Re: (ET) charger help

["David Roden (Akron, Ohio, USA)" <roden ald net>]

> Before I was getting 0 volts out, now with the new diodes I'm getting 1.6
> VDC.

These chargers are so simple that there's not much to go wrong.

- the timer can quit.
- the transformer can open or short turns.
- the diodes can open or short.
- the capacitor can open or short.

What does your meter read across the transformer secondary windings, set 
on AC scale?

Try it with the capacitor connected and disconnected.  Let us know.

Does the transformer get hot or smell funny?

Testing the cap: With the capacitor disconnected, first hook a piece of 
wire across it and leave it for a few minutes.  Using the ohmmeter, 
measure the cap's resistance.  The meter should deflect momentarily, then 
go back up to a high resistance value (probably several tens of thousands 
of ohms).  (NOTE: If your meter is a digital one, it may take quite a 
while for it to settle down.)

If it does not jump, or reads in the hundreds of ohms, the cap is most 
likely bad.  (I have not measured the cap in the ET charger, but this is 
normal behavior with any cap.  I will try to remember to measure it 
today.)  


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
1991 Solectria Force 144vac
1979 General Engines ElectroPed 24vdc
1974 Honda Civic 96vdc
1970 GE Elec-trak 36 vdc