battery charger output voltage

[96terrano]

need help, here, does a normal 12v car battery charger put out the same volts and amps as a car alternator? eg, could i run a car radio off a battery charger:nenau or would it make magic smoke:doh

[(RIP) PLANK]

not usually a very stable supply, of course it all depends on the make and model of the charger, have you got an old car battery you could put in line?

[supergnome]

If you look at the output of a charger on a scope it is very rough and not a flat line ( constant voltage) as is a battery. Dont run anything from the charger, It won't like it. You can as Plank says put it in a parallel circuit with a battery and that will remove most of the saw tooth edge of the wave from the charger. They are not the same as power supplies for CB's or ham radios which use silicon diodes with the output smoothed by large capacitors to give a much flatter line similar to a battery. David.

[96terrano]

cheers, i've got a few batterys about

[96terrano]

what about somthing like this with a 12v motorbike battery in parallel

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-TRICKLE-BATTERY-CHARGER-car-motorcycle-boat-caravan-/180896198256?pt=UK_Recovery_Tools&hash=item2a1e40ee70

[(RIP) PLANK]

no, as it's only half an amp, if you had a good battery and left it charging when you weren't listening then yes. But this would not provide the power your stereo would use :nenau

[96terrano]

ok, hang on, i just found a video on you tube, let me go and get it:D

[96terrano]

here's one way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM5PdaDa66k

and there's also this way with a computer psu, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5ipPBnT_NI

[(RIP) PLANK]

here's one way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM5PdaDa66k

and there's also this way with a computer psu, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5ipPBnT_NI

haven't seen the videos but the computer PSU one seems the best method, as that should be a better output, in these situations Ohms law is your friend :thumb2

[96terrano]

haven't seen the videos but the computer PSU one seems the best method, as that should be a better output, in these situations Ohms law is your friend :thumb2

psu it is, well, see you forever, as i'll nick the psu out this computer:lol:lol

[glanrichbex]

If you're going to use a computer PSU, don't do what the idiot in one of the clips has done by shorting two of the output cables.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

It's a switchmode supply and all switchmodes have current sensing. If you stop drawing current it will collapse the loop and it will shut down.:(

To keep it running, it will need to see a load on the 5volt rail ( yellow ).

Connect a 12volt 21W standard car bulb between a yellow and black ( this will glow slightly but is needed to draw a few hunderd milliamps )

You can now safely use red 12volt and Yellow 5volt Blue -12volt. :thumbs

[96terrano]

If you're going to use a computer PSU, don't do what the idiot in one of the clips has done by shorting two of the output cables.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

It's a switchmode supply and all switchmodes have current sensing. If you stop drawing current it will collapse the loop and it will shut down.:(

To keep it running, it will need to see a load on the 5volt rail ( yellow ).

Connect a 12volt 21W standard car bulb between a yellow and black ( this will glow slightly but is needed to draw a few hunderd milliamps )

You can now safely use red 12volt and Yellow 5volt Blue -12volt. :thumbs

Ok thanks for the info,:bow I'll see if I can get a psu off my uncle. He plays about with computers and communication equipment. He's got some cool stuff :D

[rustic]

Just for the record...

If you used a standard battery charger as a 12 volt supply, you would have to add capacitors to the output, at a rate of 1000 microfarad per amp, so if you put 4700uF on the output, the supply would be good for just over 4amps.

HOWEVER:
This will raise the peak voltage on the supply and capacitor to well over 18 volts, so then you have to set about creating a regulated supply.

13.6 volts will be good for car rate items, car radios included.
I use the LM317 regulator which is only good for 1.5 amps, it will need a heat sink, and of course all the protection items, fuse, case, ventilation, switch etc

For higher currents you will need a higher current regulator, assuming the battery charger is able to produce this current.

So using a computer power supply will be the best thing, it is ventilated with a fan, but also you might need to link 2 pins which is the equivalent of an on off switch on the computer to get it working as well, that's what I did when I wanted a 5volt supply as well as a 12 volt supply.

Hope it helps,
Best regards, Rustic

[96terrano]

Just for the record...

If you used a standard battery charger as a 12 volt supply, you would have to add capacitors to the output, at a rate of 1000 microfarad per amp, so if you put 4700uF on the output, the supply would be good for just over 4amps.

HOWEVER:
This will raise the peak voltage on the supply and capacitor to well over 18 volts, so then you have to set about creating a regulated supply.

