Best 52V Charger?

hyperdrive

1 mW
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May 9, 2018
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13
I'm interested in finding a good quality/reliable charger for a 52V pack (14 series cell) and am wondering if anyone has recommendations.

I have 4 Luna chargers...one is dead and the other three all have a variety of issues. I'd like something better, but am not willing to pay $400 USD for a Cycle Satiatior (Grin Tech). 3-5 A charge current would be sufficient. Any suggestions?
 
From what Ive seen of them, the Luna chargers are about the same or better (depending on which one) as everything else out there in the general ebike charger category.

The Satiator is the only actual charger I know of that is less likely to fail because its specifically designed to avoid the usual problems that heat, vibration and weather can cause (the three biggest nemeses of such chargers). Mine has been dropped countless times and even run over by the trike once when I backed up in the yard and forgot it was still plugged in, and the worst that has happened is the shell of the charging port is a bit cracked, missing a small chunk of the plastic housing on teh cord end. :oops: Its not a perfect unit but its been better overall than any other charger Ive used or seen on ES, for durability.

But if you dont need the flexibilty of the Satiators programming, there are non-charger alternatives.

The Meanwell HLG (and other) series of LED PSUs that are fanless, potted, and work well enough as chargers. I use an HLG-600H-54A as an onboard charger mounted to the SB Cruiser trike. The HLG-xxxH-yyA series is adjustable for voltage and current, where the xxx is the max watts of teh charger, and the yy is the nominal voltage of it.
 
yours are not Luna chargers,
they are China brand chargers resold by Luna.
Satiator is the real quality charger made in Canada with real QC , they make sure quality is there before it leaves shop.
 
Thanks for the info, amberwolf.

I haven't used a Satiator, but I kind of expected it to be the most robust device out there. Too bad that it seems overfeatured/overpriced for what a lot of people need, but for the amount of money I've already spent on 4 unreliable chargers, it would probably be worth the investment for someone like myself who commutes ~300 km/week in all weather conditions and doesn't want the charger I'm carrying to fail on me when I'm far away from home.

Very interesting using the LED PSUs. How do you terminate charge with them? Do you have to monitor the battery voltage manually?
 
If your battery pack has a BMS built in then, you could always just buy a cheap boost converter off eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-600W-10-60V-to-12-80V-Boost-Converter-Step-up-Module-car-Power-Supply/222672367834?hash=item33d84eb0da:g:-hgAAOSwBLlU9qKi

Set the output to 58.1v and a sensible current, then connect the input to any decent DC power source lower than that, like a car battery charger or other lower voltage ebike charger. Just make sure you current limit the power out to less than the power rating of supply you are using. eg. if you are using an old 100W 36v bike charger as a power source, then don't try and charge your 52v pack at more than 2amps @ 58v. ie. leave yourself some headroom and set the current limit to 1.5A out.
 
Ernie said:
You could always just buy a cheap boost converter off eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-600W-10-60V-to-12-80V-Boost-Converter-Step-up-Module-car-Power-Supply/222672367834?hash=item33d84eb0da:g:-hgAAOSwBLlU9qKi
Why would you do that rather than just using an appropriate AC/DC supply? Two series 36V supplies, backed off to 30V, should work fine.

Important to get supplies that will current limit rather than hiccup to deal with the CC portion of the charge.
 
billvon said:
Why would you do that rather than just using an appropriate AC/DC supply?

To save money by making use of AC to DC power supplies you already have, and allow you to set the output voltage and current to your needs. The OP said he had a bunch of old chargers, didn't say what voltage though so I am just guessing he has a range of them.
 
Hey guys,

Thanks for the interesting ideas, but I'm more interested in a robust off-the-shelf solution than a science project at this point. I'm looking to charge from 120V AC mains and avoid using the chargers I currently have since I want something that is reliable. Am mostly wondering if anyone knows of any chargers that I haven't been able to find online that are higher quality. Even if they were in the $200 range, I feel like it could be worthwhile for something reliable.

FYI, the chargers I have are all 52V chargers (3A or 5A models):

The newest works fine, except that I have to give it a whack with my hand to get it to start charging (no joke). Couldn't find a loose connector inside (yet).
Another doesn't work when it's cold
Another stops charging randomly and needs to be unplugged/plugged from the battery to keep going to full charge (sometimes)
Another just doesn't work anymore
 
I have used the Satiator or a UL Listed Meanwell LED power supply (HLG 320H-54). I also used some BMSBattery chargers, but they were not reliable. I've also had good luck with the Luna chargers, but have not put as many cycles on them. The AC line has a lot of transients, and the low budget chargers have low cost components and minimal designs, so eventually they often fail from one cause or another. Putting a quality surge protector in front of them may help extend their life, but won't solve the value engineering issues they often have.

