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Aux power and the battery

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andrewbutler(at)ireland.c
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

All, I have two general queries that I would like some help on.



1. I have purchased an AC to 12V 5A DC power supply. I would like to use this as an ad-hoc power for install and testing of components through the build. I was thinking of attaching a standard male cigaratte lighter plug to the leads and then use a female recepticle to receive and power the bus. What issues do I need to consider? What will happen if I do this while the battery (an Odyssey PC680) is left attached to the system?



2. I have purchased a two stage charger. Is it kohser to charge the battery through the same female cigaratte power port?



Thanks for your help.



Andrew Butler.

RV71700 - Finishing kit.

Galway, Ireland.

   [quote][b]

schaefer(at)rts-services.
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Make sure you have the right polarity.  

If the power supply does not handle short circuits (internal current limit and shutdown)  you might want to fuse it.  

   

         

  

From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Butler

 Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 11:39 AM

 To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Aux power and the battery  

  

   

All, I have two general queries that I would like some help on.

 

 1. I have purchased an AC to 12V 5A DC power supply. I would like to use this as an ad-hoc power for install and testing of components through the build. I was thinking of attaching a standard male cigaratte lighter plug to the leads and then use a female recepticle to receive and power the bus. What issues do I need to consider? What will happen if I do this while the battery (an Odyssey PC680) is left attached to the system?

 

 2. I have purchased a two stage charger. Is it kohser to charge the battery through the same female cigaratte power port?

 

 Thanks for your help.

 

 Andrew Butler.

 RV71700 - Finishing kit.

 Galway, Ireland.

 

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nuckolls.bob(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: Aux power and the battery

At 04:38 PM 3/26/2008 +0000, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  All, I have two general queries that I would like some help on.



1. I have purchased an AC to 12V 5A DC power supply. I would like to use 

this as an ad-hoc power for install and testing of components through the 

build. I was thinking of attaching a standard male cigaratte lighter plug 

to the leads and then use a female recepticle to receive and power the 

bus. What issues do I need to consider? What will happen if I do this 

while the battery (an Odyssey PC680) is left attached to the system?


	




    12 volts is a bit too low to be run in parallel with

    a battery.  Generally speaking, 12v power supplies are

    crafted for energizing electronics. Since 12v batteries

    in vehicles need 13.8 minimum (14.2 better) to co-exist

    with a power source, the supply you have could be used for

    limited testing as a stand-alone source of power.





 	  Quote: 	
		  2. I have purchased a two stage charger. Is it kohser to charge the 

battery through the same female cigaratte power port?


	


    If it's an automotive "smart charger", what is it's

    rated capacity for charging? The BEST way to power your

    airplane from the AC mains is to acquire some form of

    smart charger. Exemplar devices can be viewed in this

    .pdf catalog from Schumacher.



http://www.schumacherproducts.com/assets/pdf/sec_catalog.pdf



    I have a couple of Schumacher products, one of which

    is good for 25A in the recharge mode. I'll need to do

    some tests with it but my thinking is that devices like

    these could be permanently connected across your ship's

    battery and plugged into the wall. Their microprocessor

    smarts should react to keep the battery charged irrespective

    of how much "stuff" you test.



    This should work even large loads and relatively

    small smart chargers. Of course the battery will have

    to make up the difference between what say a 2A

    charger will put out and a 10A test load. But as

    soon as you shut things off, the battery charger

    can be trusted to do its thing and bring the battery

    back up to 100%.



    If you'd like to have a power supply that emulates

    "real" vehicular power, watch for 13.8 volt devices

    sold to power mobile electronics in the house. I used

    to sell the Samlex 1223 and a kit to make it emulate

    an alternator. You could plug it into wall, hook it

    to the alternator's b-lead and have it respond to

    the cockpit alternator control switch. Sitting in

    the left seat, everything on the panel worked as if

    you had an engine running with a 23A alternator on

    it. See:



http://tinyurl.com/2zdt3u

    I've always recommended that builders not buy a new

    battery until the airplane was ready to fly. During

    construction phases, a lawn tractor battery and a

    plug-in-the-wall power supply would let you get everything

    running in the airplane without abusing a brand

    new flight-battery. A smart charger connected

    across the battery is a reasonable substitute for a

   high-quality power supply.

        Bob . . .



        ----------------------------------------)

        ( . . .  a long habit of not thinking   )

        ( a thing wrong, gives it a superficial )

        ( appearance of being right . . .       )

        (                                       )

        (                  -Thomas Paine 1776-  )

        ----------------------------------------

klehman(at)albedo.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Sure if it is on a battery bus. Maybe not a good idea if you have to 

leave a battery contactor energised.

Ken



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 2. I have purchased a two stage charger. Is it kohser to charge the 

 battery through the same female cigaratte power port?

 

 Thanks for your help.

 

 Andrew Butler.

 RV71700 - Finishing kit.

 Galway, Ireland.

nuckolls.bob(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: Aux power and the battery

At 07:30 PM 3/26/2008 -0500, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Make sure you have the right polarity.



If the power supply does not handle short circuits (internal current limit 

and shutdown)  you might want to fuse it.


	




  Good points!



   Bob . . .

andrewbutler(at)ireland.c
Guest

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Thanks very much Bob. Here is the charger I bought: 



http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=SPEC&ModuleNo=12204&doy=27m3#spec



How does it look?



Andrew.

