Re: (Was DC>DC Converter?)

[Jeff Clearwater <clrwater@valinet.com>]

Hi John and Rich and all,

>I can't believe that DCP hasn't logged in with their DCP300.
>
>We actually designed it for EVers from the start. It has a totally
>isolated output for the E-meter,


Now THIS is what this list is for!  I was about to buy an E-Meter's 
Isolator as well as a Vicor!  I was overconfidant last Winter and 
thought I could trust myself to disconnect my E-meter fuse when I 
left the car for any period. but a  winter trip out west and oops I 
forgot to take the E-Meter fuse out - sat for 3 months with no 
charge.  There went my first two batteries (E-meter wired to first 24 
volts) down to zero and stay there all winter on the E-Meter's 
surprisingly large idle draw.  I got them topped off and did some 
reconditioning charges but they always seemed to lag behind the rest 
of the pack no matter how many times I charged them individually (No 
Rudman Regs!) and finally this winter they both failed me.

But what was that about "overpriced" on the DCP300? How Much?  Maybe 
it would be cheaper to fix my Todd and buy the E-meter isolator 
anyway?  And if I did the DCP then I'd have to have my DC>DC on all 
the time,  What's the idle draw of the DCP?

Why does the E-Meter use so much idle juice anyway?  Something like 
100 milliamps (17 Ahrs/week)  Draws my batts down out of sync in no 
time.  And mine has developed this weird problem.  If the light into 
the sensor eye that controls the display dim is too bright the damn 
thing flashes like it had low voltage and I have to reset it!  I have 
a piece  of tape over the eye but now I can't read it when it's 
bright out.

I don't suppose by chance that Cruising Equipment hired you Rich to 
map that circuit too did they?

Jeff

PS Thanks John for completing the Todd story for me.

And Rich, Now wasn't that a cool, "stand up for our good colleague" 
response from the list for you!  I only talked to you once, about 7 
years ago when I lived in Oly when I was Northwest Electric Car.  I 
can't even remember what I was trying to buy from you or did buy. 
But I do remember our fun animated conversation. I thought to myself 
then, hmm this guy is a wild one!   But I remember immediately liking 
you - all I remember was you bragging about building a controller 
that would be better than Otmar's!
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Ecovillage Design Associates
Community and Village Scale Renewable Energy Systems
413-259-1900, clrwater@valinet.com

Board Member - Living Routes-Ecovillage Education Consortium 
http://www.LivingRoutes.org
Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas 
http://www.gaia.org/secretariats/ena/
Sirius Community, 72 Baker Rd, Shutesbury, MA  01072
(413) 259-1254, (413) 259-1255 Fax
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