MRC Super Brain 977 Review

[Traxxas_Junkee]

I finally received my charger from http://www.towerhobbies.com after the post office screwed around with it for almost a week and half. (The warehouse is 80 miles from my house, but thats not what this is about)

I decided to upgrade to this charger from a Duratrax Piranha Digital Peak Charger. (Piranha Info) The main reasons for me upgrading from this charger are the ability to discharge packs, charge two packs at a time, and the ability to charge LiPo packs.



The charger was extremely easy to set up. Just plug the 120V AC cord into the wall, plug that into the INCLUDED power supply, then plug the power supply into the charger.



The next thing I did was grab a battery to test it out, the battery I used was an old 1500 NiCd battery that I bought for my EZ-Start almost 4 years ago, it hadn't been charged in a good 2 years. At first I had some problems with it, I tried to discharge it first, well no luck with that. ( I thought it would be dead, but just thought what the heck) So I set up all the settings for it, the only settings you need to enter are Charge Rate, and Battery MaH, the charger automatically detects how many cells that battery is, what the Mv/c setting is, and what kind of battery it is (NiCd, NiMh, LiPo, or 12V Led/Acid/Gel Cell battery) after that you hook it up and push the start button. It comes with two Tamiya style adapters, one that is built into the charger, and one that plugs into the bullet style connectors on the charger. (as you can see in the pics above) I also purchased some aligator clips with the bullet style connectors so that I can use the adpaters that I already had from my Piranha charger. I also forgot to mention that the charger comes with clamps to hook up the charger directly to a 12V source.





So far the charger is working out great for me.

There are only 3 downfalls right now that I can see, I know your most likely thinking that is alot, but they are not really that big. 1. The DC powersupply is bigger than the charger and just something else to carry around with you to the track. 2. The fan on the charger is pretty loud, nothing really bad but can get on my nerves. 3. There are no memory settings on the charger, everytime you need to charge a different battery you need to set up different settings, which isn't really that bad because the charger detects most of the settings for you.

Well obviously time will tell with everything, I will be adding to this review as time goes on.

Thanks for reading.

[kevinF]

sounds pretty sweet.

[rocco79]

you race indoor nitro (inside an aluminum can no less) ..... And a cooling fan on a charger bothers you?

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Yes. lol.

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Anyone thinking of getting an MRC charger don't! Both the power supply and the charger are shot.... sending in for warrenty/refund (I hope refund) tomorrow.

[SLOW REVO]

I have the mrc 959.
Works great, No Problems with it. Had it over 1 year now.
Cycles/Dicharges/Charges. Does lipo & lead acid Also

[Traxxas_Junkee]

No one else has had any problems. When we were on vaction, we were in a condo and there wasn't much room so I had the charger and p/s sitting on the coutner and I wonder if someone dripped water in by the fan of the p/s and didn't bother to tell me or didn't notice.

[cr4sh_27]

^^^ doh!!!

that sux man

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Well I took it apart and there weren't any water spots. (the usually show up on the circuit boards) and the stuff that was fried wasn't by the fan hole any way, there is no way it was from water.)

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

Just use Matt's name when you send it back...you'll get a new one and a gallon of fuel back.


jk Matt,

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Haha, I should.

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Well after about 5 weeks I finally got it back today....

I will never buy another MRC product again. It has more damage than what I sent it with, now the power supply hisses when it's plugged in, the wires from the power supply to the charger are split apart and then wrapped together with electrical tape....

[Ponch]

Are you serious?

Consider calling the BBB and speaking with them about it IF MRC isn't willing to work with you about this.

[Traxxas_Junkee]

I don't know. I'm thinking of just selling it stupid cheap (not trying to screw anyone, as of right now it is working fine, just doesn't look the greatest) and picking up something else like an ICE or something, that is if I get rid of the Pede and the Boat I might just throw it in with one of them for free and then just get another Pirhanha.

[Ponch]

Yeah stick with what works...aka Pirhanha...(however you spell it)...

Not like you have lipo or anything that you need to charge.

[Traxxas_Junkee]

Yeah, but if I do keep the boat and pede it's nice to be able to charge to packs and once and if I do keep them I think I'm gonna get a LiPo.

[Ponch]

I see your point there.



IDK, get 2 chargers?

[Traxxas_Junkee]

And still not have the ability to do LiPo's if I do get one? I don't know. I think I'm just going to stick with this one until it breaks and they won't fix it. No use on wasting my money on replacing something that works fine.

[Traxxas_Junkee]

This is pathetic.

I'm sitting here charging my receiver pack, smell smoke, look over and the power supply is smoking.....



The is BS.

[Ponch]

Wooooowww!!! Haha.

[pwnzor]

I have it, ive used it a few times, works great so far :/

[allan42r]

i have the mrc 977 works great. me likey