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G8MNY  > TECH     25.01.21 10:11z 153 Lines 6862 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 21136_GB7CIP
Read: GUEST
Subj: Simple SCR Regulated Charger
Path: HB9ON<IW2OHX<IR1UAW<IZ3LSV<DB0ERF<DB0RES<ON0AR<GB7CIP
Sent: 210125/1009Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:21136 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                        (Updated May 13)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)

This is a simple self regulating SCR controlled charger. It was made to give
27.5V at 15A for charging a train carriage's 500 AH 24V battery system. It is
not suitable for use with electronic equipment that can't operate on hummy
supplies! Or due to possible RFI used near Radio Rx equipment!

Using a dual winding transformer (1) or a single one with 2 large diodes so the
SCRs form part of a bridge (2), or (3) a single SCR arm following a bridge
rectifier.
(1)                    (2)                          (3)
___ ___    ÉÍÍÍ>AC1    ___ ___    _ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ>AC1    ___ ___    _É͵>ÆÍÍÍËÍ>+DC
L  º   )||(            L  º   )||(~È͵<ÆÍ»         L  º   )||(~º       º
60øTrip)||(__          60øTrip)||(       º         60øTrip)||( È͵<ÆÍ» º
_______)||(~~º         _______)||(_É͵<Æ͹         _______)||(_      º º
N       ||(  º         N          ~ÈÍÍÍÍÍ)Í>AC2    N          ~É͵>ÆÍ)ͼ
           ÈÍ)Í>AC2               thick  º                     º     º
            ÈÍÍ>-ve                wire  ÈÍ>-ve                È͵<ÆÍÊÍÍÍ>-ve

The transformer must deliver an RMS voltage slightly greater than the battery
voltage plus diode & wiring losses. If voltage too low, triggering the SCRs can
be difficult. In that case use an additional 2V winding put around a toroidal
or leg of the transformer to feed the trigger circuit can keep the unit working
well on low mains (the train PSU had to deal with mains of less than 200V AC at
times).

This circuit is very efficient, only the transformer heats up with the high
pulse current, & some SCR/diode losses, there is no huge power loss of a
dropper/linear type regulator!

For high current battery work fusing can just be "weak" wire links mounted in a
safe way not to cause fires etc, but anything to do with batteries needs some
fuse protection!

For recharging 12V batteries use 14.5V DC setting, for floating (infinite
charge rate) use 13.8V, with sealed/gel lead acid types use 13.5V MAX!

                 ³\ ³SCR1
AC1 ÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ >ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
/'\,/ ³          ³/ ³\.          thick   º
or DC ÀÄ´>ÃÄ470êÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄij>³ÄÄ¿  wires   º With (3) DC feed the AC2 arm &
        D1  1W                ³ for high º D1 are not needed.
                              ³  pulse   º
                 ³\ ³SCR2     ³ currents º
AC2 ÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ >ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ)ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹
\,/'\ ³          ³/ ³\.       ³          o
      ÀÄ´>ÃÄ470êÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ´>ÃÄÄ´          / CHARGE
            1W               _³_         o FUSE
                      LOW    /_\`13.1V   ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍo/oÄÄ LOADS
                      oÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´   1W     º      FUSE
                             _³_       __º__+
          SET VOLTS   NORM   \_/        ÜÜÜ
                ÚÄÄÄ> oÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´          º BATTERY
                ³            _³_         º
-ve return      ³     oBOOST \ /         º
   ÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
    _³_
   ////   Make LOW = 13.1V, NORM = 13.8V, & BOOST = 14.6V.

GATE DRIVE POWER
The SCRs gates are actually pulse driven as they only see current for a short
time when the battery voltage is below the zener voltage, until the SCR fires
(turns on). Then the AC voltage input will be reduced to that of the battery
turning off the gate drive. This is important as SCR gate dissipation is quite
limited, even on large current SCRs. The gate Rs (470) should experimented with
to make sure there is good triggering for your SCRs, a general rule is to make
them 1/2 to 1/4 of the value that just triggers the gate OK.

FIRING PROBLEMS
In practice this circuit generally produces a sort of phase firing, as the
battery voltage ends up as a saw tooth dropping blow the zener voltage some
time in the next half cycle. But if the SCRs fire unevenly sometimes due to
inductance problems in the transformer, severe transformer heating can result
due to DC satuation of the core, resulting in a very low inductance across the
mains. So a "resetting thermal trip" is recommended on the transformer, just in
case it gets unduly hot.

SIMPLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
The output voltage can be adjusted in 0.6V steps by the use of diodes in series
with the zener.

VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
The Zener can be a virtual one for voltage adjustment...

            ³
            ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
            ³       \³    POT
            ³+   NPN ³ÄÄÄ>10k
     100uF ===     e/³     ³
            ³     _³_      ³
            ³     /_\`     ³
ÄVE ret ÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ

The Zener can be 5Ä10V (12V system). The transistors is an NPN. Set the voltage
pot so that the Zener action is 1V higher than the required Battery voltage.
The transistor can be either an NPN as here, or the circuit can be inverted & a
PNP used.

CURRENT LIMITING
This can be added to either zener circuit..

              ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´
              c\³              ³
           NPN  ÃÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿   Zener
              e/³ +³47uF  ³    or
              ³   ===     ³  variable
              ÃÄÄÄÄÙ     1k   Zener
 AC           ³           ³    ³
Ä ve ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍ/\/\/\ÍÍÏÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍÍ> Batt -ve
                  SHUNT

The transistor is a NPN. Make the shunt resistor (thick wire link e.g. 10-30cm
of coat hanger wire bolted in place as it will get hot!) so at the maximum
current wanted it drops 0.6V, enough to make the NPN conduct, & hence reduce
the zener voltage & thereby limit the current. The 1k & 47uF filtering is
needed so that the average current is controlled not the high peak current.

If the output is shorted this current limit may not be very effective depending
on the trigger threshold of the SCR etc. but it will reduce the otherwise very
high current!

Note: if the shunt is put on the supply side of zener, the voltage loss across
it will not affect the output voltage, but if it is put on the battery side it
will be reduced.

METERING
The Meter can be almost anything from 100uA to 1A movement for current
monitoring, provided it needs less than 0.6V drop, using the same current
limiter shunt. If a sensitive meter is used a switch can be provided to measure
either voltage or current.

 
ACÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÍ/\/\/\ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ>Batt -ve  
-ve       ³     SHUNT          ³
          ³   I     /'~`\ +   oÙI    V
          ÀÄÄRCalÄÄ´METERÃÄÄÄ>oÄÄÄÄRCalÄÄZenerÄÄRÄÄ>Batt +ve
                    \._./       V

Leaving the I RCal preset in line on voltage measurement will produce a small
error, but simplifies wiring. Calibrate the V & I meter scales with external
meter, adjust suitable presets for full scale. In the voltage case an
additional fixed series R (e.g. 1k) can stop meter accidents! Also a 10V zener
in series can give a more useful offset scale e.g. 10-15V.


Why Don't U send an interesting bul?

73 De John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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