Mobility Scooter 24V Battery Charger annoyance...

ThisIsWeird

returnofghandi said:

Ideally 8amp charger for 75ah batteries:

https://discountscooters.co.uk/products/8-amp-battery-charger-with-reverse-polarity

https://www.sheffieldmobility.co.uk/product-page/8-amp-battery-charger-for-tga-breeze

https://www.firstchoicemobility.com/parts/scooter-maintenance/battery-chargers/6-amp-chargers-to-8-amp-chargers/reverse-polarity-oem-tga-breeze-battery-charger.html

Thanks for this. Again, not sure if any have the desulph feature? What's 'reverse-polarity'?! ARGH! I've just read that the TGA scooters have reversed polarity pin connections compared to other scooters! Surely this cannot be?!

Thanks.

Heedtheadvice

Oh yes it can.

 I do not think there is a standard (might be proven wrong!) for pin connections...especially using a connector that is commonly used for microphones and the like - what they were originally designed for! - and now even ebikes.

so take care.

Reverse polarity is when instead of the positive charge lead connection going to the battery positive (to enable charging) [and negative to negative] positive goes to negative i.e reverse polarity. Without protection ( which might just be as simple as a fuse ) then a large current can flow likely damaging the charger, but if it results in a short circuit in the charger a large current can flow not only discharging the battery but potentially heating up parts such as the cable to destruction!

Safety warning.

Very large currents can flow in those (and many similar other) types of batteries so trial and error should not be used when connecting. The massive currents that can flow can be quite dangerous resulting in burns or worse. That is not so likely when connecting a charger as something will fail before a disaster as the cables will not survive a massive discharge current. However battery to battery connections or shorting the + to - terminal inadvertently such as with a spanner or two batteries wrongly connected in parallel (or even during jump charging!!) is very dangerous!

ThisIsWeird

Heedtheadvice said:

Oh yes it can.

 I do not think there is a standard (might be proven wrong!) for pin connections...especially using a connector that is commonly used for microphones and the like - what they were originally designed for! - and now even ebikes.

so take care.

Reverse polarity is when instead of the positive charge lead connection going to the battery positive (to enable charging) [and negative to negative] positive goes to negative i.e reverse polarity. Without protection ( which might just be as simple as a fuse ) then a large current can flow likely damaging the charger, but if it results in a short circuit in the charger a large current can flow not only discharging the battery but potentially heating up parts such as the cable to destruction!

Safety warning.

Very large currents can flow in those (and many similar other) types of batteries so trial and error should not be used when connecting. The massive currents that can flow can be quite dangerous resulting in burns or worse. That is not so likely when connecting a charger as something will fail before a disaster as the cables will not survive a massive discharge current. However battery to battery connections or shorting the + to - terminal inadvertently such as with a spanner or two batteries wrongly connected in parallel (or even during jump charging!!) is very dangerous!

Thank you, and I will heed your advice.

I've just had confirmation from the folk who sell the actual batteries to suggest going only to TGA because of this issue. Lawdie.

As you say, these are effectively XLR connectors - I thought they looked 'familiar', but never thought they'd be the same! Lawdie again.

Bludy TGA - these three-pin connectors are pretty standard for 'cooters these days, but trust them to go 'different'. A bit like Boss(?) guitar pedals - reversed pin polarity. What the?!

I'd be happy to buy a cheapo charger and rewire the plug - for when I, myself, come to 'cooter time - but for mil I need to play safe. For safety? Nah. For the inevitable, "Are you sure this is charging as fast as the old one - I saw you rewiring the plug...?"

Bless - first world problems. :-)

Thanks, everyone - this time it'll be, "Go to TGA, and be done."

Heedtheadvice

Picture in my mind.....

MIL with hair standing on end....  :-)

ThisIsWeird

Don't give me ideas...

returnofghandi

ThisIsWeird said:

Heedtheadvice said:

Oh yes it can.

 I do not think there is a standard (might be proven wrong!) for pin connections...especially using a connector that is commonly used for microphones and the like - what they were originally designed for! - and now even ebikes.

so take care.

Reverse polarity is when instead of the positive charge lead connection going to the battery positive (to enable charging) [and negative to negative] positive goes to negative i.e reverse polarity. Without protection ( which might just be as simple as a fuse ) then a large current can flow likely damaging the charger, but if it results in a short circuit in the charger a large current can flow not only discharging the battery but potentially heating up parts such as the cable to destruction!

Safety warning.

Very large currents can flow in those (and many similar other) types of batteries so trial and error should not be used when connecting. The massive currents that can flow can be quite dangerous resulting in burns or worse. That is not so likely when connecting a charger as something will fail before a disaster as the cables will not survive a massive discharge current. However battery to battery connections or shorting the + to - terminal inadvertently such as with a spanner or two batteries wrongly connected in parallel (or even during jump charging!!) is very dangerous!

Thank you, and I will heed your advice.

I've just had confirmation from the folk who sell the actual batteries to suggest going only to TGA because of this issue. Lawdie.

As you say, these are effectively XLR connectors - I thought they looked 'familiar', but never thought they'd be the same! Lawdie again.

Bludy TGA - these three-pin connectors are pretty standard for 'cooters these days, but trust them to go 'different'. A bit like Boss(?) guitar pedals - reversed pin polarity. What the?!

I'd be happy to buy a cheapo charger and rewire the plug - for when I, myself, come to 'cooter time - but for mil I need to play safe. For safety? Nah. For the inevitable, "Are you sure this is charging as fast as the old one - I saw you rewiring the plug...?"

Bless - first world problems. :-)

Thanks, everyone - this time it'll be, "Go to TGA, and be done."

Just get one of the ones I listed; they are all reverse polarity. TGA are very expensive, a large markup. 

Source: I was their production manager for a short period a few years ago.

ThisIsWeird

returnofghandi said:

Thank you, and I will heed your advice.

I've just had confirmation from the folk who sell the actual batteries to suggest going only to TGA because of this issue. Lawdie.

As you say, these are effectively XLR connectors - I thought they looked 'familiar', but never thought they'd be the same! Lawdie again.

Bludy TGA - these three-pin connectors are pretty standard for 'cooters these days, but trust them to go 'different'. A bit like Boss(?) guitar pedals - reversed pin polarity. What the?!

I'd be happy to buy a cheapo charger and rewire the plug - for when I, myself, come to 'cooter time - but for mil I need to play safe. For safety? Nah. For the inevitable, "Are you sure this is charging as fast as the old one - I saw you rewiring the plug...?"

Bless - first world problems. :-)

Thanks, everyone - this time it'll be, "Go to TGA, and be done."

Just get one of the ones I listed; they are all reverse polarity. TGA are very expensive, a large markup.

Source: I was their production manager for a short period a few years ago.

Ha-ha! Thanks.

I decided to play safe and suggest she buy direct from TGA.

For myself, I'd buy the cheapest decent quality with the features I needed, and then reverse the plug polarity if needed. 

I need to play 'safe' with mil, tho'. Not for safety reasons, because anything 'less' than the 'real thing' will potentially/inevitably come with, "Hmm I don't think it's charging as fast/lasting as long as before - are you sure you wired it correctly...not that I don't trust you, of course - you always know what you are doing - but just in case, perhaps, maybe, possibly..."

Been there too many times :-)