(ET) Chargetek TPRO320 charger...

[Dave & Debbie Barden <daveb seanet com>]

I've had my new charger for a week or so.  I too was dubious about being 
able 
to hook it up without splitting the pack.  But it works! Since my e-trac 
and I 
don't live together i've unplugged each time when it was time for me to go 
home, so I've not seen it go into float mode yet.  I have ordered 9 
anderson 
style connectors (SB50).  These are genderless polarized connectors so you 
don't need to buy pairs.  My plan is to put 3 on the charger, and 3 on 
each of 
the two etracs.  I think it's going to be a great little charger.  being 
able 
to use it for 12/24/36 volt bat packs really makes it versatile and easier 
to 
justify it's almost $300 cost.

dave 
Seattle
E12S
E15mod

> John,
> 
> What you have now is a useful manual bulk charger that will turn into a
> battery boiler if you don't turn it off at the proper time.  My logs of
> the Lestronic II charge cycle show that it takes the batteries to about
> 45v and keeps them there for an hour or so until the voltage doesn't
> rise anymore, and then turns off.  With old batteries, the voltage might
> not get that high.  Look for the time when the voltage quits rising, and
> shut it off manually.  With my set of two-year-old batteries, the
> current has by then tapered to about 5 amps, but this will vary with the
> set of batteries.  The Lestronic is really designed to equalize the
> batteries on every charge.  I might suggest that you buy a cheap
> spring-wound Intermatic 120V wall timer with a 12-hour range, put it in
> a handybox with a cord on one end and an outlet on the other.  Plug the
> charger into it.  That way, you'll at least be able to control when it
> will shut down.
> 
> By the way, I just received today the Chargetek TPRP0-320, which shows
> great promise as a replacement for the Lestronic.  It has a true
> bulk-absorbtion-float algorithm, puts out 20 amps in the bulk phase, and
> has three independently controlled 12V charge outputs for us
> battery-pack tappers.   I have it hooked up right now to the three 12V
> sets of two 6V batteries without removing the series jumpers!  (It took
> a little courage to believe that it could be done, but it works!).  The
> thing appears to be a truly elegant solution.  You can -- and probably
> should -- leave it plugged in indefinitely.  It also is totally silent,
> compared to the annoying razzmatazz that many Lesters develop.  I'll
> post further findings as time goes on.
> 
> Here it is:
> 
> http://www.batterystuff.com/battery/chargetek/chargetek_2000.htm 
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> The lurker with the golf cart,
> 
> Paul Heinzerling
> Hudson, OH
> ---- Original Message ----- 
>   From: goodguyforsure 
>   To: E-trak Write 
>   Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 9:42 PM
>   Subject: (ET) Lestronic II charger
> 
> 
>   I have a new to me Lestronic charger which did not work. I opened it
> up and there is an automatic power switch which is controlled by a
> circut board. Not finding any obvious broken wires or burned components,
> I jumped around the switch and it works. It is now charging at about 16
> amps.  (batteries are of unknown condition, completely dead and have not
> been charged in at least 8 months) So the question is, what should I
> watch for in this charger? And what is the best course to get some life
> out of these batteries. They are in a Ransomes tractor which I know
> nothing about and I do not want spend money on batteries until I see if
> it works at all.
>   thanks
>   John Briese
>   I-5 and Ransomes electric
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------->
>  
-----
> 
> 
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