Adjustable voltage ebike charger
- Thread starter bj97301
- Start date
markz
100 TW
Lots of great $500+ chargers out there in www.mouser.com land.
Chalo
100 TW
To do that kind of range, you need something like a lab power supply. For a lot less cost and size, you can get a Meanwell adjustable power supply that will do its rated voltage plus or minus 10%.
You don't say what you're trying to charge, at what current.
You don't say what you're trying to charge, at what current.
dogman dan
1 PW
See Grin Technology's Satiator. Best charger I ever owned. https://ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/cycle-satiator.html
bj97301
100 mW
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2020
- Messages
- 39
Chalo said:
Oh yeah charging random battery packs that I make. Mostly 3.65 nominal lithium packs.
Wonder if a meanwell power supply will work. I have a nice fluke meter and could probably dial in the volts exactly. Or would I even need to? I think I do...
markz
100 TW
Lots of Meanwells to choose from, I like the 1000W that is 43 ~ 55V at 21A using 12A on 115V because you won't be tripping no circuit breakers if you take it with you to charge up a bike. If at home you can just choose that certain Meanwell thats 1500W 43 ~ 56V and 32A but uses 17A on 115V to get there. I see on ebay their prices are $300 so probably still to much for you, while the 1500W is $350.
- built-in functions such as the output programming, active current sharing, remote ON-OFF control, auxiliary power, etc.
- RSP built-in active PFC functionHigh efficiency up to 90%
- Active current sharing up to 4000W (3+1
-Built-in remote ON-OFF control / remote sense / auxiliary power DC OK signal/Protections: Short circuit / Overload / Over voltage / Over temperature
- built-in functions such as the output programming, active current sharing, remote ON-OFF control, auxiliary power, etc.
- RSP built-in active PFC functionHigh efficiency up to 90%
- Active current sharing up to 4000W (3+1
-Built-in remote ON-OFF control / remote sense / auxiliary power DC OK signal/Protections: Short circuit / Overload / Over voltage / Over temperature
MadRhino
100 GW
My big old Meanwell PSUs were purchased very cheap 12 years ago from a recycling reseller. I have 6 and all of them still working fine. I have purchased since, a few smaller units made in China and some did fail pretty quick. A Meanwell, or combination of Meanwell units, can be used to charge the voltage and power that you need. Not as flexible as a big lab PSU of course (eg. Mastech HY10010EX ), but much higher power can be obtained with Meanwells, especially those that can be paralleled. A combination of Meanwell PSUs is the cheapest and simplest way to do fast bulk charging of RC lipo, and if you can find old used USA made units they can last a lifetime. Same for Mastech by the way: the old ones are much better than those Made in Asia, but they are getting hard to find.
MadRhino
100 GW
All of them can be assembled in a series, but only some specific models can be paralleled. You don’t need to use models of the same voltage to series them.
I series, the supplies and circuitry work independently, similar to having cells in series (each cell contributes independently). In parallel, the circuitry has to have a current sharing function, since by default, the supplies would only provide redundancy (one supply carries the load, and the other kicks in if the the first supply fails).bj97301 said:
If you want to parallel for more current, then you need to look for supplies with current sharing, and it's best if the supplies are identical.
bj97301
100 mW
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2020
- Messages
- 39
Ok so this is what I am thinking now. Let me know if you see a problem with the solution. Series up one or two 10s 2 amp chargers along with a 0-42v 2a adjustable charger(seems cheaper and easier to find). That way I can charge anything from 0-126v by simply removing some chargers in series before the adjustable one.
MadRhino
100 GW
Exactly. But Meanwell PSUs are not chargers.
You can assemble as many as you want in a series to make the voltage that you need. Parallel assembly is usually limited to 4, for most of them at least.
Yet, when assembling Meanwell units in parallel for faster charging, you need to be conscious that using switching power supplies for the purpose of charging batteries, is considered an overload application that might require modification in order to limit current output.
We use them without any mod to bulk charge high C rate RC lipo. It doesn’t mean that it is not damagable to do this with other cells that have a low C rate. In tis case, a simple current limiter can be added.
Never bulk charge batteries without supervision. My Meanwell assembly charging stations are capable of charging my Lipos at 6c, meaning 10 minutes full charge. That is dangerous to do if you are not there at all time watching charging progress, temp especially. But, as long as you are present it is perfectly safe, because RC lipo are showing signs of abuse long before catching fire.
First they rise heat, then they start smelling, then they swell, then they whistle just before bursting in flames. You should have stopped charging at the first sign: when the heat is rising. Never let second sign pass without action: when they start smelling they are wearing very fast. When they are puffed, you need to order new ones and ride moderately until they arrive. If they whistled and didn’t catch fire, they are very dangerous to start a fire anytime and you need to sink them in a salt water bucket until they are reading 0v.
Safety with LiCo chemistry, is a matter of consciousness and strict supervision. That I guess, is applicable to any other high performance energy.
You can assemble as many as you want in a series to make the voltage that you need. Parallel assembly is usually limited to 4, for most of them at least.
Yet, when assembling Meanwell units in parallel for faster charging, you need to be conscious that using switching power supplies for the purpose of charging batteries, is considered an overload application that might require modification in order to limit current output.
We use them without any mod to bulk charge high C rate RC lipo. It doesn’t mean that it is not damagable to do this with other cells that have a low C rate. In tis case, a simple current limiter can be added.
Never bulk charge batteries without supervision. My Meanwell assembly charging stations are capable of charging my Lipos at 6c, meaning 10 minutes full charge. That is dangerous to do if you are not there at all time watching charging progress, temp especially. But, as long as you are present it is perfectly safe, because RC lipo are showing signs of abuse long before catching fire.
First they rise heat, then they start smelling, then they swell, then they whistle just before bursting in flames. You should have stopped charging at the first sign: when the heat is rising. Never let second sign pass without action: when they start smelling they are wearing very fast. When they are puffed, you need to order new ones and ride moderately until they arrive. If they whistled and didn’t catch fire, they are very dangerous to start a fire anytime and you need to sink them in a salt water bucket until they are reading 0v.
Safety with LiCo chemistry, is a matter of consciousness and strict supervision. That I guess, is applicable to any other high performance energy.
This is what I use.....adjustable charge voltage with charge current curves for Lithium chemistries.
It is simply an MPPT charge controller with programmable voltage output levels (.1v resolution) between 24V and 80V.
It has presets for 24V, 36V, 48V, 52V, 60v, 72V lithium batteries (actual maximum/cutoff charge voltage is based on 4.2V cells) also.
I power it with two 100W ($80 each) solar panels. This particular controller will support up to 300W input power. There is a 600W version also.
I suppose you could power it with any power 15v-40v power supply??
Some build notes:
Charges my 12S6P INR21700-50G Samsung (30AH) packs at rate of 5amps in full sun.
I anchored two 100W panels to south-facing side of garage.
Grounded panel to steel pipe on gas meter using 12awg solid copper.
Drilled 1/2" hole through wall for 12awg exterior-rated copper wire.
Inside garage (other side of wall where panel is anchored) I mounted shelf for electronics.
Charge cable is 10' soft multistrand 12awg appliance cable.
I'm using a programmable (set to 50.5V) boost MPPT lithium 12V solar charge controller.
Parts list/cost:
Richsolar 100 Watt Polycrystalline 100W 12V: $75 each delivered when on sale
https://www.amazon.com/Richsolar-Polycrystalline-Efficiency-Module-Marine/dp/B07DNP14JY/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=rich+solar+100w&qid=1624469485&sr=8-3
MPPT "boosting" Solar Charge Controller: $33 delivered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omAhsQqwWSo&t=108s
It is simply an MPPT charge controller with programmable voltage output levels (.1v resolution) between 24V and 80V.
It has presets for 24V, 36V, 48V, 52V, 60v, 72V lithium batteries (actual maximum/cutoff charge voltage is based on 4.2V cells) also.
I power it with two 100W ($80 each) solar panels. This particular controller will support up to 300W input power. There is a 600W version also.
I suppose you could power it with any power 15v-40v power supply??
Some build notes:
Charges my 12S6P INR21700-50G Samsung (30AH) packs at rate of 5amps in full sun.
I anchored two 100W panels to south-facing side of garage.
Grounded panel to steel pipe on gas meter using 12awg solid copper.
Drilled 1/2" hole through wall for 12awg exterior-rated copper wire.
Inside garage (other side of wall where panel is anchored) I mounted shelf for electronics.
Charge cable is 10' soft multistrand 12awg appliance cable.
I'm using a programmable (set to 50.5V) boost MPPT lithium 12V solar charge controller.
Parts list/cost:
Richsolar 100 Watt Polycrystalline 100W 12V: $75 each delivered when on sale
https://www.amazon.com/Richsolar-Polycrystalline-Efficiency-Module-Marine/dp/B07DNP14JY/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=rich+solar+100w&qid=1624469485&sr=8-3
MPPT "boosting" Solar Charge Controller: $33 delivered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omAhsQqwWSo&t=108s
JackFlorey
100 kW
Get a few Meanwell HLG supplies. They are cheap and are sold as LED ballasts. For example, the HLG-60H-C700AB will do 50-100 volts, both voltage and current are adjustable. There are lots of voltage ranges available. (And since you can adjust current, odds of overheating go way down.)bj97301 said:
Chalo
100 TW
JackFlorey said:
Ooh, 700 milliamps! Just the thing for an 84 volt, 1.5 amp-hour battery like what most of us use.
MadRhino
100 GW
Meanwells are the good price. Big old Meanwells can be found at recycling for 25$ a piece, and they were built to last a lifetime.
JackFlorey
100 kW
Or the HLG-480H-C3500B, which will do 60-130 volts at 3.5 amps. Or the HLG-600H-48B, which will do 24-48 volts at 12.5 amps. Two of those will easily cover his range. There are literally hundreds of models available.Chalo said:
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