There are many factors that determine the type of charger required for a particular application. Choosing the right battery charger is very important to insure not only all requirements are met but also the charger is not over specified resulting in a more costly solution than required. The primary factors in determining charger specifications can be divided into environmental and electrical categories.
Environmental factors
Is a waterproof charger required? What are the temperature and humidity requirements? Will the charger be exposed to the element? Will it be used in a highly polluted environment where dust and grime are prevailing? Will it be used in environments where condensation can be produced? Is an extreme temperature range required for very cold environments? Chargetek has units with operation to -35C°. The waterproofing provides a hermetic seal that makes it impervious to these situations. In addition, Chargetek uses only UL94-V0 encapsulation material to insure that highest level of safety.
Fan cooled pros and cons. There are many factors that determine the type of charger required for a particular application. Choosing the right charger is critical to ensure that all requirements are met and that the charger is not over specified. One of the primary factors in charger selection is the operating environment. Please review our waterproof page to determine what is appropriate for your application. If it is determined that a waterproof product is not required, then fan cooling can provide several advantages. The pros and cons of fan cooling or forced air cooling are described below.
Advantages
Reduced component temperatures translate into higher reliability and lower MTBF
Fans are very effective in forcing air through the unit and reducing internal temperatures
Power output is 2-3 times greater than convection cooling
Most restrictions on the system thermal design are eliminated
The charger can be mounted in any orientation
The physical size of the charger can be significantly reduced
Disadvantages
Acoustic fan noise can be a negative for quiet environments
Dust and other contaminants can be drawn into the unit
Accumulation of contaminants on the fan and components reduces cooling effectiveness
Air filters mitigate the negative effects but require maintenance to clear or change
Fans are usually the least reliable component in the unit
Vibration and shock requirements. Do you have a mobility, marine or industrial application where severe vibration can occur regularly? If so, you may want to consider the waterproof series. The encapsulation transforms your unit into a "brick" that allows no movement of external parts preventing things from shaking loose and resulting in failure.
Battery characteristics
Battery chemistry. Chargetek has products that can charge virtually any battery chemistry. Their chargers can be easily altered with simple flash programming at the factory to charge any battery and produce any charging algorithm to your specification. Please consult Chargetek Sales for any requirements you may have.
Voltage rating. The battery must have the proper charging voltage applied. For example, it is acceptable to apply a 12V charger to two 6V batteries in series since this equals 12V but not to use the charger to charger the batteries individually.
Charging current acceptance. The charging current is one of the most important criteria in choosing a charger. An excessive amount of current will overheat the battery resulting in reduced battery life and poor capacity. Some batteries are able to accept very large charging currents while others are more sensitive. You must check your battery specification to insure that you are not applying current in excess of the recommended amount.
