Automatic car battery charging scheme. Simple automatic charger. Where else can you apply the scheme

Sooner or later, any car enthusiast is faced with the problem of a dead battery, especially when the temperature drops below zero. And after a couple of launches by the “lighting up” method, there is a firm belief that the automatic Charger refers to essentials. The market today is simply replete with a variety of such devices, from which the eyes literally run up. Various manufacturers, colors, shapes, designs and, of course, prices. So how do you figure it all out?

Choosing an automatic charger

Before you go shopping, you need to decide which battery to charge. They are the most different types: serviced and unmaintained, dry or flooded, alkaline or acidic. The same applies to chargers: there are manual, semi-automatic and automatic. The latter are preferable to choose, since they practically do not require outside intervention, and the entire charging process is controlled by the device itself.

They provide the most optimal mode, while there is no overvoltage dangerous for the battery. Smart electronic filling will do everything according to the correct, predetermined algorithm, and some devices are able to determine the degree of battery discharge and its capacity, and independently adjust to the desired mode. Such an automatic charger is suitable for almost any type of battery.

Most modern chargers and start-chargers have a so-called fast charging mode (BOOST). In some cases, this can really help out a lot when, due to a weak battery charge, it is not possible to start the engine with a starting device. In this case, it is enough to charge the battery in BOOST mode for literally a few minutes, and then start the engine. Do not charge the battery for a long time in BOOST mode, as this can significantly shorten its life.

How does an automatic charger work?

Typically, this device, regardless of manufacturer and price category, is designed to charge and clean plates from lead sulfate (desulfation) of twelve-volt batteries with a capacity of 5 to 100 Ah, as well as quantification their charge level. Such a charger is equipped with protection against incorrect connection and short circuit of the terminals. The use of microcontroller control allows you to choose the optimal mode for almost any battery.

The main modes of operation of the automatic charger:

It should be remembered that a properly selected automatic charger for car battery can not only ensure its reliable and uninterrupted operation, but also significantly extend its service life.

Even though cars are getting smarter and require less attention, batteries still need human input. The fact is that an undercharged battery “dies” faster, becomes more sensitive to frost, which leads to its failure at the right time.

Even on a car with a working alternator, the battery needs periodic charging. This is especially true for short runs between engine starts and long stops. The result of an undercharged battery can be a failure to start in cold weather or after a long stop, an increased load on the generator, and simply a more frequent replacement of the car battery.

Of course, if you have completely serviceable wiring, there is no current consumption when the ignition is off, current leaks in the on-board network, then the battery will most likely live long enough. But, in order to exclude accidents, it is still worth periodically performing preventive recharging. And if you have any of the listed problems, then these actions are simply necessary.

Chargers of the past, with control of current strength, voltage, electrolyte level and measurements of its density, have almost given way to new devices. They work in automatic mode, are able to select the correct current parameters at different stages of the charging process and depending on the condition of the battery, and even test the condition of the battery. These are the devices we decided to study: to see the ease of use, the set of functions, to evaluate the correctness of automatic operation and compliance with the declared characteristics.

To participate in the article, we selected devices with a maximum declared charging current of 6 to 9 amperes, which is optimal for restoring the performance of even a completely dead car battery with a capacity of 50 - 80 Ah, which are mainly used in most cars:

Autoelectric T-1001A

KeePower Medium 8A/12V

Smart Power SP-8N

We tested the chargers according to the following criteria:

1. Can the device restore a deeply discharged battery. To do this, we connected the charging to the battery, the voltage at the terminals of which was 7.0 V and monitored whether the charging process was activated. Since not all devices coped with this task, in order to unify the test and obtain a correct comparison, we made control measurements on a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V.
2. What is the maximum current the charger produces during operation
3. To what voltage the device charges the battery. Since all chargers in this series are automatic, after a full charge they must either turn off or go into support mode.
4. Is there a full charge support mode (when the charger maintains a full charge, turning on with a small drop and turning off when it reaches a hundred percent charge level)
5. The reaction of devices to a short circuit (it can happen if the battery is completely out of order) and polarity reversal (and this happens with carelessness).

The test was carried out on batteries with a capacity of 65 Ah, using a voltmeter and ammeter.

Smart Power SP-8N - car charger, test

The Smart Power SP-8N charger allows you to manually select one of five modes of operation: charging a motorcycle or car battery in standard mode, charging in winter, restoring a heavily discharged or sulphated battery, and operating in power supply mode with an output power of 80 Tue Information about operating modes has four indicators: power, charging, full charge and error.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

Charger Smart Power SP-8N is a small plastic box measuring 210x98x58 mm. The smaller ends are rounded, wires come out of them: from one - for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.5 meters long; from the other - a wire with a connector to which you can connect wires with "crocodiles", with terminals for bolts, with a plug in the cigarette lighter or with a car socket. The length of the second wire (including the length of the connector) is 83 cm. The inputs of the wires into the body of the device are protected by plastic sleeves that protect the wires from breaking. On one of the couplings there is a ring for which the device can be hung on a hook in the garage.

There are 9 indicators on the top surface of the charger. Five indicate the selected mode of operation, four indicate the state of the device. The mode selection is made by the button. Brief technical information, decoding of pictograms and a warning about the conditions of use are printed on the long side ends.

In the kit, as already mentioned, there are three wires that provide various ways to connect the Smart Power SP-8N charger to the car. Wire with "crocodiles" - 28 cm, wire with terminals for the M6 ​​bolt - 30 cm, wire with a plug in the cigarette lighter - 33 cm, wire with a socket - 29 cm. These are all lengths, taking into account the length of the connector.

TEST RESULTS

The first thing to note is that the Smart Power SP-8N charger is hermetically sealed. The housing halves and wire entries are protected from water penetration with a silicone gasket, the design of the connectors is also not afraid of water. The button and indicators are securely isolated.

After that, we connect the Smart Power SP-8N charger to the 220 V network.

It remains to choose a mode. If you know for sure that the battery is already old and the voltage at its terminals is less than 10 V, then it makes sense to select the recovery / desulfation mode. If the temperature outside is below +5 degrees, then it is worth choosing the winter mode. In other cases, just select the type of your transport: motorcycle or car.

If you are going to use the Smart Power SP-8N device as a power source, then connect a wire with a socket to the connector and turn on the device.

1. The Smart Power SP-8N charger will be able to restore a heavily discharged battery. Moreover, the device itself can determine that something is wrong with the battery, and even in the "Car" or "Motorcycle" mode, it starts from recovery, connecting the appropriate mode. Restoration of a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V occurs by supplying electricity with a voltage of 16.11 V and a current of 0.6 A. Accordingly, over time, the voltage drops, and the current increases.

2. The maximum current during operation is the declared 8A, which is enough for a fairly quick charge of most “civilian” batteries. If you have a battery with a capacity of 100 Ah or more (prepared SUVs, commercial vehicles), then it makes sense to use a more powerful charger model.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a voltage at the terminals of 12.4 V begins with a periodic alternation of currents of 7.5 and 2 A. Then the charging currents gradually decrease to 3 and 1.2 A, respectively. energy supply and discharge rate estimation. Charging stops when 14.7 V is reached at the battery terminals. The charger then enters full charge maintenance mode.

4. Charging support is carried out by periodically supplying a current of 0.8 A when the voltage drops to 12.99 V and stops when the voltage level reaches 13.3 V

5. There are no consequences of polarity reversal and short circuit. That is, if “something went wrong”, the device automatically diagnoses this and simply does not turn on. After fixing the problem, Smart Power SP-8N works normally.

