Compact 84v/20s charger?
- Thread starter forcefed
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Would need to know the current (amps, A) that you need from the charger to give specific recommendations.
However, I don't know of any 1" thick chargers (or LED PSUs) off the top of my head.
Vicor (and other places) do make very thin DC-DC converters, but most of them need fairly serious heatsinks (which would add height and probably width) to be able to supply anywhere near their rated currents, and to use them on AC input as a charger from the wall socket you would also need a rectification and ripple filter setup on the input which adds volume (though that doesn't ahve to be right at the DC-DC location).
However, I don't know of any 1" thick chargers (or LED PSUs) off the top of my head.
Vicor (and other places) do make very thin DC-DC converters, but most of them need fairly serious heatsinks (which would add height and probably width) to be able to supply anywhere near their rated currents, and to use them on AC input as a charger from the wall socket you would also need a rectification and ripple filter setup on the input which adds volume (though that doesn't ahve to be right at the DC-DC location).
Note that any charger you carry in the bag will very likely have to be taken out of it to be used, to prevent excessive heat from damaging charger or battery (or bag!).
I think your best bet, though not as thin as you would prefer, at about 1.5", for a reliable portable charger for 84v that's tough and fanless so it won't be damaged by carrying it around a lot or even getting rained on would be a couple of Meanwell HLG-series LED PSUs in series, with serious doublesided tape holding them into a single brick. The HLG-100H-48A is 48v 2A, both voltage and current adjustable, and solid potted so completely waterproof. Two of these in series, adjusted down to 42v each, would give you 84v at 2A. They are about 2.4lbs each, Length: 22 mm Width: 68 mm Height: 38.8 mm, from this page:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/HLG-100H-48A/?qs=3IPTn0w%2F0t99vLZ6MPrdzQ%3D%3D
and you can plug them into 110v or 220v (or lower or higher) AC outlets and they will autoswitch as needed. Main disadvantage is weight because they're solidly potted, and cost because they're around $50 each. :/
I use one HLG-600H-54A mounted under my SB Cruiser trike for everyday charging, wired right into the system permanently, and it's been bounced along with the unsuspended trike for years, and submerged at least twice in flashflood waters on the way home from work...it's much larger and heavier (~7lbs, size of a trade paperback or hardcover) than the 100H so not what you're after. The four I have were originally used in series-parallel on someone's motorcycle for onboard charging of a 28s pack.
Meanwell makes other LED PSUs that may also work
https://led.meanwell.com/productSeries.aspx
you just need ones with adjustable output voltage so you can set it to the limit of your packs' full charge. Adjustable current isn't necessary unless what you get can output more current than your pack can take. By nature the LED PSUs will be CC current limiting like a charger requires.
I'd recommend the Satiator but they're a lot more expensive, around $300. Bit on the high side for an occasional-use charger.
https://www.amazon.com/Satiator-Programmable-Electric-Battery-Charger/dp/B01LWT3UH0
Not really bigger in volume than a couple of HLG100s. I also have one of these (in the 48v version), but don't have it mounted on the trike, and usualy use it to charge the lighting pack (4s) rather than the traction pack, but it also gets used for pretty much every other battery I have.
I think your best bet, though not as thin as you would prefer, at about 1.5", for a reliable portable charger for 84v that's tough and fanless so it won't be damaged by carrying it around a lot or even getting rained on would be a couple of Meanwell HLG-series LED PSUs in series, with serious doublesided tape holding them into a single brick. The HLG-100H-48A is 48v 2A, both voltage and current adjustable, and solid potted so completely waterproof. Two of these in series, adjusted down to 42v each, would give you 84v at 2A. They are about 2.4lbs each, Length: 22 mm Width: 68 mm Height: 38.8 mm, from this page:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/HLG-100H-48A/?qs=3IPTn0w%2F0t99vLZ6MPrdzQ%3D%3D
and you can plug them into 110v or 220v (or lower or higher) AC outlets and they will autoswitch as needed. Main disadvantage is weight because they're solidly potted, and cost because they're around $50 each. :/
I use one HLG-600H-54A mounted under my SB Cruiser trike for everyday charging, wired right into the system permanently, and it's been bounced along with the unsuspended trike for years, and submerged at least twice in flashflood waters on the way home from work...it's much larger and heavier (~7lbs, size of a trade paperback or hardcover) than the 100H so not what you're after. The four I have were originally used in series-parallel on someone's motorcycle for onboard charging of a 28s pack.
