Battery charger help

[Robbo60]

My battery charger for my golf trolley has stopped working (no power light showing. checked fuse.) I am in the Canary Islands (Fuerteventura) so no chance of getting a replacement soon. It is - Input AC100 - 240V, 50/60 Hz 1.0A
Output DC 14.4V ---3.3A
This means not a lot to me. Question is - Could I use a car trickle charge? or are the Amps and Volts and things wrong?
TIA

 

[Spectric]

What is the battery on the golf trolley, if it is a lead / acid type as used on vehicles then the car charger will be fine but if it is a lithium type then no.

Looking at your charger output at 14.4 volts this does suggest a lead battery, the battery will determine how much current is drawn and not the charger, so no issues with current.

 

[Sandyn]

can you take a picture of the label on the charger. Should be able to tell from that if it's just a basic car type charger. There should also be some label/marking on the golf trolley possibly near where you plug the charger in or on the main label somewhere. A picture of that as well. It may show any special requirements.

 

[Jameshow]

A picture of the battery's should clarify the issue.

Assuming the battery is 12ah you late about 12 hours to recharge them.

You shouldn't really discharge lead acid batteries more that 50% tbh.

 

[dizjasta]

Hi the charger output of 14.4 volts suggests the battery is NiMh type [nickle, metal, hydride]. A battery of this sort will be made up of 12no cells each with a voltage of 1.2 volts and requires a dedicated charger which prevents overcharging. Is it possible to contact the trolley manufacturer for help. Have you checked inside plug for a loose connection or wire damage?

 

[guineafowl21]

I looked up what a golf trolley was, then went to a spares website. They offer lead-acid, lithium and NiMH types, so you’d better have a look at what type your battery is, or we’ll only be guessing.

 

[Robbo60]

Its a Lithium battery. I couldn't find the Hurricana website. Thanks

 

[guineafowl21]

I’d say you’re stuck there, since Li batteries are quite fussy about charging cycles, and are prone to setting on fire spectacularly if displeased.

 

[Spectric]

You shouldn't really discharge lead acid batteries more that 50% tbh.

Depends if it is a starter battery with a very low internal impedance or a traction / leisure battery that is designed for higher discharge.

Now you know it is lithium then you need a special charger, it basicaly charges in stages using constant current upto a set voltage, then constant voltage and finaly a clean cutoff when the charging current has dropped to a set value, no trickle or float charge. There are also protective measures that monitor temperature and voltage so you need the right charger or risk destroying the battery.

 

[Gordon Tarling]

I may be wrong, but I think all the charger and monitoring circuits are in the battery pack housing and the item which people are saying is the charger is merely a power supply of the correct voltage and current.

G.

 

[Spectric]

The temperature sensor is obviously within the battery pack but all my Lion batteries are just batteries, they are charged with a multistage charger. With this golf trolley is it just a battery pack or is there a charger assembly as part of it that your power supply just provides a source of power for, in other words just a dumb supply.

 

[Sandyn]

G60 12F4. You can get an alternative source of the charger. It seems to have OK safety approval. Not UL listed, but not necessarily a problem. It has CE, cTUVus which is accepted as an equivalent to UL listing. You would need to find a distributor.

 

[Sandyn]

I may be wrong, but I think all the charger and monitoring circuits are in the battery pack housing and the item which people are saying is the charger is merely a power supply of the correct voltage and current.

According to it's part number it is the actual charger and does the pre charge, CC, CV and cut off. It is peculiar to call it a 'power unit (for LiFe PO4 Battery)' But I think that is to prevent confusion with a standard 14.4, 3.3A supply.

 

[Stevekane]

Very much a long shot (no golfin pun intended!) but is it worth swapping with your mates the kettle type power lead that it looks like you have,,,just in case your one doesnt like an adapter your using or somthing? Shame somone else in your party hasnt got the same charger/battery you could borrow for a recharge.
Steve.

 

[Jameshow]

None of the golf courses have one?
You could plug in and leave battery there?

 

[MikeJhn]

LiFi batteries need to have individually charge to each cell this is monitored to prevent differential charging and keep the cells in balance to prevent one cell discharging or charging its adjacent cell, temperature is also monitored, looking at what is being called a charger, but noted on the label as a power supply, there is only a two lead supply into the battery which would tend to suggest the 4S battery has the internal circuits needed to charge the pack correctly.

FWITW LiFi batteries where invented by the A123 corporation in the USA as Lithium NanoPhosphate, they where originally 3.3volts and only available in 2300Mah as a small just over sub C cell size, the P04 batteries where a Chinese copy and can be of very dubious quality, I am still using original A123 LiFi batteries that are over twenty years old, but have been very carefully charged and monitored throughout there use.

 

[mickbc]

My battery charger for my golf trolley has stopped working (no power light showing. checked fuse.) I am in the Canary Islands (Fuerteventura) so no chance of getting a replacement soon. It is - Input AC100 - 240V, 50/60 Hz 1.0A
Output DC 14.4V ---3.3A
This means not a lot to me. Question is - Could I use a car trickle charge? or are the Amps and Volts and things wrong?
TIA

Have you tried the chargers internal fuse? Normally a small glass cylindrical one inside the charger ?

 

[DRC]

Its a Lithium battery. I couldn't find the Hurricana website. Thanks

There is an equivalent on Amazon & slightly cheaper on eBay I use these for my mobility scooters. The battery box will probably have an XLR socket and those chargers I've mentioned are fitted with XLR plugs you can look up XLR on the internet a microphone type socket.

 

[Limey Lurker]

At the very least,you could try connecting a volt meter of some sort, or a 12v lamp, across the charger OUT terminals. That will indicate whether or not the charger is faulty.

 

[MikeJhn]

Just to clarify It's not a charger on it's label it says "Power Supply"