Complete with the Smart Power SP-8N charger, the manufacturer provides a wide range of connecting elements. Using the cigarette lighter socket, you can charge the battery with the hood locked, and the cigarette lighter socket allows you to connect external consumers, such as a carrying lamp, to the charger.

Bosch C7 - car charger, test

The Bosch C7 charger allows you to manually select one of six operating modes: 12 and 24 V battery charging in standard mode, 12 and 24 V battery charging in winter, recovery of a heavily discharged or sulfated battery, and operation in power supply mode with output current no more than 5 A. The progress information has four indicators: inability to charge the battery, low charge, medium charge and full charge. 5 indicators inform about the selected operating mode: 12 V, 24 V, winter mode, recovery, power supply. There is a separate indicator that signals a polarity reversal.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

The Bosch C7 charger is a plastic box measuring 197x105x63 mm. The wires, one for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.9 meters long, the other with a connector to which the battery connection cable with bolt terminals, 1.33 m long, come out of the small end. The inputs of the wires into the body of the device are protected by plastic sleeves, which protect the wires from breaking.

The device is oriented vertically and provides, with the included bracket, wall mounting. There are 10 indicators on the top surface of the charger. Five indicate the selected operating mode, four indicate the state of the battery, one indicates a polarity reversal. The mode selection is made by the button. Brief technical information is printed on the bottom (rear) wall. There are also small legs.

Bosch has resolved the issue with different types connection to the battery is quite original. The kit includes one additional cable 47 cm long, on one side of which there is a connector for connecting a device with a protective plug to the cable, on the other side there are bolt terminals for stationary attachment to the battery. And two separate alligators that can be attached to the cable using the same terminals. The option of charging through the cigarette lighter socket is not implemented for this model. On the positive wire of the additional cable there is a standard 10 A safety lever fuse. The bracket has "lugs" on which you can hang "crocodiles".

TEST RESULTS

The first thing worth noting is that the Bosch C7 charger has an IP65 protection rating. The housing halves and wire entries are protected from water and dust penetration with a silicone gasket, the connector design is also not afraid of water. The button and indicators are securely isolated.

Preparing the device for operation Bosch C7 does not cause difficulties, but requires the selection of an operating mode. Before the first use, select the option to connect an additional cable. If it will be permanently located under the hood, we fasten the cable terminals to the battery terminals. If the connection to the battery will be carried out using "crocodiles", then we fasten them to the cable terminals. Then we connect the main and additional cables, after which we connect the Bosch C7 charger to the 220 V network.

It remains to choose a mode. If you know for sure that the battery is already old and the voltage at its terminals is less than 10 V, then it makes sense to select the recovery / desulfation mode. If the temperature outside is below +5 degrees, then it is worth choosing the winter mode. If you want to use your Bosch C7 as a power source, select the appropriate mode. In other cases, just select the standard charging mode. Do not forget to pay attention to setting the nominal battery voltage type: 12 or 24 V, which is important when working in standard and winter modes.

1. A strongly discharged battery can be restored by the Bosch C7 charger. But it starts to work if the battery terminals are about 7.5 V or more. The device refused to charge the battery discharged to 7 V. In this case, the device itself will determine the desired mode and, if the battery is very discharged, it will start working from recovery. The same procedure will be if you set the standard charging mode. Restoration of a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V (the value of the initial voltage was chosen taking into account the capabilities of all memory devices) occurs by pulsed supply of electricity with a voltage of 16.37 V and a current of 3.0 A. Over time, the current decreases to 1.5 A, the voltage remains almost the same - 16.3 V. The recovery mode is turned off when 11.8 V appears on the battery terminals, after which the device switches to standard charging mode.

2. The maximum current during operation is 6 A, which is enough for a fairly quick charge of most "civilian" batteries. If you have a battery with a capacity of 100 Ah or more (prepared SUVs, commercial vehicles), then it makes sense to use a more powerful charger model.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a voltage at the terminals of 11.5 V begins with the supply of energy with a voltage of 12.8 V and a power of 4 A. During the charging process, the indicators fluctuate between 12.8 - 13.4 V and 4 - 6 A. At the final In the charging stage, there is a current of 1.5 A and a voltage decreasing from 13.34 to 13.22 V. After completion of the charging process, the voltage at the battery terminals is 12.9 V.

4. Charging support is carried out by periodically supplying a current of 0.4 - 0.6 A and occurs in the range of 13 ± 0.2 V.

5. There are no consequences of polarity reversal and short circuit. That is, if “something went wrong”, the device automatically diagnoses this and simply does not turn on. An indicator indicates a polarity reversal. After fixing the problem, the Bosch C7 works normally.

Mounting crocodiles on a screw clamp in Bosch C7 is a controversial decision.

Optimate 6 - car charger, test

The Optimate 6 pulse charger operates in fully automatic mode. Without human intervention, she herself tests the battery, selects the desired mode and charges the car battery.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

The case of the Optimate 6 charger is made in the form of a stylized car measuring 225x90x68 mm. Indicators are located on the “hood”, wires come out of the front and rear “license plate”: one for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.75 meters long , the other one has a connector to which the cables for connecting to the battery are connected, 1.9 m long. The wire entries into the device case are protected by plastic sleeves that protect the wires from breaking.

On the “roof” of the “car” there is a brief technical information, the “bottom” is a ventilation grid.

There are two cables included that provide various ways to connect the Optimate6 charger to the car. Wire with "crocodiles" - 46 cm, wire with terminals for M6 bolt - 59.5 cm. These are all lengths, taking into account the length of the connector. On the positive wire of the cable with terminals there is a standard 15 A fuse.

In addition, there is a fabric bag in the kit, in which the entire set fits.

TEST RESULTS

The first thing worth noting is that the Optimate 6 charger has an IP54 protection class, that is, it can work in a dusty environment, is not afraid of splashes and small raindrops. If you accidentally pour the device on top, nothing bad will happen either. The lower part, through which the Optimate 6 is cooled, must be protected from water.

The device is oriented vertically and can be mounted on the wall with four screws. There are 10 indicators on the top surface of the charger. Three report on current state battery charge, three - indicate the amount of current during charging, two - about the current mode (standard or low temperature / support). The rest signal errors: either a battery malfunction or a polarity reversal.

Preparing the device for operation is elementary: just select the desired limit switch and connect the charging to the battery terminals. And then connect the Optimate 6 charger to a 220 V network.

Everything else does not require your participation. The device itself will test the battery, select desired program and get to work. It will turn itself off and go into support mode. Or it will report the impossibility of restoring the battery.

1. The Optimate 6 car charger works with heavily discharged batteries. Ours, on the terminals of which there was 7 V, he immediately began to “treat”. But, in order to maintain equality, we started measurements from the moment when the battery began to give out confident 8 V. Restoring a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V occurs as follows: first, electricity is supplied with a voltage of 15.99 V and a current of 0.1 A. Literally in within half a minute, the current increases to 0.4 A, and the voltage drops to 15.7 V. Then the current strength does not change until the end of the recovery process, and the voltage gradually decreases, amounting to 13.95 V at the moment the mode is turned off. charge voltmeter at the battery terminals shows 11.65 V.

2. The maximum current during operation is 5A, but basically the device prefers to work with low currents. Despite this, the charging process does not differ much in time from the operating time of other test models. But for capacious batteries with a capacity of 100 Ah or more (prepared SUVs, commercial vehicles), it makes sense to use a more powerful charger model.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a terminal voltage of 11.5 V begins with pulses with an initial voltage of 12.03 V and a current of 0.72 A. Over time, the voltage and current increase to 13.25 V and 0, respectively, 83 A. Charging stops when 12.95 V is reached at the battery terminals. The charger then enters full charge maintenance mode.

4. Charging support is carried out by periodically supplying a current of 0.6 A when the voltage drops to 12.85 V and stops when the voltage level reaches 13.1 V.

5. There are no consequences of polarity reversal and short circuit. That is, if “something went wrong”, the device automatically diagnoses this and simply does not turn on. A polarity reversal is signaled by the corresponding indicator. After fixing the problem, Optimate6 works normally.

CTEK MXS 7.0 - car charger, test

The CTEK MXS 7.0 charger allows you to manually select one of five modes of operation: battery charging in standard mode, charging in winter, recovery of a heavily discharged or sulfated battery, and operation in power supply mode.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

The CTEK MXS 7.0 pulse charger is a small plastic box measuring 188x88x48 mm. Wires come out of the smaller ends: from one - for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.35 meters long; from the other - a wire with a connector to which you can connect wires with "crocodiles", with terminals for bolts, with a plug in the cigarette lighter or with a battery status indicator. Moreover, only the first two limit switches are included in the kit. The length of the second wire (including the length of the connector) is 110 cm. The inputs of the wires into the body of the device are protected by plastic sleeves, which protect the wires from breaking. There are two fixing holes on the case.

There are 12 indicators on the top surface of the charger. Four indicate the selected mode of operation, four indicate the state of the battery. Separate indicators are provided for signaling the presence of a connection to the 220 V network and battery failure. The mode selection is made by the button. A brief technical information and a warning about the conditions of use are printed on the long side end.

On the bottom surface there are small legs.

As already mentioned, the kit includes two wires that provide different ways to connect the CTEK MXS 7.0 charger to the car: a wire with alligator clips - 38 cm and a wire with M6 bolt terminals - 41 cm. These are all lengths, taking into account the length of the connector.

In addition, there is a fabric bag in the kit, in which the entire set fits.

TEST RESULTS

The first thing to note is that the CTEK MXS 7.0 charger is sealed. The housing halves and wire entries are protected from water penetration with a rubber gasket, the design of the connectors is also not afraid of water. The button and indicators are securely isolated.

Preparing the device for operation does not cause difficulties, but it requires the choice of the operating mode. First you need to select the desired limit switch, connect the connectors and fasten the terminals / alligator clips to the battery terminals. After that, we connect the CTEK MXS 7.0 charger to the 220 V network.

It remains to choose a mode. If you know for sure that the battery is already old and the voltage at its terminals is less than 10 V, then it makes sense to select the recovery / desulfation mode. If the temperature outside is below +5 degrees, then it is worth choosing the winter mode. If you want to use the CTEK MXS 7.0 as a power source, select the appropriate mode. In other cases, just select the standard charging mode.

1. A heavily discharged battery with only 7 V on the terminals can be restored by the CTEK MXS 7.0 charger. The choice of operating mode is made automatically, although you can set it manually. But with a small voltage at the “ward” terminals, in any case, the recovery mode will start first. Recovery of a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V occurs by pulsed supply of electricity with a voltage of 14.6 V and a current of 0.1 A. In about a minute, the voltage drops to 13.2 V, and the current rises to 0.3 A. With these parameters and there is a process of revival. The device then enters charging mode. At the battery terminals at this moment 11.3 V.

2. The maximum current during operation is the declared 7A, but basically the CTEK MXS 7.0 charger operates at lower currents. But all the same, the process of charging “civilian” batteries takes place comparable in time with the performance of the other test participants. If you have a battery with a capacity of 100 Ah or more (prepared SUVs, commercial vehicles), then it makes sense to use a more powerful charger model in order to reduce the waiting time for the result.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a voltage at the terminals of 11.5 V begins with a current supply of 13.02 V and a force of 1.2 A. This is in standard mode. If you switch to "winter", then the voltage rises to 13.35 V, and the current strength - up to 1.7 A. Then the voltage increases to 13.92 V, and the current drops to 0.8 A. Charging stops when it reaches 13 .1 V at the battery terminals. The charger then enters full charge maintenance mode.

4. Charging support is carried out by pulsed current supply with a power of 0.8 A when the voltage drops to 13 V and stops when the voltage level reaches 13.1 V

5. There are no consequences of polarity reversal and short circuit. That is, if “something went wrong”, the device automatically diagnoses this and simply does not turn on. At the same time, the "Error" indicator lights up. After fixing the problem, CTEK MXS 7.0 is working normally.

KeePower Medium 8A/12V – car charger, test

The KeePower Medium 8A/12V charger allows you to manually select one of three modes of operation: battery charging in standard mode, charging in winter, and recovering a heavily discharged or sulfated battery. There is an LED flashlight on the body of the device.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

The KeePower Medium 8A/12V charger is a plastic box measuring 198x115x52 mm. The smaller ends are rounded, two wires come out of one: for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.8 meters long; from the other - a wire with a connector to which you can connect wires with "crocodiles", with terminals for bolts or with a plug in the cigarette lighter. The length of the second wire (including the length of the connector) is 178 cm. The inputs of the wires into the body of the device are protected by rubber sleeves that protect the wires from breaking. On the second small end there is a lantern lamp. A stand is integrated into the body of the device, which allows you to fix the device on the wall or install it on the floor at different angles.

There are 7 indicators on the top surface of the charger. Three indicate the selected mode of operation, four indicate the state of the battery. There is an error indicator. The choice of the mode and inclusion of a lamp is made by buttons. Brief technical information is printed on the back wall.

In the kit, as already mentioned, there are three wires that provide various ways to connect the KeePower Medium 8A / 12V charger to the car. Wire with "crocodiles" - 28 cm, wire with terminals for the M6 ​​bolt - 35 cm, wire with a plug in the cigarette lighter - 17 cm. These are all lengths, taking into account the length of the connector.

Note that the presence of a plug in the cigarette lighter allows KeePower Medium to recharge the battery in a car with a locked hood, through the car's on-board network.

Separately, I would like to dwell on the design of "crocodiles". They have push handles connected by a plastic plate with a hole in the center through which the wire passes. In fact, a very convenient design: the usual handles of "crocodiles" constantly strive to catch on to something. There is no such inconvenience here. Plus, the plates work like clutches for the wire, reducing the risk of its fracture at the point of attachment to the metal of the "crocodiles". The plastic feels kink-resistant, so it should last the life of the KeePower Medium 8A/12V charger.

TEST RESULTS

The first thing to note is that the KeePower Medium 8A/12V charger is sealed. The housing halves and wire entries are protected from water penetration with rubber gaskets and sleeves, the design of the connectors is also not afraid of water. Buttons and indicators are securely isolated.

Preparing the device for operation does not cause difficulties, but it requires the choice of the operating mode. First you need to select the desired limit switch, connect the connectors and fasten the terminals / alligator clips to the battery terminals or insert the plug into the cigarette lighter. In the latter option, in order to charge the battery, you may also need to turn on the ignition.

After that, we connect the KeePower Medium 8A / 12V charger to the 220 V network.

It remains to choose a mode. If you know for sure that the battery is already old and the voltage at its terminals is less than 10 V, then it makes sense to select the recovery / desulfation mode. If the temperature outside is below +5 degrees, then it is worth choosing the winter mode. In other cases, stop at the standard.

1. The KeePower Medium 8A/12V charger does not self-diagnose a heavily discharged battery. If you do not select the recovery mode when connected, it will give impulses with a power of a little more than 1 A and a voltage of about 14 V every 10 seconds. But if you set the recovery mode by pressing the selection button, the device starts working. Restoring a battery with a voltage at the terminals of 8 V occurs by supplying electricity with a voltage of 13.27 V and a current of 0.9 A. Over time, the voltage rises to 13.3 V, and the current drops to 0.5 V. The recovery mode does not turn off on its own . At least when we got tired of waiting for this moment, and we turned it off forcibly, there were already 12.4 V at the battery terminals. Subsequent connection brought the device into standard charging mode.

2. The maximum current during operation is the declared 8A, the device did not give out during testing, apparently considering that there was no need for such an impact. KeePower Medium 8A/12V charged the battery with constant strength 1.5 A. But at the same time, the charge time of a serviceable, but run down to 11.5 V battery, was within the average value among the test participants.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a voltage at the terminals of 11.5 V begins to supply a current of 11.8 V, which gradually increases to 13.7 V. The current strength is 1.5 A all the time. When the main charging mode is turned off and the device enters the support charge mode, the voltage at the battery terminals is 12.83 V.

4. Charging support is carried out by supplying a current of 0.8 to 1.0 A when the voltage drops to 12.6 V and stops when the voltage level reaches 12.85 V

5. If a short circuit occurs, the device simply does not turn on. As with a complete polarity reversal or connecting only the black wire to the positive battery terminal. If you first connect the red wire to the negative terminal, the device begins to show signs of life: the mode, low battery and error indicators light up periodically. After fixing the problem, KeePower Medium 8A/12V is working normally.

Complete with the INELCO Keepower Medium charger, the manufacturer includes a cigarette lighter socket, which can be used to charge the battery when the hood is locked.

We think that users will thank the designers of INELCO Keepower Medium more than once for the LED lights on the end of the case.

AutoElectrica T-1001A - car charger, test

The T-1001A AutoElectric charger works in fully automatic mode. Without human intervention, she herself tests the battery, selects the desired mode and charges the car battery.

FEATURES AND PACKAGING

The T-1001A AutoElectrica charger is a metal box measuring 212x112x70 (front) and 40 (rear) mm. Three wires come out of the rear end: one - for connecting to a 220 V network, with a plug at the end, 1.05 meters long, the other two, respectively with "plus" and "minus" "crocodiles". Their length is 85 cm. The inputs of the wires into the body of the device are protected by rubber insulators, which protect the wires from chafing.

In front is a block of indicators. Among them - one indicator of the presence of power, two show the progress of the charge, the rest work in the mode of the battery charge indicator during testing or the voltage supplied to the battery during charging.

There are four plastic legs on the bottom wall.

Car charger AvtoElectrika T-1001A also allows you to check the health of the generator and the relay-regulator (separate indication) and determine the level of battery charge (if the voltage at the terminals is higher than 12 V).

Some problem will occur for users with the instruction. When we took the device, we got an idea in practice how to work with it, and what the indicators mean. But it will be more difficult for the buyer of the device - on the diagram of the device in the instructions there is a decoding of the digital designations of the components of the device, but there are no digital designations themselves in the figure. Some elements are, of course, intuitive, but the location of some indicators is not so obvious. So let's explain: 6. Battery charge indicators are located at the bottom of the window (four from the left), 7. The generator health indicator is also located at the bottom of the window (second from the right). 7.1. Relay-regulator operability indicator at the bottom of the window (far right).

TEST RESULTS

The first thing worth noting is that the T-1001A AutoElectric charger is made in a ventilated case and is not suitable for outdoor operation during rainfall.

Preparing the device for operation is elementary: we put on the “crocodiles” on the corresponding battery terminals and connect the AutoElectric T-1001A charger to the 220 V network.

The device will test the battery, select the required charging mode or, if the battery is faulty, it will give an error signal.

1. The T-1001A AutoElectrica charger does not want to work with heavily discharged batteries. With a voltage of 7 V at the terminals, the device behaves as if nothing is connected to it. Control devices do not fix anything. The picture changes if the battery delivers 8.5 V. The indicators light up and the recovery process begins. Initial indicators: voltage 12.8 V, current strength - 0.3 A. Then the voltage and current strength increase, respectively, to 15.98 V and 0.95 A. Energy is supplied in short, frequent pulses. The transition to the main charge mode occurs when 11.85 V appears at the battery terminals.

2. The maximum current during operation is 9A, which corresponds to the maximum value declared by the manufacturer.

3. The stage of recharging a healthy battery with a voltage at the terminals of 11.5 V begins with a current of 2 A. The voltage gradually increases during the charging process. In the range from 12.1 to 12.2 V, the current strength also begins to change, first reaching a maximum of 9 A, then decreasing to 3 A. A further increase in voltage causes another increase in current strength, but not so radical: at 12.25 V, the force current is 4 A. Then the charging currents gradually decrease to 2 A. Charging stops when 13.6 V is reached at the battery terminals, after which the charger switches to full charge support mode.

4. Charging support is carried out by periodically supplying a current of 2 A when the voltage drops to 13.2 V and stops when the voltage level reaches 13.6 V

5. There are no consequences of polarity reversal and short circuit. That is, if “something went wrong”, the device automatically diagnoses this and simply does not turn on. After troubleshooting, AutoElectrica T-1001A is operating normally.

The body of the car charger AvtoElectrika T-1001A is not waterproof, so it cannot be used outdoors.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the studied chargers, all can correctly cope with the preventive recharging of a dead battery. But not everyone will be able to restore a badly drained battery. The Bosch C7 charger and the T-1001A AutoElectrica will start to “treat” if there are at least 7.5 and 8.5 V at the battery terminals, respectively.

All devices correctly stop the main charging process and provide support for a full charge, and although the concept of “full charge” is different for each of them, the difference is not very large and fits into the average 13+-0.2 V.

No device is allowed to be recharged.

In terms of operating time, despite completely different mechanisms for ensuring charging, the devices are comparable. We did not record the exact time, since the test was extended in time and it would not have been possible to achieve a correct comparison for this indicator.

As for the specific choice of device, everything turned out to be difficult. If you have several cars with different battery voltages (12/24 V), then definitely only Bosch C7. If we are talking about caring for 12-volt batteries, then the first place is not so much the correct operation (although, of course, one must also take into account the possibility of restoring a deeply discharged battery), but its combination with functionality. In terms of this parameter, SmartPower SP-8N (the ability to work as a power source for external devices and charge motorcycle batteries) and AvtoElectrika T-1001A (the ability to test a battery, generator and relay-regulator) turned out to be the most attractive. Those who like not to think about anything should pay attention to Optimate6 and AvtoElectrika T-1001A - they do not even provide for the possibility of manual intervention in the process.

But, again, any of the devices we tested is able to cope with the task of preventive maintenance of car batteries.

Alexey Chuprikov

Today we have a very useful homemade product for motorists, especially in winter time! This time we will tell you how to make a homemade charger from an old printer with your own hands!
If you have an old printer, do not rush to throw it away, it has a power supply from which you can make a simple automatic charger for a car battery with the function of adjusting the voltage and charge current. At one time, I had a margin of safety that was greater than that of printer printheads. In this regard, I have accumulated a couple of printers with absolutely working power supplies, quite suitable for creating low-power automatic battery chargers.

