1994 EZGO TXT Charger Transformer Gets Very Hot.

[Sid007]

Here's a bit of background. Not long ago, I took the shell off my massive PowerWise charger and installed it under the seat on the driver's side, just next to the six Trojan batteries. All's well with that, but, yesterday I noted that the transformer had gotten very hot (too hot to touch longer than a mere tap of the fingertips). This is something that was not possible to do when the case shell was still in place. Is such heat to be expected?

I will add that I followed JohnnieB's schematic and test procedures and my charger (transformer and capacitor) check out right on the money.

EDIT: Why isn't the title of my post bolded like the others?

[teecro]

It looks bolded to me...

The massive alum case that the charger was mounted in served a tri-fold duty.

1) To protect it from you.
2) To protect you from it.
3) Dissipate the heat generated by the transformer...

[jjance]

My DPI charger gets very warm when charging during the warm months. My solution was to go to WalMart and get a 5 or 6 inch aux fan to cool it down.

[Sid007]

Teecro, what you describe is obviously a heatsink design, probably finned. In my case the charger is encased in a pressed steel cover with a few louvers (the part I took off). The cover had zero influence on keeping the charger cool. On the contrary, it inhibited air flow. As for your other admonitions, all I can say is -- I know what I'm doing. I assume that your charger is housed in a milled aluminum housing, or, some such. During the later stages of the charge cycle, how warm/hot would you say the housing gets to the touch? Thanx for your input.

[Sid007]

Originally Posted by jjance

My DPI charger gets very warm when charging during the warm months. My solution was to go to WalMart and get a 5 or 6 inch aux fan to cool it down.

jjance, that's probably what I should do during these hot summer days in Texas. The ambient was 100F at the time of my experience with the seemingly overly hot transformer. Advice well taken. Thanx!

However, I'm still reasonably sure that this baby is getting excessively hot.

[glassk]

What Is Temperature Rise of a Transformer?

All devices that use electricity give off waste heat as a byproduct of their operation. Transformers are no exception. The heat generated in transformer operation causes temperature rise in the internal structures of the transformer. In general, more efficient transformers tend to have lower temperature rise, while less efficient units tend to have higher temperature rise.

Transformer temperature rise is defined as the average temperature rise of the windings above the ambient (surrounding) temperature, when the transformer is loaded at its nameplate rating


http://www.copper.org/environment/su...fficiency.html

[teecro]

Originally Posted by Sid007

Teecro, what you describe is obviously a heatsink design, probably finned. In my case the charger is encased in a pressed steel cover with a few louvers (the part I took off). The cover had zero influence on keeping the charger cool. On the contrary, it inhibited air flow. As for your other admonitions, all I can say is -- I know what I'm doing. I assume that your charger is housed in a milled aluminum housing, or, some such. During the later stages of the charge cycle, how warm/hot would you say the housing gets to the touch? Thanx for your input.

Well since you posted this in the Club Car forum I incorrectly assumed that you were speaking of a CC charger which is/was housed in louvered alum sheet with no fins that I recall... My admonitions they were merely generalizations not insults... The surface temp of a hard working transformer it would not surprise me in the least to see 180 perhaps as much as 210 if there is nothing to carry the heat away...

[Sid007]

Egad, teecro, to my surprise, you are absolutely right -- this IS the Club Car forum! So sorry to have misplaced this thread. Do you have any idea how I could get it moved to the EZGO forum?

Thanx for your info regarding the temps that a charger transformer can reach. My PowerWise definitely has no special heat-conveying technology -- it just sits, screwed to the steel bottom plate and encased in a very air circulation-restrictive cover.

Thanx for pointing out my mistake. I'll be very cautious from now on about where I'm posting.

[teecro]

Originally Posted by Sid007

Egad, teecro, to my surprise, you are absolutely right -- this IS the Club Car forum! So sorry to have misplaced this thread. Do you have any idea how I could get it moved to the EZGO forum?

Thanx for your info regarding the temps that a charger transformer can reach. My PowerWise definitely has no special heat-conveying technology -- it just sits, screwed to the steel bottom plate and encased in a very air circulation-restrictive cover.

Thanx for pointing out my mistake. I'll be very cautious from now on about where I'm posting.

Err no biggie I'd answer the question best I could no matter where is was posted...

Adding to the previously posted comments even the steel box it was in was designed to add surface area in dissipating heat into a garage with open & free air circulation. So with your's now stuck under the seat with little to no air movement. I'd suggest opening the seat to allow heat to rise, and watch closely... A small fan could work wonders.... I deal with electric motors here at work as large as 800 HP and on some of the motor control panels they simply suffer from heat soak, I've added small muffin fans and/or just added venting to the tops of the cabinets to relieve some of the heat...

[rib33024]

Moved to Electric Ezgo forum