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Simplest Charger/desulfator Ever
By Macattacku (/member/Macattacku/) in Electronics (/circuits/electronics/projects/) 99,797 55 47

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(https://cdn.instructables.com/F31/P70M/HFD1EVNU/F31P70MHFD1EVNU.LARGE.jpg)

This charger can charge almost any battery type at any voltage. It desulfates lead acid
batteries as well. It works quite well. Be warned tho, it contains lethal voltages. If powered
by 120vac it can get up to 170 volts and 340 volts on 220vac.
  Add Tip V Ask Question | Comment Download

Precision Vises by Suburban Tool

Solid, One-Piece Steel Construction. Made in USA Shop Now

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Step 1: Materials:
Ac run capacitor Rectifier or 4 diodes Switch(optional) Electrical cord

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Step 2: Schematic

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FNV/1XZC/HFD1EVNW/FNV1XZCHFD1EVNW.LARGE.jpg)

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Step 3:
 (https://cdn.instructables.com/FG2/JUJR/HFD1EVNV/FG2JUJRHFD1EVNV.LARGE.jpg)

As you can see it is quite simple. The capacitor couples the battery to the mains as well as
limiting the current. At 120vac it charges at 1 amp for ever 22uf in capacitance, 13 uf at
240. The switch is merely convenience so i dont have to unplug and replug. Then the diode
bridge rectifies it to dc.

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Step 4: Usage

it works in a way that if the battery is sulfated or weak etc. it will always charge at the
preset amps. So if the battery is only taking 5 amps at 12 volts and u have it set for 10
amps, it will raise its voltage until it is charging at 10 amps. At 120vac the charging
voltage could go up to 170vdc. 340 with 240. It also pulses at 120 herts which desulfates
the lead acid batteries. It should also be noted that this is a universal charger and will
charge any voltage battery. It should also be noted that the is no protection against over
charging and if it is left on the charger when the battery is already charged it could
damage the battery.
Simplest Charger/desulfator Ever by Macattacku (/member/Macattacku/) Follow

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 European LION Engine
Lathes
16 x 40 to 40" x 200 Sizes
We supply high quality and affordable
European built Manual Lathes.
lionlathes.com

OPEN

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Precision
Vises by
Suburban
Tool

Solid, One-Piece
Steel
Construction.
Made in USA Shop Now

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47 Discussions

 (/member/10kvaliant/) 10kvaliant (/member/10kvaliant/) Question  10 months ago on Step 3

Answer / Upvote
What is the minimum and maximum input voltage? 
I have a 500 microfarad capacitor and a rectifier of 60A 1200v. Will it work? Waiting for your response.
Thanks

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FJO/PZ0J/JKSKDLG0/FJOPZ0JJKSKDLG0.LARGE.jpg)

1 answer F

 (/member/Firemnted/) Firemnted (/member/Firemnted/) 10 months ago on Step 4

Reply / Upvote
This is the latest one I built!
(https://cdn.instructables.com/FUQ/5IJ6/JKN8Q6AR/FUQ5IJ6JKN8Q6AR.LARGE.jpg)

 (/member/drchasbrown/) drchasbrown (/member/drchasbrown/) 1 year ago

Reply / Upvote
I built one of these. It really brings desulfated wheelchair batteries back from the dead.

 (/member/ARON751A/) ARON751A (/member/ARON751A/) 1 year ago

Reply / Upvote
Capacity lead battery charger /desulfator can charge from 0v to full charge

 (/member/CyberR/) CyberR (/member/CyberR/) 2 years ago

Reply / Upvote
I've now rebuilt this desulfator with a switch that disconnects both the live and neutral mains lines and added a
small PSU board from an old phone charger that runs an LED. I now plug this into a 24hr timer set to turn on for
30mins then off for 1 hour.
I'm currently looking into adding a temperature activated switch that will sound an alarm and cut power to the
desulfator side if the temp rises too much. I am however trying to keep it as simple as posible with as little cost
and electronic assembly as possible.

 (/member/willdbill+/) willdbill (/member/willdbill+/) 2 years ago

Reply / Upvote
This thing dose it work and how long a charge do you nead to discharg recharg how many times if i dont get a
reply i will asume the op has friyed hime shelf

 (/member/chris2u/) chris2u (/member/chris2u/) 2 years ago

Reply / Upvote
This circuit is LIVE and highly DANGEROUS !!
Full mains voltage is available at the battery terminals unlike chargers that use a mains frequency or switch
mode transformer..
Contacting any of the wiring or connections with a grounded body (human or otherwise) could prove fatal.
Maybe an experimental project for the lab.....But not where humans or animals could come in contact with it in
any way..

 (/member/CyberR/) CyberR (/member/CyberR/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
erm... another update. I... err... I may have killed the batteries, used them in an R/C car in parallel for more amps.
Long story short, the rear drive of the R/C got bust/destroyed so the car in storage till i could rebuild. took it out
today to check something out and, like a Doofenshmirtz, had forgot to disconnect the SLAs.
Going to have to scrounge parts and rebuild defulfator (stripped it for another project) and a try a few other
techniques first then this. fingers crossed.

 (/member/StephanM20/) StephanM20 (/member/StephanM20/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
I love simple designs. However, I see some things I don't like:
Protection: If the capacitor fails with a shortcut, ­I don't even want to imagine that. A fuse it the minimum you
should integrate.
Ripple current of capacitor not regarded. Standard capacitors will can ripple currents about 2A. You want 5­10A.
Make sure you don't cook the capacitor.
Nobody guarantees that the battery is charged by nominal current! The current will be mainly determinded by
battery resistance and resistance of the rest of the circuit.
No overload protection. Yes it might remove reversable sulfatation, because this is usually done by applying
overvoltage by a limited time. Overvoltage for a longer time will kill the battery quickly.

1 reply F

 (/member/rmargate/) rmargate (/member/rmargate/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
can i use it to charge a 48v sla battery pack of my ebike?
1 reply F

 (/member/Lionhearmatrix/) Lionhearmatrix (/member/Lionhearmatrix/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
Hi guys. I'm on 240V here and have cap from an old microwave (0.97uF, 2400VAC). Which rectifier or which
diodes should I use? Thanks

 (/member/CyberR/) CyberR (/member/CyberR/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
can't get hold of a starter cap however I do have a cap from a microwave. Would I be able to use this instead?
We use 240v 60Hz mains which is also what the caps rated at?
3 replies F

 (/member/ZoranKoco/) ZoranKoco (/member/ZoranKoco/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
I have questions about your success too. I made this charger long time ago, and I was experimenting only with
one lead acid battery, 12V 55 Ah witch wasn't in use for long time, but I'm not sure that I improved it from
sulfatization. However it was charging with this charger, my question is does it really work like desulfator?? I
would like to read more comments of your expirience.

 (/member/Toga_Dan/) Toga_Dan (/member/Toga_Dan/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
op, are you still following this? I have questions about your success rate. I'm also concerned about that much
voltage on a 12v. Did you track battery temperature? Did you ever put this on an oscilliscope? I wonder what
%of a second there is voltage to battery. I suppose that is contingent upon capacitance. A small cap only
sending voltage thru for a brief moment., etc.

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European
LION Engine
Lathes
lionlathes.com

16 x 40 to 40" x 200
Sizes
We supply high quality
and affordable European
built Manual Lathes.

OPEN

adv ertisement
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