TAKING CONTROL OF THE

I had purchased a PIC chip to control the Zivan NG3 charger awhile back that Custom Circuits had developed and Mark Weisheimer had complied and loaded the program during the winter but the chip would not turn on the charger. The charger would blink but nothing happened. The Zivan NG3 charger really is a good piece of equipment if it could be set properly but to get it to shut off at 137.6 volts, I had to set to voltage to start tapering at about 124 volts and it would taper the voltage down to just under 3 volts before shutting off. I guess for charging at home this is ok but if I am going to be charging at work or when I am at a public charter, the early taper adds hours to getting close to a full charge. With the pack taking 65 amp hours and the charger putting out 18 amps per hour, I should be able to charge in 3-1/2 hours or so but the time increases proportionally as the current reduces.

To combat this, I set the NG3 charger so it does not start to taper until 136 volts, where it steps down to 14.5 amps. I will then use a JLD5740 from Light Objects, to shut off the charger. So last night and this morning, I started mounting the JLD5740 and ABB 220 volt contactor with a 12 volt relay. By early afternoon, the components were all mounted. All that is left is to wire it all up and test it on a charge.

CONTACTOR AND METER MOUNTING

JLD 5740

CONTACTOR BOX WITH COVER ON

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JLD 5740

The J1772 connector along with a 20 amp 220 plug have been installed in the Fiero, so it is just a matter of hooking up the wires and putting the Zivan NG3 charger back in the car and I will be ready to test it out at a public charger. I also have a TCCH 3000 charger, so if I can find someone who can get the programming on the PIC chip to work with the NG3 charger, I can use it while the NG3 is sent out bo be programmed.

Many of my posts speak of my son Shane and his fiance Vanessa but last week they broke up and called off the wedding,,,,So Sad! Anyway, better now than after they have been married a couple of years.

Until next time,

Randy