[aprssig] Re: Charge controllers

[Phillip B. Pacier]

Thanks, Stephen, this is exactly what I'm looking for.  Couple of quick 
questions:

Stephen H. Smith wrote:

> As long as the power supply is well regulated, you don't need a charge 
> controller at all.   Use a good digital voltmeter to set the supply 
> output at about 13.2 volts and connect both the battery and the load 
> directly across the supply.  At 13.2 volts, the battery terminal 
> voltage will rise to exactly match the supply voltage when the battery 
> reaches full charge.  With the supply and battery terminal voltages 
> equal, the battery will stop drawing current and can be floated 
> indefinitely.      You DO want some sort of maximum current limiting 
> in the supply, so that when the AC power comes on after the battery 
> has been partially discharged, you don't get an infinite inrush 
> current that will overheat the supply or blow a fuse.

Take a regulated Astron Power supply, such as the 20A model.  Is there a 
way to make a modification or add some circuitry that will limit the 
current pulled when the A/C is restored?  Perhaps there is a way to 
adjust one of these power supplies so that they will operate a bit below 
their stated constant current?  Would that do the trick, or am I looking 
for an outside piece of equipment that I am erroneously calling a 
"charge controller"?

73
Phil - AD6NH

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