Using a programmable power supply (DP832) as a smart battery charger?

[BlueBill]

Looking at all the advanced triggers on the Rigol DP832, it occurred to me that it should be possible to program it as a fast / smart battery charger.

I'm still reading through the operators manual, but any thoughts or advice on how to go about it would be helpful.

[Macbeth]

I use mine to charge my mobile all the time. Just set it to 5.5V and 2A, and I use the Samsung 2 resistor USB ID hack to enable fast charging. No triggers needed just leave it on it goes into trickle charge when 100% anyway. I did also have an Excel spreadsheet to log the current/time and make a nice dynamic graph. It would also switch the output off when the current got low enough to indicate a full charge.

[BlueBill]

Thanks, I've seen the resistor trick before and that's neat.

I was trying to charge a 12V SLA battery, thought it might be fun to program a fast / trickle charge into it.

[nctnico]

When charging a battery always use a series diode! If something goes wrong in the PSU a battery can push a lot of energy into a power supply and (best case scenario) fry it instantly.

[BlueBill]

When charging a battery always use a series diode! If something goes wrong in the PSU a battery can push a lot of energy into a power supply and (best case scenario) fry it instantly.

Good point.

[lwatts666]

I have used the DP832 to charge single Lithium Polymer cells in an emergency (provided their initial voltage is not too low).

Set output voltage to 4.2V, current limit to 1A, and alarm trip to less than 30mA. Battery charges constant 1A current until it reaches 4.2V, then at constant voltage until the charge current drops below 30mA when the alarm sounds.

Change the values given above to match the specs of your particular cell.

Good advice about the series diode.