desulfator for 12v car batteries, in an altoids tin - 12v gel battery

Hello everyone!
On these pages, after a year or so of reading and drooling on other people's wonderful projects, I decided to finally make a project of my own.
This is my first instructable, this is a version I built in Altoids tin and it is the most popular battery demobilizer ever.
First of all, some background: when my wife's car refused to turn over after a three-day weekend, I was eager to build the project.
In Tokyo, the temperature will drop to 20 degrees Celsius in winter. F)
In the evening, as we did not have a garage, her car could only try her best to endure the cold.
A lot of people don't realize you're not putting up with repeated jumps
Plunk fell 7,500 yen to start or run to the nearest garage ($85)
Change a new battery every time this happens.
Your old battery may have just piled up a layer of lead sulfate crystals on its plate, which prevents acids from touching them on their entire surface area.
This is due to the lack of battery charging for a long time, just like golf carts that do not plug in electricity in winter, cars that are not used frequently, there is no photovoltaic system that has enough sunlight to charge the battery.
As a result, the ability of the battery to generate electricity is greatly reduced.
With the dehash circuit, you can reverse the process and get the battery back to life to suit the new conditions.
You can also save money by keeping your old batteries out of your local landfill, while preventing water and ground contamination.
As long as the battery has no serious problems, it can last many times in the two or three years that people usually use.
You can even get free batteries from the garage that are often thrown away, disorganized and never bought again.
Save money and be eco-friendly-
Now I can take part in a green eco program!
Most DIY desulfator circuit in "with can back its source 77 household power Magazine published of a article write of British financial minister Alistair Couper in June/July 20 year 00.
His designs gave birth to many versions, but they all did the same thing, that is, they used various Pulse circuits to force lead sulfate crystals back into the electrolyte, so that the battery can regain its vitality and restore its lost capacity.
The version I selected uses the ne555 p timer chip for the front end and two coils of the multi-vibrator, low ESR caps, fast diodes and N-Channel MOSFET (
FET for short)
High pressure (50V)
Peak in the output.
Ron Ingraham changed the design to N-
Rather than more difficult to find and more expensive P-
Channel types in earlier versions.
Along the way, I couldn't help but add some of my own tips to make the design more convenient.
See this link for a description of the theory and other information about the hash.
This circuit can be done in three ways.
As an independent device powered by the battery under test;
As a stand-alone device, but in parallel with the battery charger;
Or built-in charger to make both work together as a whole.
I chose the third option for my circuit, but added a switch so I can use any device independently.
Installing the device to the charger also allows me to use the charger's output cable for both functions and avoid the wire confusion that inevitably leads to the battery.
Once adjusted properly, the discharger can be kept permanently whenever the charger is charged.
Please note that no matter what configuration you choose, the skim is powered by the battery under test, so if you use the skim without a charger, you must be careful to avoid
The high power version of these circuits can be off-grid solar-
Battery system, many batteries are usually arranged in series/parallel and connected to the inverter to generate 120 v ac.
These batteries may be cluttered.
This is a real self when charged by their solar array
As long as the size of the dust removal circuit is large enough, keep the system minus the regular check of the electrolyte level.
Altoids can is the perfect box for this project because the circuit is neatly installed inside and the metal structure can shield most of the RFI that the output stage may emit.
I forgot you can't exceed the price of these cans, they even have free mints or free cans of mints. . . ?
So let's start working if the background is not right!
Here's the schematic and parts list, along with some of my pencil notes.
The list has been completed except for some parts (
Two pots, two resistors, two switches, one LED, one FET, and some buttonholes and pop-rivets)
What I salvaged from my trash box
Please feel free to do so and keep the values on the schematic as much as possible.
Please note that the 100 uf 25 v Electrolytic Capacitor C4 must be of the "low ESR" type (
Equivalent Series Resistance)
To limit its tendency in this application.
If you choose to use trim pots instead of resistors for R2 and R4 like I did, please be careful to adjust to C4, D2, if the 555 chip is manufactured to send too wide pulses to the output stage, l1 and L2 can get very hot.
