Power supply for charger...

[looch]

I am getting back into racing after having been out for nearly 8 years. Back then, I had a TEKIN battery charger that hooked up to an automobile battery in a basket for the power supply.

I am now wondering if anyone makes a battery charger that doesn't require lugging around a 30 lb. car battery?

Also, any tips on what kind of charger to get would help out.

Thanks,

Looch

[otherguy]

there is a thread down the page called "power supplies--where", try looking there to find your info.

[RC10 GuyAZ]

You could buy an A/C to D/C power converter/supply. Radio shack has some nice ones and they're like 60$, half of what you'd pay for an N-power.

Patrick :cool:

[TyceCCSU@aol.com]

Rule # 1 - Never Use a car battery for charging,

A car battery causes voltage spikes which are read by the charger as a peak voltage, false peaking.

The current will vary on your charger if you have other compoments such as a radio running off your battery.

Where to go for a power supply?
Depending on your needs, you may just need a Novak N-Power supply. It has a 7 amp capability. However, if you wat to run two chargers a dyno or a lathe at the same time you should go for the Rivergate 15A, 30A power supply.

For the Rivergate power supply go to www.rivergatedist.com (cheapest anywhere)

The rivergate 15 and 30 amp power supplies are tiny for the amount of amperage they allow. The 15 and 30 amp suppies have the same case size but the 30 amp has a cooling fan attached. Good Luck

Charger- if your running a Novak Speed controll, no doubt in my mind that you get the Novak Millennium Pro. Hands down.
Tyce

[Grizzbob]

Actually, TyceCCSU, the N-Power has a 10 amp output(I have one for my chargers, & I love it). Other than that, you're absolutely right.....:D

[TyceCCSU@aol.com]

Thanks for the correction!

[XXXER]

If you are looking for a cheap one, go here, this is what a few of my friends are running, and HAVE been running for quite a while. they are light weight, and do a great job. Here is the link, cheapest you can find around, and they are like, 3 pounds. It is a 12.5A power supply, in case you were wondering.

-Steve
http://www.mpja.com/product.asp?product=12422+PS

[looch]

So I can't use a car battery, even if the battery is not connected to the car?

I can understand why a car battery that is still hooked up to the car would surge, however, I cannot see how a battery with nothing connected to it except a battery charger could surge.

Please explain, thanks,

Looch

[TyceCCSU@aol.com]

Maybe some one with some experience can eloborate on what I have to say with some techincal info. But I'll give it a try,

You can use a bettery to charge your batteries but it's not the safest way to power your charger. From my understanding, since the battery being used is of q chemical compund there is no way to regulate the voltage or current, even when passing through a regulation devise such as a charger. Because the charger is sensitive to .15 or less of a volt, your prone to false peaking. However, power supplies rae either regulated by analog or digital components which convert AC power to DC power, therefor allowing the out put power to be regulated to + or - .01 of a volt.
Hope that answers your questions.

Tyce

[MrShop]

i read somewhere that you can use AT powersupplies from PC's (you can find used ones for less than 10 bucks) for power supplies.

[TyceCCSU@aol.com]

Yes you can use computer power supplies, just look for the other Power Supplies thread and it explains everything you need to know there. If your a real gearhead, do it. If not, go out and buy one, they last for a solid 5-10years.