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It amazes me what you can find on Aliexpress. I recon that would cost $2-300 domestically. I'll have to get my thoughts together and make another thread instead of derailing this one.
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 11:56pm 12 Jun 2019
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I just changed the link, you will need more than 48V to charge a 48V battery bank also some sort of regulator. Should be able to do it for well under $50.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
Boppa Guru
Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814
Posted: 12:15am 13 Jun 2019
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Why write off 12v- OK the currents are higher, but I got a $300 (at the time) 8kw continuous 12v Chinese inverter that's run a 15a welder no issues (apart from chewing battery power at a horrible rate LOL) and it means you cant just fit a dual battery isolator system for charging, or use it for all the other 12v functions as well
Mine mostly gets used for the microwave, battery charging the lappy etc, but have been known to use it with a 3000w portable HWS for hot showers while camping... (and fixing camping trailers with broken drawbars LOL)- 4 4x4's hooked together with jumperleads, with a total of 11 batteries in parallel- but it worked a charm...
Not exactly new- trucks were doing the 12V charging/24v starting with a 'changeover' contactor back in the 70's... swapped 2 12v batteries from parallel to series when crankingEdited by Boppa 2019-06-14
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 04:32am 13 Jun 2019
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All you need to weld is 2 12 volt batteries in series and some leads, welding rods and a mask. Although I have seen people in Thailand welding by squinting, I loaned the guy my LCD mask and tried it a couple of times and went back to squinting! I am not suggesting anyone try that, I have had flash burns once, something you don't want.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
Boppa Guru
Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814
Posted: 05:09am 13 Jun 2019
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I had years ago a battery powered 'welder'- was living offgrid, I found 36v worked better, and to make it much easier, get a choke out of an old DC welder and put it in series (or wind one out of an old microwave transformer)- the difference in performance is astounding You can weld with just batteries (been there, done that LOL), but adding that choke makes it as easy as using a 'proper' welder
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 05:31am 13 Jun 2019
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Yes that is the fancy version, I was talking about 4X4 bush repairs.
You can improve the battery welding also with a strip of stainless steel about 25mm wide and 2m long. Wrap around a 150 X 25 lenght of hardwood in a spiral, connect end to one of your battery terminals and use a clamp to connect where you get the right resistance. Then you have current control as well.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
BenandAmber Guru
Joined: 16/02/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 961
Posted: 07:22pm 13 Jun 2019
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When tshtf be nice to have a few of u guys around reminds me of MacGyver
be warned i am good parrot but Dumber than a box of rocks
mason
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Joined: 07/11/2015 Location: CanadaPosts: 86
Posted: 12:23am 19 Jun 2019
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Mad, built one of your regulators and not seeing anything on the screen just wondering if I'm missing something, I programed the nano with your program and all I see are square blocks on the screen..
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 12:33am 19 Jun 2019
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Try adjusting the contrast on the back of the screen, that should fix that. Usually a blue trim pot with a white screw.
If the screen is blank go to this line in the code
"LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 21, 4); // Set the LCD I2C address 0x3F or 0x27"
and change it to this
""LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x3F, 21, 4); // Set the LCD I2C address 0x3F or 0x27"
Or vice versa as depending on the supplier of the I2C LCD converter they use different addresses.
Edited by Madness 2019-06-20There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
mason
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Joined: 07/11/2015 Location: CanadaPosts: 86
Posted: 01:28am 19 Jun 2019
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I changed the code and still nothing, maybe I have the wrong screen type.. I'll upload a photo of later this week.
Thanks Mad
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 04:15am 19 Jun 2019
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Did you adjust the contrast? You said you are getting square blocks on the screen not nothing.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
renewableMark
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Joined: 09/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1678
Posted: 06:09am 19 Jun 2019
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Connections are not pin for pin, SDA and SCL, are flipped around.
Edit, 6th post down on P41 of this thread shows it.Edited by renewableMark 2019-06-20Cheers Caveman Mark Off grid eastern Melb
mason
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Joined: 07/11/2015 Location: CanadaPosts: 86
Posted: 12:44pm 19 Jun 2019
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Thanks, yeah finally figured that out lol,
thanks alot for the help Gary and Mark
renewableMark
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Joined: 09/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1678
Posted: 08:04am 25 Jun 2019
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Hey Mad I was thinking about building one of the small power boards for the caravan. Van is set up for 24v already. Just a couple of small changes to your board to run for 24v yeah?Cheers Caveman Mark Off grid eastern Melb
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 08:13am 25 Jun 2019
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No changes required to the PCB, you would need to change the transformer primary. However as the current is double due to half the voltage you will need to derate it about 2KW.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
renewableMark
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Joined: 09/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1678
Posted: 08:16am 25 Jun 2019
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Yeah, that's fine, just need a tv and occasional toaster and micro.Cheers Caveman Mark Off grid eastern Melb
johnmc Senior Member
Joined: 21/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 282
Posted: 09:48pm 25 Jun 2019
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For the 24v inverter I assumed the control PCB 5watt 120r will need to be replaced with 5watt 60r resistor, and also the same for the totem pole driver power PCB.
cheers johnjohnmc
Madness
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Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498
Posted: 10:26pm 25 Jun 2019
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You may be right John, I don't have a 24V battery so have never tried it. Although as long as the correct voltages come out of the TIP35c's with a 120R in there I would leave it alone.There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
bob.steel Senior Member
Joined: 27/02/2020 Location: AustraliaPosts: 188
Posted: 12:55am 18 Jun 2020
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Coming up with some sort of error .
Is it possible to just upload the ".ino" files and save all the confusion trying to cut and paste and picking up stray bits etc? Looking to have a look through the programming but can't get into Google Drive stuff like that and don't want to.They want to control you too much. Edited 2020-06-18 10:58 by bob.steel