 

 [quote]---

jpiavis(at)microsoft.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:54 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Along the lines of the current thread, what is the best way to connect the power supply/ charger? Can a 20A charger be connected via the b-lead to simulate alternator current to the system, or should the charger always be connected across the battery.  Same for a dedicated power supply? I’m also looking for a good power supply while I work through the avionics configuration and familiarization of the systems.  

   

Jim  

RV-7 Getting Close  

      [quote][b]

nuckolls.bob(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject: Aux power and the battery

At 10:49 AM 3/28/2008 -0700, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Along the lines of the current thread, what is the best way to connect the 

power supply/ charger? Can a 20A charger be connected via the b-lead to 

simulate alternator current to the system, or should the charger always be 

connected across the battery.  Same for a dedicated power supply? I m also 

looking for a good power supply while I work through the avionics 

configuration and familiarization of the systems.


	


    A "power supply" is generally clean and stable enough

    to be stand alone energy source for running things in

    your airplane or on the bench.



    A "battery charger" may not . . . and the best way to

    use a charger is to connect it permanently across the

    battery and then use the battery to run ship's systems.



    Any of the power supply products rated for an output

    voltage of "13.8" will be a stand-alone product designed

    to run loads up to and including it's rated output

    current. Do a Goggle search on



    13.8 power supply



    and you get a wad of hits. I'd recommend something

    on the order of 20A or better capability like a Samlex

    1223 . . . but there are many serviceable products.



    See:



http://www.nextag.com/13.8vdc-power-supply/search-html



http://www.radiodan.com/misc/samlex1223.htm

    Bob . . .

Speedy11(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:20 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Bob,

 A good thought, but I found that I needed the actual battery for making  brackets and fitting into the airframe.  There's nothing like having the  actual battery when fitting and running wires.

 Stan Sutterfield

 Do not archive

  

  	  Quote: 	
		         I've always recommended that builders not buy a new

       battery until the airplane was ready to fly. During

       construction phases, a lawn tractor battery and a

       plug-in-the-wall power supply would let you get everything

       running in the airplane without abusing a brand

    new    flight-battery. 	


 

  



Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home.

  [quote][b]

nuckolls.bob(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:38 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

At 10:15 AM 3/30/2008 -0400, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Bob,

A good thought, but I found that I needed the actual battery for making 

brackets and fitting into the airframe.  There's nothing like having the 

actual battery when fitting and running wires.

Stan Sutterfield

Do not archive



     I've always recommended that builders not buy a new

     battery until the airplane was ready to fly. During

     construction phases, a lawn tractor battery and a

     plug-in-the-wall power supply would let you get everything

     running in the airplane without abusing a brand

     new flight-battery.


	


   Sure, but what's wrong with making that the very

   last task you complete? Battery leads can be fabricated

   extra long and fitted with temporary terminals to

   mate with your shop battery. Space can be allocated

   for installation of the flight-battery's attach

   hardware.



   The long leads could even be long enough to

   reach outside the airplane so that the test

   battery and supporting charger can be on

   a cart or stand outside the airframe.



   Some folks consider last task before first flight

   to be a wash and wax job, why not make it a

   battery installation instead?



   Bob . . .



        ----------------------------------------)

        ( . . .  a long habit of not thinking   )

        ( a thing wrong, gives it a superficial )

        ( appearance of being right . . .       )

        (                                       )

        (                  -Thomas Paine 1776-  )

        ----------------------------------------

Speedy11(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:07 am Post subject: Aux power and the battery

Well, as I mentioned, a good thought, but, for me, that idea does not  work.  The battery size is unique and it in enclosed in a steel case which  needed to be mounted to support structure.  At first, I bought only the  battery steel case and used it to fabricate brackets and do fitting.  That  worked fine for awhile.  But, as I needed to make hold down brackets and  finalize wiring and attach shunts and HE devices, I found having the actual  battery beneficial.

 I'm sure that with your years of experience, you know how long to make  certain wires and can visualize the entire setup.  But, with my limited  experience, I need the actual battery to see where everything fits and to make  sure I get wire lengths right and don't cause interference problems that I have  to later solve.

 I am not using the battery to power anything.  I recharge it  periodically to keep it full up and use my Samlex (sp?) power supply to test  circuits and power avionics. 

 Stan Sutterfield

 Do not archive

  	  Quote: 	
		  >Bob,

 	  Quote: 	
		  A good thought, but I found that I needed the actual    battery for making 

brackets and fitting into the airframe.     There's nothing like having the 

actual battery when fitting and    running wires.

Stan Sutterfield

Do not    archive



     I've always recommended that    builders not buy a new

     battery until the airplane    was ready to fly. During

     construction phases, a    lawn tractor battery and a

     plug-in-the-wall power    supply would let you get everything

     running in the    airplane without abusing a brand

     new    flight-battery.


	


   Sure, but what's wrong with making that    the very

   last task you complete? Battery leads can be    fabricated

   extra long and fitted with temporary terminals    to

   mate with your shop battery. Space can be    allocated

   for installation of the flight-battery's    attach

   hardware.



   The long leads could even    be long enough to

   reach outside the airplane so that the    test

   battery and supporting charger can be on

      a cart or stand outside the airframe.



   Some folks consider    last task before first flight

   to be a wash and wax job, why    not make it a

   battery installation  instead? 	


 

  



Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home.

  [quote][b]

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