Meanwell makes other LED PSUs that may also work
https://led.meanwell.com/productSeries.aspx
you just need ones with adjustable output voltage so you can set it to the limit of your packs' full charge. Adjustable current isn't necessary unless what you get can output more current than your pack can take. By nature the LED PSUs will be CC current limiting like a charger requires.
I'd recommend the Satiator but they're a lot more expensive, around $300. Bit on the high side for an occasional-use charger.
https://www.amazon.com/Satiator-Programmable-Electric-Battery-Charger/dp/B01LWT3UH0
Not really bigger in volume than a couple of HLG100s. I also have one of these (in the 48v version), but don't have it mounted on the trike, and usualy use it to charge the lighting pack (4s) rather than the traction pack, but it also gets used for pretty much every other battery I have.
flippy
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meanwell HRP-300-48 is the flattest you can get. its 40mm thick (that is like 1.5 freedoms i guess) and has active cooling towards 1 side so you can squash it between things. the ELG/HLG models need space as they are passivly cooled. its also half the weight
amberwolf said:
Hmmm that's a good idea, didn't think you could do that. There's plenty of $10 42v 2a chargers out there that you could run in series, just not sure that's a good idea with those ali express chargers :lol:
Lot of good choices here, this one seems ideal https://led.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=LPC-150 or this exterior rated one https://led.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=ELG-150-Camberwolf said:
Wonder if i would need the exterior rated one, i don't ride in the rain and my battery bag is water resistant.
flippy said:
That's a wee bit too big since i would need two of those
flippy
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forcefed said:
dont do that with cheap supplies. those are not isolated so that would give you a massive dead short and a big kaboom
only do that trick with meanwells or supplies that specifically mention they are fully isolated.
you can also try the meanwell SP-75. those are thinner but need some ventilation when they operate just like the ELG models. might need a different model as those have different voltage ranges.
Generally, those aren't made to do that. You can try it...but my guess is you'll get smoke because they're not isolated input to output. Sometimes you can work out the circuit paths inside to isolate one side from the other, but someitmes it's designed in a way that requires this connection.forcefed said:
There's a lot of possible devices that *might* work...but the HLGs *do* work.
That one only works above 180VAC, so unless you're not using it on regular 110/120VAC outlets, it won't be useful.
The ELG is basically the same as the HLG, made a bit more cheaply, and with less high power versions. https://www.led-drivers.com.au/blog/mean-well-elg-led-drivers-vs-hlg-led-drivers and https://ledgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1289
It's not so much the water issue that the exterior ones are good for, it's that the potting that makes them waterproof *also* makes it effectively impossible to vibrate or bang them to death like will happen with stuff that does not have all the parts secured down against this. (like the cheap chinese chargers, which can literally fall apart when carried around on a bike...they might not...but it has happened).
But the waterproofing means you can actually bolt it to the bike itself, like a controller, and leave it there all the time, if you charge by parking near an outlet.
I'll save the psu experiments for a dinky hoverboard battery pack, i won't experiment on mine, paid too much for it.amberwolf said:Generally, those aren't made to do that. You can try it...but my guess is you'll get smoke because they're not isolated input to output. Sometimes you can work out the circuit paths inside to isolate one side from the other, but someitmes it's designed in a way that requires this connection.forcefed said:
There's a lot of possible devices that *might* work...but the HLGs *do* work.
Lol good catch, funny that the 100w version does work at 120v https://led.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=LPC-100
Good info thanks.
I dont want to bolt it outside it'll ruin the aesthetics
So its either lpc 100w or elg 150w, funny how the spec sheet says the lpc will charge at 1amp and the elg at 1.75amps. Is it because the lpc has a higher voltage region, up to 96v while the elg up to 86v?
Each of these has a different total power available. The 100 is "100w" (roughly), and the 150 is "150w". So if you have the same voltage on either one, the higher wattage can have a higher current.forcefed said:
Each PSU can also be different efficiency, so that total power may not be available at the output, even though the PSU may use up that much at it's max output.
I finally managed to find a somewhat compact charger https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004110764385.html its 5.5" x 3.5" x 2" and just fits in my battery bag. Its rated at 3.5amps so almost double compared to some of those meanwell led driver power supplies.
Btw i noticed with this new charger i'm getting arcing when connecting it to the battery, but it doesn't happen with the other charger, any ideas? The xt60 connectors on the original charger appear to be longer but covered in heatshrink tubing, would those be the XT60H, would that solve the arcing?
Btw i noticed with this new charger i'm getting arcing when connecting it to the battery, but it doesn't happen with the other charger, any ideas? The xt60 connectors on the original charger appear to be longer but covered in heatshrink tubing, would those be the XT60H, would that solve the arcing?
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