The LED supplies are screwdriver adjustable for voltage and current. These are potted solid and don't have fans, they are designed for commercial service running LED lights. The one thing they lack is auto-shutoff. This is not generally important, even the Satiator doesn't actually shut off, it just says it is done while continuing to put voltage out so the BMS can balance the pack. Don't leave it charging for days unless you are specifically trying to balance an out of balance pack. Just unplug it after a reasonable charge period or add a meter.

Adding a voltage/current display is a good way to tell when the charge is complete, the current drops to essentially zero. Chargers that shut off monitor the current and stop the charge at some low value of current like a few percent of the amp hour rating.

The HLG 320H-54 specs say it is adjustable to 58V, so it might not quite make 58.8V. Your battery will last longer if you reduce the full charge voltage. Even if it only made 58.0 volts that would be 4.143 volts per cell which would be fine. It would make about 6A of current, but turning it down to a bit less would be good to lower the temperature and increase reliability. Call it a 5A charger. It will get warm so it needs to have good access to cooling air but does not require a fan.

Alternately you can buy a real EV charger, which I have not tried. Typically they make the Satiator look low cost.
 
The Meanwell HRP's are great also, mine are dinged up because I carry them with me on long trips in the summer.



If you search for doctorbass posts, he mentions a couple durable and stout chargers. I will see if I can find it.

This isnt it but interesting
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=86763&p=1268969&hilit=durable+charger#p1268969

Bam, found it. Meanwell RSP. The higher the wattage means they run on 240V not 120V.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=87675&p=1280740&hilit=meanwell#p1280740
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=83288&p=1246231&hilit=rsp#p1246231
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=67361&p=1014501&hilit=rsp#p1014501
 
hyperdrive said:
Too bad that it seems overfeatured/overpriced for what a lot of people need,
Most people dont need it. If they dont carry their charger around (if it just sits in one place and never gets handled, just its cord plugged into and unplugged from the bike), it wont see much vibration or encounter conditions it wasnt designed to handle, no matter how cheap it is (unless its fan fails and dies from overheating). But if they ride with the charger, theres a bunch of conditions these cheap ones arent made to handle, by design or by actual construction. The Satiator *is* designed for that, and built for it. It even has tabs to bolt it to the bike/etc if you like.



Another thing the Satiator is made for is multiple ebike packs that are different types or voltages..Most people only need to charge one ebike pack...at first. Then they get a second ebike, or build one, to improve upon the first. Then they start buying or building htem for the rest of the family, and since budgets might vary, so might the system voltage on each. ;)

Satiator is handy for that.

Also handy for setting up an 80% or whatever not-full charge to extend the lifetime of a battery thats bigger than you usually need, so charge it only that much (or less) when you know you wont need all the range, then use a separate profile to fully charge when you do (or carry the Satiator with you and destination-charge).


but for the amount of money I've already spent on 4 unreliable chargers, it would probably be worth the investment for someone like myself who commutes ~300 km/week in all weather conditions and doesn't want the charger I'm carrying to fail on me when I'm far away from home.

Since its designed specifically to be moutned to the bike (or vehicle) its also designed to ahndle the conditions the bike/etc will encounter.

Its heavier than the equivalent cheap charger, but its fanless so A) no fan to die and overheat it, and B) theres no fan holes to let water in. ;)

I havent let my St Bernards use it as a chewtoy yet as a durability test, but I think it might survive some of that, too. :p


Very interesting using the LED PSUs. How do you terminate charge with them? Do you have to monitor the battery voltage manually?


If you get the A version like mine, it has an adjustable voltage and current, thru rubbercapped pots, so you can set the voltage where you want the charge to end up.

Because it is not a charger, it doesnt actually ever shut off like a charger would, but current will end up essentially zero once it reaches that charge-end voltage you set simply because the voltages are equal at that point. If your pack has a BMS, and if that BMS has a charge-termination point, it may disconnect from the PSU.
 
RE your current chargers, at least one sounds like it has a simple problem, a flaky plug, or connections to the output plug. The one that randomly shuts off.

These affordable china chargers whoever sold it, they do tend to be a bit delicate, or just made with not so great components. So sort of randomly, one lasts a week, another 10 years. But like I said, delicate. Meaning not built to be dropped a few times, or rattled around carrying it all the time. It can arrive at your house damaged pretty easy just from the drops it got at UPS.

You have bought enough of them to have a darn good chance of one of them being a ten year deal.

The satiator is a rugged, all weather charger. So that is part of its higher cost. The "poor mans satiator" is a sealed meanwell power supply. They are made to run lights, and are sealed like a florescent light ballast.

Somewhere in this forum, are old threads about them.

