Battery Equalizer/Balancer

[redbopeep]

Anyone used a battery equalizer? More specifically, anyone here ever built a battery equalizer for their 32V (or 24V) electrical needs? We're noting that the inexpensive DC-DC converter chip LM5115 ratings match up with specs for equalizers sold in the solar marketplace. Seems like this shouldn't be too hard. What am I missing here?

Reason for the equalizer: Though we have 12V lights, electronics, and some 12V appliances--we've also got good quality 32V equipment already on the boat as she was 32V for many years. In addition to the 32V charger/charge controller for use with shore power and a high capacity 32V alternator...the windlass, several Rule bilge pumps, pressure water, deck washdown pump, etc are all 32V.

Final reason--don't want to worry about having to keep each battery in a bank with same cell capacities as other batteries in the bank--but yet want them all charged and discharged together.

[redbopeep]

OK, I'm bumping this up to the top because I need to build or buy this thing soon so I can start testing all my 32V bilge pumps :)

Paladin???ANYONE??? know anything?

[willmarsh3]

You might want to query "Electric Boats" yahoo group about this. There's lots of knowledge and activity there.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electricboats/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1

[Canoeyawl]

I have some specialized trucks that use isolators.
There were some problems with the initial install, (these are large 8-D batteries) the alternator output voltage needed to be bumped up a (1) volt to achieve full charge. The isolator requires that extra volt.
Try Cole-Hersey, they have a good technical support and will connect you with an engineer to help sort out your system. Very good service.

[redbopeep]

Hey, thanks guys.

Nigel actually doesn't address battery equalizers as far as I know....even if he does, he frequently talks about doing things or obtaining tools that are unavailable here in the USA.

What I'm talking about is something that isn't just an isolator, but rather lets you charge and discharge a bank of "unequal" batteries equally. So, one can have a 12V 100 Amphr battery, a 12 V 300 AH battery and a 8 V 300 AH battery and use a 12/32 equalizer to charge/discharge the entire bank using a 32V charger or with 32V appliances. Two of the three batteries in my example given would have to have the same AH rating, type, age--else more than one equalizer would be needed.

Since I last posted, we've decided to simplify life and just use three 12V batteries which can be charged with the 12V system. The 32V bilge pumps and 32V windlass motor should work fine at 36V.

I can find a 12/36 balancer here (http://www.solarconverters.com/product_frame.html)

Life becomes a bit simpler for us if we do the 3x12=36. We shouldn't end up frying anything. :)

[kc8pql]

All I can say is I'm glad it's you trying to keep a system with all those different voltages running and not me. :eek: :)

[redbopeep]

oh, well, I'm not sure, but I could be wrong... I might be misreading the section, gee willickers....pages 47 and 48... I don't know, maybe I am wrong, anyhow, i hope this is the right reference. I don't want to tell you how to do it the WRONG way... no that wouldn't do.

Chapter #1 "Establishing a Balanced Battery-Powered Electrical System" is so thorough.. but maybe I'm wrong... I don't know. I designed and built a system following his advice from scratch and I thought it was reliable and longlasting.. but maybe 5 years out of a 3 battery system isn't up to snuff.. I don't know.. buyer beware I guess... and he's a foreigner with those foreighn physics, so it probably doesn't apply to American standards. yea, you're right, forget Calder...

Get a grip, fella. Which Calder book are you referencing? I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's talking about--just that sometimes he says ya gotta get something (from a marine chandler) that you can't get readily in the USA from a marine chandler or elsewhere for that matter.

[redbopeep]

All I can say is I'm glad it's you trying to keep a system with all those different voltages running and not me. :eek: :)

Yea, well, thats why we're "simplifying" and going to 36V...at least all the batteries will be 12V in such a system.