|Browse Site Arts Business Computing DIY Education Electronics Engineering

Environment Family Finances Gaming Health Internet Mental Health Mobile Multimedia Pets Science Society Hubfolio

Enter Your Se

Electrical Engineering Civil Engineering Marine Engineering

More in Engineering More in Engineering Mechanical Engineering 48 Comments Home > Engineering > Electrical Engineering > Digital/ Analog Electronics

Build a Smart 12 V Automatic Battery Charger

Article by Swagatam (30,640 pts ) Edited & published by Lamar Stonecypher (77,628 pts ) on Jul 14, 2010 SiemensVoltage Related Guides: Designing a low cost, single chip automatic battery charger circuit is hard to imagine. The circuit (using IC TCA 965) presented here will clearly show how simply it is made possible. Learn more about how to build this smart battery charger.

Charges all

Ads by Google electronics www.k-tor.com/

Small, light, inexpensive hand crank generator $39 US made

Anoma-Power Supply www.anoma.com.tw

Professional OEM/ODM Manufactory Charger,Switching Power Supply MIT

Battery Watering Systems www.flow-rite.com/battery-watering

Fill deep cycle batteries faster, safer, and more reliable

Introduction
Finding a reliable, low cost, single chip and easy to build automatic battery charger circuit has always remained quite tantalizing to many electronic enthusiasts and hobbyists. Unfortunately, such a circuit until now has proven not only difficult to find but also difficult to build and customize. The article presented here should after all end their search here, thanks to the Siemens IC TCA 965. Eminently a window discriminator by function, the IC TCA 965 is best suited in places where accurate voltage comparisons are required (which is just what the doctor ordered). Incorporating this versatile IC in the present circuit of a battery charger has made its construction very simple, easily understandable, and the settings part hassle free. Lets try to understand how the circuit actually functions.

Circuit Description

The circuit may be easily understood through the following points:

As explained above, the IC TCA 965 here performs the function of a window discriminator, i.e. it monitors the level of voltage in question within a set window or the desired area. If this voltage tends to deviate from the set levels, the output is immediately triggered, which in turn is used either to switch ON or switch OFF the load. Referring to the circuit schematic (click to enlarge), we see that the upper and the lower window voltage thresholds or the references is set through presets P1 and P2 at the pins 6 and 7 respectively. As the supply voltage is not constant, the basic reference cannot be taken from the main supply voltage. A constant stabilized base reference voltage is thus derived from pin #10 of the IC (internally set). Without the facility available at pin #10, the whole system would malfunction. The voltage in question or which is to be monitored is appropriately set at pin #8 through a potential divider network formed by R1 and R2. This reference voltage is compared with the two thresholds set by P1 and P2. As long as the voltage lies in between the two thresholds, pin #13 of the IC is held at logic low. If the battery voltage falls below the lower set threshold set by P1, pin #2 of the IC goes low. If the battery voltage rises above the upper set threshold set by P2, pin #14 of the IC becomes logic low and turning the above pin outs high. The base of the output transistor T1 is connected to the pins 2 and 13. It means that as long as the battery voltage is below the upper threshold, the transistor continues to conduct and switches OFF only when it crosses the upper set threshold level, i.e. when the battery gets fully charged.

The circuit description of this automatic battery charger is continued on the next page. Showing page 1 of 2 1 2next > We Also Recommend...

Make Yourself A D.C. Mobile Charger Comments

48 Showing page 1 of 5 (48 Comments) 1 2345NEXT >

Swagatam Mar 20, 2011 12:51 AM Hi Syamales The charging status is sensed through the rising voltage levels of the battery under charge. Regards

Syamales Goswami Mar 19, 2011 11:59 PM smart lead acid battery charger When a battery is put on charge how does the system sense the status?Don"t u require a press switch bet batt terminal and emitter?

Swagatam Mar 5, 2011 12:54 AM Hi Dave I don't know the reason but unfortunately this particular is mostly out of stock in the markets. I am thinking of designing a circuit using simple op amp configurations that would include all the above features and replace the above circuit, will be posting it soon. Regards.

