4 <title>Battery charger and dual power supply unit</title>
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198 <div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><h1 class="title">Battery charger and dual power supply unit</h1>
200 <div id="outline-container-sec-1" class="outline-2">
201 <h2 id="sec-1"><span class="section-number-2">1</span> General</h2>
202 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-1">
204 <li>DISCLAIMER: I DO ELECTRONICS AND 3D DESIGN SOLELY AS A HOBBY. THERE
205 COULD BE ERRORS THAT CAN RESULT IN ALL KINDS OF DAMAGE. USE THESE
206 DESIGNS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
209 <li>This design is released under Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license.
214 <li>Svjatoslav Agejenko
216 <li>Homepage: <a href="https://svjatoslav.eu">https://svjatoslav.eu</a>
218 <li>Email: <a href="mailto://svjatoslav@svjatoslav.eu">svjatoslav@svjatoslav.eu</a>
230 <li><a href="../../index.html">Other physical projects in this repository</a>
232 <li><a href="https://www.svjatoslav.eu/projects/">Other projects hosted at svjatoslav.eu</a>
240 <div id="outline-container-sec-2" class="outline-2">
241 <h2 id="sec-2"><span class="section-number-2">2</span> Project description</h2>
242 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-2">
244 I needed dual voltage power supply for my lab that runs on mains
245 electricity (wall power) and slowly charges attached 12V Lead-Acid
246 battery. Lead-acid battery in turn provides high current when needed
247 as well as power in portable situations or when mains electricity is
253 <p><img src="make.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make.png">
258 Power supply provides about 13 Volts and 5 Volts simultaneously.
262 !!!WARNING!!! I use USB-A connectors for power output, but IT IS NOT
263 COMPATIBLE WITH USB DEVICES AND POSSIBLY WITH EXISTING USB CABLES.
267 Normal USB devices and cables should not be plugged in! It would
268 damage device/cable and likely power supply.
272 I found USB-A connectors to be easily available, cheap, reliable and
273 functional, so I re-purposed connector for my own needs but I'm using
274 totally incompatible electrical wiring.
279 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/USB%20hack.png" class="img-responsive" alt="USB%20hack.png">
284 As seen, it has dual voltage output. Additionally one wire is
285 dedicated to data transmission and can be used with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-Wire">1-wire</a>
286 protocol. Power supply simply passively links all data wires together
287 but does not participate in communication.
291 Power supply uses 3D printed body with lots of holes, for fanless
297 <p><img src="body%20and%20covers/body,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="body,%201.png">
302 Various modules are realized on top of prototype PCBs that slide into
303 dedicated rails within the body.
308 <p><img src="body%20and%20covers/body,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="body,%202.png">
318 <p><img src="make,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%202.png">
323 When cover is closed, it blocks PCB movement:
328 <p><img src="body%20and%20covers/cover.png" class="img-responsive" alt="cover.png">
333 There is still some empty space inside, so why not add dummy cover on
334 top that can be replaced later with add-on functionality/expansion
340 <p><img src="body%20and%20covers/cover%20cover.png" class="img-responsive" alt="cover%20cover.png">
348 <li><a href="body%20and%20covers/body.stl">Body STL file</a>
350 <li><a href="body%20and%20covers/cover.stl">Big cover STL file</a>
352 <li><a href="body%20and%20covers/cover%20cover.stl">Small dummy cover on top, STL file</a>
354 <li><a href="body%20and%20covers/body%20and%20covers.FCStd">Body and covers FreeCAD project</a>
360 <div id="outline-container-sec-3" class="outline-2">
361 <h2 id="sec-3"><span class="section-number-2">3</span> Transformer and AC to DC converter</h2>
362 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-3">
364 This is where high voltage from mains electricity enters the system.
369 <img src="transformer%20and%20AC%20DC%20converter%20board/schematic.png" class="img-responsive" alt="schematic.png">
373 For safety I kept high voltage section as minimal as possible. That
374 is, wall plug runs straight into transformer. Also I used <a href="https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07VGQKM3G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">UV hardening
375 glue</a> for extra safety and isolation on PCB.
379 Power on/off switch operates on already reduced voltage of about 30
380 volts. Power switch is located on <a href="#sec-6">indicator panel</a>.
385 <p><img src="transformer%20and%20AC%20DC%20converter%20board/make,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%201.png">
390 DC current of about 30 volts is then routed to <a href="#sec-4">Main board</a>.
395 <p><img src="transformer%20and%20AC%20DC%20converter%20board/make,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%202.png">
400 <a href="https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07RLQH5TR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">Single sided prototype PCB is used</a>.
405 <div id="outline-container-sec-4" class="outline-2">
406 <h2 id="sec-4"><a id="ID-65d68227-4bf2-4c4f-b4d3-c390bc6a9c34" name="ID-65d68227-4bf2-4c4f-b4d3-c390bc6a9c34"></a><span class="section-number-2">4</span> Main board</h2>
407 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-4">
409 This is logically main board because it appears to be central hub that
410 connects all components. It also houses 2 <a href="https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B072MQYJ93/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">adjustable DC-DC Step Down
411 voltage converters</a>.
416 <p><img src="main%20board/main%20board,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="main%20board,%201.png">
421 High-level schematic of entire device:
422 <img src="main%20board/schematic.png" class="img-responsive" alt="schematic.png">
426 As seen from schematic, ~30 volts DC from transformer board is routed
427 into first step-down converter that reduces it to about 15V. Reduced
428 voltage is then directed to <a href="#sec-5">Current limiter circuit</a>. Current limiter
429 loses about 2 volts. Now we have current and voltage limited power at
430 about 13 volts. This power is used to charge connected 12V Lead-Acid
431 battery. Also the same power is routed to <a href="#sec-7">connector terminal</a> to be
432 consumed by connected devices.
436 As seen from this schematic, device is not meant to provide high
437 current for long periods of time. Instead it gets comparatively
438 limited current to charge the battery and feed devices with low
439 current requirements. Occasional current spikes are backed up by
440 battery that stays in use-changing mode.
444 Also about 13V output voltage is approximate and depends on connected
445 battery charge level.
449 Second Step-Down converter reduces voltage even further to quite
450 precisely 5V DC. This resulting voltage is also routed to <a href="#sec-7">connector
455 Both 13V and 5V lines are also routed to <a href="#sec-6">indicator panel</a> for
460 There is single on/off switch. In off position, it disconnects battery
461 and transformer from the system effectively powering everything down.
465 On schematic above, some wires are annotated with numbers from 1
466 to 13. This corresponds to output pins on the board.
471 <p><img src="main%20board/main%20board,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="main%20board,%202.png">
476 <div id="outline-container-sec-5" class="outline-2">
477 <h2 id="sec-5"><a id="ID-afc22d23-9bc4-421c-9cac-e0ce34bd36bc" name="ID-afc22d23-9bc4-421c-9cac-e0ce34bd36bc"></a><span class="section-number-2">5</span> Current limiter</h2>
478 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-5">
481 <img src="current%20limiter/schematic.png" class="img-responsive" alt="schematic.png">
485 Simple LM317 based current limiter is used. I used 4.7 ohm
486 resistor. It provides about 265 milliamps of current. See <a href="http://www.reuk.co.uk/wordpress/electric-circuit/lm317-current-calculator/">calculator</a>.
491 <p><img src="current%20limiter/current%20limiter,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="current%20limiter,%201.png">
496 Thermal paste below and UV hardening glue on top is used to attach
497 LM317 to the heatsink. There is also jumper-like solution on top
498 right. This is handy to attach multimeter tap to verify/monitor
499 current during initial device calibration.
503 If attached battery is really empty, significant voltage drop can
504 occur in LM317. Heatsink is needed to dissipate that power.
