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mep-003 gen batt charging questions

doghead

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Are your batteries good?
 

Keith_J

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I doubt the batteries are good, the charging circuit is fairly low current capacity, to get 31 volts takes a heck of a current which would boil the electrolyte in the batteries. Perhaps this is without batteries connected? As in jump starting then disconnecting the cables?

The battery charging system is just like a motorcycle type, permanent magnet rotor and stator windings under the flywheel. The regulator clamps voltage through silicon control rectifiers which dump excess voltage to ground through power resistors which is why they produce heat and need air flow to keep the magic smoke inside the electronics.
 

Rapracing

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I doubt the batteries are good, the charging circuit is fairly low current capacity, to get 31 volts takes a heck of a current which would boil the electrolyte in the batteries. Perhaps this is without batteries connected? As in jump starting then disconnecting the cables?

The battery charging system is just like a motorcycle type, permanent magnet rotor and stator windings under the flywheel. The regulator clamps voltage through silicon control rectifiers which dump excess voltage to ground through power resistors which is why they produce heat and need air flow to keep the magic smoke inside the electronics.
My 002 sends about 27 volts to the batteries when I start it. It builds voltage the longer it runs and peaks at 31. I verified that with my volt meter. I put new batteries on it and it still does it.
 

Keith_J

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True RMS voltmeter? The output of the SCRs is anything but a smooth sine wave, this could play havoc with cheaper digital voltmeters. The stock battery and charging meter is pretty immune to non sine wave output, it will read true RMS.
 

Rapracing

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True RMS voltmeter? The output of the SCRs is anything but a smooth sine wave, this could play havoc with cheaper digital voltmeters. The stock battery and charging meter is pretty immune to non sine wave output, it will read true RMS.
Yes! The onboard meter show the same thing. That is why I checked it with the meter.
 

Triple Jim

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True RMS voltmeter? The output of the SCRs is anything but a smooth sine wave, this could play havoc with cheaper digital voltmeters. The stock battery and charging meter is pretty immune to non sine wave output, it will read true RMS.
Good advice. I don't mean to split hairs, but I think it's likely an analog meter will read average, as opposed to RMS, unless specifically designed for RMS. In this case it probably doesn't make enough difference to matter.
 

CDR

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I had a similar issue with my 002 filled up the Aid in the battery and now charges a 28 Volts as opposed to 31
 
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