thumpin15s

I just got an e-maxx and a super brain 959 charger. I dont know how to use the charger and I dont want to ruin my batteries. It doesnt have an instruction booklet or anything because I got it used. So how do I set it for the right amps and such?

thumpin15s

Ok I am really excited to try it with the batteries fully peaked. I charged them on my 15 minute charger, and the truck was insane, the run time was very short though. MAN I cant imagine what it'll be like when they are peaked!

aliens8mycow

Here's the manual:
http://www.modelrec.com/resources/ba...959_manual.pdf

thumpin15s

oh man thank you!

thumpin15s

Ok so how many amps should I charge a 3000 mAH pack at? It is set normally at 3 amps, should I leave it there?

lilcurtis

My Feedback: (4)

ive heard 4 or 5 is generally good. more amps means more power i think.

i8tweety

My Feedback: (11)

More amps will give you more punch (and less run-time). Lower amps will give you longer run-time (but less punch).

thumpin15s

Ok, I've heard people say that if the charger says the battery is done after only like 10 minutes that its false peaking, right? Well, thats what it is doing. Should I just put a fan on it? Will this help? Its running on 3 amps right now, and I've got a LOT of punch, but then after only a couple minutes, it dies down a lot. (as opposed to slowly losing power like my rustler, it will go full force, then be almost completely dead in about 3 seconds)

fantomracer

My Feedback: (1)

thats how nihm batteries usually are they hold a steady charge for awhile the loose most of there power all at once...

i8tweety

My Feedback: (11)

It sounds like you need to cycle the batteries a few times (this means charging and discharging with a cooling period between)

thumpin15s

how do I discharge the batteries, just run them in the truck?

shizzolator

I believe for bashing that'd pretty much be the easy route on discharge. I've read users argue about it, but the consenus seems you're not supposed to discharge the nimhs past 0.9V a cell. If you're running a stick pack though (i'm assuming w/ an e-maxx), discharging w/ a bulb tree might not be the best thing...you could end up pushing one of the cells farther down than 0.9V. Most likely you'll get the best in the bashing world by just running them out. They'll dump pretty much all at once...I've got Orion SDs that do just that.

Incidentally, I've got the 959 Brain too. I had trouble initially while the nihm packs were new, but now that they're not everything's peachy. I usually charge my 6C packs at 4.5A and 45mv peak detect; if they get too warm i go more conservative (back to 30 or 35). I also have a couple of Nicd packs--4.5A and 10mv/cell (60 mv for the 6C, 70mv for the 7C). I can't say that the 959 isn't finicky, but if you monitor and know how long a pack 'should' take (ie 3000mah/4.5A = 0.67 hrs x 60 mins ~ 40 mins) the Brain works pretty darn well. Oh yeah--I usually perch it up on a 2nd story bedroom window sill...cool extra airflow through the unit w/ no fan!

greasysnowball

if you think the charge is to short let the pack charge even if it says peaked for as long as you think it should charge. i have a 3000mah batterypack (epic) and i use a blackwidow charger and i useually let it charge on 5 amp for about an hour. i get baout a 1/2 hour run time on my tc3 and bout a 20 min run on my b3. i hope this helps

gerwen

If you're charging beyond where the charger says it's peaked, you should keep a sharp eye on them. If they get hot, it's time to stop.

You could also trickle charge them overnite at 0.1A to see if your run-time is a lot better or only marginally better.

thumpin15s

How do I adjust the amps its charging on? When I push the "adjust" button, nothing happens? The batteries are 3000mAH, and 7.2 volts. I do need to get some better ones though, these are radioshack batteries! >_< Also...another random question. What would happen if you run 2 different batteries in an e-maxx?

shizzolator

Gotta hold the button down until it beeps...it'll move in 5mv increments, up to a max of 70mv. Again, i'd go w/ 4.5A & 30-45mv total for a pack. Depending on how far you've discharged them, they should take 30-40 mins to peak.

Don't have an e-maxx, but i'd imagine nothing crazy if they were both the same capacity (ie two 3000mah's). I don't know much about the e-maxx's...sorry

thumpin15s

Ok....well I timed the charge time. I was charging a 3000 mAH 6 cell stick pack, at 4.5 amps and 45 mv. The batteries (2 of them) both charged for about 20 minutes, and it says they are done. Is that a normal charge time? I have a fan blowing on the charger and the batteries. Any ideas? Or am I just doing something completely wrong?

spokman

My Feedback: (2)

Here's my knowledge... First off don't discharge your batteries past 1.1v per cell. That's a safe point. There is nothing gained by discharging so no reason to worry about it besides killing your batteries accidently. Over charging or discharging are what will kill your batteries. Most batteries can safely be charged at 1C or the mah rating of the pack. In your case you can charge your pack at 3amps safely. To little charge amperage and it might not peak and can overcharge. The battery type determines the max charge rate, set by manufacturer. Monitor for temp. Getting pretty warm means they are about charged. For some reason that I haven't dug into, new NiMh will sometimes false peak at first or so it's rumored. I would just push them at 3amps until they get warm. Another thing, you shouldn't run the batteries until they have cooled. Someone mentioned using more amperage will give you more kick... I fail to see how this could be. Batts have a discharge rate and max discharge amperage. They will charge faster but that's it.

spokman

My Feedback: (2)

Charge time will be dependent on how much they have discharged. If they are only half discharged, say 1500mah and you charge them at 3000mah I would expect it to take about 1/2 hour.

thumpin15s

Well....I dont have a discharger so I just run them in my truck till they are dead. Or...as dead as they'll get?

shizzolator

That's fine w/ nihm bashing...just run 'em until they're pretty much dead. Let them cool and just pop 'em back on the charger. I've read that blowing air on the battery can mess up the charge...if i use a fan i use really low speed and just mainly pass it through the Brain charger (don't forget to use the supplied u-stand).

As frustrating as it is, the 'short charge' phase of your brand-new nihms should go away by the 3rd-5th cycle (that's when mine started acting normal). I was new to nihm too, so I was in relief when I finally got a 38 min charge into one of my packs w/o having to restart the charge cycle. You're exactly in the boat I was a couple of months ago...my new 6C 3000mah nihms were driving me batty! [X(]

Just hang in there, monitor the batts while they're charging...if they charge less than 30 mins on their own and you've run them all the way down just 're-peak' (hit the charge button) again. The charger DOES work...just gotta be patient!

thumpin15s

I dont have a "u-stand", what is it? And I have been having a fan blow on the batteries and charger.[:'(] am I killing them?! Next time I'll make sure to put the batts out of the way of the fan. They never get very warm, so it shouldn't matter, but what is a u-stand? Does it just raise the charger off of what its sitting on? (i.e. a table)

shizzolator

The 'u-stand' is a little metal prop device supplied w/ the charger. Pop it in the two holes on the bottom and your purple little box will stand up, facilitating airflow through the pesky unit. Like I posted before, it works great in the upstairs bedroom window sill

I don't think you're killing the batts, but an MRC tech told me it might interfere w/ the peak detection (not quite sure how, since the idea is just to measure the voltage drop and then shut off, but whatever...i'm just a financial consultant[8D])