>car batteries are >specifically constructed for a single application: deliver a large amount >of power in a short timeframe (starting) and then expect to be immediately >recharged. Its true they are designed to handle that, not that they like it but they learned to deal with it... >They are not good for other applications such as delivering >steady power for long periods of time. Batteries for that application are >called deep cycle batteries. Well they are able to be in standby without much draw for quite extended periods of time... I make it a point to neither charge my Batteries to the top, nor to discharge them much, it would have been some kind of mishap if my batteries had been discharged below half in the year they are in service... I'm curious how long they will hold out! I know that the thin plates and the retention of some kind of paste is the issue about car batteries not being able to hold out for as long, but also figure they cost a third of deep cycle batteries, and I had not time for opening a savings account... On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 6:02 AM, Byron Jeff wrote: > rn Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 01:53:19AM -0400, Tobias Gogolin wrote: > > Hi happens that I find the piclist to be the community of the fittest > > electronic engineers that I know on the web, that's why I ask here and > not > > on some of grid living list... > > > > I may have mentioned before that I use 10 pc. 12V car batteries at my of > > grid ranch, and that I charge those using a simple rectifier, either > Bridge > > from 120V AC or 2 diodes using half of each of the 2 120V outlets around > the > > center of my generators 240 V AC output (I do that to reduce the chance > of > > any one of the automatic breakers of the 2 120V circuits from tripping). > > > > > This seems to work quite good, but I just read that it is not advisable > to > > charge Car batteries on pulse current, and since they would be charged > only > > when the generators output voltage reaches above their current charge > > voltage, it definitely is pulse... > > I saw the term 'car battery' and an alarm went off in my head. What exactly > is your application? The reason that I ask is that car batteries are > specifically constructed for a single application: deliver a large amount > of power in a short timeframe (starting) and then expect to be immediately > recharged. They are not good for other applications such as delivering > steady power for long periods of time. Batteries for that application are > called deep cycle batteries. Just a heads up. > > As for charging, this is a common problem in the electric vechicle world > because an EV main pack would be contructed quite similarly to the pack you > described. The circuit that you described above is called a Bad Boy > charger, and you've described some of the problems with it including > tripping breakers and poor power factor correction. Several improved, and > more importantly safer, circuits are outlined here: > > http://www.evalbum.com/tech > > Specifically take a look at the Bonn charger circuit described by Lee Hart. > > Hope this helps, > > BAJ > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- Tobias Gogolin Tel. Movistar (646) 124 32 82 Tel. Telcel (646) 160 58 99 skype: moontogo messenger: usertogo@hotmail.com You develop Sustainable Ranch Technology at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH an Open Source Electric Motor/Alternator at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux and an Open Source Motor Controller at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoBox -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist