• Can anyone explain how this battery charger works?

    From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Sun Feb 13 20:33:34 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y on Sun Feb 13 22:33:50 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design on Sun Feb 13 22:47:41 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn_gg@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk>
    wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small
    signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place.
    The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit.

    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rex Jones@w@dsdkle.com to uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design on Mon Feb 14 09:54:27 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:47:41 +1100, Commander Kinsey <CK1@nospam.com>
    wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn_gg@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk>
    wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey
    wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only
    connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC
    current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small
    signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place.
    The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit.

    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So
    how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?

    The text on it, fuckwit.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.basics on Sun Feb 13 23:00:25 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:54:07 -0000, Phil Allison <pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:

    Commander Kinsey wrote:
    =====================

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    ** It's "self resetting".

    Goes high resistance when hot and drops backs when cool.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor.

    ** Shame about the odd markings.

    Those aren't shown in the pictures.

    Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    ** Nope.

    Would only act on a short or reverse connected battery.

    One cell shorted, much higher current flows, duh. Now fuck off Rod.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Sun Feb 13 23:07:49 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote: >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >> >> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.

    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working cells? The others boil.

    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't look right to me.

    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells. It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jlarkin@jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Sun Feb 13 15:57:26 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:33:34 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    It can't. Maybe that yellow disk is not a capacitor.
    --

    I yam what I yam - Popeye
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jlarkin@jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com to uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design on Sun Feb 13 15:59:33 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:47:41 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn_gg@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk>
    wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>> >> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small
    signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place.
    The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit.

    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?

    Try an ohmmeter.
    --

    I yam what I yam - Popeye
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design on Mon Feb 14 00:38:54 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:59:33 -0000, <jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:47:41 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn_gg@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk> >>>> wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>>> >> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small
    signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place.
    The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit.

    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?

    Try an ohmmeter.

    Not so easy when in the middle of a big circuit.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 00:47:29 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote: >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >> >> On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working cells? The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't look right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells. It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting current other than through the fuse.

    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just keep going.

    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is charging and/or has power.

    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse.

    The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more than a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED is turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could be more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the resistor to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two resistors and the green LED probably should be on the left, where power comes in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.

    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.

    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.

    Ah, you beat me to it.

    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short or reversed battery is a different matter.

    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell makes a hell of a lot more current flow.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From williamwright@wrightsaerials@f2s.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 00:54:02 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On 14/02/2022 00:47, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    They are vastly different.

    Bill
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Phil Allison@pallison49@gmail.com to sci.electronics.basics on Sun Feb 13 18:40:30 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics


    Commander Kinsey wrote:
    =====================

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor.

    ** Shame about the odd markings.

    Those aren't shown in the pictures.

    ** FFS imbecile , YOU can see them !!!

    ===============================

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 02:56:31 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:42:20 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:39:08 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:59:33 -0000, <jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:47:41 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <C...@nospam.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote: >> >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote: >> >>>> On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk> >> >>>> wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small >> >>>> signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place. >> >>>> The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit.

    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?

    Try an ohmmeter.
    Not so easy when in the middle of a big circuit.

    One end of it is connected only to the battery which I believe you can remove.

    In this case yes, but I was talking generically in other larger circuits where the capacitor/limiter could be in the middle of loads of other components.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 02:58:40 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:54:02 -0000, williamwright <wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote:

    On 14/02/2022 00:47, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    They are vastly different.

    Do they not both have a very low internal resistance? Therefore connecting a 10V battery to a 12V charger makes too much current flow?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 14:03:34 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    Commander Kinsey <CK1@nospam.com> wrote
    williamwright <wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote
    Commander Kinsey wrote

    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, oneshorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    They are vastly different.

    Do they not both have a very low internal resistance? Therefore
    connecting a 10V battery to a 12V charger makes too much current flow?

