Battery Cooler

This battery cooler is used to cool and discharge lead-acid battery packs found in model planes, boats and cars, so that they can then be safely recharged.In electrically driven model planes, boats and cars the battery can become fairly warm during use. It is therefore unwise to recharge them directly after use. This circuit cools the battery using its residual charge after a (hopefully successful) landing. If the battery still contains too much charge, it can be safely removed by the integrated discharge circuit. Whilst the circuit is on (and the average cell voltage is greater than 0.8 V), LED D3 will be lit. This makes it possible to check the state of the battery from a distance.

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Materials

014126-PCB.pdf

Gerber file

CAM/CAD data for the PCB referred to in this article is available as a Gerber file. Elektor GREEN and GOLD members can exclusively download these files for free as part of their membership. Gerber files allow a PCB to be produced on an appropriate device available locally, or through an online PCB manufacturing service.

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PCB

Download Gerber file: 014126-1.zip

Component list

Resistors:
R1 = 1kOhm
R2 = 5kOhm 6
R3 = 6kOhm 8
R4 = 8kOhm 2
R5 = 12kOhm
R6 = 15kOhm
R7 = 18kOhm
R8 = 22kOhm
R9,R12 = 1kOhm 8
R10,R15 = 4kOhm 7
R11 = 3kOhm 9
R13 = 270Ohm
R14 = 1Ohm 5 5W
Capacitors:
C1,C2,C3 = 100nF
Semiconductors:
D1,D2 = zener diode 2V7 400mW
D3 = LED, red, high efficiency
D4 = zener diode 3V3 400mW
T1 = BC547
T2,T5 = BC557
T3 = BD139
T4 = TIP141/TIP142
IC1 = TL072
Miscellaneous:
S2 = on/off switch, 1 make contact
S1 = rotary switch, 2 poles, 6 positions
M1 = fan, 12V
Heatsink for T4: 3K/W, e.g., Fischer SK48 (Dau Components)
PCB, order code 014126-1