# Elcon Charger



## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

I can't comment on the charger side, but I think I have the same 96 volt DC to DC (HWZ Series DC/DC Converter 96V to 13.5V 25A from Kelly Controller) that you have. I'm using it with a 32 cell TS pack. 

I've done limited testing while rebuilding the buggy and that DC converter does a rather high minimum load. I have an easy to access fuse added to the DC to DC converter input so I replaced temporarily with a resistor. I disconnected the output of the converter to get a no load reading. The DC to DC converter is drawing 37 milliamps, just shy of 1 amp hour per day. I noticed this because it was pulling my pack down a bit faster than expected.


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## dexion (Aug 22, 2009)

the elcon wants to know what size cell you have so it knows when to terminate the charge. It uses c/20 (unless otherwise specified) so if set for 100 ah cells it will terminate when current drops to 5amps. 200 ah cells will terminate at 10amps so you would get more into the cells with a smaller cell size curve. It doesnt affect charging rate only termination rate.


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

Thank you both. 

Pete


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

Dexion,

So the Elcons charge in CC mode to some limit voltage set at the factory, then switch to CV and terminate when current drops to C/20 in this mode? Do you know if there is any further voltage rise after the limit voltage is reached, or does it hold at that voltage until termination? Just want to ensure I understand. (Pack voltage increases by a few volts after the preset limit voltage is reached on Manzanitas)


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## dexion (Aug 22, 2009)

I never bought one. I asked some technical questions of elcon (one being why would the charger care about battery amp hour ratings and got that answer.) From second hand reports (jack and a few others ) they stay spot on with voltage (pack voltage that is its possible out of ballance cells will drift up a tiny bit.) I ended up buying 2 chargers from evassemble
the 1000watt and the 1500 watt model of their kp series set to 168Vdc. Both hold CV spot on until about 1amp (user adjustable if you open it up and twiddle the pots) and were quite cheap less than the 1500 watt elcon combined. Ive been using them for 1+ years now 12 hours a day (both failed in easily repairable ways with a bit of soldering they have cheap on off switches) so I cant really say about the elcons.


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

Mine stay at termination voltage which for my 1500 charger is 109.5 volts. I will check again. 

Pete


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

tomofreno said:


> Dexion,
> 
> So the Elcons charge in CC mode to some limit voltage set at the factory, then switch to CV and terminate when current drops to C/20 in this mode?



my pfc-1500 seems to level spot on set CA->CV voltage, and amps drop from 12-ish to .15-ish in a matter of ten minutes... voltage settles a couple volts below trigger voltage and hangs there.... peak trigger is 139v, and it settles to about 135v and sits....


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## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

The PFC-1500 charger voltage actually drops back from the peak as the current falls?


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

Yes, I just actually saw that. It dropped back to 107 or there abouts before terminating. I am currently using choice number 10 so the charger now thinks it has a 200 ah pack. I will send an update in a bit. At the moment it is sitting at 108 volts or 3.6 volts per cell.


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

> I ended up buying 2 chargers from evassemble the 1000watt and the 1500 watt model of their kp series set to 168Vdc.


 I noticed those. An 8kW for $1300.00!I could drive about 30 miles and recharge in an hour. What is shown on their display, V, I? Any input for a bms to shut if off? Could use an AC relay to cut power to it I suppose. Sorry for the hijack, I'll quit now.


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

Well what I see is that the voltage is at 109.5 no matter what one I pick then it goes into CV till terminate. Since the pack is still pretty much full I cant fully test but it looks about the same across the board. I can't measure what the amps are at termination so I will take the word of one of the prior posters. Termination for end of charge changes depending on your choice of AH cells. Not how my 3000 is set up at all. 

Pete


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

EVfun said:


> The PFC-1500 charger voltage actually drops back from the peak as the current falls?


yes it does. I can't remember for SURE which charge curve I have selected, but It triggers CA-CV at 139v, and amps drop pretty steadily while holding around 138-139v over about ten minutes.... at 1.5amps, it 'relaxs' the voltage to about 135-136v and amps drop to .12-.15 (per the kill-a-watt meter at wall).


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

> yes it does. I can't remember for SURE which charge curve I have selected, but It triggers CA-CV at 139v, and amps drop pretty steadily while holding around 138-139v over about ten minutes.... at 1.5amps, it 'relaxs' the voltage to about 135-136v and amps drop to .12-.15 (per the kill-a-watt meter at wall).


 I've seen this behavior when cells are on the exponential part of the curve near end of charge. The cell resistances are significantly higher then. When the charger cuts current from around a few amps down to around 0.3A or less, the cell voltages decrease, say from 3.47V to 3.43V or so due to the fairly quick drop in charge current (SOC doesn't change much over that relatively short time interval). Doesn't happen when cells are on the flat part of the curve since cell resistance is lower there. They don't all drop the same amount either. There seems to be more variation in resistance between cells on that part of the curve.


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## dexion (Aug 22, 2009)

tomofreno said:


> I noticed those. An 8kW for $1300.00!I could drive about 30 miles and recharge in an hour. What is shown on their display, V, I? Any input for a bms to shut if off? Could use an AC relay to cut power to it I suppose. Sorry for the hijack, I'll quit now.


 
it displays volts of the pack (it seems to be off 3 volts based on my fluke but good enough while charging) and amps out dc. two position switch.

no bms no input. I use a relay with the minibms. Its a smart dumb charger.


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