It's my birthday !!!

[Philby]

41 today and my wife has bought me a fishfinder.<br /><br />Question is, my 70hp Evin. VRO has an unregulated charging system.<br /><br />Will this blow the fishfinder if I connect it in ?<br /><br />Can I add a regulator ?<br /><br />Do I need one. I have been running a wet cell sealed battery ( which i read they don't reccommend ) with no probs.

 

[grandx]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Happy B-day Philby, This sounds like a question for schematic to me, but here's my 2 cents worth. My fishfinder "Garmin 240" has an auto shutoff if voltage threshold is exceeded. It seems to me that the voltage could be regulated with the proper zenor diode to ground, if when the voltage reached a certain level it would open and send current to ground momentarily... Keep asking, I bet there is a solution.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

yo....Good odds she'll blow....Tell me how much it draws and I'll design a diagram. It'll be cheap cheap cheap to build.<br />

 

[grandx]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

I'd be interested in the diagram as well, if it's no trouble.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

gotta know how much current she draws(check the fuse size)

 

[Philby]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Thanks .<br /><br />It draws 7 watts.<br /><br />Is it easier just to put it on a seperate battery ?

 

[petryshyn]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

This is going to be way too easy!!!!! Got to go to work......we'll talk soon....<br />

 

[mrnobody]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Happy belated birthday<br /><br />louis

 

[TONY H]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

A little MC7812 TO-220 regulator should be OK.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

TONY H, I like you already!! <br /><br />Happy birthday Philby: Tony is on the right track, use a small fixed voltage regulator and away you go. The only concern is how high does the voltage go at any given time? If the voltage gets above 40V, the 7812 releases smoke....LOL(not good)<br /> If you promise never to run without the battery, this shouldn't happen. I'm in the middle of researching a newer style regulator that will withstand 60 volts!! and still only cost a few bucks. I'm just so busy, it'll take a few more days.<br /><br />Philby, stop using that sealed wet celled batt on the OB. Your life is worth more than the cost of a good delco maintenance free battery. I don't want the explosion from that sealed unit to awaken me from a good night sleep!!! Sealed wet cells have a limited charge rate and you're not regulated!! I hear you saying yeah...yeah.... Just because it hasn't blown yet doesn't mean you haven't ruined the battery and reduced its life. If that battery gets warm to the touch(I'll bet it does) there is already damage done. 125 deg F is a max.<br /><br />I'll get back to you with a schematic....<br />

 

[Philby]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Thanks Schematic<br /><br />I'll buy a new battery..........unless your little gizzmo means I can now run the sealed cell.............okay, okay I'll buy the battery. !!

 

[petryshyn]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Helluuu:<br />-If you're a hobbyist, this will be fun. If your not....It'll be a living hell!!...LOL<br /><br /><br />

<br />Specs for above Click me<br /><br />-this one below will work as long as battery stays in circuit<br />

<br />Either one will work but the first one has more over-voltage protection(60V). The regulators must be mounted on a heat sink(I'd use an aluminum project box and mount directly in that).<br />If you decide to build ........I'll help more! <br /><br />

 

[Philby]

Re: It's my birthday !!!

Fantastic !<br /><br />I'll keep you posted