The circuit is based on 2 stabilizers:

1. Current stabilizer on the LM317 chip
2. Adjustable voltage regulator made on a microcircuit (adjustable zener diode) TL431

The device also uses another microcircuit, the Lm7812 stabilizer, which is powered by a 12 Volt cooler (which was originally in this case).

The charger in the case was assembled, all the contents of the block, except for the cooler, were removed. Chips stabilizers Lm317 and Lm 7812 are each installed on their own radiator, which are screwed to the plastic case (ATTENTION they cannot be placed on a common radiator!).

The circuit is assembled by surface mounting on stabilizer chips. Resistors R2 and R3 with a power of 2-5 watts in ceramic cases are responsible for limiting the charge current. They are installed so that it would pass through them. Their value is calculated by the formula R = 1.25 (V) / I (A) you can calculate the maximum charge current you need. Since we are talking about calculations, let me remind you that we have If you need to smoothly regulate the charge current, you can install a powerful rheostat with an additional limiting resistor (so as not to exceed the maximum allowable current for Lm317)
In my case, it was at 24 Volts with a maximum load current of 1Amp. It is necessary to reserve 0.1 Ampere from this 1 Amp for powering the cooler (the consumption current is indicated on the sticker) + I left 10% for the margin of safety, respectively, for the main purpose, 0.8 Ampere remains for the charging current.

It is clear that you cannot quickly charge a car battery with a current of 800 mA. During the day, the battery can be reported 24 hours * 0.8A = 19.2 Ampere hours, which is 30-45% of the capacity of a passenger car battery (usually 45-65 Ah).
If you have a “donor” power supply with a current of 1.5 Amperes, you will be able to report 30 Ampere hours in a day, which may be enough for a battery that has been in use for more than one year.

But, on the other hand, a charge with a low current is more useful for the battery "it is better absorbed", it is enough to unscrew the plugs from the battery (if it is serviced), connect the charger to the battery and that's it! You can go about your business and not worry that the battery will be recharged, the maximum voltage on the battery will not exceed 14.5 Volts, and the low charge current will not allow excessive overheating and boiling of the electrolyte. Due to the fact that you can not control the process of the end of the charge, I think this one can be safely called an automatic charger for car batteries, although there is no “tracking automation” in the circuit.
For convenience, the charger can be equipped with a Volt meter, which will make it possible to visually control the process of charging the battery. For example, such for a couple of dollars.

The charger must be equipped with reverse polarity protection. The role of such protection is performed by two diodes with a permissible current of 5 Amperes connected to the output of the charger in combination with a 2 Amp fuse (during installation, be careful and observe the polarity of connecting the diodes !!!). If the charger is connected to the battery incorrectly, the battery current will go to the charger through the fuse and “rest” against the diode, when the current value reaches 2 Amperes, the fuse will save the world! Also, do not forget to supply the device with fuses for the 220 Volt circuit (in my case, for the 220 Volt circuit, there is already a fuse inside the power supply).

We connect the charger to the car battery using special “crocodile” clips, when buying them on the Internet, pay attention to the physical size indicated in the characteristics, since you can easily buy crocodiles for a “laboratory power supply” that will be good for everyone, but will not be able to fit on the positive battery terminal, and a reliable contact, as you yourself understand, is a mandatory thing in such matters. For convenience, there are several nylon Velcro ties on the wires and the case, with the help of which you can accurately and compactly wind the wires.

I hope this idea of ​​\u200b\u200brecycling a printer is useful to someone. If you have made self-made automatic chargers for car batteries (or not automatic), please share with the readers of our site - send us a photo, diagram and a short description of your device by mail. If you have questions about the scheme and the principle of operation, ask in the comments - I will answer.

A. Korobkov

Having supplemented the charger for a car battery at your disposal with the proposed automatic device, you can be calm about the battery charging mode - as soon as the voltage at its terminals reaches (14.5 ± 0.2) V, charging will stop. When the voltage drops to 12.8 ... 13 V, charging will resume.

The prefix can be made as a separate unit or built into the charger. Anyway necessary condition for its operation there will be a pulsating voltage at the output of the charger. Such a voltage is obtained, say, when a full-wave rectifier is installed in the device without a smoothing capacitor.

The scheme of the attachment-machine is shown in fig. 1.

It consists of a trinistor VS1, a control unit for the trinistor A1, an automatic switch SA1 and two indication circuits - on the LEDs HL1 and HL2. The first circuit indicates the charging mode, the second - controls the reliability of the battery connection to the terminals of the attachment-machine. If the charger has a pointer indicator - an ammeter, the first indication circuit is not required.

The control unit contains a trigger on transistors VT2, VT3 and a current amplifier on transistor VT1. The base of the VTZ transistor is connected to the engine of the trimmer resistor R9, which sets the trigger switching threshold, i.e., the turn-on voltage charging current. The switching “hysteresis” (the difference between the upper and lower switching thresholds) depends mainly on the resistor R7 and, with the resistance indicated on the circuit, is about 1.5 V.

The trigger is connected to the conductors connected to the battery terminals, and switches depending on the voltage on them.

Transistor VT1 is connected by the base circuit to the trigger and operates in the electronic key mode. The collector circuit of the transistor is connected through resistors R2, R3 and the section of the control electrode - the cathode of the trinistor with the negative terminal of the charger. Thus, the base and collector circuits of the transistor VT1 are powered by different sources: base - from the battery, and collector - from the charger.

Trinistor VS1 acts as a switching element. Using it instead of the contacts of an electromagnetic relay, which is sometimes used in these cases, provides a large number of switching on and off of the charging current necessary to recharge the battery during long-term storage.

As can be seen from the diagram, the trinistor is connected by the cathode to the negative wire of the charger, and by the anode to the negative terminal of the battery. With this option, the control of the trinistor is simplified: with an increase in the instantaneous value of the pulsating voltage at the output of the charger through the control electrode, the trinistor immediately starts to flow current (unless, of course, the VT1 transistor is open). And when a positive (relative to the cathode) voltage appears on the anode of the trinistor, the trinistor will be reliably open. In addition, such an inclusion is advantageous in that the trinistor can be attached directly to the metal case of the attachment-machine or the case of the charger (if the attachment is placed inside it) as a heat sink.

Switch SA1 can turn off the console by setting it to the "Manual" position. Then the switch contacts will be closed, and through the resistor R2 the control electrode of the trinistor will be connected directly to the terminals of the charger. This mode is needed, for example, to quickly charge the battery before installing it on the car.

Transistor VT1 can be indicated on the series diagram with letter indices A - G; VT2 and VT3 - KT603A - KT603G; diode VD1 - any of the series D219, D220 or another silicon; zener diode VD2 - D814A, D814B, D808, D809; trinistor - KU202 series with letter indices G, E, I, L, N, as well as D238G, D238E; LEDs - any of the AL102, AL307 series (limiting resistors R1 and R11 set the desired forward current of the LEDs used).

Fixed resistors - MLT-2 (R2), MLT-1 (R6), MLT-0.5 (R1, R3, R8, R11), MLT-0.25 (others). Trimmer resistor R9 - SP5-16B, but another one with a resistance of 330 Ohm ... 1.5 kOhm will do. If the resistance of the resistor is greater than that indicated in the diagram, a constant resistor of such resistance is connected in parallel with its terminals so that the total resistance is 330 ohms.

Details of the control unit are mounted on the board (Fig. 2)

From one-sided foil fiberglass with a thickness of 1.5 mm.

The tuning resistor is fixed in a hole with a diameter of 5.2 mm so that its axis protrudes from the side of the print.

