PINNED ZXD2400 Old + New 0-60V 0-50A Power Supply & Charger

[Gnomatic]

Thanks.

These PSU's are handy. My neighbor had been traveling, and her son's car was parked in her garage for a few months. So she gets back and goes to start it today, and of course the battery was very dead. And since the car was pulled into the garage, neither of us had long enough jumper cable to reach the cars battery from a second vehicle. And I had lent my jumper box out to a friend. So enter Shirley PSU. Set it to 14.4V and 31A.(the highest it will go powered by a US 110VAC standard outlet) and connected it to the dead battery. Current flow was initially very low, but it eventually climbed to 31A. Then we let it charge the battery for another hour or so. After which it started right up!

[Burgerman]

I think it was M4, slight chance M5... Cant see it from here. M4/M5 whichever it was self taps perfectly.

[Williamclark77]

I received my second ZXD last week. Thanks Shirley! I just got to open it. I think the Post Office used it for a wheel chock. The power button is bent down, the display screen is busted out, the positive terminal is bent, the negative terminal is broken off. The case isn't crushed though and I did get it to power on after some fiddling. I'll work on it another day. I think the meat of her is ok.

My box had "USED" wrote on it. These definitely need to be put in another box and padded.

I shipped a computer one time. It seriously looked like it got ran over by a forklift. The hard drives were literally pushed out of the case it was crushed so far.

What settings should be used on plain old wet car batteries? I was using a Hyperion with burnt out balance connectors (don’t ask ) to charge the lawn mower, atv, cars, tractor, etc. I think I'll use this ZXD when I get it fixed.

[shirley_hkg]

Shit !

It took longer this time . Packing is pretty heavy already .

Maybe able to get you a power button for repair . Let me know .

[Burgerman]

Generic AGM?

14.40V charge CV
Amps, set about 1/4 to 1/3rd capacity so 30A for a 100Ah battery. Higher is fine on decent quality batteries.

For termination and float setting, for general charge use, set 13.5V and 0.3A as the point where it goes to float.

Your post service is a little rough.

[steves1977uk]

If/when you get a dremel (or similar) Steve, can you post which one you got. I've always wanted a multitool but never have bought on cos I don't know which one to buy.

Here's a video of the Dremel 4000 I got, it's quite a nice piece of kit.


youtu.be/1zea9EsmoAc

Steve

[Burgerman]

yES THATS SIMILAR BUT 20 YEARS NEWER than mine, f*******g keyboard

[Williamclark77]

Maybe able to get you a power button for repair . Let me know .

It should be fine. I haven't had a chance to do anything with it and may not for another week. As long as the internals are good I can fix the rest. They appeared to be fine. No big deal

Steve, I have that same dremel. I had several knock-offs that didn't last long. I bought one identical to that three years ago. Good unit for small stuff like this.

BM, I attempted to charge a rough battery out of my mower that had been sitting all winter with my old automotive brick charger. After an hour it was hissing loudly. I only had it charging at 2 amps max (the lowest setting - 2, 10, or 50 amp). It had already swapped to float. Voltage on the alligator clips while connected to the battery was 13.45. Voltage on the terminals themselves was over 19v! I checked with two volt meters. It got tossed into the yard to cool then trashed. I've never seen a 12v battery read that high.

[Burgerman]

I didnt know they could. As soon as off charge the voltage should drop to 13.2 or less. After a couple of mins.

[steves1977uk]

Steve, I have that same dremel. I had several knock-offs that didn't last long. I bought one identical to that three years ago. Good unit for small stuff like this.

Thanks for the heads up Will! I did think about getting a cheaper one, but then thought it wouldn't be such good quality, so ended up with the Dremel 4000-4/65 for £76-odd.

Steve

[Gnomatic]

Those are nice. Very versatile.

A few years ago I picked up a Hitachi GP10DL rotary tool on a closeout sale for $30. It was a steal. It gets used on everything from weekly filing down of the dog's toenails, cutting off bolts, and now notches in the fancy cases to make room for the Anderson SB50 output connection. I also picked up the drill and impact driver that goes with the same battery as I've found them on sale. Plus a couple extra batteries for them now. Makes for a nice compact set of power tools. Only problem is family is always trying to borrow them.