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=63686&p=953389&hilit=Poor+man+satiator#p953389
 
Thanks folks, this is really good info! It didn't occur to me that you could just charge the pack with CV/CC and then let it "float" at 58V-ish. I don't leave the charger plugged in for long periods of time anyway. So I think the Meanwell HLG-320H-54A looks like the way to go for what I need.

I totally get the rationale behind the Satiator and if I had the budget right now and batteries lying around requiring different charge voltages, no doubt it would be a worthwhile investment. The Chinese OEM chargers like the Luna work well enough for the money, but are designed for low-cost so will always have the reliability issues.
 
By chance, has anyone found a decent off-the-shelf current/voltage display rated for 60V and ~ 6A? I think it would be nice to add one to the Meanwell supply in line with the charge output.
 
hyperdrive said:
By chance, has anyone found a decent off-the-shelf current/voltage display rated for 60V and ~ 6A? I think it would be nice to add one to the Meanwell supply in line with the charge output.

most watt meters do 0-60v and 0-150a and are only about 10$.. and show ah charged ect.
 
hyperdrive said:
By chance, has anyone found a decent off-the-shelf current/voltage display rated for 60V and ~ 6A? I think it would be nice to add one to the Meanwell supply in line with the charge output.
I just charge thru teh controller side of the Cycle Analyst shunt to monitor charging volts, current, and Ah.
 
There are lots of little meters you can add to a dumb PSU.

I have this one on my Meanwell
Img_0724.jpg

Img_3960.jpg

The voltage accuracy isn't great, but it is consistent. I used my Fluke meter to compare them so I know what a normal voltage is. This one also measures current and keeps track of Amp-hours while charging.

Another one I've used is called a TK15. The TK15 has a 50A shunt and is really made to monitor the battery output. The display is pretty small and remote from the shunt sensor.
TK15 Coulometer.jpg
 
Alan B said:
The HLG 320H-54 specs say it is adjustable to 58V, so it might not quite make 58.8V. Your battery will last longer if you reduce the full charge voltage. Even if it only made 58.0 volts that would be 4.143 volts per cell which would be fine. It would make about 6A of current, but turning it down to a bit less would be good to lower the temperature and increase reliability. Call it a 5A charger. It will get warm so it needs to have good access to cooling air but does not require a fan.

Hi! New to the forum, real nice to be here :)

Am I reading the specs correctly when it says that the constant current region is only 27 - 54V on the The HLG 320H-54, that is, does this mean that it cannot be set to 58V when also limiting the current?

Looking to build a 14s battery myself, but on a somewhat tight budget, so also considering the significantly cheaper boost converter option. I have a bms and aim to split the pack in two 7s for occasional balancing with RC-charger, but the boost converter would be the "on the go" option. Bad idea?
 
the 54A models (at least the HLG version) can hit 58-ish. depends on how hard you turn the pot, some get into 59V range. it is the perfect charger for a 14S pack. they are also capable of just bolting them onto the bike, they are compeltly resin-filled so you can drive over them with a truck without damage.
if you plan to carry them around i recommend getting a smaller model. 150W is usually enough if you charge overnight.

also: trim it unloaded at 57.4V. that way you are floating at 4.1V per cell. increases lifespan dramatically.
 
The HLG LED Supply voltage and current limit settings are separate, initially when the current is high (and limiting) it will limit the voltage, the voltage will rise as the pack charges until it hits the set value, then the voltage will limit and stop rising while the current will start tailing off, eventually dropping to zero.

The supply is rated for a fixed power output, so if you set it for 58V you should reduce the current a little to stay within the power rating. I generally drop it to a bit less to help reduce the heating and ensure long life. I used three of them for a couple of years at work and never had a problem.
 
hyperdrive said:
The Chinese OEM chargers like the Luna work well enough for the money, but are designed for low-cost so will always have the reliability issues.
The most returned product in 2016, sometimes almost daily issues. Neither of mine lasted more than 3 months. Satiator is especially nice for those of us with varying voltage batteries. I charge, 24,36,48, and 52v on one charger. I could have easily spent the Satiator price on chargers. Starting out I wasn’t brave enough for the Meanwell
I also like the data collected by Satiators.
 
hyperdrive said:
I'm interested in finding a good quality/reliable charger for a 52V pack (14 series cell) and am wondering if anyone has recommendations.

I have 4 Luna chargers...one is dead and the other three all have a variety of issues. I'd like something better, but am not willing to pay $400 USD for a Cycle Satiatior (Grin Tech). 3-5 A charge current would be sufficient. Any suggestions?
$300 Work?
 
tomjasz, I was thinking that something in the $100 range would be reasonable, but do you know of another option in the $300 range? At this point I'm looking to set up a Meanwell with the TK15 meter, but am interested what else is on the market.
 
why spend more then what the meanwell costs and probably get a lower quality product?
 
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