AC Input to DC Chargers

[wgalligan]

All you need to do is run a hot lead from you main battery to your second battery and then ground that battery to somewhere and the body. Use heavy enough gage wire and make sure your connections are solid. I would fuse it with a 30 amp fuse to protect things from burning up in the event of a short.   I have a lead acid battery in a seperate compartment on the outside of my trailer and thats what I do to keep it charged up. 

I would recomend keeping the battery in a ventlated area, not inside a vehicle.  When the battery charges it puts out hydrogen and this is extremely volital and is the main reason batteries explode when being jump started.  The spark from hooking them up or disconecting them will ignite the hydrogen gas.  I have seen batteries explode when just starting the vehicle because the internal plates shorted out.

> Could you give us a circuit to carry an extra 12v car battery in the > back of the van that charges up again while we drive??
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Eric.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wgalligan [mailto:wgalligan at cnbcom.net]
> Sent: Monday, February 17, 2003 1:51 PM
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Subject: Re: AC Input to DC Chargers
> 
> 
> I'm in the car business so I think I can answer this one.  Unless you > are charging several other peoples batteries off you car battery then it > shouldnt go dead buy the end of the day.  How old is your car battery? > Is it hot out during the day?  These are factors in your cars battery > ability to charge your equipment tand then be able to get you home.  In > hot climate like here in Texas the heat is extremely tough on car > batteries.  It can cause sulfating of the battery.  Once this begins to > happen the battery loses its ability to retian its charge and will not > fully charge to its capacity. 
> So if your battery is about 3yrs old be suspect that it could be going > bad.  Another thing that a lot of people dont realize is that the > battery could be drying out.  Make sure your battery is full of fluid > (distiled water only), this can also cause premature failure of your > cars battery.  The most your taking out of your car battery charging > your airplanes is probably less then 5 amps.(electric dudes correct me > if I'm wrong)  Not enough to kill a good battery. Even if you are > charging e-flight batteries.
> 
> OK... so much for shop 101.....
> 
> Wayne
> 
> > Yep, Im planning to do that. One of my chargers
> > specified a 13 amp supply to meet its max output
> > rating.
> > 
> > Another thing, Im finding that my car battery doesnt
> > have the duration it once did. I used to charge my RC
> > batteries at the field, but have been supprised
> > recently by a dead battery when Im trying to go home.
> > Has anyone put heavy duty batteries in your car to
> > compensate for this?
> > 
> > 
> > --- Bob Kane <getterflash at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > 
> > > The 12 volt section of most PC power supplies don't
> > > come close to supplying 25 amps, so I would not feel
> > > bad about your purchase. I own a 15 amp supply and
> > > run multiple chargers at high charge rates
> > > simultaniously, something a pc power supply can not
> > > do.
> > >  Brian Young <b4598070 at yahoo.com> wrote:Reading all
> > > the response to this I wish I had asked
> > > the question a couple weeks ago. I picked up a 12VDC
> > > 25amp supply at radio shack, oh well, couldve done
> > > that PC power supply conversion and saved $60.
> > > 
> > > --- Ted Sander wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Veering a little off thread about battery
> > > chargers,
> > > > has anyone adapted a PC
> > > > power supply to feed any of these chargers on the
> > > > bench? Any cautions to be
> > > > aware of? Seems like most chargers are made for
> > > 12V
> > > > input - great at the
> > > > field, not so handy on the bench unless you spring
> > > > for the high priced
> > > > add-on. Obviously, we're talkin' enough input
> > > > capacity for TX and RX
> > > > batteries here, not mega-cell electric flight.
> > > I've
> > > > got two or three old
> > > > dead PC's peeking out from under the
> > > workbench.....
> > > > Going further, any advice on converting these
> > > power
> > > > supplies to a reasonably
> > > > accurate variable output? My TX lets me calibrate
> > > > it's built in volt meter,
> > > > but you need stable, varying amounts of dc voltage
> > > > to do it. I'm tired of
> > > > driving across town to borrow my friends regulated
> > > > power supply, plus having
> > > > my own would come in handy for other projects.
> > > (But
> > > > not enough demand to
> > > > justify buying one). Any web resources about this?
> > > > 
> > > > > =========================> ============
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> > > 
> > > 
> > > =====
> > > Brian Young
> > > Tulsa
> > > b4598070 at yahoo.com
> > > 918-745-6046h
> > > 918-838-0900w
> > > 
> > > __________________________________________________
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> > > 
> > > Bob Kane
> > > getterflash at yahoo.com
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ---------------------------------
> > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day
> > 
> > 
> > =====
> > Brian Young
> > Tulsa
> > b4598070 at yahoo.com
> > 918-745-6046h
> > 918-838-0900w
> > 
> > __________________________________________________
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> > Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day
> > http://shopping.yahoo.com
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