DIY Multi Battery Charger

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Ok, I pulled this idea off of Facebook Solo Mod Group. I purchased a 30a power supply and one Step-Up Booster and I'm currently playing with charging one battery at a time. Tonight I got it working so I'll be getting three more 150w Step-Up boosters ordered. Out flying I can just use the Step-Up Booster and my car battery to charge the Solo battery. Basically a $13 car charger that charges almost twice as fast as the Solo Charger.

IMG_0405.JPG

First, you need is a 12v power source, about 6 amps per battery that you wish to charge. I'll be charging at 5-5.25 amps and I'm going to do 4 batteries at a time so a 30a power supply is all I need. Power supply should be 25% larger than needed so it not always working at 100%, more like 80%. A car battery would also work and cut the cost. A 40a power supply should be large enough for 6 batteries at a time.

Second, 150w Step Up DC-DC CV CC booster. That stand for DC current to DC current, CV = Constant Voltage and CC = Constant (current) Amps. Boost or Step-Up means the output voltage 16.8vdc is greater than the input voltage of 12vdc. A 100 watt step is all that's need, these 150w boosters where recommended. This is the key component to charging the battery. And to make just a simple single 12v car outlet charger only 1 of these is needed. The higher priced digital booster is a lot easier to step up, no volt meter and amp meter need to set it.

Third, 2 slot plug ends to modified to fit the battery plus a 3 prong cord for the power supply.

Mod Plus.jpg

All from Amazon

30a Power Supply

Amazon.com: NEWSTYLE 12v 30a Dc Universal Regulated Switching Power Supply 360w for CCTV, Radio, Computer Project: Computers & Accessories

40 Amp Power Supply

Amazon.com: uxcell® S-180-12 LED Strip Light Display Switch Power Supply DC 12V 15A 180W: Computers & Accessories

150w Step-Up Booster

Amazon.com: DROK® DC-DC Constant Current Boost Voltage Regulator 10-32V to 10-46V 150W 16A Adjustable Output Step Up Volt Converter 12V to 24V Power Transformer Board for Solar Panel Car Auto Battery Charging: Electronics

Digital Step-Up Booster

Amazon.com: GEREE DC to DC Step up converter 6-40V to 8v-80v 400W 10A Digital-controlled Power Supply: Electronics

2 Slot Cord

Amazon.com: SF Cable, 6ft 18 AWG 2-Slot Non-Polarized Power Cord (IEC320 C7 to NEMA 1-15P): Computers & Accessories

3 prong Cord

Amazon.com: New 6' FT Power Cord for Monitor, Desktop PC, CPU & More: Electronics

Game On
 

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I've got some time while my Solo is "in the shop" with a bad IMU. I'll be doing the same, although not quite as fancy as Steve's. I'm going to do 4 boost converters for the solo batteries and a buck for the 8v Solo controller. It will also have a 120v inverter and some USB charging ports. Basically, a complete field power box that can run off the lighter plug in the Jeep or the AC-DC power supply at home.
 
Steve, your way over the top on this one. Are you going to sell some of those 3d printed adapters?
 
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Ok, I pulled this idea off of Facebook Solo Mod Group. I purchased a 30a power supply and one Step-Up Booster and I'm currently playing with charging one battery at a time. Tonight I got it working so I'll be getting three more 150w Step-Up boosters ordered. Out flying I can just use the Step-Up Booster and my car battery to charge the Solo battery. Basically a $13 car charger that charges almost twice as fast as the Solo Charger.

View attachment 3096

First, you need is a 12v power source, about 6 amps per battery that you wish to charge. I'll be charging at 5-5.25 amps and I'm going to do 4 batteries at a time so a 30a power supply is all I need. Power supply should be 25% larger than needed so it not always working at 100%, more like 80%. A car battery would also work and cut the cost. A 40a power supply should be large enough for 6 batteries at a time.

