DC to DC converter For Equalizing

I have been following all of the Meanwell and other topics for some time. Let me see if I understand this correctly? The Meanwell will be the current source, this new item that you linked above would go inline and further control voltage AND current. Combine this with the spring wound timer and you have a nice/complete battery charger. Is that close?

Actually you'll have something that used to cost thousands of dollars.

EQUALIZATION CONTROL

The correct formula the exact and precise mechanism to equalize batteries correctly. Folks are a little slow to understand that 5% of amp hour rating (ie 5.0 amps for a 100 amp hour battery) is magic It does the job fast and complete without damaging the plates. It is important to maintain 5 amps all the way up to 16.0 volts if that is what it takes to put pbso4 back into solution.

The timer is a guarantee that the cycle has a finite safe kWh input limit. For instance the setup rjXj made is perfect. Timer voltmeter, I prefer to also see an ammeter.

A setup like the MW plus the DC to DC converter is so far superior to playtoy SMART chargers for authentic equalization it's actually sad.

And unlike my Dack & Blecker box of hazardous waste, this setup should last a long time. You ought to see the ABSOLUTE GARBAGE B&D purchased as far as a circuit board. Those TO220 silicon rectifiers are mounted on a heatsink smaller than what my rechargeable toothbrush uses. No ROM program from Bombay to frustrate.

And congrats on actually looking into this. You are thinking outside the herd and have the opportunity of actually extending the life of your batteries. Multiple. You'll own this thing for a long time.

Actually Mex, I'll commit a cardinal sin in these forums and say that I'd rather have a Parallax not-so-fixed voltage 7345T or 7355T in my RV to deal with the AGMs in it. One of these models would be a PERFECT MATCH to my particular batteries because it says right on the label on the top of each battery to float it at 13.5V to 13.8V, and to expose it to 14.4V to 14.8V for cycle service.

That "T" is very important. Those models are not sold anymore and I can't find where to buy one ... including looking on good ol' ElectronicBay (which up this to point has offered for sale any product in the world that one could ever desire). I wish that Winnie had used one of them, instead, when they built our rig. :(

Here's one of the ultra-rare mentions of them ... look on Page 2 of 2:

http://www.parallaxpower.com/7300/7300pwrcntr.pdf

Thanks Mex, my question is, I have been seeing folks buying the smallest version Meanwell available. Would I not want to purchase a larger one. I guess the question comes down to purpose: general charger or just equalizer. I tend to be a fanatic about my batteries as well and would love the ability to control the charging cycle.

First off to seenyore Pnichols

Conditioning VRB is a whole different universe. Apples and Sea Urchins. This setup is for batteries that go "Slosh".

For general use when time is money (generators) and quiet time is precious, having a charging source big enough to instantly reach absorbsion is the most cost effective route. Start the charger and it instantly seeks regulated voltage and stays there.

When time is not an issue, I will charge gently at the 5% of amp hour rating (5 amps for a 100 A/H battery) to absorbsion limit which means the generator absorbsion value is 14.8 and the got-all-the-time-in-the-world limit is 14.2 before reverting to float. Long term recharge works best at lower voltages. It allows electrolyte to migrate into the billions of nooks and crannies of the plates and absorb pbso4

This is why pre-programmed chargers do not stand a chance when faced with serious duty of batteries cycled cruelly for long periods of time.

One day hopefully soon, these problems will be relegated to unfond memories department. Much like an incandescent light bulb. Oddities for the young to shake their head at. Like word processing programs versus a typewriter, correction fluid and curses. A typewriter with autocorrect?

Go with a charger big enough to instantly place voltage at the absorbsion set point. Example in my case it is 500+ amperes at 29.8 volts, but temperature corrected meaning 29.0 volts.

Like a table leg, I keep sawing but it's still too short...

You can set the power supply voltage lower and lower as needed. Darn hard to convince the charger to work harder than what's on it's spec plate. I have THREE 40 ampere MW planned for the Ammo box charger.

Interesting, three 40A MW, cheaper than one 100A MW and in the end 120A. Bonus, versatility of three charging units (i.e. some built in redundancy). My onboard Xantrex is currently is 100A and of course, I have no control of the charging process, except for, a manual engaged equalization.

I already have built a portable outlet box with a windup timer tied to an 120v outlet to control time for charging for my portable charger for charging my ATV's and other various equipment. I love the ability to control time of charging. It is a spa timer that goes to 10 hours.

Think Captain NEMO at the keyboard of his pipe organ aboard the Nautilus.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Conditioning VRB is a whole different universe. Apples and Sea Urchins. This setup is for batteries that go "Slosh".

Interesting analogy, MEX, as apples do indeed seem solid while sea urchins do indeed seem liquid.

By the way, did you checkout what Parallax's T model does/did? Life couldn't be any simpler than that ... too bad ya can't get em' anymore. :(

My charger old-flame heart throb was the Trace 2500 SB

My Trace 4024's charger is as stupid now as it was back in 1995. Nineteen years have passed and 2014 SMART chargers still wear Dunce Caps. Equalize a battery correctly? Shirley you joke...

Another bit of functionality brought forward, way to go Mex!

Too bad there are so few of the old auto shop chargers around. It used to be that every repair garage had an old Lincoln, AC Delco, or other beast of a charger along the back wall of the garage bay. Most of them could adjust amperage and voltage and had a timer.