However, the resistor value in the schematic should program the 555 chip to output pulses of the appropriate width and limit any excess heat accumulation.
We will discuss this further in the smoke test steps.
The LED can be of any standard type and will only turn on if there is a pulse in the output.
S1 should have at least 3A ratings, and if DPDT type is used, two sets of contacts are used in parallel to minimize contact resistance.
S2, isolating 555 from the output stage at 555 output, allows you to adjust the front end without the risk of overheating Q1, D2, C4 or inductor.
The inductor I selected is listed in the schematic diagram at the bottom of the list "possible inductor for Digikey.
They do a good job of installing the can, but need to extend a lead a little to get to the bottom of the board.
In retrospect, it might be better for an inductor with a slightly higher L2 rated current, as the inductor I selected is hotter than L1, although it has a rated current of 2. 4A.
Digikey part number M8875-
ND should be suitable for cans, almost no, and there is a 3.
6A rating, but 2.
The 4A coil I am using now only gets hot when the pulse width adjustment is too aggressive. D2 is a FRED (
Fast-reaction diode)
Should not be replaced with any old diodes in the junk box, as the latter may not work well in this circuit.
If the weather is too hot, you can use two in parallel to double the current capacity, but again, it will only be a little warmer if you keep the pulse width on the conservative side.
The FET listed works well and is cheap.
I installed mine directly on perf
A stick board-On copper foil (
Available from Digikey)
Act as a radiator under it.
It's not warm at all in this configuration, so it may not actually require copper foil.
Note that the metal label on the FET is also connected to pin 2 (drain)
So if you connect the FET to the radiator, you have to isolate it from the rest of the circuit.
I also used a-
220 transistor socket for easy replacement, but you can wire the FET directly if you want.
Avoid contact with pin 1 (gate)
When dealing with it, because it is very ESD (static)sensitive.
Also, I chose to use "turn-
The "off enhancement circuit" shown in the schematic as Q2, D3, and R5, as it helps the FET to turn off more precisely.
Please do not use C2 and r3 if you use these parts.
First of all, you should cut a piece of perf-board (aka breadboard)
The same size as the bottom of the jar, minus a little swing-
Room with top saw or fixture-saw.
If you have a disc sander, use a disc sander; if not, use a sander to clean up the edges.
You will find it easy to cut glass fiber board and sand.
If the size is correct, the circuit will be placed in the jar very comfortably and there is no need to install screws or other hardware to secure it, but it can be removed for installation testing or repair if required.
Next, place the parts loosely in the Altoids can to find out where you want to install them.
My layout follows the schematic roughly and limits the number of jumpers needed to connect.
I believe there is a better layout, but what you see works enough for me so feel free to copy.
Earlier I planned to connect the FET to the lid so that the lid could act as a radiator, but it turned out to be unnecessary.
Only enough space on Perf
Its motherboard and socket, since it is not hot at all, no additional heat dissipation is required.
You will need to cover the bottom, cover and side by cutting some thin cardboard, insulating the metal tank from the circuit. The "wiggle-
The "room" mentioned above is to allow space on the side of the cardboard.
Later you will load the cardboard with double layer cardboard
Sticky tape, but now when you drill holes in the jar, don't put the cardboard outside.
The output wire will exit a 5/16 hole on the left side, in which you will install a 1/4 rubber grommet.
The beginning is very small, as the size of the drill bit gradually becomes larger, because the metal is very thin and soft, and it is easy to bend.
If you have one, or a larger drill bit twisted with your fingers, remove the flash with a countersunk bit.
Use round and hard things, such as the shaft end of a large bit or the ball end of a small ball
Peen hammer, flatten the hole after punching.
Don't forget to leave space around 1/4 "for the cover that highlights the side.
The diameter of the vent hole on the right side is 1/8 and the spacing is about 1/2.
The center punch is a great help here, but the nails can also make the metal dent a bit in order to better target the drill bit.
I also drilled a hole in the lid of the LED so I can see it when the lid is closed.
You can do the same, but after you decide to place the LED in your layout, you have to carefully measure where it will go.
My install is fine inside l1.