Second, 150w Step Up DC-DC CV CC booster. That stand for DC current to DC current, CV = Constant Voltage and CC = Constant (current) Amps. Boost or Step-Up means the output voltage 16.8vdc is greater than the input voltage of 12vdc. A 100 watt step is all that's need, these 150w boosters where recommended. This is the key component to charging the battery. And to make just a simple single 12v car outlet charger only 1 of these is needed. The higher priced digital booster is a lot easier to step up, no volt meter and amp meter need to set it.

Third, 2 slot plug ends to modified to fit the battery plus a 3 prong cord for the power supply.

View attachment 3090

All from Amazon

30a Power Supply

Amazon.com: NEWSTYLE 12v 30a Dc Universal Regulated Switching Power Supply 360w for CCTV, Radio, Computer Project: Computers & Accessories

40 Amp Power Supply

Amazon.com: uxcell® S-180-12 LED Strip Light Display Switch Power Supply DC 12V 15A 180W: Computers & Accessories

150w Step-Up Booster

Amazon.com: DROK® DC-DC Constant Current Boost Voltage Regulator 10-32V to 10-46V 150W 16A Adjustable Output Step Up Volt Converter 12V to 24V Power Transformer Board for Solar Panel Car Auto Battery Charging: Electronics

Digital Step-Up Booster

Amazon.com: GEREE DC to DC Step up converter 6-40V to 8v-80v 400W 10A Digital-controlled Power Supply: Electronics

2 Slot Cord

Amazon.com: SF Cable, 6ft 18 AWG 2-Slot Non-Polarized Power Cord (IEC320 C7 to NEMA 1-15P): Computers & Accessories

3 prong Cord

Amazon.com: New 6' FT Power Cord for Monitor, Desktop PC, CPU & More: Electronics

Game On

So in your top picture I only see two components but you list many more.
If I just wanted to set this up in my car for 12 volt battery what pieces do i need to get?
 
IMG_0409.JPG You'll just need a Step-Up booster for $13, a modified 120v 2 slot plug and a 12v cigarette lighter plug. In addition you'll need a multimeter that can read up to 10 amp.

Buy far the cheapest and fastest way to charge a Solo battery. If you have the plugs in a junk drawer and a meter this is a $13 Auto Charger.

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Amazon.com: DROK® DC-DC Constant Current Boost Voltage Regulator 10-32V to 10-46V 150W 16A Adjustable Output Step Up Volt Converter 12V to 24V Power Transformer Board for Solar Panel Car Auto Battery Charging: Electronics

So in your top picture I only see two components but you list many more.
If I just wanted to set this up in my car for 12 volt battery what pieces do i need to get?
 
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If you don't have a multimeter or don't want to go through the hassle you can buy a step up converter that has a voltmeter/ammeter built in for about $10 more. There's one linked in the first post "digital step up booster". It's a lot easier to set up and more like a traditional lipo charger where you just input the volts/amps and it shows on a display.

@divemasterphil Thanks for saving me the time on all of these write ups lol. I was planning on detailed writeups after my project was complete. I've been working on this for about 2 months now and have tested many different components and then re-bayed some of the ones I didn't end up using.

These cheap Chinese made boost converters leave a lot to be desired and are all over the place as far as build quality, quality of components used, solder quality, etc. I'd carefully inspect any board used before plugging it in. I received one with a cold solder joints around the transformer coil. I had another one go sparky after about an hour of use. Not good. Buy extra and test thoroughly before leaving unattended. Also, these things get burning hot and a fan is really needed if using above like 4 Amps. It will burn.
 
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These cheap Chinese made boost converters leave a lot to be desired and are all over the place as far as build quality, quality of components used, solder quality, etc.
I was wondering the same thing, cheap or poor quality... Thanks for the confirmation and warnings.

So why can't we buy domestically produce units? Any sources? I'd pay $20+ for one of known quality.
 
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I was wondering the same thing, cheap or poor quality... Thanks for the confirmation and warnings.

So why can't we buy domestically produce units? Any sources? I'd pay $20+ for one of known quality.
I have not seen a single domestic source for these except for very expensive units that are a lot larger and used for a wider range of applications - mainly bench power supplies and development type stuff. Industrial and scientific applications.