The board is strengthened inside a case of suitable dimensions or, as mentioned above, inside the case of the charger, but it is necessarily possible further from heating parts (rectifier diodes, transformer, trinistor). In any case, a hole is drilled opposite the axis of the tuning resistor in the housing wall. On the front wall of the case, LEDs and the SA1 switch are strengthened.

To install a trinistor, a heat sink with a total area of ​​about 200 cm2 can be made. For example, a duralumin plate 3 mm thick and 100X100 mm in size is suitable. The heat sink is attached to one of the walls of the case (say, the back) at a distance of about 10 mm - to ensure air convection. It is permissible to attach a heat sink to the outer side of the wall by cutting a hole in the case for the trinistor.

Before attaching the control unit, it must be checked and the position of the tuning resistor engine determined. A rectifier is connected to points 1, 2 of the board direct current with an adjustable output voltage of up to 15 V, and the indication circuit (resistor R1 and LED HL1) to points 2 and 5. The trimming resistor engine is set to the lower position according to the diagram and a voltage of about 13 V is applied to the control unit. The LED should be on. By moving the trimmer slider up the circuit, the LED goes out. By smoothly increasing the supply voltage of the control unit to 15 V and decreasing to 12 V, they achieve with a trimmer resistor so that the LED lights up at a voltage of 12.8 ... 13 V and goes out at 14.2..14.7 V.

Charger.

In the collection “To Help the Radio Amateur” No. 87, a description of the automatic charger by K. Kuzmin was placed, which, under battery storage conditions in winter, allows you to automatically turn it on for charging when the voltage drops and also automatically turn off charging when the voltage corresponding to a fully charged battery is reached. The disadvantage of this scheme is its relative complexity, since the control of charging on and off is carried out by two separate nodes. On fig. 1 shows an electrical circuit diagram of the charger, free from this drawback: these functions are carried out by one node.

The scheme provides two modes of operation - manual and automatic.

In manual mode, the SA1 toggle switch is in the on-state. After switching on the toggle switch Q1, the mains voltage is supplied to the primary winding of the transformer T1 and the indicator light HL1 lights up. The SA2 switch sets the required charging current, which is controlled by the PA1 ammeter. The voltage is controlled by a voltmeter PU1. The operation of the automation circuit does not affect the charging process in manual mode.

In automatic mode, the SA1 toggle switch is open. If the battery voltage is less than 14.5 V, the voltage at the terminals of the zener diode VD5 is less than necessary to unlock it, and the transistors VT1, VT2 are locked. Relay K1 is de-energized and its contacts K1.1 and K1.2 are closed. The primary winding of the transformer T1 is connected to the network through the contacts of the relay K 1.1. Relay contacts K 1.2 close the variable resistor R3. The battery is being charged. When the voltage on the battery reaches 14.5 V, the zener diode VD5 begins to conduct current, which leads to the unlocking of the transistor VT1, and consequently, the transistor VT2. The relay is activated and contacts K1.1 turns off the power to the rectifier. Due to the opening of contacts K1.2, an additional resistor R3 is included in the voltage divider circuit. This leads to an increase in the voltage on the zener diode, which now remains in a conducting state even after the voltage on the battery is less than 14.5 V. The battery stops charging and a storage mode begins, during which a slow self-discharge occurs. In this mode, the automation circuit is powered by the battery. The zener diode VD5 will stop passing current only after the battery voltage drops to 12.9 V. Then the transistors VT1 and VT2 will turn on again, the relay will de-energize and the contacts K1.1 will turn on the power to the rectifier. The battery will start charging again. Contacts K1.2 will also close, the voltage on the zener diode will further decrease, and it will start to pass current only after the voltage on the battery increases to 14.5 V, that is, when the battery is fully charged.

The charger automation unit is configured as follows. The XP1 connector is not connected to the network. Instead of a battery, a stabilized DC source with an adjustable output voltage, which is set by a voltmeter equal to 14.5 V, is connected to the XP2 connector. In this case, the transistors must be locked, and the relay is de-energized. Slowly rotating the axis of the variable resistor R4, you need to achieve relay operation. Then, a voltage of 12.9 V is set at the terminals of the X2 connector, and by slowly rotating the axis of the variable resistor R3, the relay must be released. Due to the fact that when the relay is released, the resistor R3 is closed by contacts K1.2, these adjustments are independent of one another. The resistances of the voltage divider resistors R2-R5 are calculated in such a way that the operation and release of the relay should occur, respectively, at voltages of 14.5 and 12.9 V in the middle positions of the variable resistors R3 and R4. If other values ​​​​of the relay actuation and release voltages are needed, and the adjustment limits of the variable resistors are not enough, you will have to select the resistances of the constant resistors R2 and R5.

The same mains transformer can be used in the charger, as in K. Kazmin's device, but without winding III. Relay - any type with two groups of opening or switching contacts, reliably operating at a voltage of 12 V. You can, for example, use the RSM-3 relay passport RF4.500.035P1 or RES6 passport RF0.452.125D.

Electronic indicator of battery charging.

To prolong the life of a car battery, effective control over its charging mode is necessary. The described device signals the driver when the voltage on the battery is increased and when it is lowered, and the generator is not working. In the event of increased current consumption in the on-board network at a low frequency of rotation of the generator rotor, the signaling device does not work.

When developing the device, the goal was to place it in the housing of the PC702 signal relay available in the car, which determined the design features of the signaling device and the types of transistors used.

A schematic diagram of an electronic signaling device, together with its connection circuits with elements of the on-board network, is shown in fig. 1.

On transistors VT2, VT3, a Schmitt trigger is made, on VT1, a node for prohibiting its operation. The collector circuit of the transistor VT3 includes an indicator lamp HL1, located on the instrument panel. When hot, the filament has a resistance of about 59 ohms. Cold thread resistance is 7...10 times lower. In this regard, the VT3 transistor must withstand an inrush current in the collector circuit up to 2.5 A. This requirement is met by the KT814 transistor.

Similar transistors are also used as VT1 and VT2. But here the reason for their choice was the desire to obtain small geometric dimensions of the device - three transistors are installed one below the other and fixed with a common screw with a nut.

The voltage of the on-board network, minus the voltage at the zener diode VD2, is fed through the divider R5R6 to the base of the transistor VT2. If it is higher than 13.5 V, the Schmitt trigger switches to a state in which the output transistor VT3 is closed and the HL1 lamp is off.

The base of the transistor VT2 through the zener diode VD1 and the divider R1R2 is also connected to the midpoint of the generator winding. With a working generator, a pulsating voltage is created in it relative to its positive output with an amplitude equal to half the generated voltage. Therefore, even if due to a large current load in the on-board network, the voltage drops below 13.5 V, the current from the divider R1R2 enters the base of the transistor VT2 and does not allow the lamp to burn. To exclude the prohibition of turning on the alarm when there is no current in the excitation winding of the generator, a circuit is used, consisting of a divider R1R2 and a zener diode VD1. It prevents leakage current through the rectifier diodes of the generator (up to 10 mA in the worst case) to the base of the transistor VT2.

The voltage of the on-board network minus the voltage at the zener diode VD2 through the divider R3R4 is also supplied to the base of the transistor VT1, the collector-emitter section of which shunts the base circuit of the transistor VT2. When the mains voltage is above 15 V, the transistor VT1 goes into saturation mode. In this case, the Schmitt trigger switches to a state in which the transistor VT3 is open and, therefore, the lamp HL1 lights up.

Thus, the red light on the instrument panel lights up when there is no charging current and the mains voltage is below 13.5 V, and also when it is above 15 V.

