I've just build a small resurrecter.
main target: Those vectrix whose voltage dropped too low and they refuse to turn on.
How? using a diode bridge on 240Ac current, and a bulb resistor to contain the flow of energy, and of course, a fuse.
From the inspiring post http://visforvoltage.org/forum/14055-multiple-vectrix?page=1
The Ressurrecte I've build:
The box has the charger's square connector, to directly plug in to the DC charger port of the Vectrix.
testing device on virtual vectrix:
testing on a nimh vectrix with battery at 16v. Its old charger died, and it was left some weeks without charge: voltage dropped too low:
notice the pigtail to square adapters
Old "autotrafo" lowers voltage ac from 220v to 120V. If battery circuit breaks (open cell), rectified pulses will hang around 150V, lower enough to prevent damage to mc hardware.
Correction: the "autotrafo" was designed to lower AC votlage from 220V to 120V. However in Europe voltage has been raised up to 230V. This rises peak voltage over 180V... too dangerous!.
Here proposed solution from Fran (thank you!):
All possible voltages:
Edit: The resurrecter worked perfectly, that vectrix is alive again.
Thank you. Great job and as always, great ideas to keep this great bike afloat.
Tested also on a LI+ with drained Battery. Sure, the LIFEPO battery is damaged, but the resurrecter worked to recover the voltage and check that MC and charger were fine.
After resurrecting, lo voltage 2,10! we quickly lowered charging power to 300W.
Would you be able and willing to build me one of these and ship it to North Carolina ? What's the cost ? I know enough about electronics to know I could not build one of these myself that would be safe.
I put two of these in series;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18W-25W-18-25x1W-Waterproof-LED-Driver-power-supply-Constant-Current-300mA-OE-/122390369583?hash=item1...
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/14191-vectrix-trickle-charger
The guide I followed.
As you, this build is above my understanding; but clearly a better solution.
I have a Honda Hybrid. Lots of owners purchase a thing for charging their battery. Top balancing. Keeps the batteries going years after they would normally fail.
If you search for Grid Charger you will find lots of them for sale. Built similarly to the design here. LED drivers in series. The one I got for my charger shows 200+ volts until hooked to the battery, then it shows whatever voltage the battery is charged up to. So after 24-48 hours it will max out at about 175 volts.
When my Vectrix had been off all winter and died due to not being charged, I just hooked this charger to the bike and let it go. For the first few minutes it showed 5v. That is likely because it is charging VERY slowly and all the charge was being taken and unable to show as voltage. Many hours later it was at 129v and I was able to remove the charger and plug everything back in and start the normal charger.
I have been thinking about plugging it back in and doing a top balance to my $500 bike to see if it helps in anyway, but I have been worried that the max voltage for this charger is higher than the bike expects, but my experience with the car is that when it hits the max volts the battery will take all the rest goes to heat, and it's only 300 milliamps of charge so very little heat.
-Randy
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I also own a 2018 Tesla Model 3 and a 2012 Mitsubishi iMiev
you can charge at 0.3A basically forever without damage (0.3A @ 145V is only ~44W)
The only thing I would be concerned about is if the battery was open circuit for some reason, resulting in the voltage going straight to 175v, and the motor controller or charger not liking it
Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km
175v is what the car I have's battery pack goes to before topping out. Unhooked from a battery bringing the voltage down it reads well over 200 volts when running. But if the vectrix runs like the car does it would only ever make it to 155 volts or so when doing a top balance. Need to make a connector for it...
-Randy
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I also own a 2018 Tesla Model 3 and a 2012 Mitsubishi iMiev