SIMPLE BATTERY CHARGER

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:21 am

Miiiister John has a very simple charger in his City El.

John, perhaps you'd take some photographs of it?

Nikki.
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

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anachrocomputer
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Postby anachrocomputer » Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:31 am

I do indeed have a somewhat crude taper charger for my Mini-El, which consists of several small transformers in parallel. I really would not recommend anybody to emulate such a setup. It works, though, so maybe I shouldn't worry about it. I'll take some photos when I open it up to tidy the wiring and add a power-on light.
1994 Suzuki Cappuccino
1992 Mini-El electric bubblecar

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:32 am

Yes, it's crude and yes, I wouldn't want it - but it is a charger :)


Perhaps you'd like to list the limitations, John?
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EVangelist and Media Relations Coordinator, www.ZeroCarbonWorld.org
Host, www.transportevolved.com

http://about.me/aminorjourney/bio

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Peter Eggleston
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Battery charger

Postby Peter Eggleston » Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:21 pm

It is possible to use an electric arc welder as a variable transformer in conjunction with a bridge rectifier, instead of a variac. This may be more robust than the variac and not overheat and smell as much. I have not tried this myself, but I know the milk float boys do this. You should not do any harm as long as you monitor everything and turn up voltages and current supplies slowly.
Peter

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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:29 pm

An interesting thought Peter , and one I hadnt thought of, might work, dont see why not

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

electricvehicles
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This Transformer might do the Job

Postby electricvehicles » Wed Aug 01, 2007 3:12 pm


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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Wed Aug 01, 2007 3:46 pm

Mmmmm nice little tranny but I'm not convinced it would be man enough for a charger ??

My 110v site tranny was rated to 1500watts and it would get a tadge on the warm side ............well ok blooming hot after being on for 6-8hrs, interestingly I wonder what its continouse rating is ???

I found that with the site tranny , yeah it was rated to 1500w but only with a duty cycle of about 60%, and yes I did fry one :oops:

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

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EVguru
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Postby EVguru » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:23 pm

Yes, 1500 watt, but probably only about 1000 VA.

You're only getting current into the batteries when the instantaneous output of the transformer is higher than the battery voltage, i.e. at the peak of the the sinewave. The power factor is going to be around 0.6.
Paul

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electricvehicles
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Charge Controllers

Postby electricvehicles » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:49 pm

Give these people a try.
http://www.cbcdesign.co.uk/index.html


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