# Two TC/Elcon chargers in parallel - yes/no?



## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

Google Terry Hershner and his Zero motorcycle. He's got like 4 chargers in Parallel. Works fine. They don't equally share load... But they all ha e the same setpoint and work for him. As long as they're isolated and have a decent control algorithm that keeps them from interfering with each other's control loop you should be Ok. Not sure why tccharger said that.


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## z_power (Dec 17, 2011)

Thanks a lot! 
I'll give it a try after I'll receive the batteries and balance them. Having the pack on kitchen's table should make observation easier  Results will be posted.
Mike


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## Weisheimer (May 11, 2009)

That is an odd response from the factory.
Their 3Kw charger is nothing more than 2 of the 1.5Kw chargers connected in parallel.
Even better, the 6Kw unit is 4 of the 1.5Kw chargers in parallel.
From the factory no less...

They do add an opto-coupler to communicate between the 2 logic boards, but if you aren't using a "common control", then that won't matter.


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## z_power (Dec 17, 2011)

Yes, higher power models look like stacked 1.5s but I wonder if they rather use one common control board for all "power bricks" than separated ones?


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## Weisheimer (May 11, 2009)

There is a logic board for each power module.
Each logic board contains the PFC driver and the power stage driver, along with the micro-controller and comms section.
They use a Master-Slave arrangement with these multiple logic boards and send serial data from the master to all of the slaves via an opto-coupler board.

There is no communication FROM the slave logic boards back to the master.
The slave modules simply "do as they are told to do"...


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## z_power (Dec 17, 2011)

I tried parallel charging today - it works  In CC phase both chargers pumped their max. current ~7.7A. Since I had to adjust CV points with Ian Bruinsma's resistor method and there's slight difference between them (~0.2V) current sharing become unequal when getting closer to CV. I'll try to use it to terminate charging at C/20 rate - set CV points so that "lower" charger starts blinking green when total current is at 5A (100Ah cellls). Have to do it this way because factory programming is just CC/CV and green blink when I<1.2A and it depends on auxilliary signal from BMS for termination. Simple circuit will turn off chargers if one of them is blinking green for longer than 30 seconds; to be safe there'll be JLD404 used to stop if voltage gets to high. What do you think?


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## brainzel (Jun 15, 2009)

I can confirm that they can be used in parallel.
An EV stopped by and charged at my house with three 1,5kW TCCH/Elcon chargers in parallel.
Michael


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## evpower (Aug 9, 2013)

I also confirm the TC chargers can be used in parallel. 

For examle the on board charger is 1.5 kW or 3 kW. It can be used at the same time with the stational high power charger 6 kW or 8 kW. 

Check of of the TC Charger models for LiFePO4 here:

http://www.ev-power.eu/Chargers-TC-1-5-kW/?src=EVSEJ1312


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## mszhao (Oct 17, 2009)

my answer is yes.
maybe the sales person didn't understand your question.maybe the sales person is not so experienced and knowledgable.
moreover,in the factory,they have too many emails and too many questions to answer. please undertand the situation.
if you come to me,i will offer excellent service with very good price.
we are TCcharger's dealer.


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