Switch Mode Multi-Stage Smart Battery Chargers

Submitted: Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 at 19:35

ThreadID: 74652 Views:10900 Replies:6 FollowUps:10

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Richard Kovac

What am I doing wrong?

Had to replace a blown "Power Saver" BC-012-15A because it was damaged (I think) due to a Lighting strike, this was back in 11/09. they told me the "Power Saver" BC-012-15A was not made anymore and to buy a ELECTRO BC-1215, so I did hooked it up and all good, till I just arrived in Bruce Rock where the Caravan is, a 11' Supreme and the new charger is dead.

checked it out and found the T3.15A fuse AC input blown, I removed the charger from the small hole they put it in to check it out.

Fitted another fuse, this time just a 3A one put on all the PPE and turned on 240 VAC popped the fuse straight away....

now it's been 3 weeks since we have been up, and not sure about the weather, but Bruce Rock is 250 km east of Perth in the wheat belt today it's around 38 deg c no rain but the water tank tells us we had some wet weather.

We have lost no other electrical appliances (last time we lost a TV, VCR, answering machine and two Battery chargers).

So is there something I'm doing wrong (have had van for 4 odd years now and this is first trouble) this time I fitted a surge protector at the AC outlet (a cheapie) is anyone else had the same problems?

If so or not has anyone got any suggestion on how to fix it?

All the charger has to charge is a Fullriver DC100-12B battery it has 12.1 volts in it at the moment, I will have to get a new charge this week $235.00 and fit it before I losse the battery also..

Thanks

Richard

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Reply By: Mandrake's Solar Power- Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 at 20:26

Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 at 20:26

You could always go solar ;)

Rgds

Mandrake

AnswerID: 396466

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 at 20:47

Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 at 20:47

careful you might get Modded.. :-)

The van is solar ready but no panels, I use a 11 watt panel to keep aux battery topped up in the Troopy, so I know it works, but I should be able to have 240 volt if only a back up.

I just plugged in a Swallow AC/DC charger into the Vans DC circuit and it says there is a problem, but should have blown the DC fuse, me thinks, anyway beer O clock, heading off down the club to drown my sorrows

Cheers

Richard

FollowupID: 665220

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 01:51

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 01:51

Mandrake
Van is also in a shed..

Cheers

Richard

Real names should be compulsory signature

.

FollowupID: 665241

Follow Up By: Mandrake's Solar Power- Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 09:18

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 09:18

My electrical and electronic knowledge base is still in its infancy but --

Obviously its a short-circuit problem .. could it be crossed polarity somewhere ?
Or "chewed" wires touching inside the van ? Faulty switch that is fused on ?

You're going to have fun finding it ...

Friend of mine has a lamp 12v and small battery that he connects to the +ve and -ve contacts of a socket - If the lamp lights up then he knows he has a short-circuit - disconnect from 240v first though !!

I'm sure you can buy one that plugs into the 240v socket - has three LEDS on it

Cheers

Steve

FollowupID: 665252

Follow Up By: RV Powerstream P/L - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:06

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:06

Steve
So your parents didnt punish you by calling you Mandrake its really Steve.
Ian

FollowupID: 665262

Follow Up By: RV Powerstream P/L - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:12

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:12

Richard
Steve didnt put "MY" in front of solar so he is safe (I hope)ha ha.
I was going to put LOL which I thought means lots of laughter but I used it last week to a chap and he got into me saying whats this Lots of Love bit mate so I think I will just ha ha in future.
Ian

FollowupID: 665263

Follow Up By: Mandrake's Solar Power- Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:24

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 11:24

LOL in forumspeak is supposed to be "Laughing out Load " which them progresses to "ROFL" then "ROFLMAO" ....

Mandrake was my comic book hero from when I was a kid AND wife's name is Nadia which is very close to Mandrake's wife Nada ...

Funny how these things follow you through life ... Is it coincidence or destiny ?

Rgds

Steve

FollowupID: 665265

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 13:38

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 13:38

Steve Thanks

The 12 VDC should be ok as it is not triping the circut braker and everything is working fine. I will take the van for a run today and charge up the battery, and then have a play and see if I can find something wrong.

As I know when I take the Charger back for warranty they will try and knock it back, so have to go in with info.

Cheers

Richard

FollowupID: 665280

Reply By: Member - John and Val - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 09:40

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 09:40

Richard - a trap with 3.15A mains fuses - they are usually slowblow. These allow big surge currents for a short time without blowing, necessary to handle the starting surge presented by a switchmode device.

You may well have a defective charger (especially if it is rated 110 - 240 volts and the voltage selector circuit has died, which is not unlikely if there has been a lightning zap nearby ), but first I'd replace the 3.15A fuse with a slowblow one.

HTH

John

J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein

Lifetime Member
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AnswerID: 396508

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 13:33

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 13:33

John

I will try that as the fuse I had was a fast blow type, do you know why they but the "T' in front of the rating on the paper work?

Cheers

Richard

FollowupID: 665279

Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 16:09

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 16:09

Richard - Type T fuses are slowblow, type F are fastblow. (Why type T?? I think it refers to T for thermal lag, but others may know much better.)

Further to the cause of blowing - if the charger is rated 110 to 240V, it will be capable of switching between these voltages, automatically selecting the right one. This automatic switching action is very susceptible to lightning or other spikes on the mains and if it dies, will stay as if set for 110V. When you apply 240V, there's a huge inrush current that will take out the fuse, usually before doing other damage. For use on only 240V (rather than 110 and 240V), the auto changeover (a big IC) can simply be removed. This is a fairly common fix for any switchmode supply.

HTH

John

J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

FollowupID: 665304

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 19:31

Sunday, Dec 27, 2009 at 19:31

Thanks John

The charger is BC-1215 and is rated for 180~260V 50Hz~ .

I tried another fuse standard type and it blow as well all LED's light up then flicker and turn off, the charger is not connected to anything so no output.

I have taken the van for a 1.5 hour run and the battery is now at 88% hooked up the Christies charger (after striping the Carbie and cleaning a blocked jet,, darn un-leaded fuel) and charged the battery to 105%, left to settle now 95% and I picked up a Arlec trickle charger in Merredin and will leave it on until I find out why it is blowing the chargers, I will get a Belkin serge protector this time and hope it saves it, I have only one 15 amp outlet in the shed.

Cheers

Richard

FollowupID: 665324

Reply By: Richard Kovac - Monday, Dec 28, 2009 at 23:01

Monday, Dec 28, 2009 at 23:01

Back in Perth now.

Tomorrow I will take the charger back to where I got it from and see what they say.. Got the Battery back up to 100% charge with the Arlec charger over night, but did not leave it on by there advice ( you will damage your battery if left on charge).

Ever way I will get a better surge protector and plug it in before new charger, pain in the but really, has anyone out there had any problems with the same thing?

Might have a look at a Ctek as a back up for Bruce Rock, as it's only a small town with limited shopping.

Cheers

Richard

AnswerID: 396705

Reply By: Richard Kovac - Wednesday, Dec 30, 2009 at 18:29

Wednesday, Dec 30, 2009 at 18:29

Small update, Today I took the old damaged charger back to the very nice people that sold it to me (did I say Very Nice People) and they replaced it free of charge, with very little questions asked, so I could not answer any.

I then went off to DSE and got me a Belkin Essential Series Surge Cube + $40,000 Warranty (we will see about that :) so as to try and protect the charger from the outside world (lighting or whatever).

Got a DSE one also $3.00 cheaper will take bigger surge Joules and amps but will pay out less :(

I hope this works, other wise it will be solar ..

Cheers

Richard

AnswerID: 396983