    Nope. a stupid car battery charger like that one is essentially limiting
    the current
    so the battery voltage doesn't determine the current in the too much sense.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 03:04:08 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:24:36 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:47:42 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote: >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >> >> On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working cells? The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't look right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells. It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting current other than through the fuse.
    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just keep going.
    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is charging and/or has power.
    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse.
    The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more than a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED is turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could be more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the resistor to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two resistors and the green LED probably should be on the left, where power comes in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.
    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.
    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.
    Ah, you beat me to it.
    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short or reversed battery is a different matter.
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?

    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    [other groups reinstated to stop you limiting the audience - others may be reading this in another group]
    Oh, you use google groups. My god man get a newsreader program.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Fredxx@fredxx@spam.uk to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics on Mon Feb 14 03:13:08 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On 14/02/2022 03:04, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:24:36 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:47:42 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey
    wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is
    only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass
    DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid
    storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm
    assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC
    Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I
    thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted
    battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a
    current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells
    instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried
    charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working
    cells? The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't
    look right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The
    input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells.
    It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement
    NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting
    current other than through the fuse.
    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and
    diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just
    keep going.
    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is
    charging and/or has power.
    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse.
    The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more
    than a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED
    is turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could
    be more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the
    resistor to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two
    resistors and the green LED probably should be on the left, where
    power comes in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.
    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.
    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all
    the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max
    voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.
    Ah, you beat me to it.
    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V
    instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short
    or reversed battery is a different matter.
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE
    SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?

    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    [other groups reinstated to stop you limiting the audience - others may
    be reading this in another group]
    Oh, you use google groups.-a My god man get a newsreader program.

    Why would anyone want to read your posts?

    You ask stupid questions and don't understand the replies.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Phil Allison@pallison49@gmail.com to sci.electronics.basics on Sun Feb 13 19:35:56 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    Commander Kinsey Cunthead :
    =======================


    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?

    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    ** If more or most cells are shorted.

    FUCKHEAD !!

    Happens with NiCds.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jlarkin@jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Sun Feb 13 20:11:04 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 02:56:31 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:42:20 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:39:08 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>> On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:59:33 -0000, <jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:47:41 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <C...@nospam.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:56:55 -0000, jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk> wrote: >>> >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 9:16:58 PM UTC, Custos Custodum wrote: >>> >>>> On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:52:31 -0800 (PST), jkn <jkn...@nicorp.f9.co.uk> >>> >>>> wrote:
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:33:42 PM UTC, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    What else might that yellow thing be, other than a capacitor?

    A thermistor or a VDR, to provide current limiting.
    Regarding operation, power diodes tend to have a higher Vf than small >>> >>>> signal diodes or transistor junctions, so once the diode goes into
    conduction it produces a large enough voltage to turn on the
    transistor and the red LED, indicating that charging is taking place. >>> >>>> The green LED merely indicates that power is applied to the circuit. >>> >>>
    My (probably futile) hope was that he might answer it himself,
    or at least try to...

    I didn't expect two completely different devices to look identical. So how the fuck am I supposed to tell which one is?

    Try an ohmmeter.
    Not so easy when in the middle of a big circuit.

    One end of it is connected only to the battery which I believe you can remove.

    In this case yes, but I was talking generically in other larger circuits where the capacitor/limiter could be in the middle of loads of other components.


    You could

    Think hard about it

    or

    Ohm out all around it and solve the puzzle

    or

    Unsolder and measure

    or

    Maybe look up the part number, if it's public. Lots of part numbers
    aren't.
    --

    I yam what I yam - Popeye
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 15:16:47 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    Commander Kinsey <CK1@nospam.com> wrote
    Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:47:42 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey
    wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey
    wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is
    only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass
    DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid
    storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm
    assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse >>> - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought >>> was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from >>> being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a
    current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells
    instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried
    charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working cells? >>> The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't look >>> right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The
    input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells.
    It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement
    NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting
    current other than through the fuse.
    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and
    diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just
    keep going.
    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is
    charging and/or has power.
    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse.
    The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more than >>> a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED is
    turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could be
    more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the resistor
    to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two resistors
    and the green LED probably should be on the left, where power comes
    in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.
    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.
    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all
    the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max
    voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.
    Ah, you beat me to it.
    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V
    instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short
    or reversed battery is a different matter.
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE
    SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?

