Chargers In Series
I need a 36v 3-4 amp batt charger. I have 3 new 1.5 amp 2 stage chargers sitting doing nothing. Any reason why these cannot be connected in series to make 1 36v charger ?
Forum Discussion
Seems like a bad idea to me.
If the charger output is not floating, it definitely won't work. (If they have a grounded plug, there's a reasonable chance the negative output is tied to ground. Even without a grounded plug, the output may not float, though it probably does.)
The smart aspect could work somewhat at odds with each other if they decide to change modes at different times (due to slight variations in output or whatever). There's lots of chance for them to get confused. Probably this wouldn't cause damage to anything, but they may well decide to shut down due to thinking the battery is bad or something. It could also be at least theoretically possible for them to be damaged due to excessive voltage on the output terminals, but I wouldn't expect a good charger design to die from even the full 36V there.
If you can divide your 36V battery up into 12V segments, you can of course charge them independently (if inconveniently).
If the charger output is not floating, it definitely won't work. (If they have a grounded plug, there's a reasonable chance the negative output is tied to ground. Even without a grounded plug, the output may not float, though it probably does.)
The smart aspect could work somewhat at odds with each other if they decide to change modes at different times (due to slight variations in output or whatever). There's lots of chance for them to get confused. Probably this wouldn't cause damage to anything, but they may well decide to shut down due to thinking the battery is bad or something. It could also be at least theoretically possible for them to be damaged due to excessive voltage on the output terminals, but I wouldn't expect a good charger design to die from even the full 36V there.
If you can divide your 36V battery up into 12V segments, you can of course charge them independently (if inconveniently).