You also have to make a hole in the cardboard lining of the lid to make the LED shine.
Place the cardboard side strip in the jar and nail it
Tape it in place and then mark the hole from outside the jar with a pen.
Use the hole punch to punch the hole on the cardboard right on the mark you made.
If you decide to install the can to the back of the charger, you need to drill four more holes at the bottom for any fastening hardware you want to use (I used pop-rivets).
You can also separate the circuit from the charger, but you have to add leads and some clips to connect the circuit to the battery.
The parts list shows some of the clip parts I use, but you may prefer larger parts.
The wire should be made of at least 16 ga soft wire and should be thicker if you can get it and as short as possible to avoid battery loss.
Even if you plan to connect your circuit to the charger, it is a good idea to make a temporary lead with a clip so that you can debug the circuit before installing it permanently.
You can double the hole once
Stick the cardboard strip and the cover piece in place and install grommet.
Now, don't stick the bottom part together, just use it as an insulator when building and troubleshoot the circuit.
This will allow you to pop-up-
When the time comes, nail the jar to the charger and then you can stick the cardboard permanently to the poprivets.
If you are not going to install the can on the charger, then it is OK to continue to stick the tape to the bottom. On small one-
I don't bother designing printed circuit boards for circuits like this.
I just used perf-
The plates use the cut-off leads of various components to weld them together in a "Join point" manner.
Keeping the layout in roughly the same order as the schematic helps visualize the top and bottom of the board when assembling the board.
Use 24 ga hooks for longer runs
If you can find it, cut the wires or some inserts off the phone line.
It is important to use a good quality soldering iron tip, 60/40 welded, it becomes a bit cramped, especially in the 555 chip.
Definitely use the socket for the chip, because you can easily overheat the chip during assembly and trouble shooting. Small needle-
The pointed pliers will help to manipulate the lead and secure it in the appropriate position for welding.
I use SMT parts on electrolytic caps because they are the smallest low ESR caps I can find.
If you weld your own leads to the pads in the same way and connect them, just like they are normal discrete elements that focus on polarity (see schematic).
Once you know exactly where to put it, stick the FET socket to the perf
Glue board with CA.
I fixed the FET with a nylon Bolt, but as long as the label is isolated from the rest of the circuit, any small Bolt will do so.
And I used a stick.
On copper foil, cut from a 6 "wide sheet along the bottom edge of the ground bus.
Digikey sells the sheets by foot, which is a wonderful thing because it can be used to make floor plans, RFI shields, radiators and many other uses.
My wife loves making stained glass and the copper foil rolls she uses are also perfect for the task.
You can almost make your own "printed" circuit with these rolls if you want, without etching steps, but this circuit is not necessary.
It's time to test your craft!
For those who use a fixed resistor for R2 and R4, skip this step and proceed to the next step, smoke test 2.
For those who use pots instead of fixed resistors in R2 and R4: First, turn off S2, put a 555 chip in the socket, and put a 2A fuse in the fuse holder.
Put the pot in the middle
Range and connect the Plus lead clamp of the circuit to the Plus terminal of the 12 v battery.
Connect the grounding lead clamp of the circuit to the negative probe of the multimeter and set the multimeter to 10A ac scale.
Touch the Plus probe of the meter briefly to the negative terminal of the battery.
Check for smoking. No smoke? Good!
Try 5 seconds, then 10 seconds. Still no smoke? Great! Check the 555.
Hang an oscilloscope probe (If you have one)
On the three pins of the chip, check the pulse.
At about 1000Hz (
The exact level does not matter).
Check the output stage now.
Open S2 and briefly touch the Plus probe of the meter to the negative battery terminal.
You should see a brief spark and hear a faint 1000Hz tone from the coil.
In the presence of the output pulse, the LED will be turned on.
If not, but you hear the tone, then the LED may be installed backwards.
If you don't hear the tone and you don't see the smoke then there is a problem and you need to check your output level wiring.
If the fuse is blown, try turning R2 down a bit (
The direction of the turn depends on how you wire it).
Smile when you get meter reading below 0. 8A --
You're coming soon!
