Charging battery unattended (Wiring question)

TulsaWeather

TulsaWeather

Pre-takeoff checklist
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TulsaWeather
Any of you geniuses made a rig to only allow a trickle charger/desulfenator to work in a certain temp range?

I'd like to only charge between 32° and 90° in the hangar.

I figure I can do a box with two line-voltage thermostats, one for top limit and one for bottom, or a single thermostat that has both limits if I can find one.

The thermostatically controlled outlets I've found seem to have preset temp ranges that aren't exactly what I'm after.
 
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You might want to make sure that your particular charger doesn't slowly drain the battery when it's connected to the battery but not to the power line. Some will, due to currents through the voltmeter etc.
 
Is there a reason you want to do this? I would think you'd be better off buying a charger with the appropriate temperature logic in it and leaving it plugged in.
 
I think it's a bit better not to try to push voltage in when it's very cold or very warm. Would prefer to leave the battery alone at that time.

I'd love it if I could find one with the temp logic in it. I'll keep looking for one.
 
Get a BatteryMinder. I never run mine over the lowest 2 amp charge rate.

They have temperature probes.
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What I did was use some plastic corrugated wire cover and use an existing screw hole for a grommet. It has it's own fuse and the temp probe connects to ground only, so it can be uncovered. It has enough slack to pull both out a little, or stow it for flight.

I have the attachments to charge cell phones, gadgets, and other batteries using the existing plug straight from the battery. It's very convenient for camping or wanting to charge something quick, with the master switch off and right there in the baggage door where you can set your phone or whatever out of the rain and leave it. :yesnod:


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This thing will smoke your electronics straight off the battery like I have it. It will charge my phone in about thirty minutes from almost dead to 99%. :)
 
TulsaWeather said:
I think it's a bit better not to try to push voltage in when it's very cold or very warm. Would prefer to leave the battery alone at that time.

I'd love it if I could find one with the temp logic in it. I'll keep looking for one.
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You need an older house furnace thermostat with the air conditioning feature. That setup has two mercury switches, one to switch on at a falling temp and the other at a rising temp. It shuts off in between, so you'd have to take the mercury switches off and turn them around to get it to run within the temperature bracket instead of either side of it.

Dan
 
Sorry for the crappy oversized pictures. I hate busting a thread with those they make it look like crap. But I'll leave em unless OP says ****ALL mate!

Yeah you gotta install the temp probe to the battery with the batteryminder, or you're just whistling Dixie. :idea:
 
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TulsaWeather said:
Any of you geniuses made a rig to only allow a trickle charger/desulfenator to work in a certain temp range?
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Pretty trivial to do this ... I do stuff like this for Kitplanes on a monthly basis. If you can wait a while I can have a do it yourself that is totally solid state (no mercury switches).

Although I believe you are ill-advised to do it this way, especially at the cold end. Keeping the sucker at full charge when cold is an exceptionally good way to extend battery life.

Jim
 
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