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NEWS PRODUCTS - APPLICATIONS - KNOWLEDGE NO. 1 2013<br />
MARINE<br />
REHAB<br />
LANDBRUG/<br />
AGRICULTURE<br />
fritid/leisure<br />
SOLPANELER/<br />
SOLAR PANELS<br />
Breaking <strong>News</strong><br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> supply Lithium-Ion battery charger to France<br />
Chargers delivered to newly developed wheelchair with Lithium-Ion Battery<br />
Our Marine charger concept is gaining ground in Turkey and Norway<br />
On the boat and marine equipment exhibition in Istanbul and Oslo there was great interest<br />
in our marine chargers. The concept of built-in solar panel controller with MPPT, as well as<br />
our power supply with automatic switching between shore power and the service battery<br />
was to many ”revolutionary”. Regarding sale generally several business deals have been<br />
concluded with Turkish wholesalers and in Norway a large agreement was signed with<br />
Flak A/S. A marine wholesaler with 87 stores throughout Norway.<br />
The MEDICO-series<br />
24V <strong>Medico</strong> chargers now also for<br />
Lithium batteries Portable and<br />
waterproof without fan<br />
IN THIS ISSUE YOU CAN READ ABOUT.......<br />
• Why choose a charger with two separate outputs and input from a solar panel?..page 2<br />
• Why is it smart to charge the starter battery from the service battery?......................page 2<br />
• Why is it smart to have a solar panel regulator built into the battery charger?........page 2<br />
• Why should a solar panel regulator have MPPT and what is it?......................................page 3<br />
• What is the difference between solar panel regulators, MPPT, PWM......?....................page 3<br />
• Information from the editor about J.K. <strong>Medico</strong>, Exhibitions and much more...........page 4<br />
LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE NEWS, ARTICLES AND<br />
APPLICATIONS FROM j.k. mEDICO IN THE NEXT ISSUES:<br />
• Why it is important to have a charger with automatic compensation for voltage drop<br />
across the charging cables and battery temperature compensation.<br />
• Why it is smart to have both a charger and a power supply in the boat or caravan.<br />
• Why J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> holds a patent on charging a lead acid battery and what benefits it provides<br />
to our customers<br />
• How to avoid corrosion and galvanic corrosion in a marine environment<br />
• How a solar cell works and what to know before you buy a sun panel.<br />
• Charging the batteries, true and false - Myths<br />
• Batteries - which batteries are used for what purpose, charging characteristics and battery<br />
care.<br />
• How to make a power budget for the boat or the caravan and thereby choose the size of<br />
service battery, battery charger and solar panel<br />
All our articles, applications and product descriptions are as published available<br />
online at www.jk-medico.dk<br />
NEW PRODUCTS COMMING UP:<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> develop at least one new product every year!<br />
• Solar panel charge regulator with MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) 12V/20A<br />
• Batteri booster with automatic compensation for cabel voltage drop, 2 x 12V/10A<br />
• Battery charger, waterproof without fan 12V/40A - 2 x 12V/20A<br />
• Galvanic isolator for the shore power ground wire.<br />
• Scalaable Lithium batteri pack with charger.<br />
• Electronic undervoltage circuit braker for battery protection 12V-24V/20A...3 x12V-24V/20A<br />
The HANDY-series<br />
Portable and waterproof battery<br />
chargers without fan<br />
The FIX-series<br />
Wall mountable and waterproof<br />
battery chargers without fan<br />
SUNWARE SOLAR PANELS<br />
High quality marine solar panels<br />
flexible and walkable<br />
APOLLOFLEX SOLAR PANELS<br />
NEW efficient and very flexible<br />
marine solar panel<br />
1
NEWS PRODUCTS - APPLICATIONS - KNOWLEDGE<br />
Why choose a charger with two separate<br />
outputs and input from a solar panel?<br />
2<br />
The J. K. <strong>Medico</strong> charging concept differs from other installations already when the alternator is connected,<br />
as the alternator must be directly<br />
connected to the utility battery.<br />
By doing so, the relative high charging<br />
current (80A-120A) from the Alternator<br />
is headed directly into the largest battery<br />
with a capacity of typically 100Ah-<br />
300Ah, which tolerates charging currents<br />
of that level. The charge controller<br />
of the alternator establishes (almost)<br />
direct contact to the battery, and by doing<br />
this, charges the battery to a more<br />
precise voltage – which is an advantage<br />
for the capacity and life cycle of the battery.<br />
As the charger has two separate outputs,<br />
which are connected to the starter-<br />
and utility battery accordingly, a diode<br />