When using an electronic voltage regulator in a car that does not have a separate wire to the battery terminal, due to a voltage drop (about 0.1 ... 0.2 V) in the circuit to the input terminal of the regulator (most often in idle mode) when switched off current consumers, there is a short-term periodic loss of the charging current from the generator. The duration and period of this effect are determined by the time the voltage on the battery drops by 0.1 ... 0.2 V and the time it takes to increase it by the same value and, depending on the state of the battery, are about 0.3 ... 0, 6 s and 1...3 s, respectively. At the same time, the PC702 alarm relay is activated with the same cycle, lighting the lamp. Such an effect is undesirable. The described electronic signaling device excludes it, since during short-term loss of the charging current, the voltage in the on-board network does not reach the lower threshold of 13.5 V.

The electronic signaling device is made on the basis of the PC702 signaling relay available in the car. The relay itself was removed from the getinax board (after the rivet was eliminated). In addition, the rivet from the “87” contact tab and the L-shaped post at its base were removed.

Elements of the signaling device are mounted on a printed circuit board (Fig. 2)

Made of foil fiberglass with a thickness of 1.5 ... 2 mm. Transistors VT1-VT3 are placed along the axis of the central hole of the board: VT3 from the PCB side with the collector plate away from the board, and VT2, VT1 (in that order) - from the opposite side of the board with the collector plates towards the board. Before soldering, all three transistors must be tightened with an M3 screw with a nut. Their conclusions are connected to the points of the plate with tinned copper conductors, soldered into the required holes of the board. Resistors R3 and R5 are soldered not to current-carrying tracks, but to wire pins. This facilitates their replacement when setting up the device. Elements VD1 and VD2 are installed vertically with a hard lead to the board. Capacitor C1 is also vertically located, placed in a PVC tube along the diameter of the capacitor.

Resistors (except R8) -OMLT (MLT) should be used in the signaling device with ratings and dissipation power indicated in the diagram. Rating tolerance ±10%. Resistor R8 is made from a high-resistance wire wound (1-2 turns) on an MLT-0.5 resistor. Capacitor C1 - K50-12. Transistors VT1 - VT3 - any of the KT814 or KT816 series. Element VD1 - Zener diode D814 with any letter index, VD2 - D814B or D814V.

After finishing the installation printed circuit board an electronic signaling device is assembled in the following sequence:
remove the nut and screw tightening the transistors;
a PVC tube with a diameter of 3 mm is placed in the through holes of transistors VT1, VT2;
petals (conclusions) “30/51” (in the center) and “87” are inserted into the board freed from the PC702 relay; the latter is fixed with an M3 screw (head on the output side) with a nut 3 mm high;
an M2.7 screw 15 ... 20 mm long is passed through a hole in the board from the PC702 relay (from the “30/51” output side), then the mounted board with transistors is mounted on the ends of the screws;
provide contact output "30/51" with the collector plate of the transistor VT3 (by its snug fit to the flat part of the output);
check the connection of output "87" with the printed circuit board through a nut with a screw;
the short pins of the conclusions "85" and "86" are bent so that they enter the holes intended for them on the printed circuit board;
using nuts M2.7 and M3 with washers fasten both boards;
solder the pins of the conclusions "85" and "86" to the conductive tracks.

When setting up the signaling device, a power supply unit with adjustable voltage 12 to 16 V and a 3 W lamp at 12 V.

First, with the resistor R5 turned off, the resistor R3 is selected. It is necessary to ensure that when the voltage increases, the lamp lights up at the moment it reaches 14.5 ... 15 V. Then the resistor R5 is selected so that the lamp lights up when the voltage drops to 13.2 ... 13.5 V.

The well-adjusted signaling device is installed in place of the PC702 relay, while the output "86" is connected to the "ground" of the car with a short wire under the screw for fastening the signaling device itself. The wires of the electrical equipment are connected to the rest of the terminals, as provided for by the standard circuit of the car with the RS702 relay, i.e. to terminal "85" - the wire from the midpoint of the generator (yellow), to "30/51" - the wire from the indicator lamp (black) , to "87" - wire "±12 V" (orange).

Tests of the signaling device showed the following result. At short circuit regulator, the glow of the lamp is observed with an increase in the frequency of rotation of the generator and depends on it. When the fuse in the regulator circuit is removed, the lamp lights up after about a minute, regardless of the speed. This information is enough to establish the cause and type of malfunction of the generator-voltage regulator system.

When the ignition is turned on an hour or more after the engine is stopped, the indication works, as with a relay signaling device. If it turns on after a short time (less than 5 minutes), the charging indicator lamp does not light up, but when the engine is started by the starter, it flashes and goes out, indicating that the indicator is working.

Installing the described regulator instead of the standard PC702 in Zhiguli cars (VAZ-2101, VAZ-2102, VAZ-2103, VAZ-2106, etc.) will clearly warn the driver about all deviations in the battery operation mode and save it from destructive overcharging.
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Almost every motorist faced such a problem as the discharge of a car battery. This phenomenon leads to the inability to start the engine. Unfortunately, most drivers remember the state of the battery too late, when it is already completely discharged.

In order to remedy the situation, it is necessary to use a special charger that can restore battery performance. The presence of such a device is especially important in winter, when battery performance deteriorates significantly.

If the battery is dead, do you replace it with a new one?

Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

Yes, because after that it no longer holds 100%, 1 voice

No, you can always charge 0%, 0 votes

16.08.2019

The main patterns of selecting a charger depending on the battery.

Cars can be equipped with two types of batteries, and each type requires a different approach when charging.

1. The most popular battery models in passenger cars are acid (lead) devices. These current sources require constant systematic recharging.
2. Less common are alkaline batteries, which are made on the basis of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh), lithium-ion (Li-On) and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) plates. New alkaline batteries use a full three-time charge and discharge cycle to charge.

All chargers work on the same principle: devices lower the mains voltage, which is 220 volts, to the level of a 12-volt battery.

Types of chargers for charging batteries.

In terms of functionality, two main types of devices for charging a battery should be distinguished.

1. A charger intended only for restoring battery capacity. The device is connected to the battery using long wires, which allows charging directly on the car.
2. Chargers capable of operating in several modes:
   • restoration of battery capacity similar to chargers;
   • starting the engine with a fully discharged battery.

When connecting the charger to charge the battery, you must disconnect the power source from the on-board network.

Currently, various modifications of devices for charging car batteries are being produced. The choice of a particular model directly depends on the qualifications of the motorist.

For beginners, an automatic charger is better suited. The principle of operation of such a device is automatic control charging cycle. As soon as the battery capacity is restored to 100%, the device will turn itself off. In the future, automation will turn on the device to maintain a full charge of the battery. The five-stage charger independently performs the following actions:

Chargers, which are based on 5 basic stages of charging a car battery, work as follows:

• charges up to the 80% mark;
• produces 100% step-down charge;
• carries out preventive maintenance of the charge level within 95-100%;
• eliminates such a defect in the battery as sulfation of the plates due to the pulsed mode;
• does battery diagnostics.

The device, working on the principle of eight stages, functions as follows:

• removes the consequences of the sulfation process by the charge-discharge method;
• checks the performance of the battery;
• charges the battery up to 80% capacity;
• subsequent charging with decreasing current up to 100%;
• checks the ability of the battery to hold a charge;
• eliminates electrolyte stratification at maximum battery charge;
• maintains the capacity of the battery at the upper limit of capacity;
• performs preventive charging at around 95-100%.

