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Re: (ET) Dan's 2/10A charger
This writer doesn't have to even think of battery chargers. Using 3
secondhand surplus 12V 50W solar panels in series. They are most always
connected when the machines (2 bigrframes) ain't working. Net peak sun
input to the batts (here in New England) is 2 1/2 A , a bit less in
winter. These even give a trickle chg on rainy days. No controller
necessary as the duty cycle of the tractors closely matches the recovery
time of the batts they are always full for the next mow or whatever. In
winter when snowblowing (2 big driveways and sidewalk in between and
sometimes a neighbor) I do a plug-in 'refresh' charge when the rotor
speed gets lazy (and I get a refresh myself). Seein as I plow snow a
bit too, one or the other tractors (with a plow) is always on the panels.
Could connect em both simultaneous using a couple diodes to isolate em
but never needed to. That would be 'proportioning' , the lowest tractor
drawing the most current.
You can tell chronic overcharge by looking at water useage. These
do not use a lot of water. Nor do they ever (except with big storm
snowblowing) get lazy. So this type of charge must be 'kindly'. When
both of em are up in winter (no snow for a good while) I plug the panels
into a heating element indoors. Not a lot of BTU's but at least they
cost nothing. Still experimenting with the nichrome to get the panels
into the middle region of their output curves. (nichrome is presently
mainly different 120V appliances etc in series. Middle of curve is about
40V across the three. (Was using it to heat domestic hor water but was
only in winter and not much. Presently building a 64 sq ' antifreeze type
solar shop heater which will also do DHW all year)
So - if anyone is fortunate enough to find 3 40-50W 12V panels surplus,
even real old ones, and follows a normal (bout 10 day average, Spring
might be a week) mowing cycle on bout a 3/4 acre lawn with a lot of
hills and backups, they can copycat this rig that needs no electronic or
other control and do the most efficient use of photovoltaic that exists -
that of replacing gasoline with solar electricity. Which is what the
combintion of an Etrac and PV panels does here. The panels have already
paid back 100% and are making a tax clear profit. New ones (at bout $400
each) would take an awful long time to do that, and might never. (Go
ahead, somebody calculate the cost of replacing wall socket juice at
16c/kwh with solar. Pure engineering thought says I'm not getting much
panel payback at all). But I am. Haven't had to buy no more tractor gas
since bout '00 and it took bout 5 gallons of gas to mow this place. And
a lot of 'gas tractor diddling' besides.
If you are an EAA member, look up Current EVents for Jan 2004. It's in
there. With other New England 'solar' Etracks. If you want a read of
the article, can attach scans (3 pages) Just write for it, will email.
Dave
Weymouth MA
On Thu, 02 Nov 2006 20:23:47 -0500 Darryl McMahon <darryl econogics com>
writes:
> David Roden (Akron OH USA) wrote:
> > There is seldom much discussion here of what I think is the best
> answer to
> > ET charger problems : complete replacement with a more modern,
> smarter
> > charger, one that will treat the batteries more kindly.
>
> Agreed.
>
> >
> > The cheap solution is a used golf car charger. They're too big to
> live on board
> > the ET, though.
> >
> > There are plenty of smaller 36v chargers around these days. A
> couple of
> > examples follow :
> >
> > 1. I ran across these a while back and bookmarked the site.
> Japlar/Schauer
> > make (or perhaps import, who knows) a 36 volt, 20 amp 3-stage
> (IUIo)
> > switchmode charger, quite small and light, priced around $300 with
> cables.
> > Voltage at 2.6vpc is a bit high, but they say you can order them
> set to
> > whatever voltage you want. It's made by Japlar/Schauer. Schauer
> used to
> > be a reputable brand - but who knows today, with all the
> cheapening going
> > on.
> >
> > http://www.battery-chargers.com./catalog/25.pdf
> >
> > http://www.batterystuff.com/battery-chargers/brands/japlar-
> > schauer/JAC3620M.html
> >
> > 2. Another possibility is the Interacter ICS-36 charger, with
> similar specs,
> > except the Schauer is a universal input, and the Interacter is
> 120v only or
> > 240v only (by special order). Again, I have no idea as to quality
> or durability.
> >
> > Other ideas welcome.
>
> Well, it would just be wrong if I didn't speak up for the Soneil
> 3610SRF
> at this point. It's been great for me and my E12, and I will be
> supplying one with the E12M I picked up near Albany on Saturday for
> a
> friend.
>
> http://www.soneil.com/Completesets/3610SRF(Rev04).25-May-05.pdf
>
> Disclosure: I am a distributor for Soneil chargers.
>
> Breaking NEWS! Soneil is introducing a line of high power chargers.
> I
> am currently waiting for spec sheets and pricing. These include the
>
> following 36 volt models:
> 3620SR (10 amp constant current);
> 3630SR (15 amp constant current);
> 3640SR (20 amp constant current);
> 3650SR (25 amp constant current); and, the
> 3660SR (30 amp constant current).
> The constant current value refers to the initial bulk mode charging.
> I
> expect these will the 3-stage chargers like other Soneil models.
>
> For those that suspected the 3610SRF did not deliver enough current,
> I
> expect one of the new models should satisfy the amp-addicts.
>
> There are also high power models for 12, 24 and 48 volt lead-acid
> systems.
>
> Darryl McMahon
>
> --
> Darryl McMahon http://www.econogics.com
> It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will?
>
>
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