    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    In case the jumper leads going to the battery being charged are shorted together, stupid.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 04:40:43 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 03:13:08 -0000, Fredxx <fredxx@spam.uk> wrote:

    On 14/02/2022 03:04, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:24:36 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:47:42 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey
    wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C
    <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander
    Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is
    only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass
    DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid
    storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm
    assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC
    Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I
    thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted
    battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a
    current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells
    instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried
    charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working
    cells? The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't
    look right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The
    input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells.
    It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement
    NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting
    current other than through the fuse.
    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and
    diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just
    keep going.
    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is
    charging and/or has power.
    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse. >>>> > The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more
    than a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED
    is turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could
    be more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the
    resistor to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two
    resistors and the green LED probably should be on the left, where
    power comes in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.
    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.
    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all
    the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max
    voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.
    Ah, you beat me to it.
    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V
    instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short
    or reversed battery is a different matter.
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE
    SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?

    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    [other groups reinstated to stop you limiting the audience - others may
    be reading this in another group]
    Oh, you use google groups. My god man get a newsreader program.

    Why would anyone want to read your posts?

    You ask stupid questions and don't understand the replies.

    I understood the answer perfectly, what makes you think I didn't?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y on Mon Feb 14 06:32:42 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 04:30:57 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 10:04:23 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:24:36 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote: >>
    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 7:47:42 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >> >> On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:10:47 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 6:08:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:02:03 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:04 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.
    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It won't do that. It is simply a fuse that prevents too high a current from flowing, such as if you connected the battery backwards.
    Surely a higher current would flow if the battery became 9 cells instead of 10 because one failed and became zero volts? Ever tried charging a car battery with 14V when it only contains 5 working cells? The others boil.
    I'm not sure what this circuit is supposed to do. It doesn't look right to me.
    It's the (5 hour) charger for a very cheap cordless drill. The input is a 14.4V wall wart. The output is to a pack of NiCad cells. It's worked fine for years, until I can no longer find replacement NiCad cells, so I'm converting the battery packs to LiIon.

    My point is this circuit isn't setting the voltage or limiting current other than through the fuse.
    It will be limited by the wall wart, which is a basic transformer and diodes. Since it's a 5 hour charge, it won't harm the battery to just keep going.
    It appears to be a couple of LEDs that indicate the battery is charging and/or has power.
    Yes, the battery is basically just charged through the diode and fuse.
    The diode will prevent the transistor from ever turning on more than a tiny amount, but with the gain of the transistor the red LED is turned on with a small current in the transistor BE path. It could be more clear if you redraw it with the base on the right, the resistor to the right of that and the diode across the two. The two resistors and the green LED probably should be on the left, where power comes in. That's all they do is indicate the presence of power.
    Yeah it was just a quick sketch to try to understand it.
    In any event, it is the wall wart that would seem to be doing all the work of charging the battery, setting the max current and the max voltage just by having a significant series resistance most likely.
    Ah, you beat me to it.
    That's why the fuse is not needed for a shorted cell. Being at 11V instead of 14V isn't enough to make the current jump so much. A short or reversed battery is a different matter.
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    THE WALL WART LIMITS THE CURRENT AND PREVENTS ANY ISSUES FROM A SINGLE SHORTED CELL.

    Is that clear?
    Yes, so why have the semiconductor fuse at all?

    [other groups reinstated to stop you limiting the audience - others may be reading this in another group]
    Oh, you use google groups. My god man get a newsreader program.

