Charging sockets

Greg Elmassian said:
You do know that one of the failure modes of rechargeable batteries is an internal short, right?

This could easily trip the circuit protection.

I think we need to know the number of batteries, and the chemistry. Once you know this, you can measure the voltage of the pack and usually pretty quickly determine if there are one or more damaged cells.

From the age of this thread, I'm suspecting the batteries first.

Greg
Click to expand...
It could always be a faulty trip?I know it sounds silly and basic, and I'm sure it's been done, but have you completely dismantled your set up and started from scratch? This is my default problem finding mode, it's often quicker and in the long run slightly less frustrating
 
I have to respectfully disagree, when you have an issue, try to debug in situ, if you tear things apart, you might remove the problem, but never discover it until reassembled.

(your issue could be a mistake that you re-create upon putting it back together again, and you learn nothing)

Checking the battery while the problem exists would be my first step... When you have a repeatable and demonstrable problem, you can measure the deviation from the desired situation.

Greg
 
The battery pack is 4.8v AAA 950 mAh and it is a pack, not individual cells.

-Having disconnected the load - the three 5v grain of wheat bulbs, the battery pack has taken a charge.

Thus I've been able to rule out both the battery pack and the circuit breaker - it doesn't leave much, and all the fingers are pointing at the switch, because you don't get the circuit breaker cutting out when you switch the lights on.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
I have to respectfully disagree, when you have an issue, try to debug in situ, if you tear things apart, you might remove the problem, but never discover it until reassembled.

(your issue could be a mistake that you re-create upon putting it back together again, and you learn nothing)

Checking the battery while the problem exists would be my first step... When you have a repeatable and demonstrable problem, you can measure the deviation from the desired situation.

Greg
Click to expand...
As I said, it does seem a strange way to go about things, but it sometimes works for me! Although you're obviously right, you probably won't ever know what the problem was.
 
Well, I have installed a new DPDT switch and the caboose is back up and running :clap::clap:

Two things:

  1. Remind me not to buy ultra miniature toggle switches - nice as they are for fitting in tiny spaces, soldering the leads is a challenge :punch::punch:
  2. I am slowly forming the opinion that the Ansaman charger has lost its ability to detect / adapt to different polarity :think::think:

The latter is a bit of a b****r because when I first had the charger, I was able to stick a couple of leads on a charging socket willy-nilly and let the charger sort out the polarity :nod::nod: This means that I have various charging sockets tucked away in tight little corners and I have no way of visually checking the polarity :banghead:

But, I have a cunning plan........................ :cool::cool:
 
The final solution......

PICT0017.JPG

Green light = correct polarity: Red light = incorrect polarity, so use a reverser lead.

Four different resistors inside to protect the LED at the four given voltages, which for my purposes are the ones I mainly use :nod::nod::nod:
 
You could very probably have used just the highest value resistor, and still got an output from your LED at the lowest voltage..
 
PhilP said:
You could very probably have used just the highest value resistor, and still got an output from your LED at the lowest voltage..
Click to expand...
MMmm ...............680 ohms at 4.8 volts may have given a rather dim glow that might not be visible in sunlight :think::think::think:
 
It is a single device, with 2 terminals (the 3rd is not connected)... no other components necessary.... probably not what you have since you use the word "circuit"... also you say "constant voltage" which is appropriate for incandescent bulbs, but we are talking LEDs, where constant current is necessary.

these goodies will give a constant 20ma with up to 90v input... at least could eliminate the switch... they are cheap, and come in smaller packages too, we use them in Z scale.

Greg
 
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