DIY Open Source EV Charger

[jackbauer]

Simplest form of charger is a half controlled scr bridge. Very rugged also.

[apowers]

I made a Bonn charger. It does a taper charge, amps go down as volts go up.
It did not make batteries happy. I changed the inductor on it some and added
the Open ReVolt control board and another inductor and capacitor to boost the voltage for a 144 volt pack. The control board is only switching the mosfet, but it could do more. I set the timer for 2 hours and adjust the potentiometer to 11.5 amps for my 115 ah batteries.When it gets to 172.8 volts I turn the potentiometer down to 4amps. Reset the timer for 2 hours
and leave it alone. The time on the 11.5 amp bulk charge varies, depending on the DOD. My batteries are very happy now. I don't have much money in it.

alvin

[ElectricZX2]

Alvin - what about your Bonn charger did the batteries not like? Is it hard on batteries to have a pulsed half sine wave shaped dc current? Does the capacitor help smooth this out?

[apowers]

My charger was starting at about 8 amps and tapering off to about zero as the voltage went up. I don't think I was getting a good charge. My pack voltage was 120 then. When I changed to 144 volt pack I needed to add a boost converter to get enough out of a 110 ac outlet. Now the current is constant 11.5 amps. All the way to 186 volts if I let it. I think the difference is the amps. I had some batteries with unbalanced cells that are balanced now. They would not balance individually with a 12 volt 6 amp charger.
I don't know, what do you think. It is still a manual charger but I have gotten used to it, and I know about how long to set the timer for a certain DOD for bulk charging. Then I always set the acceptance charge for 2 hours at 4 amps. I test SG in all batteries occasionally and balance charge to 186 volts low amps if any cells are drifting lower.
alvin

[sawickm]

Originally Posted by adamj12b

I did get the schematics, But he asked me to wait to post them till he finished the prototype. I believe the prototype will be tested this week or so. I will keep you guys posted with the progress.

Originally Posted by adamj12b

Clyde (williamson) came to me a few weeks ago with plans he has put together for a 6kW Charger.

I am hoping to put together kits for people to build their own chargers specific to the voltages they want. This will be a modular design that you will be able to get different modules that will plug in to change the output stage to the voltage needed to charge the pack you want.

Also, For reference, The Manzanita PFC 30 charger is alot like this one. It is not isolated and has an output range of 12-450VDC.

Hi Adam,

What ever happened to the "Williamson" schematics of the 6kW Charger ???

And you posted that you were making kits for it too ???

-Mark

[adamj12b]

Originally Posted by sawickm

Hi Adam,

What ever happened to the "Williamson" schematics of the 6kW Charger ???

And you posted that you were making kits for it too ???

-Mark

Hey Mark,

I am Actually currently working on the control section to the charger power supply. Williamson's schematics are just for a 6kw power supply with no logic. I am working on modifying them, but got sidetracked on the control section. I will make another post in a few days showing the progress of what I have come up with

-Adam

[Dwffy]

Hi there
I am interested in you circuit sounds like it could work for me too. What I need to know is how to instal a buck boost to go higher in voltage. Do you have a diagram for this circuit, it would be appreciated?
Thanks. Doug

[apowers]

Design of switch power supplies
here is a link that might help.
alvin

[Dwffy]

Originally Posted by apowers

I made a Bonn charger. It does a taper charge, amps go down as volts go up.
It did not make batteries happy. I changed the inductor on it some and added
the Open ReVolt control board and another inductor and capacitor to boost the voltage for a 144 volt pack. The control board is only switching the mosfet, but it could do more. I set the timer for 2 hours and adjust the potentiometer to 11.5 amps for my 115 ah batteries.When it gets to 172.8 volts I turn the potentiometer down to 4amps. Reset the timer for 2 hours
and leave it alone. The time on the 11.5 amp bulk charge varies, depending on the DOD. My batteries are very happy now. I don't have much money in it.

alvin

Hi Al,
Thanks for the link. Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to work out the calculations correctly. Must be doing something wrong there. Could you let me have the values you used for your boost converter because it seems to be exactly the ring values for mine?
Have a Great Christmas too.
Doug

[MaputoMan]

Hi Jack,
what is the status of the Supercharger? Did you switch to a different IGBT? or change the driver?
-Aaron