A large Variac, with a rectifier from an old welding machine, ammeter, and voltmeter, makes a dandy manual charger. A fixed ratio transformer is far from ideal. You want to apply a max current during bulk phase, then a proper absorption voltage during the absorption stage, and a float voltage for finishing and maintaining. Plus it is good to be able to apply the proper equalization voltage occasionally (62v for a 48v bank of lead acid flooded cells) as well. A fixed transformer just can't do all that. A Variac can. Alternately you can rewind the secondary of an ordinary transformer, and include taps to adjust output. I like the Variac because it also does single batteries, of any voltage as well as banks up to mains voltage. You just have to know and apply the appropriate charging algorithm for whatever type battery you are charging, and be watchful.
There seems to be no need for filtering of the rectifier output, at least not for flooded lead acid battery health. I don't mess with that. So teh resistors and caps arent really needed, except to coddle delicate loads connected to the batteries while they are being charged. I prefer to isolate the bank during charging.
---In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, <dougkay8@...> wrote :
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