13.6 volts will be good for car rate items, car radios included.
I use the LM317 regulator which is only good for 1.5 amps, it will need a heat sink, and of course all the protection items, fuse, case, ventilation, switch etc

For higher currents you will need a higher current regulator, assuming the battery charger is able to produce this current.

So using a computer power supply will be the best thing, it is ventilated with a fan, but also you might need to link 2 pins which is the equivalent of an on off switch on the computer to get it working as well, that's what I did when I wanted a 5volt supply as well as a 12 volt supply.

Hope it helps,
Best regards, Rustic

Thanks, yeah I think a psu is the best. I did hear about bypassing the internal switch with a paper clip

[96terrano]

spoke to my uncle and he hasn't got any psu's just now:doh but i found this that might work

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-500W-SATA-MOLEX-4-Pin-CPU-ATX-PSU-PC-COMPUTER-POWER-SUPPLY-UNIT-/261046062841?pt=UK_Computing_PowerSupplies_EH&hash=item3cc78ecef9

[solarman216]

Are you planning to use this as a stand alone unit or coupled with a battery for back up, if with a battery you will need a good fair sized one that will take the amps as a small sealed gell battery will not last long with the amps this PSU puts out, Rick

[96terrano]

I hadn't really thought about that to be honest, I've got a few decent car batteries.

[solarman216]

I hadn't really thought about that to be honest, I've got a few decent car batteries.

OK then use one of these, the voltage from the PSU will be low for general charging purposes but a car battery will be able to take the amps if it is fairly discharged, but if you only use your load with the PSU on then the battery will not do anything other than smooth the DC, Rick

[96terrano]

Ok, one thing I did wonder is would the psu stand having a battery attached? As there designed to power hard drives and computer parts, not charge a full size car battery:nenau

[Lazy-Ferret]

I think there is some confusions here...

If you have a battery charger, they are too "Noisy" to run electronics. If you connect the battery charger to a car battery, then the battery smooths out the noise from the charger, and off you go. Some car radios draw more than the battery charger will provide, so the battery acts as a reserve giving the power when the radio is on, and then recharging from the charger when the radio is off.

Main problem is it is bulky, and only any good if you already have the battery laying around.

A Comp PSU will not need a battery as they put out a very high current, and it has to be very smooth for the computer, so no problem for a radio. The down side is, it depends on what PSU you get, as there are so many different types now, and you may have to fiddle with some of the control wires to get it working. For example, most computer boards now turn the PSU on and off, so you will need to find the pins that the board shorts to turn it on. Most times this needs to be a momentary action switch, as it only comes up once the leads have been shorted and then re opened. They also often have a voltage sensing input wire. This makes the PSU adjust it's out put, to allow for any volt drop over the cables. This leads will need to be permanently connected to one of the 5 volt leads. It is easier to tell you what to do once you have the actual PSU than give a generic answer.

To be honest, you said you had a couple of old batteries laying around, so I would use one of those, and just chuck the charger on it every few days.

If you are going to buy a PSU, the you might as well get exactly what you need, and look on EBAY for a CB radio PSU like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-AMP-COMPACT-SWITCH-MODE-POWER-SUPPLY-FOR-CB-RADIO-AND-ACCESSORIES-/271000930818?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_SpecialistR adioEquipment_SM&hash=item3f18ea0a02

[96terrano]

that cb psu seems better than a pc psu, so would the cb psu run a car radio?

[Lazy-Ferret]

that cb psu seems better than a pc psu, so would the cb psu run a car radio?

It really depends on what sort of radio you are going to run from it.
E.g. a basic car Radio draws very little current, and would run from it no problem.

If on the other hand, you are going to plug a head unit, with a 300watt amp, and CD multichanger ... etc, you will need 30 or more amps, and that would not work.

To be honest, for the money you are going to pay out, you might as well get a little DAB radio that is already set up to run off of the Mains.

[96terrano]

It really depends on what sort of radio you are going to run from it.
E.g. a basic car Radio draws very little current, and would run from it no problem.

If on the other hand, you are going to plug a head unit, with a 300watt amp, and CD multichanger ... etc, you will need 30 or more amps, and that would not work.

To be honest, for the money you are going to pay out, you might as well get a little DAB radio that is already set up to run off of the Mains.

lol no, just a basic head unit, no amps or subs, got all that in my terrano:lol