, and what you may upgrade to in the future (including different types of R/C) and select a charger that you can use now and into the future.

EDIT: In respect to the number of amps, and how that is useful, the higher the amp setting the faster the batteries will charge. I don't know of any battery you would need to charge at 5 amps, but I charge my nimh c size glow charger battery at 3 amps, which is about a rate of 1C. 3300mAh battery divided by 3 amps (which is the same as 3000mA) equals 1C.

EDIT AGAIN: Apparently, the Accucycle is ac/dc, yet Tower's page says 12 volt supply needed, so I am a bit lost.

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

Your question is a lot like whats better a Ford or a Chevy, I'll take a Dodge! MRC has had problems in the past. Currently their 977 seems to receiving good reviews. However from my viewpoint I'll take a Multiplex 5014 and a PC power supply. For my money it has the best price performance ratio. For your money you decide both your choices are good.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXKSY1&P=0

Red's battery clinic has information on modifying a PC supply on the left all the way down.
www.rcbatteryclinic.com/
John

treedog

i think u've got urself into a rats nest here maybe a snakes nest u want everything in 1 package and if u find it let me know i'd like to find it too what i did was buy a cheap cycler to beat my batteries into lasting longer nicad and nimh. and charge them over nite ever three months or so and then id definitely get a good lipo charger for those they last less cycles and are more expensive and dangerous 12 volt? jumper cables to ur car batery maybe? oh i think i'm thouroly confued now are u? sorry let me call acme ill get back to u later

treedog

ok mrc 959 and a wal mart battery charger for at home use [12 volt car battery type] have a buddiy make u up all ur different plug types ull need thats got some soldering electrical skills

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

Please don't try to use just a wall mart battery charger to power a MRC 959 or any other charger. These put out pulsating DC not a smooth DC that the charger can use. These chargers work by monitoring the knee voltage that occurs when a NiCd or NiMh pack is fully charged. These are very small voltages of .004 to .010 volt. You'll have all kinds of problems. You can buy a decent power supply for $40 or $50 dollars. You can convert a PC supply for a couple of dollars.

When you charge a lead acid battery it gasses off hydrogen gas. If this gets ignitied it will blow the battery up. If your face is over top of it they don't call it battery acid for nothing. Now if this hasn't discouraged you, you can use a battery charger and a garden or tractor battery to power the MRC 959. Just use the battery along with the charger, not by itself. The battery will acts as a filter and you'll have smooth DC for your charger. The best bet if you are going to use a 12vdc charger and a tractor battery is to use the battery by itself and then charge it after you charge your packs. This turns out to cost about as much and is actually more work than just purchasing a power supply in the first place.

[link=http://shopping.yahoo.com/search/;_ylc=X3oDMTJwNGI4Yzc3BF9TAzk2MDc5MjYwBGFnaWQDMTk2 ODcxNDgzBGNpZAMzNzY2MzczBGsDcHlyYW1pZCBwb3dlciBzdX BwbGllcwRtdANCUk9BRARzZWMDa2IEc2xrA3RpdGxl?view=l&p=pyramid%20power%20supplies]Pyramid Power Supplies[/link]