6 Jun
2009
6 Jun
'09
1:32 p.m.
On 6 Jun 2009 at 20:08, Tony Duell wrote:
It's on the output side of the LM317, so I imagine it's intended as
battery protection.
There's also a honking big diode across the output before the 50A
cartridge fuse in the lead going to the batteries. I assume it's to
protect the circuitry in case the batteries are connected with
reversed polarity.
--Chuck
Yes, fuses are very useful for protecting things like
transformers and
wiring harnesses. On the other hand, expensive power semiconductors
are useful for protecting fuses ;-)
A friend who worked as a DEC field engineer used to talk about DEC
being notorious for "transistor protected fuses".
The charging
circuit is pretty crude by modern standards--an LM317K
TO3 regulator on a large (4"x6") heatsink with a 50W zener and a
What's tyhe 50W zener for, given you have a regualtor chip?