Using my car charger as a power supply question

cat5 · Oct 21, 2005, 04:32 PM

Ok..Im about to try out some lipos. The pack is 11.1v 1000mah and has 3 cells in the pack. My lipo charger is a DC charger with spec input 12 - 15 v input and output .8A. My question is if I want to use it in the house, I do have a car battery charger with rating 12v 2A, 12v 6A, and 6v 6A, which one should I select and is it ok to use. Thank you all.

GlowFly · Oct 21, 2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cat5

My question is if I want to use it in the house, I do have a car battery charger with rating 12v 2A, 12v 6A, and 6v 6A, which one should I select and is it ok to use. Thank you all.

Neither. A standard transformer/rectifier type car battery charger is a completely unsuitable power source for another battery charger. They require a smooth DC supply such as is obtained from a 12v lead acid car battery, or a regulated/smoothed DC supply of some sort.
I gather Radio Shack have a sale at the moment on a suitable supply, otherwise there are several 13.8v DC supplies around or even a modified old PC PSU may be used. Look it up on the Internet
--
Steve

cat5 · Oct 21, 2005, 04:52 PM

Wow...I guess these lipos really is sensitive. I do have a couple old pc ps, is there a guide here showing which wires to use or any modifications to it? Thanks again.

Fluke63 · Oct 21, 2005, 06:25 PM

Cat5,
Go to rcbatteryclinic.com. They will show the whole conversion. By the way, for the load on the 5volt line, get a 1ohm 10 watt resistor from Radio Shack. Little light bulbs don't cut it. You'll see after you read.

B717 Furloughee · Oct 21, 2005, 06:39 PM

How about using an automotive lead acid battery to power a lipo charger WHILE simultaneously using a car battery charger on the lead acid battery? Note, the car battery charger leads and lipo charger input leads are connected to the lead acid terminals, not each other.

SMaric · Oct 21, 2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cat5

I do have a couple old pc ps, is there a guide here showing which wires to use or any modifications to it?

Take a look at
http://pinouts.ru/data/atxpower_pinout.shtml

You will need to take pin14 (Green Wire) down to Ground to activate the PSU

cat5 · Oct 21, 2005, 07:03 PM

Thanks all. will check it out or I just have to buy an ac charger or charge up by car battery and use it

mtbrider · Oct 22, 2005, 03:54 AM

I use the car battery charger and a leisure battery. That way if it is a nice day I can take the leisure battery to the field with me to re-charge whilst flying.

JIM CALDWELL A · Oct 22, 2005, 08:41 AM

B717,
I have been using the battery, charger combo for 4 years with 2 schutz 330's charging up 60 cells 3 times a day during boats races leaving the charger on all day.
The only trick is to use a good charger (Schumacker in my case) that won't take the deep cycle battery above 15 volts, about 8 amps in my case.
Works Great!!

vintage1 · Oct 22, 2005, 10:57 AM

I got a S/H ex CB power supply off Ebay. Thats used to do teh mains stuff. Was not expensive.

I have a BIG battery in my landrover. Enough to charge several packs several times.

The club field is 15 miles way - plenty of time to top it off...

Have a look here..

http://electronics.search.ebay.com/1...erQ20supplyQ29

B717 Furloughee · Oct 22, 2005, 02:59 PM

Thanks Jim (twice)

Briggs · Oct 22, 2005, 04:25 PM

so you cant use a car battery charger ??.
then what ?.

ebill3 · Oct 22, 2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briggs

so you cant use a car battery charger ??.
then what ?.

You can purchase a 12 volt power supply - Radio Shack, do a google for "12 volt power supply", ebay. Convert a computer power supply. Add a 12 volt lead-acid battery to your auto battery charger.

Bill

Briggs · Oct 22, 2005, 05:54 PM

what about the power supply from hobby lobby
110ac convert to 12dc
the fma one near bottom of page.

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/chargers.htm#Supply

Tom Moody · Oct 22, 2005, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briggs

what about the power supply from hobby lobby
110ac convert to 12dc
the fma one near bottom of page.