Multifunctional stationary converters allow servicing all types of batteries (acid, traction, alkaline), and can also be used as sources uninterruptible power supply in the home network under a voltage of 220 volts.

What you need to know when buying a charger?

A car enthusiast who wants to purchase a charger must answer a few questions for himself. They will narrow the circle electrical appliances and simplify the selection process.

1. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the car battery that will be serviced. The charger must provide a current of at least 10% of the battery capacity at an output voltage of 12 volts.
2. Next, you need to determine the price range that will suit the car owner.
3. An important issue when choosing a device for charging is the operation of a car in winter. If the car rarely leaves the garage in cold weather, a simple charger is enough. If you need to travel daily, it is better to consider purchasing a more powerful charger.
4. When the question arises of how to choose a particular charger for a car, you should get acquainted with the Boost function. When you turn on this mode in frosty weather, the battery is charged within a few minutes. After that, you can start the engine of the car.
5. Which charger manufacturer should you choose? For simple battery charging, inexpensive models of domestic or Chinese production are suitable. If the device will be actively used, then it is better to purchase a charger from a well-known manufacturer.

The importance of technical parameters when choosing a charger.

When choosing a car battery charger, you should pay attention to the following technical specifications device.

• The current of the charger must be sufficient for full recovery battery capacity. The maximum current is set at 10% of the full battery capacity. So, to charge a battery with a capacity of 55 amperes per hour, a current of 5.5 amperes is set on the device.
• For experienced motorists, a charger with the ability to adjust the voltage and current strength is suitable. Switches can be with a smooth change of setting or discrete. The regulator, smoothly changing the parameters of the current, allows you to accurately set the required parameters. Thanks to this option, it will be possible to most effectively restore the battery by increasing or decreasing the current strength.
• The output voltage of the charger must match the parameters of the battery and the car's on-board network. Most cars and vans have a 12 volt mains voltage. Trucks require a 24 volt charger.
• Some devices have multiple charging stages. Thanks to the combined devices, it is possible to fully restore the battery capacity. In a simple three-stage mode, this happens:
  1. DC charging;
  2. constant voltage charging;
  3. keeping the battery charged.
• The charging stand must operate over a wide temperature range. This is especially important if you have to charge the battery in an unheated garage in winter.
• Automatic control of the device will simplify the task for novice motorists. It is enough to connect the positive wire of the charger to a similar terminal on the battery, and connect the negative wire to the "-" terminal, and the charger can be turned on. Automation will independently select the battery recovery mode and turn off in time after a full charge.

Video tips for choosing a charger:

Which manufacturers of car battery chargers have proven themselves in the market?

Motorists today are offered many models of chargers. How to choose a battery charger from the whole mass of different devices?

The modern automotive market offers motorists both domestic developments and products of world leaders. Among the most popular manufacturers among Russian motorists are the following companies.

• Aiken produces a wide range of electrical appliances, including devices for charging car batteries. The cost of the charger from "Aiken" MCB12M ranges from 1900-2000 rubles. Model MCB18M is estimated at 2500-2600 rubles.
• The well-known Italian manufacturer of welding machines and chargers "Telwin" offers products of the highest quality. The simplest units (Alpine 18 Boost and Speed ​​Start 1212) can be purchased for 2500-2700 rubles. For professional use, the Computer 48/2 ProF and DYNAMIC 620 Start models are recommended for 11-13.5 thousand rubles.
• The Russian company Caliber manufactures several devices for battery maintenance. For motorists, the ZU-100 device is offered, which is available at a cost of 1700-1800 rubles and is effective in use. The modification of PZU-2.0/12.0C will be of interest to car service workers. The cost of this charger is 6.5-6.6 thousand rubles.
• Battery chargers from Latvia under the Resanta brand are equipped with a battery, so you can start the car engine away from a power source. The cost of the PU-1 model is 2300 rubles. The PU-2 device with a large input current (400 amperes), equipped with a flashlight, a USB connector and a compressor is sold at a price of 3600-3800 rubles.
• Inexpensive charging units are offered by Sorokin. The Sorokin 12.92 model has a small current (2 amperes), which will be enough to charge a battery with a capacity of 40 amperes per hour. You can buy such a device for only 970-1000 rubles.

How to make a do-it-yourself car battery charger?

You can make a simple device for charging a car battery with your own hands. This option is suitable for those motorists who know how to use a soldering iron and understand electrical diagrams. To create a portable compact device, you will need the following components:

• step-down transformer with a power of 15-20 watts;
• diode bridge, consisting of 4 elements (1 ampere, 30 volts);
• capacitors;
• resistors;
• circuit breakers;
• voltmeter (0-25 volts);
• ammeter (0-10 amperes);
• switches;
• case made of plastic or metal;
• LEDs for lighting and signaling.

They must be connected according to the diagram above, and then you get a compact charger for a car battery.

Basic rules for operating the device.

Any charger requires minimal maintenance from the owner, as well as compliance with the basic rules of operation. With the right approach, both domestic and Chinese devices will work for a long time. Like any tool, the charger should have its place in the inventory in the garage or home, where dust, dirt and moisture do not penetrate.
The main recommendations for using the charger are as follows:

• before turning on the device, inspect the ventilation holes to prevent overheating of the charger;
• current parameters in the garage network must comply technical specifications charger.
• before connecting the charger to the battery, it is necessary to clean the battery leads and terminals of the device;
• when connecting the charger to the battery, it is important to observe the polarity: the positive wire of the device is connected to the "+" terminal of the battery, and the negative terminal is attached to the "-" terminal;
• in the process of charging the battery, it is forbidden to disconnect the terminals of the charger from the battery terminals;
• when the charger is on, the car engine cannot be started;
• after the battery capacity is fully restored, the charger is first turned off, and then the wires are disconnected.

The top five car battery chargers.

Domestic charger without unnecessary bells and whistles. Fully automatic operation. There is a stabilization system, the charge current flows up to 5 amperes.

chargers for car batteries Pendant 106

Advantages:

• light weight;
• modest size.

Flaws:

• lack of Boost charging mode;
• lack of indicators.

Average price: 2000 rubles.

Aurora Sprint-10D.

Aurora SPRINT-10D is positioned by the manufacturer as a device capable of resuscitating deeply discharged batteries with a voltage of 1.5 volts or more. The driver only needs to set the voltage of his battery and connect the terminals to the battery terminals.

The charger has a microprocessor that controls charging, monitors the main parameters and provides protection against overcurrent. The output voltage can be set to 12 or 24 volts. The charging current takes a value from 2 to 6 amperes. The mass of the device is about 1.5 kilograms.

chargers for car batteries Aurora Sprint-10D

Advantages:

• multifunction device;
• the ability to adjust charging settings;
• the presence of a microprocessor.

Flaws:

• not small at all.

When connected, Inelco Kee Power Medium performs a battery test and starts charging.

According to the manufacturer, desulfation is carried out simultaneously with charging. The charger has many additional modes, including accelerated charging in Boost mode. There is also a recovery mode for the battery after a deep discharge. There are all necessary types of protection.

The Inelco Kee Power Medium portable car charger can be connected to the car cigarette lighter and charge the battery without removing it from the car.

car battery chargers Inelco KeePower Medium

Advantages:

• the presence of the Boost mode;
• suitable for charging large capacity batteries;
• multifunctional modes;
• decent price for its quality;
• durability.

Flaws:

• the inability to adjust the current strength.

Average price: 1500 rubles.

Which charger do you like?