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Forum Index : Electronics : Pool chlorinator-useful?
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| domwild Guru  Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Hi, Found a pool chlorinator during kerbside pickup. Unfortunately no platinum left over on the electrodes to make me rich! Components: Huge toroidal transformer with three secondaries, 240V AC relay, two fuses, 4 SCRs type S2070W 70A, 200V in a 2x2 configuration (2 soldered together) on huge heatsink, timer and PIC board. Outputs -11V DC after connecting a third "sense" wire to the black wire. Probably senses salinity as the indicator claims "Low Salt" at the moment. User can change from 0 to 100% chlorination, does this up the Amps? Is this a PWM setup to those SCRs? Apart from boat anchor or door stop is this unit as a present whole any good for something or should I just pull out the components? Thanks. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
The transformer may be handy, depending on its AC output voltage. I converted a chlorinator into a 12v DC power supply once, it could supply several amps. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Thanks Glenn. Did you use the SCRs or did you just connect a normal rectifier to the toroidal? Do you have a schematic stored somewhere or can you give me an idea how to connect? Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Hi Dom Mine used a standard E core transformer. It was some years ago, but I do remember a single SCR or Triac. Basically I removed the guts, added a bridge rectifier, couple of big caps and a amp meter to the front panel. I used it for testing car radio's, CB's, etc. Still have it somewhere. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Hi Glenn, Excuse my ignorance but what were the big caps useful for? Was it just for smoothing out the waveform? Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Yep exactly, smoothing out the DC. AC through a bridge rectifier creates DC that rises to the peak AC half wave voltage, and falls to zero, 100 times a second ( for 50Hz mains power ). Filter caps smooth out this fluctuating DC into smooth DC, depending on current drawn from the circuit. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Thanks Glenn. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
In many cases the transformer in these units are an open wound type, that a few extra turns of secondary wire can be added to increase the output voltage to suit making a good battery charger from it. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Thanks for help. I should have asked Dr Google for answers instead of you good folks for some of the more general points. Age is a terrible thing avoid it! One page explained the semi-sinusoidal wave form ex rectifiers and the purpose of caps; thanks Glenn. Downwind: Yes, I had the idea of a battery charger as those S2070W SCRs give me 70A RMS (45A AV) but when it comes to four-stage charging things become a bit tricky. My 65 HP tractor has a 143Ah battery and I only ever charge it with a 10A charger, so it never gets desulphated partly. If it is a toroidal transformer with plastic paper wound around the outside, is it then called an "open wound type"? With three secondary coils it might just be tricky to extend the highest voltage one or do you suggest just extending the most external and accessible one?? Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166 |
If you know someone with a collection of silicon chip mags you could have a read of the "salvage it" column from June 2006. "a high current car battery charger for almost nothing". 10 pages The one they modified had a centre tapped secondary as the negative and a diode on each of the other two wires (joined after the diodes for the positive). they fitted a bridge rectifier across the full secondary (not the centre tap) doubling the voltage, used some fencing wire for a current limiting resistor and fitted the ol jaycar voltage switch KC-5377. for transformers with no taps their suggestion was use two and wire them in series and in phase. it has been in the back of my mind for years but I never come across salt chlorinators. I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not... |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Thanks Yahoo. Will have a look at my collection of Silicon Chip. I always use the best fencing wire for my repairs!! Every time I cut it again it is still too short! Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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