StudEbiker
100 kW
So I've been wanting to build one of these for awhile. Finally had a need to build one, so here it is. Thanks Ypedal for the idea! 
Joined the light bulb club today.
- Thread starter StudEbiker
- Start date
StudEbiker
100 kW
It is for bench testing/draining batteries.
http://www.ypedal.com/Lbd.htm
It is really helpful for cycling the batteries to 50% DOD for the first 5 cycles of the battery to allow the cells to get in balance. Easier than going out and riding the bike to drain the batteries.
http://www.ypedal.com/Lbd.htm
It is really helpful for cycling the batteries to 50% DOD for the first 5 cycles of the battery to allow the cells to get in balance. Easier than going out and riding the bike to drain the batteries.
Hyena
10 GW
doc007 said:
Yep, you turn the bike upside down and place the light bulb 1mm from the edge of the wheel. If the rim is out of true the light will "go out" :lol:
John in CR
100 TW
Not much light, so the voltage is pretty low for what I guess is 2 bulbs in series. What's the current? I didn't know there was a club, but I use them too. Last time I had to with 5 bulbs in series, because I was discharging over 500v. You get real careful with wiring at those kinds of DC voltages unless you want to end up like PlasmaBoy.
StudEbiker
100 kW
With the two bulbs, it draws 2.25 amps @ 90w. I haven't tried it with four bulbs yet. I don't think there is an official club John, I think if you use bulbs to drain batteries you are in it though.
ambroseliao
100 kW
I had a spare 5 minutes so I put together a Light Bulb Discharger courtesy of YPedal's design. Thanks YPedal!
I couldn't find the exact same fixture as he used so I just improvised and looked around to see what was at the hardware store.
I saw the overhead light sockets first ($1.50/each):
Then I saw these amazing 300W 120V utility light bulbs next ($3.98/each):
View attachment 3
I used a spare piece of wood to mount the two sockets. (free!)
After that, I wired it up with a couple of short lengths of red and black wire I had laying around terminated with a couple of Anderson Power Poles (what else!). (free)
I then hooked up my extra Drain Brain battery analyzer (I've upgraded to a CA DPS) in series between the battery and the LBD.
I first tested a single Bosch Fat Pack battery by itself which barely turned the bulbs on and were only drawing around 110W.
Then I put a series pair of Bosch Fat Packs and saw a dramatic increase in light brightness and in the amount of power being drawn from the batteries. The setup was drawing over 300W with the battery's 80V when first plugged in.
I then used a couple of "Y" Power Pole connectors and hooked up my digital voltmeter so that I can watch one pack at a time. I cut off the test probes from the DVM and added some APPs on the DVM's test leads just for this purpose. Of course, I kept the test leads and added some APPs to them as well so that I can reconnect them and use it as a conventional probed meter if I needed that. However, I've found very little need for the probes since the change.
Total cost for the sockets and the bulbs was $11! This will be a very useful device to diagnose any battery issues I may have.
Ambrose
I couldn't find the exact same fixture as he used so I just improvised and looked around to see what was at the hardware store.
I saw the overhead light sockets first ($1.50/each):
Then I saw these amazing 300W 120V utility light bulbs next ($3.98/each):
View attachment 3
I used a spare piece of wood to mount the two sockets. (free!)
After that, I wired it up with a couple of short lengths of red and black wire I had laying around terminated with a couple of Anderson Power Poles (what else!). (free)
I then hooked up my extra Drain Brain battery analyzer (I've upgraded to a CA DPS) in series between the battery and the LBD.
I first tested a single Bosch Fat Pack battery by itself which barely turned the bulbs on and were only drawing around 110W.
Then I put a series pair of Bosch Fat Packs and saw a dramatic increase in light brightness and in the amount of power being drawn from the batteries. The setup was drawing over 300W with the battery's 80V when first plugged in.
I then used a couple of "Y" Power Pole connectors and hooked up my digital voltmeter so that I can watch one pack at a time. I cut off the test probes from the DVM and added some APPs on the DVM's test leads just for this purpose. Of course, I kept the test leads and added some APPs to them as well so that I can reconnect them and use it as a conventional probed meter if I needed that. However, I've found very little need for the probes since the change.
Total cost for the sockets and the bulbs was $11! This will be a very useful device to diagnose any battery issues I may have.
Ambrose
Similar threads