509 <p><img src="current%20limiter/current%20limiter,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="current%20limiter,%202.png">
514 Note: resistor gets hot to.
519 <div id="outline-container-sec-6" class="outline-2">
520 <h2 id="sec-6"><a id="ID-c9a69490-f920-4a31-b32e-b101bfc3d01b" name="ID-c9a69490-f920-4a31-b32e-b101bfc3d01b"></a><span class="section-number-2">6</span> Indicator panel</h2>
521 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-6">
524 <p><img src="indicator%20panel/indicator%20panel,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="indicator%20panel,%201.png">
529 Basically 2 digital DC voltmeters and main on/off switch.
534 <p><img src="indicator%20panel/indicator%20panel,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="indicator%20panel,%202.png">
544 <p><img src="indicator%20panel/indicator%20panel.png" class="img-responsive" alt="indicator%20panel.png">
549 <li><a href="indicator%20panel/indicator%20panel.stl">STL file</a>
551 <li><a href="indicator%20panel/indicator%20panel.FCStd">FreeCAD project</a>
557 <div id="outline-container-sec-7" class="outline-2">
558 <h2 id="sec-7"><a id="ID-e33940bd-652f-4ec0-b53b-1c03e16941c8" name="ID-e33940bd-652f-4ec0-b53b-1c03e16941c8"></a><span class="section-number-2">7</span> Connector terminal</h2>
559 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-7">
562 <img src="connector%20terminal/schematic.png" class="img-responsive" alt="schematic.png">
566 As seen above, most of the USB connectors are used to deliver dual
567 power output and 1-wire data connectivity, except one on the bottom
568 right. This is used to attach 12V battery. Some capacitors are thrown
569 in as well to stabilize against smaller current spikes.
573 Electrically schematic is realized using smaller prototype PCBs.
578 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/make,%201.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%201.png">
584 Those PCBs are wired to central small PCB that acts as a hub:
589 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/make,%202.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%202.png">
594 PCBs are held together by being sandwiched between front panel:
599 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/front%20panel.png" class="img-responsive" alt="front%20panel.png">
604 and smaller back-end plate:
609 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/back%20panel.png" class="img-responsive" alt="back%20panel.png">
619 <p><img src="connector%20terminal/make,%203.png" class="img-responsive" alt="make,%203.png">
628 <li><a href="connector%20terminal/front%20panel.stl">front panel STL</a>
630 <li><a href="connector%20terminal/back%20panel.stl">back panel STL</a>
632 <li><a href="connector%20terminal/connector%20terminal.FCStd">FreeCAD project</a>
638 <div id="outline-container-sec-8" class="outline-2">
639 <h2 id="sec-8"><span class="section-number-2">8</span> Calibration</h2>
640 <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-8">
642 Since device uses adjustable step-down modules, these need to be
643 calibrated to provide correct output voltage. It is important that
644 battery receives proper charging voltage otherwise either no charging
645 occurs or battery starts gassing out and gets destroyed.
649 See here for more details: <a href="https://www.powerstream.com/SLA.htm">https://www.powerstream.com/SLA.htm</a>
659 </div><div class="col-md-3"><nav id="table-of-contents">
660 <div id="text-table-of-contents" class="bs-docs-sidebar">
662 <li><a href="#sec-1">1. General</a></li>
663 <li><a href="#sec-2">2. Project description</a></li>
664 <li><a href="#sec-3">3. Transformer and AC to DC converter</a></li>
665 <li><a href="#sec-4">4. Main board</a></li>
666 <li><a href="#sec-5">5. Current limiter</a></li>
667 <li><a href="#sec-6">6. Indicator panel</a></li>
668 <li><a href="#sec-7">7. Connector terminal</a></li>
669 <li><a href="#sec-8">8. Calibration</a></li>
674 <footer id="postamble" class="">
675 <div><p class="author">Author: Svjatoslav Agejenko</p>
676 <p class="date">Created: 2020-07-12 Sun 01:43</p>
677 <p class="creator"><a href="http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/">Emacs</a> 26.1 (<a href="http://orgmode.org">Org-mode</a> 9.1.9)</p>