    As I said, when you reverse connect the battery, you double the voltage in the circuit. Rather than having a difference of a couple of volts in the EMF opposing the current, you now have a voltage that is perhaps 10 times that total. Yeah, that's going to push some unreasonable current though the power pack, so the fuse is needed.

    Since the battery pack, like any cordless drill, has a semicircle shaped connector, it cannot possibly be connected backwards.

    Exactly which quirks where those?

    Who said anything about quirks?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Brian Gaff \(Sofa\)@briang1@blueyonder.co.uk to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 09:30:20 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    Its called a lossless charger. I encountered something like it in an old
    pifco charging circuit in a torch. From what I could see one rectifier one large capacitor and a small bleed resistor across the mains pins was all supposed to charge two flat Ni-cads, and it was fine until the capacitor got leaky, and the room filled with nasty smelling smoke.

    I'm just guessing here, since I cannot see your circuit, but it used to be a very common practice for small rechargeable devices.
    Brian
    --

    This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
    The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
    briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
    Blind user, so no pictures please
    Note this Signature is meaningless.!
    "Commander Kinsey" <CK1@nospam.com> wrote in message news:op.1hjp1807mvhs6z@ryzen.lan...
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only
    connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC
    current to allow the battery to charge?


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Peeler@trolltrap@valid.invalid to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 10:48:42 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:33:40 -0000, Brainless & Daft, the notorious, troll-feeding senile idiot, blathered again:

    Yes stop this silly childish response. Nobody is asking anyone else to read every post are they?
    Brainless & Daft

    Says of course that idiotic sick senile asshole who will thankfully accept
    ANY idiotic trollshit that gives him another opportunity to keep blathering
    and gossiping about it endlessly! With useless idiots like you around, "euthanizing" seems to be become an option worth considering.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul@nospam@needed.invalid to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y on Mon Feb 14 07:22:30 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On 2/13/2022 5:33 PM, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery?a They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor?a I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor.a Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    The shape of the edge of the device,
    hints that it is not a disc capacitor.

    One reason for that, is the material the yellow
    thing is dipped in, is a hell of a lot harder,
    than the softer stuff used on the older disc caps.
    The yellow material might be intended to be
    flame proof or the like.

    As a connoisseur of circuits, I bet you've already
    made up your mind as to whether this circuit is a
    good idea or a bad idea...

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 12:23:18 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On 13/02/2022 23:57, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:33:34 -0000, "Commander Kinsey"
    <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    It can't. Maybe that yellow disk is not a capacitor.



    Thermistor more like
    --
    "Corbyn talks about equality, justice, opportunity, health care, peace,
    community, compassion, investment, security, housing...."
    "What kind of person is not interested in those things?"

    "Jeremy Corbyn?"

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Carlos E.R.@robin_listas@es.invalid to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 21:04:42 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On 2022-02-14 03:58, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:54:02 -0000, williamwright
    <wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote:
    On 14/02/2022 00:47, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    Unless NiCads are vastly different to car batteries, one shorted cell
    makes a hell of a lot more current flow.

    They are vastly different.

    Do they not both have a very low internal resistance?-a Therefore
    connecting a 10V battery to a 12V charger makes too much current flow?

    Yes. With a charger as you described, yes.
    --
    Cheers, Carlos.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From dplatt@dplatt@coop.radagast.org (Dave Platt) to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Mon Feb 14 15:13:04 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    In article <op.1hjp1807mvhs6z@ryzen.lan>,
    Commander Kinsey <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor.
    How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    I don't believe that it could.

    My guess is that schematic misinterprets the nature of the yellow
    disc. I suspect that it's not a capacitor at all, but is a positive-temperature-coefficient thermistor - a "soft fuse". If the
    output (to the battery) is accidentally short-circuited, the high
    current flow through the PTC will cause it to heat up, increasing its resistance, causing it to heat up even faster, causing its resistance
    to increase even more... and thus limiting the current flow through
    the short circuit. These PTCs usually have a "hold current" (which
    they will allow to pass for an unlimited amount of time, at room
    temperature) and a "trip current" which will heat them enough to cause
    them to limit the current.