If everything is fine then adjust R2 so that the meter shows no more than 0.
7A on AC scale.
This will provide a good output for the battery in case of no heat output stage.
Finger Test coils, C4, FRED, and FET.
If everything is no more than a slight warmth after 30 minutes, then you know.
You can add a little bit of pulse width and current to the meter at a time until the circuit reaches about 1.
But at this level, my charger will not switch to trickle charging mode because the combined current of the circuit and charger exceeds the trickle threshold.
So I keep it around 0. 7A.
Anything more than 1.
In any case, after using it for one night, the 0A became a bit too grilled.
It should also be noted that the circuit will tend to consume 0. 2A to 0.
3A when the charger is at a high charging rate, the current is larger and the temperature is higher.
Therefore, it is better to stay at or below 0.
7A, to prevent the charger from adjusting the charging rate from high to low when the current is too high.
To be conservative, especially in undercharged batteries, because when lead sulfate crystals are dissolved in the electrolyte, the battery voltage increases, which increases the current and heat consumed by the output assembly.
For those who use the resistor value in the schematic: First, turn off the S2, put the 555 chip in the socket, and put the 2A fuse in the fuse holder.
Connect the Plus circuit lead clamp to the Plus terminal of the 12 v battery.
Connect the grounding lead clamp of the circuit to the negative probe of the multimeter and set the multimeter to 10A ac scale.
Touch the Plus probe of the meter briefly to the negative terminal of the battery.
Check for smoking. No smoke? Good!
Try 5 seconds, then 10 seconds. Still no smoke? Great! Check the 555.
Hang an oscilloscope probe (If you have one)
On the three pins of the chip, check the pulse.
If you don't see them then check your 555 line.
Next check the output phase.
As mentioned above, connect the meter and the circuit, open S2, and briefly touch the Plus probe of the meter to the negative battery terminal.
You should see a brief spark and hear a faint 1000Hz tone from the coil.
In the presence of the output pulse, the LED will be turned on.
If not, but you hear the tone, the LED may be installed backwards.
If you don't hear the tone and you don't see the smoke then there is a problem and you need to check your output level wiring.
If you hear the tone, then let the battery connect a little longer and test your output components with your fingers to make sure they don't get too hot.
If they are still warm after 30 minutes, then you are well aware that your circuit is working properly.
If you have an oscilloscope, you can check the pulse at the chip and output, but that's not really necessary.
Your meter should show something below 1. 0A.
If it shows more than that, then you have to adjust the value of R2 to reduce the output current.
Any charger is OK, mine is just the CellStar automatic model made for the domestic market in Japan.
If you decide to separate your grocery machine from the charger, you can skip the steps of hacking the charger, but you need to connect the clip and the output lead to your circuit, this way you can connect it to your battery.
You need to drill six holes, a 5/16 diameter for the lead to enter the charger, and a 1/2 diameter for the switch (
If you use the same style switch as I used)
And four 1/8 bullet holes. rivets. Drill one pop-
Rivet hole, put pop-
Rivet and install the box on the charger and drill holes and pop up
Carry the remaining three holes in a row.
Watch out for metal debris, thoroughly blow out the charger with compressed air after drilling and forming holes.
Also, please note that the drill does not accidentally damage anything inside.
When I did this, a wire got stuck and had to be repaired later.
Install your switch and place a 1/4 rubber gasket in the lead hole.
If you use a DPST or DPDT type, connect the switches in the schematic using two sets of contacts in parallel and keep the leads as short as possible.
This switch has also become a good place to hang a multimeter to check the leakage current in the future.
The last wiring step is to weld the lead to the output lead of the charger.
To avoid damage to these components, I prefer to splice myself into a wire rather than on a board or internal assembly.
The output leads should be thick, so be careful when splicing.
It may also be necessary to remove the part of the charger.
The welding is thorough, but do not overheat the insulation.
Hot with 1/2 "diam-
Shrink the pipes and shrink them with a hot gun.
FYI: sometimes, if you use or make a nozzle with an opening of 1/2 "x2", the hairdryer is hot enough. The over-
The temperature sensor available to all hair dryers may turn the hair dryer off in a few minutes, but you don't need to keep it for a long time.
