Microwave transformer (was: battery regulators)

[Thomas Shay <tshay@ix.netcom.com>]

Mark Hanson wrote:

> Even though i did the BattPro, the best way to balance the pack is with a
> multiple secondary transformer. I wound mine from a 1000W microwave oven
> transformer running at 1.5kw with a fan. It has 7 secondaries and 14 diodes,
> push-pull, one for each battery & keeps the voltages within .1V of each
> other. Posted last year.

This sounds like a great idea to me.   I've got a transformer from a
discarded microwave with its high voltage (about 2000 volts)
secondary removed.  This might be a good use for it.  My
transformer will need a fan even when lightly loaded because the
iron core gets very hot after about 30 minutes with no fan.  I
haven't yet tried using the fan from the microwave but it should
do a good job of keeping the transformer cool.

I'm skeptical about getting 1500 watts from this setup.  Can you
really get that much output without overheating the transformer?
I'd cheerfully settle for half of that for a balancer and depend on
a seperate battery charger to do most of the charging.

Do tell us a few more details about your balancer system.

Tom Shay      1983 Ranger pickup conversion