    Since we don't have a profile view of this component and can't see
    the markings, I can't tell for sure.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Phil Allison@pallison49@gmail.com to sci.electronics.basics on Mon Feb 14 15:29:22 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    Dave Platt wrote:
    =============


    My guess is that schematic misinterprets the nature of the yellow
    disc.

    ** You been sleeping ?
    That was obvious two days ago.

    I suspect that it's not a capacitor at all, but is a
    positive-temperature-coefficient thermistor - a "soft fuse".

    ** The trade name is " Polyfuse ".

    They show very low cold resistances and will snap to a high value when hot.
    Used for loudspeaker, battery pak and transformer protection.
    Slow acting but self resetting, many times.



    ..... Phil

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Tue Feb 15 01:06:34 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    I assume you mean a capacitive dropper? I have an LED room light like that. That would be the capacitor limiting current in the AC part, but in this case it was in the DC part. I've been told it isn't a capacitor, but an automatic resetting fuse, which looks exactly like a ceramic disk capacitor.


    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:30:20 -0000, Brian Gaff (Sofa) <briang1@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

    Its called a lossless charger. I encountered something like it in an old pifco charging circuit in a torch. From what I could see one rectifier one large capacitor and a small bleed resistor across the mains pins was all supposed to charge two flat Ni-cads, and it was fine until the capacitor got leaky, and the room filled with nasty smelling smoke.

    I'm just guessing here, since I cannot see your circuit, but it used to be a very common practice for small rechargeable devices.
    Brian
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y on Tue Feb 15 01:10:26 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:22:30 -0000, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 2/13/2022 5:33 PM, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>>> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    The shape of the edge of the device,
    hints that it is not a disc capacitor.

    One reason for that, is the material the yellow
    thing is dipped in, is a hell of a lot harder,
    than the softer stuff used on the older disc caps.
    The yellow material might be intended to be
    flame proof or the like.

    As a connoisseur of circuits, I bet you've already
    made up your mind as to whether this circuit is a
    good idea or a bad idea...

    It's not going to be used anymore anyway. It was for NiCads (which are too old and tired), and I'm changing the battery packs to LiIon, which I'll just charge form a bench supply.
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  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics,alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y on Tue Feb 15 01:11:26 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:22:30 -0000, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

    On 2/13/2022 5:33 PM, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >>>> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    The shape of the edge of the device,
    hints that it is not a disc capacitor.

    One reason for that, is the material the yellow
    thing is dipped in, is a hell of a lot harder,
    than the softer stuff used on the older disc caps.
    The yellow material might be intended to be
    flame proof or the like.

    It is shinier than the disk capacitors.

    You say "older" - don't they make them anymore?
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  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y,sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics on Tue Feb 15 01:15:52 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:41:10 -0000, trader_4 <trader4@optonline.net> wrote:

    On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 5:34:03 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote:
    On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:55:51 -0000, Rick C <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > On Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:33:49 PM UTC-5, Commander Kinsey wrote: >> >> https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor. How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    Maybe it's an AC battery? They are very useful for grid storage applications as long as you can control the phase.

    What makes you think that component is a capacitor? I'm assuming you drew the schematic.

    I've learned from someone on Quora that it's actually a PTC Fuse - a resettable semiconductor fuse.

    The second image in the link shows a brown disk, which I thought was a ceramic capacitor. Looks like it's to stop a busted battery from being overcharged when a cell has died.

    It's also not exactly what I'd call a charger. It's more of a charging indicator
    circuit. It takes DC input and puts it straight to the battery through a diode.
    The rest is there apparently for the two LEDS that show power on and charging.