Use the high heat and low fan settings of the hairdryer if you can.
If this is not possible, I often use a monokote hot gun that is usually used to make model aircraft because it is cheap ($20)
, Reliable, and equipped with a nozzle of the right size.
You can buy it online or at any hobby store.
In this article, my circuit was running for three days on the 95 ah sealed car battery that a friend gave me nearly two years ago.
It's fully charged.
The load voltage has climbed dozens of volts over these three days and I think that's a good sign.
When it's ready I plan to put it in my wife's car and take out her battery so I can test it in my relatively protected but not heated hobby cabin
This is a problem. Lead-Acid Battery (
There is also a grocery machine and charger for this issue)
Work best when the battery is warm.
A cold day will drain 50% or more of the battery.
Since I don't have a warm garage, I may just have to wait until the warm weather comes back before I can fully do the tour trial in the test.
My internet source told me that it may take a month or more for the battery to reverse the effect of heavy sulfuric acid.
However, they also say that a large amount of sulfuric acid-based batteries are completely recoverable and patience will be rewarded because the batteries can be put back into use instead of on the scrap pile.
This website provides some tips on the general use of grocery machines.
Please take the risk of using these skills on your own!
This page has a wealth of information about similar designs, as well as links to peak detector circuits that can help you plan improvements in your batteries during treatment.
I haven't tried this circuit so can't comment on how efficient it works.
The page also provides a link to frequently asked questions to help you answer some basic questions about the splitters circuit.
Dsiclavel: Please note that I have shown you this structure for non-
License for commercial sharing.
Take the risk of using it yourself!
Although the circuit is not particularly dangerous, you will use it around the lead
Battery and relatively high voltage and current.
As we all know, deep-discharged batteries explode in the presence of sparks due to high hydrogen gas release.
Similarly, accidental or deliberate short circuit of the battery is also very dangerous!
I am not responsible for any accidents you use, misuse or have caused or involved in attempting to use this information.
Good luck to your grocer!
I ask you to comment.
Send me an email if you set up one.
I would love to hear from you!
It's been over a month now and I'm happy to report that my go-to-hash circuit works well!
My battery is now charging more than 13.
4 Volts after full electricity.
It will not exceed 12 until the sulfur remover is processed. 7 volts.
This is a very good sign that the plates are now cleaner and the electrolyte is now exposed to their entire surface area and has been restored to full power production.
I kind of wish I could visually verify this, but I can't verify since the battery is sealed.
Now, I must be satisfied with the improvement of just reading the voltmeter. Some notes:1.
During the test, I found that my charger did not have a real trickle rate mode, but completely stopped charging when it decided to get enough power into the battery.
Call it idle instead of trickle rate.
If you leave like this, the battery voltage will slowly drop to about 12 after it is fully charged.
About 2 volts a week (
If I let it go further)
, I think this is a reflection of the natural decay rate of the battery plus the amount of charge consumed by the circuit itself.
So I turn off the battery every few days by turning off the power switch of the charger and then turn it on again to restart the high charging rate.
A few hours later, I'm sure the red LED is off and the green LED is on, which means the charger is fully charged and back to idle.
Then, desulfator can work freely without the interference of the charger. 2.
The pulse peak voltage dropped significantly from about 50 volts measured by Fuse F1 to about 36 volts measured by the battery.
This is due to the loss of the cable connected to the battery.
You can limit these losses by keeping the cables as thick and short as possible.
As long as you can weld 12 or even 10 ga wires, it won't be too thick and flexible enough to make the circuit unwieldy.
If you are using a thinner wire, just know that the circuit can still work, but it will take longer for the voltage reduction of the battery to fix it.
I thank DRZCYY for bringing this to my attention. 3.
Holding down two coils using a wire ring can simulate the short circuit winding in the coil and cause a slight reduction in the output.
For this, it is better to use a plastic or nylon tie package.
Thanks to EDTEK for this prompt.
I am making some improvements to the design and would like to provide the printed circuit board in the near future.
Please come back here for further updates.