20s LiFePo4 charger recommendations?

PJ01

1 µW
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May 15, 2022
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I am building a 60 volt headway pack for my bike project and I'm on the hunt for a suitable charger. I will be using a JK smart BMS, so don't really need a smart charger. Any thoughts? ...thanks
 
If you want a fanless charger, go for a dual meanwell elg or hlg 36 setup.
 
dominik h said:
If you want a fanless charger, go for a dual meanwell elg or hlg 36 setup.

Thanks, can you provide a little more detail on the recommendation, or a link to the unit that would work for me? I'm not concerned about a fan or not.
 
What final full charge voltage do you need?

What charge rate (amps) do you need?

These will help determine the specific model.
 
amberwolf said:
What final full charge voltage do you need?

What charge rate (amps) do you need?

These will help determine the specific model.

Final charge voltage is 73, maximum charge current for both the cells and the BMS is 80 Amps, but I do not require fast charging, so I think something that could put out 5 -10 amps would be suitable

...Thanks!
 
Then you could probably use the Meanwell HLG-600H-54A LED PSUs, two of them in series.

Adjust their voltages each down to half your total final voltage, and adjust the current of one of them down to the limit you want for charging.

I've used one built onto the bottom of the SB Cruiser trike for a few years now. I like them because they are potted and sealed, essentially vibrationproof and waterproof, fanless so silent *and* no fan to die and let them overheat and fail. ;) Their only disdvantage is the extra weight of the potting vs an open-frame charger...but none of those would've survived on the trike.

If you don't need the potted-sealed type, there are other series; I don't have direct experience with them but others on the forum have used them.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/HLG-600H-54A?qs=5pLaOnqdcwP1hbZPnj5WVA%3D%3D

Output Current-Channel 1: 11.2 A
Output Voltage-Channel 1: 27 VDC to 54 VDC
Output Power: 604.8 W
Input Voltage: 90 VAC to 305 VAC, 127 VDC to 431 VDC
Length: 28 mm
Width: 144 mm
Height: 48.5 mm
IP Rating: IP65
Maximum Operating Temperature: + 70 C
Minimum Operating Temperature: - 40 C
Open Frame/Enclosed: Enclosed
Operating Temperature Range: - 40 C to + 70 C
Unit Weight: 8.598 lbs
 
Thanks for that amberwolf... looks like about a year wait from the supplier to get one, and the price of two is way over my budget. I'm hopeful there are alternatives! I will not be mounting it on the bike, so weight/sealing/fan is irrelevant.
 
PJ01 said:
dominik h said:
If you want a fanless charger, go for a dual meanwell elg or hlg 36 setup.

Thanks, can you provide a little more detail on the recommendation, or a link to the unit that would work for me? I'm not concerned about a fan or not.
Sorry the ELG 300 does not exist in 36V

HLG 320-36
https://www.meanwell.com/Upload/PDF/HLG-320H/HLG-320H-SPEC.PDF
ELG 240-36
https://www.meanwell.com/Upload/PDF/ELG-240/ELG-240-SPEC.PDF

You can often find them on Ebay
 
PJ01 said:
Thanks for that amberwolf... looks like about a year wait from the supplier to get one, and the price of two is way over my budget. I'm hopeful there are alternatives! I will not be mounting it on the bike, so weight/sealing/fan is irrelevant.
There's always alternatives, but you'd need to look around for them, knowing what you're looking for now based on what these do.

Also, if you look around, you can buy them right now on various places (even Amazon, according to a google search).

Can't vouch for the prices; everything has gotten stupid expensive lately...but I can say that these things work and keep working. No idea on that for other brands that would be cheaper.


Regarding the fans (vs fanless): that's not irrelevant to the charger operation, though it might be to where you use it. The fanless ones simply won't need a fan, at all, as long as they're operated within the environmental limits they specify. My fanless HLG on the trike runs fine even in the middle of the day during the 110-120F summers here. Gets toasty, but still works as designed. (similarly, the fanless Cycle Satiator from ebikes.ca does as well...it just rolls back output to not overheat when case temperature gets too high).

The ones with fans, however, MUST have the fan working, or they will fail. Some may have shutdown safeties if the fan stops, but most don't even monitor it or their own internal temperatures, so they just blow up or catch fire or just stop working when they overheat shortly after the fan stops, like the average desktop computer power supply. :(
 
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