    Yeah, very cheap cordless drill, doesn't even have gears. It has hammer action, but at 550rpm that's ridiculous. Also can only do a few holes in bricks before the battery goes flat. Maybe it'll work better when I introduce the motor to Li Ion....
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  • From Commander Kinsey@CK1@nospam.com to alt.home.repair,uk.d-i-y,sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.basics on Tue Feb 15 07:01:06 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Tue, 15 Feb 2022 06:04:34 -0000, Clare Snyder <clare@snyder.on.ca> wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:13:04 -0800, dplatt@coop.radagast.org (Dave
    Platt) wrote:

    In article <op.1hjp1807mvhs6z@ryzen.lan>,
    Commander Kinsey <CK1@nospam.com> wrote:
    https://imgur.com/a/b8l5qKQ

    Look at the circuit diagram. The positive of the battery is only connected through a capacitor.
    How can a capacitor possibly pass DC current to allow the battery to charge?

    I don't believe that it could.

    My guess is that schematic misinterprets the nature of the yellow
    disc. I suspect that it's not a capacitor at all, but is a
    positive-temperature-coefficient thermistor - a "soft fuse". If the
    output (to the battery) is accidentally short-circuited, the high
    current flow through the PTC will cause it to heat up, increasing its>> resistance, causing it to heat up even faster, causing its resistance>> to increase even more... and thus limiting the current flow through
    the short circuit. These PTCs usually have a "hold current" (which
    they will allow to pass for an unlimited amount of time, at room
    temperature) and a "trip current" which will heat them enough to cause
    them to limit the current.

    Since we don't have a profile view of this component and can't see
    the markings, I can't tell for sure.

    It is called "resonant charging" and the current is pulses - so it
    DOES flow through the capacitors

    see https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327260616/figure/download/fig2/AS:664444522733570@1535427327725/Lossless-Resonant-Charging-Circuit.png
    Nowhere in there does the current for the load have to pass through a capacitor.
    Or it could be a TPS as described here:

    A transformerless power supply (TPS) is basically just a voltage
    divider that takes the 115 or 220 VAC from your wall and divides it
    down to whatever voltage you want. If that voltage needs to be DC, it
    is rectified through a few diodes, and maybe regulated to a maximum
    voltage but werCOll get to that in a minute.

    Normally, DC voltage dividers are made with a pair of resistors.
    Combined, they define the current flowing through the path, and the
    top resistor can then be chosen to drop the difference between the
    input voltage and the desired output. If, in our case, that difference> is some one or two hundred volts, even if it only has to pass a few
    tens of milliamps, that resistor is going to get hot fast.

    A better component to use in the top of the divider is a capacitor,
    with its reactance chosen to give the desired rCLresistancerCY at whatever the mains frequency is where you live. For example, say you want 25
    milliamps out at 5 V, and yourCOre in America and need to drop 110 V. R
    = V / I = 4,400 O. Using the reactance of a capacitor, thatrCOs C = 1 /
    (2 * pi * 60 Hz * 4400) = 0.6 -|F. If you need more current, use a
    larger capacitor, and vice-versa. ItrCOs that easy!

    A fully elaborated TPS design requires a few more parts. For safety,
    and to limit inrush current, a fuse and a one-watt current-limiting
    resistor on the input are a good idea. A large-value discharge
    resistor in parallel with the reactive capacitor will keep it from
    holding its high voltage and shocking you when the circuit is
    unplugged.

    see https://hackaday.com/2017/04/04/the-shocking-truth-about-transformerless-power-supplies/
    But nowadays they're electronic. Switched mode has been around for years.
    How do you know Dave Platt is in alt.home.repair?
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  • From Peeler@trolltrap@valid.invalid to sci.electronics.basics,sci.electronics.design,uk.d-i-y,alt.home.repair on Tue Feb 15 09:44:37 2022
    From Newsgroup: sci.electronics.basics

    On Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:03:27 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
    Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

    <FLUSH the abnormal trolling senile cretin's latest trollshit unread>
    --
    Pomegranate Bastard addressing the trolling senile cretin from Oz:
    "Surely you can find an Australian group to pollute rather than posting
    your unwanted guff here."
    MID: <c1pqvgte5ldlo1rn3fpl7igtg4h8i9mk7p@4ax.com>
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