Dave Mar 4, 2011 10:59 AM IC availability I'm having an hard time trying to locate the TCA 965B IC. Do you know who has them and will sell single IC's. Is there another compatible IC I could use?

Swagatam Feb 10, 2011 10:17 PM Hi Kaluya Congrats to you for procuring the parts for the project, especially the IC which is difficult to find readily in the market. Remember the transformer CURRENT rating for charging a battery should be 1/10th of the battery AH, means in your case the transformer current must be as low as 1 amps approx. and the time required to get the battery fully charged should be ideally about 10 hours minimum. I think that's where you've gone wrong and that's why the diodes are heating up (actually this could very quickly damage your battery.) Regards.

KALUYA MOSES Feb 10, 2011 9:30 AM A HELP TO BUILD AN AUTOMATIC CHARGER HI swagatam, Thank you very much, this week, I managed to get all components to building myself an AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGER by means of your knowledge on the internet. It worked for a short time and the diodes started over heating , so I was not able to wait and see weather it would shut down/switch OFF after reaching the set voltage I really need your help as usual. I used it to charge a small battery of 7AH 12V , the transformer is from ups of 1000AV. Yet my target, I want to make a charger which can manage to a 200AH battery and when It is full to switch OFF AUTOMATICALLY. Please guide me now i got a lot of interest in electronics regards Moses.

Swagatam Feb 8, 2011 5:58 AM Hi Tony P3 is kept to control the hysteresis of the circuit, optimizing it properly will stop the output of the circuit from oscillating at the threshold charging levels. Regards.

Swagatam Feb 8, 2011 5:53 AM Hi Tony That's correct, that's the exact way you need to proceed as far as the setting up procedure is concerned. Regards.

Tony LEURS (South Africa) Feb 8, 2011 2:46 AM Swagatam :Build Smart 12v Auto Battery Charger Like to build this. Not clear on 2 things: a) To what value is pot P3 adjusted? b) When setting up, 0-24v reg power supply is presumably connected IN PLACE OF mains transformer & diodes ie neg to earth & pos to pin 11 of IC? Also, presumably with no battery connected to output?

kaluyam Jan 29, 2011 2:15 PM all about how to build a battery charger Hi swagatam thanks a lot, before I attempt to build this battery charger circuit it has been along time, Since I started looking for this kind of circuit so am happy to get It now. And by next

week I will have finished to try build one .I will communicate after thanks. regards Moses. Showing page 1 of 5 (48 Comments) 1 2345NEXT >

TOPICS
A/C-D/C Machines General Consumer Appliances Power Distribution Digital/ Analog Electronics Power Generation Electrical Technology Telecommunications Electronics Technology

FEATURED AUTHORS

Profil e|Articles e|Articles

Profil e|Articles

Profil e|Articles

Profil

Profil e|Articles e|Articles

Profil e|Articles

Profil e|Articles

Profil

Most Popular Articles

JK and T Flip-Flops How to Build a Low Cost, High-efficiency Inverter How Cell Phones Work Make a Simple Wireless Remote Control Switch 8085 - Architecture Part I Pin Description In The 8085 Easy Construction of Strobe Lights as used in Police Vehicles Explained Build an All Purpose Modified Sine Wave Inverter An Elementary Flip-Flop Circuit Explored Make this Useful Emergency Light using 'Cool' White LEDs

About Bright Hub Contact Us Advertise with Us Become a Writer RSS Site Map Terms of Use Privacy Policy Copyright Policy WRITE FOR BRIGHT HUB Bright Hub is looking for talented writers to contribute to one of the fastest growing communities online. If you have something bright to say, say it here! Learn more here. 2011 Bright Hub Inc. All rights reserved.
Enter Your Se

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Electrical Engineering Channel News | View All News
Enter Your Em

Please, enter valid email. Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/electrical/articles/75834.aspx#ixzz1I5fYgtUo