I'd just guess since most of these regulator chips are already manufactured in China, it's just not cost effective or profitable to have them shipped here and manufactured here. They can source all parts domestically - we no longer can. It's just very hard to compete with slave(ish) labor practices and costs, lack of standards, lack of unions, lack of healthcare costs and little government/environmental regulation. UL? What's that? Grounding? Well, maybe if it's convenient and doesn't add a mm to the pcb lol...

I've mentioned I was in electronic manufacturing for 20 years or so. Our primary customer (JUGS - Automated sports equipment) decided to go to China to have their product manufactured. We produced the first radar gun that was used officially in the World Series. Just about every high school and pro baseball and football team in the US used our equipment. Our equipment was used in Wimbeldon and pro tennis players used our machines to train. We made stuff for Cricket and Bola as well for the Aussies :) If you have ever been to a batting cage, most likely those were also our machines. In the end, the client saved about 40%, and that included shipping everything individually wrapped and boxed from China on a boat. We hand delivered our stuff as we were about 20 minutes from JUGS. They ordered a whole year supply at once, and the whole order was totally f'd lol. There was hot melt glue inside on the circuit boards holding components down. Components, um, that had a lot of power running through them and, well, got VERY hot. Hot melt glue everywhere on the inside of the control box lol. We were hired to fix all their Chinese crap as they kicked us to the curb. They kept coming back and coming back asking us to fix new problems. We finally told them, sorry, you deal with your new Chinese vendor. We're outta here. Sadly, this is not a unique story.
 
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So if you got two of those last ones, mounted them in a project box with a fan. Mounted it in your car.
then used bullet connectors on the stock charger cables.
So you could switch back and forth between your home chargers you should be able to charge from home or the trunk
interesting
 
Wow, can't tell you how many times I've dropped a baseball into a Jugs machine. The good old days...

I was in a meeting recently with a manufacture that was describing their electronics build chain. Engr - Canada, Boards - China, Populate boards - USA, Integration and burn-in - Canada. Interesting times ahead.

I did look for other converters, like you said, high end product and cost. I'll buy the Drok offering, I can always upgrade the components later... I like the idea of a 12VDC sourced charger, sounds portable...;)

I'll go with a two pack charger setup when you're battery monitor is ready...hint-hint.
 
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My dad designed all of Jugs stuff, and most likely I built it (the controls, not the "famous blue" machine hardware). Until about '98, everything was designed and manufactured in Oregon (Tualatin).
 
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... They kept coming back and coming back asking us to fix new problems. We finally told them, sorry, you deal with your new Chinese vendor. We're outta here. Sadly, this is not a unique story.
Too true. We just lost a customer of 20 years to a Chinese knockoff. Hard to compete with a $2 product when yours costs $20. Doesn't matter that half of them don't work, they can afford to throw them away. First samples come in looking great, then they just start shipping crap. Missing or incorrect parts, etc..

They always come back, hat in hand, and then we usually tell them to pound sand...
 
Perfect idea with bullet connector. Mine doesn't get to warm but Texas, you could probably us a fan if in a box.

So if you got two of those last ones, mounted them in a project box with a fan. Mounted it in your car.
then used bullet connectors on the stock charger cables.
So you could switch back and forth between your home chargers you should be able to charge from home or the trunk
interesting
 
I've got a discharger in mine. I was using it for a load capacity test to make it easier to tune the CC/CV converters since they will put out different levels depending on how discharged the battery was (battery isn't going to draw 6A if it's 70% charged). I needed something consistent to calibrate them all. It discharges, or charges to 50%, whichever is needed when using the "storage" option. The whole thing works off of 120/240VAC, or 12VDC car battery. Charges 6 solo batteries@6A each, plus controller, plus 2 usb devices for tablet/etc simultaneously ;) Also logs all battery data to a memory card whenever it's plugged in, displays battery errors as reported by the chip in the battery, reports charge cycles, plays a sound file when a battery is finished charging (I was having it send me a text message), displays percentage of charge to a tenth of a percent using nice pretty bargraphs on the 3.5" touch display, can view all 4 cell levels per battery, etc. One charger to rule them all lol.
 

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