Cameron Motor Works Electric Vehicle Conversion

Selecting a Battery Charger

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October 2004

Battery Charger Requirements

  • Input voltage can automatically detect between 120 or 240v
  • Input AC is completely isolated from battery pack and frame
  • When input is 120VAC power output is reduced to no more than 1500W
  • When input is 240VAC power output is 7200W (30A circuit)
  • Output voltage is programmable from 120VDC to 430VDC
  • Timer turn on charger
  • Power factor corrected
  • Input circuit breaker
  • Greater than 80% efficiency
  • Reverse polarity protected
  • Reverse polatiry indicator
  • Overtemp shutdown
  • Overtemp indicator
  • 2 relay output spdt
  • Moisture protected
  • 10 different charging profiles
  • Each charging profile can control:
    • Charger on/off
    • Constant voltage
    • Constant current
  • Each charging profile can respond to:
    • Pack voltage
    • Pack current
    • Pack temperature
    • Charging time
    • Date/time
    • External logic input
  • RS-232 output of:
    • Pack voltage
    • Pack current
    • Pack temperature
    • Charging time
  • Operating temp -20 to 40 oC
  • Weight less than 7.0 kg
  • Size less than 300 x 300 x 100mm

    Optional

  • Water cooled - or heatsink exposed for water cool attachment
  • Programmable using PicBasic or BasicStamp
  • Program control of equalization to happen on a date basis (if not above)

    Charger Manufacturers

    Zivan

    http://www.zivanusa.com

    ShockPower

    http://www.schockpower.com/

    Brusa

    http://www.metricmind.com/ www.brusa.li

    Electrocraft Chargers

    http://home.interlog.com/~dgv/chargers.htm

    Manzinita Micro

    http://www.manzanitamicro.com

    Solectria (now Azure Dynamics USA)

    Delta-Q

    http://www.delta-q.com

    K&W

    EV Craft

    Rusco

    Ascom

    Coherent Power

    http://www.coherentpower.com/

    Shock Power

    http://www.schockpower.com/charger.htm

    Soneil Charges

    http://www.soneil.com/

    Smaller chargers (48V/3A or 24V/8A) switchmode chargers. Fixed charge profile, lightweight, inexpensive.

    High Power Switching Programmable Power Supplies

    Lambda

    Other Charging Alternatives

    Modular Charging System

    Use a series of small chargers, one for each battery. And example is the Vicor Batmod, which can be externally controlled.

    Lee Hart has designed such a system. Rick Woodbury is intending to use such a system.

    Hybrid Pack-Modular System

    The idea is to use a large "dumb" charger to bring the pack up to 80%, and then to use modular chargers (e.g. Cliplight chargers) to keep the batteries balanced.

    Selection for the New Beetle EV Project

    A PFC-30 charger from Manzinita Micro was selected to be used for the New Beetle EV project for the following reasons:

    • Lightweight
    • User adjustable voltage and current
    • Adjustable constant current, constant voltage charge profile
    • Relatively inexpensive
    • Very efficient
    • High use within the EV Hobbyists community

    Reference

  • See EVList note: "Re: The eternal question: which battery charger?"
  • The Little Black Book of Battery Charging


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