splitter or separation relay are no<br />
longer needed. These have until now<br />
been used to separate the two batteries<br />
from each other, and secure that<br />
both batteries can be charged from the<br />
alternator. Either at the same time by<br />
the diode splitter, or separately with the<br />
separation relay.<br />
As separation relays and diodes are<br />
relatively expensive, produces voltage<br />
drop, generates heat, may cause charge<br />
voltage deviations and requires special<br />
SUN<br />
230VAC<br />
+<br />
3<br />
-<br />
PANEL<br />
10A<br />
MAIN<br />
CHARGER<br />
2,5A - 5A<br />
3A<br />
+<br />
2<br />
-<br />
FUSE<br />
+<br />
START<br />
-<br />
BATTERY<br />
installation with heavy cables, it is a distinct advantage to avoid these<br />
SUN PANEL<br />
CHARGER<br />
START BATTERY<br />
CHARGER<br />
STARTER<br />
How do you charge your starter battery without shore power?<br />
CCC12201203S03<br />
20A<br />
3A<br />
3A<br />
30A<br />
+<br />
1<br />
-<br />
FUSE<br />
+<br />
AUX<br />
-<br />
BATTERY<br />
The charger is designed in a way that enables a converter between the starter and utility battery to<br />
charge the starter battery. Current flow is only possible – from the utility battery to the starter battery.<br />
This guarantees that the starter battery is always fully charged, which is a handy and neat benefit.<br />
The charger provides 3A charging current to the starter battery, and when connected to main<br />
supply – also 20A to the utility battery<br />
Is 3A charging current to the starter battery enough?<br />
Yes. A quick calculation shows that this is appropriate. When you start your engine, the current flow is<br />
typically 300A for 10 sec. maximum.<br />
This is equivalent to: (300A x 10sec.):3600sec.=0,83Ah.<br />
If you charge with 3A, this will last: 0,83Ah/3A=0,28 hour => 16,66 minutes to charge your starter battery<br />
up to full again.<br />
Why is it a good idea to be able to connect a solar panel directly to your charger?<br />
Multiple good answers to this! First of all because it brings you a simple installation, without any extra<br />
boxes and the wiring to the batteries are allready in place. Second because it is a cheaper solution to<br />
buy a charger with a solar panel regulator inside, rather than buying a regulator separately. Also you get<br />
an intelligent solution, which are able to charge on both the charger- and utility battery, as well as the<br />
perspective that the solar panel regulator has a built in MPPT system (Maximum PowerPoint Tracking).<br />
This guarantees that the energy from the solar panel is utilized 99,5%, in comparison with other solar<br />
panel regulators in the field which produces around 70%. After all, it is uncool to buy an expensive solar<br />
panel and only withdraw 70% of the energy from it.<br />
ALT
NEWS PRODUCTS - APPLICATIONS - KNOWLEDGE<br />
Why is it important for a solar<br />
regulator to have MPPT?<br />
jk-medico.dk<br />
MPPT (Maximun PowerPoint Tracking) is as the name indicates to track the maximum output from<br />
the solar panel, at all tim. “True” MPPT guarantees that the maximum efficiency the solar panel can<br />
provide at a given solar radiation is used 99,5%. This again is in comparison to the many solar panel<br />
regulators in the field today, which have a kind of “pseudo” MPPT or none at all, and therefore typically<br />
only utilizes around 70-75% of the efficiency from the solar panel.<br />
True MPPT measures the current and voltage from the solar panel at all times, and alsocalculate the<br />
solar panel output power. By using a designated algorithm, The MPPT regulator search for the highest<br />
output power possible… as the solar radiation are continuously changing throughout the entire<br />
day by factors in weather, clouds and time of day.<br />
Fig. 1. Shows U/I characteristic from a solar panel. The blue curve displays current and voltage at a<br />
solar radiation power of 500 watt/m 2 . The red curve displays current and voltage at a radiation power<br />
of 1000 watt/m 2 .<br />
Fig. 1. Fig. 2.<br />
Fig. 2 is also a U/I characteristic. However on this, a power curve as well as the MPPT point the regulator<br />
will find, is plotted. This is, as described earlier, a display of optimal utilization of the solar panel.<br />
What is the difference between solar panel regulators – MPPT, PWM…?<br />
A solar panel regulator/charger without MPPT or with “pseudo” MPPT, is typically an electronic switch<br />
with a diode connected in series, where the switch is controlled in a way so the solar panel is connected<br />
directly to the battery through the diode when the battery is not fully charged. When the battery is<br />
charged to the desired voltage, the switch disconnects. This is not energy efficient as the output voltage<br />
from the solar panel will be determined by the battery voltage alone and the MPPT point there of<br />
