Forklift Battery Charger
Forklift Battery Charger
(OP)
I have a 24 Volt Battery Charger, used for walk-behind forklifts. Its design consists of - transformer, capacitor (15uf), relay, diodes (x2), Ammeter (30A), and electronic circuit boards. I wish to place a manual radial timer in the circuit (8 hr MAX). Am I correct in assuming that the relay and circuit boards can be replaced by the manual timer? Why is the Cap copnnected to the transformer in the circuit? With the secondary transformer winding leads they run to the diodes (connected in parallel), Why?; off the diodes only the Positive (+) has a lead that runs to the output (also runs to the circuit board). The negative (-), come from the circuit board to the ammeter, then to the output. I dont understand how a negative is obtained, if not from the diodes. I have searched the net for explanations, and are yet to find any sites. I would like very much to gain an understanding of the whole battery charger concept. Thank you in advance.






RE: Forklift Battery Charger
Probably looks something like that. It's hard to be more specific because there are a lot of different rectifier designs. Basically, the charger is 1)lowering the incoming line voltage with the transformer then 2) rectifying the ac to a pulsating dc with probably a little smoothing by the capacitor.
Why not put the timer on the ac power input to the charger? That would be a lot simpler - but maybe less interesting.
RE: Forklift Battery Charger
RE: Forklift Battery Charger
As for the capacitor, thankyou for your explanation.
RE: Forklift Battery Charger
There must be at least two connections from the transformer to the circuit to work. In some rectifiers the negative can be connected to the transformer winding directly as the diodes on the positive side stop the current flowing the wrong way.
RE: Forklift Battery Charger