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  • Who

  • What

    • Take in 12V and output 24V

    • For powering our 24V battery charger

      • would be massive help at comp and flight tests to be able to charge faster

    • Supply enough power for the charger

      • if the current is really high then this project is going to be waaay out of our skill range

  • Why

    • We have 12V server PSUs that are CSA approved

    • We get more power capability out of the charger at 24V

    • we could also just buy this? not sure if it maths out.

Details

Battery charger: HotA F6 Quad Battery Charger (4 x 15 A)

...

  • 1000 W output power limit across the 4 channels, with max current 4 x 15 A.

PSU:

Supermicro PWS-741P-1R Datasheet

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  • DC output: 740W, 12V/61.7A

  • Assuming our boost groundside convertor supplies 24V DC to the charger:

    • If we charge 4 batteries at once, the current will max out at 10.4 A per channel (each channel is 250 W / 24V)

    • Alternatively we could just not use max power, and just charge 2 batteries at once with lower power/current.

How much power/current do we need to charge these batteries (how fast do we want to be charging them)?

COTS options:

  • AliExpress seems to have the most amount of options and is well priced (but might be a bit sketchy?)

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Product

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Price

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Specs

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Notes/Features

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Datasheet

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Szwengao WG-12S2450M

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134.68 (AliExpress)

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24V 50A

0-1200 W

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What convertor to buy?

  • Suggestions from Jerry Tian and Ryan Scomazzon : Charger should be able to charge a 7Ah battery (most batteries we use will be around 5.5Ah) at 1C. This means 7A per battery

    • If charging 4 batteries at once, charger must supply 4 x 7A at 24V = 672 W.

    • Ideally the convertor should be rated for well above 672 W (it should have some headroom)

COTS options:

  • The product from the following brand is the best I could find in terms of price and provided specifications. Most other products don’t have a datasheet

    • Though it is from AliExpress, is it sketchy to buy this from there?

  • Couldn’t really find anything good on Amazon or Facebook Marketplace

Product

Price

Ratings

Features

Datasheet

Notes

Szwengao WG-12S2420M

image-20250121-024436.pngImage Added

50.36

(AliExpress)

24V 20A

0-480 W

  • High efficiency: 96.6% (@12Vin, 25℃)

  • Non-isolated between input and output

  • 100% full stable current output

  • Support -30 °C environment

  • 100% full load burn-in test

  • OT, OL, LV protections

  • Waterproof level IP67

  • 1 year warranty

https://proa2427b-pic7.websiteonline.cn/upload/WG-

12S2450M

12S2420M.pdf

  • Not enough power if we want to charge 4 batteries at once

Szwengao WG-12S2430M

image-20250121-024128.pngImage Modified

77.99 (AliExpress)

24V 30A

0-720 W

  • High efficiency: 95.6% (@ 12Vin, 25℃)

For the rest, same as WG-12S2450M
  • Non-isolated between input and output

  • 100% full stable current output

  • Support -30 °C environment

  • 100% full load burn-in test

  • OT, OL, LV protections

  • Waterproof level IP67

  • 1 year warranty

https://proa2427b-pic7.websiteonline.cn/upload/WG-12S2430M.pdf

  • Load is 672W, at 95% efficiency this convertor would have to handle ~707 W input power

    • Theoretically possible but it would be operating near its limit, would leave very little headroom

Szwengao WG-

12S2420M

12S2440M ✅

image-20250121-024436.pngImage Removed
image-20250121-023738.pngImage Added
50

100.

36

68 (AliExpress)

24V

20A

40A

0-

480

960 W

  • High efficiency:

96
  • 97.

6%
  • 8% (

@12Vin
  • @24Vin, 25℃)

  • For the rest, same as WG-12S2450M

  • https://
    • Non-isolated between input and output

    • 100% full stable current output

    • Support -30 °C environment

    • 100% full load burn-in test

    • OT, OL, LV protections

    • Waterproof level IP67

    • 1 year warranty

    proa2427b-pic7.websiteonline.cn/upload/WG-

    12S2420M.pdf

    12S2440M.pdf

    • More expensive than the 720W option

    • Load is 672W, at 97% efficiency this convertor would have to handle ~693 W input power

    • If charging 4 7Ah batteries at 1C, this convertor would be operating at 693W/960W = 72% capacity, leaving plenty of headroom

    • The WG-12S2440M should suit our needs

    Usage

    ...

    • Uses screw terminal connections

      • Is there any designing that has to be done for wiring/harnessing? Diagrams?

    • On the output side: 672 W load at 24V - output current is 672/24 = 28 A

    • On the input side: Assuming 97% efficiency, input power is ~693 W at 12V - input current is 693/12 = 57.7 A

      • 4 AWG wire?

    • Do we need a fuse for the wire carrying high current between the PSU and the boost convertor?