Rich, Your long post finally got me intrigued enough to go have a look at the manzanitamicro website. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely interested in these chargers (plotting somewhat like Bruce, but not doing like Bruce (at least yet)), but have been in lurker mode on them. Basically, I have to finish doing the wiring job I put in place last year with the 6-ga cabling (pack poles are on opposite ends of the car, as 10-ga w/ 30A fuse is currently wired in from the VoltsRabbit kit). Also will have to put in an Avcon port in the Rabbit (looks like the best place will be behind the rear license plate, somewhat like the ol' GM gas cars). Etc. (including where to mount this big PFC-50 charger, or maybe it will only come along for the longer runs).
Anyways, have had my ear to the rail a bit on your chargers. I was pleasantly surprised looking at your PFC-50 page (July 2002 test) that a 100V pack will run the charger maxed out at about 50A DC into the pack, given 50A from a 120VAC line (ain't going to happen unless it's half of a 240V 14-50); or 80A DC in to the pack from 208VAC at 50A (don't know anything that will do that, but I can probably grab 30A AC from one of the Avcon paddles, so would have to back off); or a juicy 14-50 240VAC capable of running at 50A would likely get me close to 75A DC into the pack (although the DC curve in the graph disappears below 125VDC). All these assume the Buck Enhancer. Have people had better luck with the Buck Enhancer than the K&W booster (for packs over 108VDC on a 120VAC line), since many of the K&W boosters burnt up or otherwise failed, and is the Buck Enhancer a big monster? What kind of amps would I see without the Buck Enhancer (don't have a graph for that)? The colors were a little hard to differentiate on the PFC-50 Buck Enhancer graph, but once I dug into it, I was able to figure them out. If I can really get those kind of amps into my pack reliably, assuming charging infrastructure (and I do like to back off max a little to let the equipment live), this would really let me expand my EV travel range (can be out there EV'ing with Bruce). As I've done 90-120 mile days on two 120V chargers (Zivan K2 and K&W BC-20) paralleled together (about 27A into the pack), 200 miles or more would be within reach with this PFC-50 setup (probably still a tired finish at midnight). I also know that the batteries get zippier the faster you charge them, liking to cruise at 60-70mph for quite some time even on a 96V pack. Thanks, Chuck Hursch Larkspur, CA www.geocities.com/nbeaa ----- Original Message ----- From: Rich Rudman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 10:42 AM Subject: Re: A day with PFC chargers...(long) > In the "A Day with" line... > > A day at Manzanita ... a Few Evers have seen the Birthing Pit here, two > bay garage that has very little floor space left. Green Boxes stacked in > every corner at least 1/2 dozzen of them in some form of assembly. > Usually one or two on at time... doing something. Blocks of Black anti > static foam with PCBs partially stuffed of MK3(Sheer?... need parts!), [snip]