[shirley_hkg]

Powder coating the stock case is available now @£5 .

[Scooterman]

If/when you get a dremel (or similar) Steve, can you post which one you got. I've always wanted a multitool but never have bought on cos I don't know which one to buy.

Here's a video of the Dremel 4000 I got, it's quite a nice piece of kit.


Steve

Sorry I missed your post Steve, thanks for the vid

[granian]

Can any of the mods/upgrades that are being done to the Fancy case also be done to the original case, ie what is gained with purchasing the new case.

[Burgerman]

Just looks nicer, and a little extra space for thicker quieter fans otherwise no gain And the control and screen are at the top where you can see and use them...

[granian]

Thanks for your input and help BM.

[Burgerman]

Fitting an anderon connector, to best make use of its 50 Amp output capability for rapidly adding some power during the day is still possible but its hard to see where to fit that other than externally.

Instead of:

[granian]

So not enough room on the back of the original case for Andersons.
Regarding the front led control panel at the bottom of the original case, is that fitted at the top of the new case when changing or is there a new panel to replace it that needs wiring in to replace it.

[Burgerman]

Its the same parts. Just reassembled differently.
Its not a hard thing to do. But the first one had me puzzled and took about 1.5 hours. The 2nd one about 35 mins and done. You need a few basic tools. And a little confidence and some basic knowledge. Maybe soldering capability.

[Scooterman]

Fitting an anderon connector, to best make use of its 50 Amp output capability for rapidly adding some power during the day is still possible but its hard to see where to fit that other than externally.

Instead of:

Imho fitting the rear mounted anderson is definitely a worthwhile job, so much better than using the banana jacks.

NB: I copied BM's

[granian]

Thats all good news thanks, I had wondered if there was a new panel and reprogramming knowledge required.
I think I can manage the andersons and power wiring ok, might have to think a bit about the setting up though.

[Scooterman]

If we multiply ZXD2400 display Ah reading by supply volts and divide by 1000. Does that give us how many KWh we're drawing from the mains? And if one multiplies that result by one's electricity tariff, does that inform one how much one is paying to charge one's batteris?

[Burgerman]

More or less. Actually less. 90% efficient.

[Scooterman]

Okey Dokey

It's not a lot actually, I think my latest tariff is about 17p per kwh not incl daily standing charge.

[Scooterman]

I just moved to Bulb, here's their tariffs. Although it's a variable tariff so could go up. But it's got no exit fees which is good.

[ex-Gooserider]

One minor note on the difference between the original and fancy cases is that the wiring bundle between the panel and the rest of the unit comes off the panel in the opposite direction.... On the original case the wiring comes off the top edge of the panel, on the fancy case it comes off the bottom....

If moving an already modded unit to the fancy case you may need to carefully reposition the wiring... If doing the conversion yourself it will make life easier if you route all the wires to come off the bottom corner of the panel to start with.... (this is NOT mentioned in the instructions for doing the modification)

ex-Gooserider

[LROBBINS]

The display panel wires are fine gauge - it's easy to break them - and in the fancy case need some strain relief.

[terry2]

If/when you get a dremel (or similar) Steve, can you post which one you got. I've always wanted a multitool but never have bought on cos I don't know which one to buy.

Here's a video of the Dremel 4000 I got, it's quite a nice piece of kit.


youtu.be/1zea9EsmoAc

Steve

That's a great bit of kit.

Will keep my eye out for it in the sales

[ex-Gooserider]

The display panel wires are fine gauge - it's easy to break them - and in the fancy case need some strain relief.

I agree, not so much the wires themselves as the solder joints where they attach, as is typical, soldering makes the wire stiff and prone to break at the edge of the solder joint....

When I was doing my supply I used a LOT of hot-melt goo to do the strain relief. If I were to do another one, I might be inclined to use super-glue instead - either way the idea is the same, make it so any flex happens in the strands of the wire, not at the solder joint.

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

The solder joint isnt what breaks. It the copper. But a crimped wire also breaks just the same after the solid crimp bit ends. So theres no difference!

But I might suggest you are all being a bit over vigourous. I have 2. Non came off, and neither have any strain relief. The wires are small, so weak. But also low mass. So if you dont break it when wrenching it about it will be fine after this.