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/chargers.htm#Supply

That's the one I use.

Tom Moody

Oct 21, 2005, 04:32 PM	#1
cat5 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, OR US Posts: 966	Using my car charger as a power supply question Ok..Im about to try out some lipos. The pack is 11.1v 1000mah and has 3 cells in the pack. My lipo charger is a DC charger with spec input 12 - 15 v input and output .8A. My question is if I want to use it in the house, I do have a car battery charger with rating 12v 2A, 12v 6A, and 6v 6A, which one should I select and is it ok to use. Thank you all.

Oct 22, 2005, 10:57 AM	#10
vintage1 Replikit Designer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: East Anglia, UK Posts: 27,386	I got a S/H ex CB power supply off Ebay. Thats used to do teh mains stuff. Was not expensive. I have a BIG battery in my landrover. Enough to charge several packs several times. The club field is 15 miles way - plenty of time to top it off... Have a look here.. http://electronics.search.ebay.com/1...erQ20supplyQ29 Last edited by vintage1; Oct 22, 2005 at 11:50 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Question Using a car battery charger as a power source. What's the problem.	Boeingdvr	Batteries and Chargers	11	May 05, 2006 08:38 PM
Astro Charger as a Power Supply	Jim Keller	EFLIGHT Mailing List	2	Dec 01, 2003 07:03 PM
Using Automotive battery charger as a power supply?	DRR	EFLIGHT Mailing List	3	Nov 13, 2003 07:02 PM
Battery car charger used as a power supply??	Sylvain	Batteries and Chargers	7	Feb 19, 2003 10:17 AM
using a car battery charger as a power source?	foss1997	Power Systems	14	Jan 10, 2002 10:56 AM

Oct 21, 2005, 04:52 PM	#3
cat5 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, OR US Posts: 966	Wow...I guess these lipos really is sensitive. I do have a couple old pc ps, is there a guide here showing which wires to use or any modifications to it? Thanks again.

Oct 21, 2005, 06:25 PM	#4
Fluke63 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 65	Cat5, Go to rcbatteryclinic.com. They will show the whole conversion. By the way, for the load on the 5volt line, get a 1ohm 10 watt resistor from Radio Shack. Little light bulbs don't cut it. You'll see after you read.

Oct 21, 2005, 06:39 PM	#5
B717 Furloughee Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 1,551	How about using an automotive lead acid battery to power a lipo charger WHILE simultaneously using a car battery charger on the lead acid battery? Note, the car battery charger leads and lipo charger input leads are connected to the lead acid terminals, not each other.

Oct 21, 2005, 07:03 PM	#7
cat5 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, OR US Posts: 966	Thanks all. will check it out or I just have to buy an ac charger or charge up by car battery and use it

Oct 22, 2005, 03:54 AM	#8
mtbrider Ay up it's warped Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Derbyshire UK Posts: 1,242	I use the car battery charger and a leisure battery. That way if it is a nice day I can take the leisure battery to the field with me to re-charge whilst flying.

Oct 22, 2005, 08:41 AM	#9
JIM CALDWELL A Registered User Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Cleveland Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States Posts: 278	B717, I have been using the battery, charger combo for 4 years with 2 schutz 330's charging up 60 cells 3 times a day during boats races leaving the charger on all day. The only trick is to use a good charger (Schumacker in my case) that won't take the deep cycle battery above 15 volts, about 8 amps in my case. Works Great!!

Oct 22, 2005, 02:59 PM	#11
B717 Furloughee Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 1,551	Thanks Jim (twice)

Oct 22, 2005, 04:25 PM	#12
Briggs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: nowhere Posts: 277	so you cant use a car battery charger ??. then what ?.

Oct 22, 2005, 05:54 PM	#14
Briggs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: nowhere Posts: 277	what about the power supply from hobby lobby 110ac convert to 12dc the fma one near bottom of page. http://www.hobby-lobby.com/chargers.htm#Supply