Thank you for watching our videos and for asking such a thoughtful question.👍 Yes, the flow back protection should be baked into the design of the buck converter. My observation was that with the battery connected and the input power disconnected, you should expect about a 0.03A leakage discharge. However, my recommendation will be that you should never leave your battery connected to the charger for a long period - especially when there is no input power to the charger. Also, keep in mind that this device was intended to be a buck converter, but my videos show that it can be re-purposed to build a super cheap battery charger. If you are really worried about the flow back, you can add a diode to the output of the buck converter - but you have to test it. Just keep in mind that you will need a large diode, possibly mounted to a heatsink......but I don't think this is necessary. But this could be something I can learn from you, so please share your findings.
Just add a relay to the output of the buck to the battery, the power source of the relay must come from the solar panel also, so that when night time, the relay will release also its contact disconnecting the battery from the buck, another approach is you can also use a voltage sensor module to power a relay that when the battery is full it disconnects the battery from the charger...
Hi friend, thanks a lot for the amazing feedback! As a matter of fact, I have made lots of videos regarding this topic. Check out our universal charger videos when you can. However, these ones below are good explainer videos that could help you with your project. Cheapest Universal Battery Charger Using a DC-DC Boost Converter ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0Ct_sgbAjU4.html Cheapest 1800W DIY Battery Charger Using Constant Current Boost Converter and two Server Supplies. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WDWJ77WWkXc.html Cheapest Universal Battery Charger Using A Power Transformer and a DC-DC Boost Converter. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5EQs9_Cu7xo.html
Great question. That very converter failed when I tried using it as a solar charger. It didn't work well. I hope this helps. The Innovati0n Lab 💥 www.theinnovati0nlab.com
Great question. It will depend on the efficiency of the converter that you are using. Let's do some math. 👇👇👇 At a 24V 6A, you have a total power input of 144W. Assuming a low efficiency of 80%; delivered output power should be about (144 X 0.8) = 115W. Now, at an output voltage of 12V, you should expect a maximum output current of about 115/12 = 9.6A. The output current will increase if the converter efficiency is higher than 80% I hope this helps. Respectfully. The Innovati0n Lab💥 www.theinnovati0nlab.com
Great question. It should also work well for batteries below 14V. Just that your charging current will not be huge. 👍😎 The Innovati0n Lab💥 www.theinnovati0nlab.com
Yes. However, make sure it is a constant current converter. A buck-boost seems like an overkill - depending on the input voltage unless you intend to use the charger for charging lower voltage batteries as well.
Check output current level. Also, make sure that you are using the recommended charging voltage for your battery. If your set charging is too high, you will essentially be creating an overload for the converter when you connect your battery.
What is your laptop supply rated to? 60....70....80W @ 19.5V is only 4A - are you sure you're not overdriving your supply when charging at those higher charge currents? I'm actually suprised you could get 180W out of it and can only assume it is because you are not using the sense wire from your PSU cable (blue I think?), and in doing so are using the laptop charger as a 'dumb' DC input. Unless it has intrinsic overcurrent protection or your PSU is very large, it is just driving at the set or power module controlled amperage. It will very likely shorten the lifetime of your laptop charger components at minimum even if it doesn't let the smoke out. I would stick to the max output that is written on the PSU as this is how it is designed, (note, if you don't have a meter that does the conversion for you, you will have to do the maths to whatever stepdown voltage your driving) even if it takes a little longer to charge your battery. Also, hopefully people realise that your OSKJ buck converter is actually a control module too - if they use a simpler constant voltage buck converter that doesn't monitor and reduce current upon charge completion, they can damage your batteries if not careful (and set lithiums on fire).
Hi friend, Thanks a lot for the interaction. We always appreciate it. However, did you actually take some time to watch this video? I take my time to make these videos and to make sure that I explain everything. I have actually been accused of 'over explaining' in the past..lol. All the questions you asked were explained in the video. Type of Buck converter, Power Supply review - pointing out sources and specifications, buck converter review and specifications, etc, etc, etc. Please watch the video and do your math and let me know if you still believe that we are in violation of the law of conservation of energy. Your questions and assumptions made me think that you looked at the thumbnail and made a bunch of assumptions. Making these videos takes a great deal of time and effort. All you have to do is watch it, my friend.😊 Just for a quick insight. Power supply specs: Output voltage (max) = 19.5VDC Output current (max) = 11A Rated Power: Please do the math....I made the video, and now you get to help 👍 FYI, there were no blue wires, no sense lines needed. Again, as I mentioned in the video, this is an old computer power supply with a very good output voltage and current regulation. You seem to be knowledgeable in power systems, and we appreciate having someone like you in our RU-vid community, but we appreciate constructive feedback after you have watched our videos. Success wishes on your projects, my friend! 👍😎
@@theinnovati0nlab782 I did watch your video. It is great and very simply explained and well shot. Unless I missed it, I didn't see model the rated POWER output of your PSU (180W for a laptop charger is huge!). My comment was in regard to two main points. Namely if it was just a constant voltage buck converter (not one which both limits during charging, and then reduces current upon charge completion) then it can be quite dangerous depending what battery chemistry you are charging. Someone might go out and buy a simpler 'buck converter', overcharge a lithium cell (set the voltage limit too high, or charge it too fast), and end up with a fire. Of course, user beware - not your fault, and I wasn't criticising your setup. Secondly, I was just mentioning for anyone bothering to read comments before jumping in, although buck converters are much more forgivable to poor matching of source power capabilities (as long as they are higher voltage you are pretty safe), when using boost converters (which you also mention), you can easily let the smoke out of their MOSFETs if you draw too much current for them to handle. Maybe you make these points in other videos dealing with step-up converters. If so, hopefully people look at them. This guy puts if very simply. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9--_jaxiXhE.html
These ones have the following specs. Input voltage range: 6 to 40V Output voltage range: 1.2 to 36V I hope this helps. The Innovati0n Lab 💥 www.theinnovati0nlab.com
@@theinnovati0nlab782 okay thanks, some of this kinds of buck converters have minimum voltage difference from input to output, irrespective of their voltage range specs, for say a 15v output would need a minimum input voltage of 18v, coz 17v wouldn't work. I was wondering if this buck too has a minimum voltage difference to efficiently step down voltage.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 01:35 🔄 *Using a DC to DC buck converter for a constant current battery charger allows repurposing old laptop power supplies for DIY projects.* 02:30 🔄 *Distinction: DC to DC boost inverter charges higher voltage batteries; DC to DC buck converter charges lower voltage batteries.* 04:24 🛒 *Considerations for a DC to DC buck converter: price, input/output voltage range, output current, power rating, and conversion efficiency.* 05:40 🔄 *Repurpose old laptop power supplies for DIY projects to reduce waste and environmental impact.* 06:19 ⚠️ *Safety first: Test power supply voltage, verify polarity, and use ring lugs for secure connections before connecting to a DC to DC buck converter.* 07:52 🔧 *Safely configure the system before charging batteries: test power supply, adjust voltages, and verify charging current.* 09:15 ⚠️ *Cooling may be needed for high charging currents (above 10-11 amps) using a fan to prevent the DC to DC buck converter from tripping due to heat.* 10:51 ⚙️ *Use a fan for stable operation when charging at high currents with the DC to DC buck converter.* 11:06 🔄 *Recap: Recharge batteries using a constant current DC to DC buck converter and an old server power supply.* Made with HARPA AI