only can be found at a certain solar radiation. Another disadvantage is when the switch momentarily<br />
turns off and because of this stop charging the battery. Then the voltage from the battery momentarily<br />
drops as well, which causes the switch to turn back on… and then there is trouble. On/off several times<br />
repeatedly brings an annoying electrical noise, with possible disturbance of radio and television etc.<br />
Some regulators are designed with a feature called PWM regulation (Pulse Width Modulation). This<br />
means that when the battery voltage is close to maximum, the switch turns off the charging current<br />
in short intervals (pulse), only to turn it completely off in the end. This has the effect that the battery<br />
voltage slowly stabilize, which is good according to the problems described earlier. However you can<br />
wonder what is worst due to noise? Controlled on-off throughout a long period of time (PWM)?, or<br />
uncontrolled on/off for a short period of time? Neither of the situations are particularly benefitial.<br />
What I call “pesudo” MPPT is also a PWM solution, where the output voltage from the solar panel is maintained<br />
at typically 76% of the maximum panel voltage. This is reached by PWM regulation of the charging current<br />
to the battery, to keep the voltage from the solar panel on a constant level. When the battery voltage is<br />
close to maximum, the pulses are controlled to make the regulator turn off. This type of regulator comes<br />
a bit closer to the MPPT point and is a probable a 80% efficiency solution. However it is noisy all the time<br />
and you get the strangest square pulses and voltage ringings on the cables from and to the regulator. So<br />
be careful with your choise of purchase!<br />
3
NEWS PRODUCTS - APPLICATIONS - KNOWLEDGE<br />
Dear reader<br />
Welcome to the first edition of<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> NEWS<br />
Our newsletter has a wide range of info regarding<br />
new products from J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> and generel news<br />
from within our company.<br />
You will also find product-specific applications and<br />
different product related subjects.<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> has great knowledge regarding battery<br />
chargers, power supplies, solar panels and batteries.<br />
Our staff members have more than 40 years of<br />
experience within the world of Power electronics.<br />
This know-how we happily share with you through<br />
theese newsletters and we hope for your interest<br />
and benefit from it.<br />
We also have great interest on issues/input provided<br />
from you. Should you have any questions, praise or<br />
criticism, or subjects to look into, please let us know<br />
at :<br />
jk-medico@jk-medico.dk , subject: “Article”.<br />
Best regards<br />
Ole Wiisbye Kallshøj<br />
Managing Director & Editor<br />
Scan the QR code or type<br />
http://uk.jk-medico.dk to enter our website<br />
Exhibitions and conferences<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> has an active profile on several<br />
markets (rehab, marine, agriculture and<br />
leisure) why we will attend several different<br />
exhibitions and conferences – nationally<br />
and internationally.<br />
This year we have participated on two<br />
boat shows in Istanbul and Norway, and<br />
this fall 2013 we will attend the Rehacare<br />
in Düsseldorf as well as the great boat<br />
equipment supply exhibition METS in Amsterdam.<br />
If you participate at one of these as well,<br />
either as guest or as an exhibitor, and<br />
have interest in a business meeting with<br />
us, please feel free to contact us. We are<br />
always ready to serve host with refreshments<br />
and a presentation of our products.<br />
On a running basis we attend electronical<br />
conferences as APEC in USA and Electronica<br />
in Münich, where we would also like to<br />
network and have a technical discussion.<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> is now part of a<br />
Danish business group<br />
In June 2012 the company Varodd Denmark<br />
Holding A/S was founded and a<br />
group of the following companies J.K.<br />
<strong>Medico</strong> ApS, AJ Chairs A/S (included Daro<br />
aids and accessories) and KR Hospital<br />
Equipment has now turned in to a reality.<br />
This means that the group benefits from<br />
the strong companionship and affiliation<br />
within. We can use the synergy in common<br />
administrative software, contribution<br />
between the boards respectively and the<br />
sales- and marketing activities.<br />
J.K. <strong>Medico</strong> plans to constantly<br />
develops our communication<br />
platforms and sales throughout<br />
the electronic media<br />
http://www.jk-medico.dk/<br />
http://shop.jk-medico.dk/<br />
4
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