Building My Trickle / Balance Charger

[retepsnikrep]

With any of these big power supplies you must be careful of the output smoothing capacitors in them and use a diode (preferably two one in each lead) to prevent current flowing from the Insight pack back to the PSU. If you don't and connect the live Insight pack to one of these chargers the Insight will try to charge the capacitors in a completely uncontrolled fashion and you will get a big spark and perhaps worse. Not recommended!!!

[E27006]

Circuit Specialists Inc. - Low Cost Single Output Bench Power Supply, 1A, 0-120VDC (CSI12001X)

you could buy a pair of the above 120V DC bench supplies, $129 each.

I have two of them.

I throw the IMA Pack switch to off and treat the pack for Charging purposes as two individual Batteries. One is a string of 8 subpacks the other of 12 subpacks.

The 12 sticks are charged to about 103 Volts peak, and the 8 sticks to about 70V.

Those Bench supplies are either Constant Voltage or Constant Current, selectable by a push button on the panel.

You can adjust the Current to any value from zero to 1 Amp

[Cobb]

Will it work for the i2?

[Kevin Dougherty]

The crowbar is aftermarket, notice the labeling. Sorry for any confusion.

[buzzkill]

thanks to everyone for all the knowledge in this thread, however i feel dumber now after reading it.

you guys with the electrical backgound amaze me.

someone needs to make a grid charger for dummies bood or something.

I have no idea why i would even need still.

what is the final chargers cost and mounting location.