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TL;DR

  • Built a workshop active load for testing power supplies and measuring battery capacity, split into control and monitoring, power stage, and auxiliary circuit sections.
  • Red potentiometer sets the load current from about 0.1 to 10 A, while the blue one sets the cutoff voltage for automatic shutdown.
  • Three meters show operating status, actual current and voltage, plus transistor dissipation; a timer starts with Start and stops when the process ends.
  • The power stage uses working transistors on a heat sink, a shunt, thermal monitoring, fan-failure shutdown, and light bulbs to distribute some power.
  • The design is not foolproof, and extreme current or voltage settings can damage the transistors before the heat sink can remove the heat.
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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
📢 Listen (AI):
  • There are many designs for a device that is one of the elements of the workshop equipment and it takes a while to find a diagram or description of the construction.
    When creating the design that I want to devote to this description, I was guided by the need to separate high power and the possibility of using it to measure the capacity of the batteries.

    The whole is divided into 3 functional parts.
    1. Team tasking and monitoring working conditions
    2. Executive member
    3. Auxiliary circuit

    Ad 1. Control panel of a device for measuring battery capacity with displays and knobs.
    I will briefly describe the meaning of the various elements of the faceplate.

    The device, apart from being a typical load, e.g. of the tested power supply, has the ability to determine battery capacity, hence 2 potentiometers.

    Red sets the value of the load current. in the range from about 0.1 ÷ 10 A.
    Blue allows you to define the voltage at which automatic shutdown is to take place.

    3 visible meters provide information about the current operating status, and the third (higher digits) switches on automatically when the voltage on the load transistors is alarmingly high.
    Here's a little note.
    It is a construction for workshop use, made of the so-called przydasiów. It has a few security features, but it's not to put it mildly ... foolproof. Hence the third meter that allows you to find out about the amount of power on the working transistors.
    Although there is thermal protection against overheating, improper setting of operating conditions can damage the transistors before they can heat the heat sink.
    Of course, we are talking about the extreme values of current and voltage.

    Ad 2. DIY workshop device with a fan and PCB on a wooden table. The image shows part of a workshop device with multicolored wires and electronic components on a mounting board.
    It is a part of the whole housing working transistors, a heat sink, a shunt, and a system that monitors the temperature of the heat sink and provides emergency shutdown in case the fan fails to cool down. LED indicates tripping.

    Ad 3. Diagram showing an electrical circuit with switches, diodes, and a fan.
    This is an additional element that allows you to distribute the power. Some go to the transistors, the rest of the power is dissipated in the light bulbs.

    The loading of the tested power supply does not require too complicated explanations.
    Switching on is carried out with the Start / Stop button. Earlier, you can set the value of the load current and voltage to a value lower than the voltage of the tested power supply (I will describe this lower later).

    After the operation starts (Start), the meters show the current values of current and voltage, which is indicated by the "Actual value" LED. Every 5 seconds, the indication switches to reminding the previously set value, which is indicated by the green diode.
    This operating mode allows you to see when the load comes out of the assumed DC phase. It is possible to imagine a situation where we assume that the power supply is loaded with, for example, a current of 5 A, but due to the total resistance, the maximum current can reach a maximum of 4 A. It will come out right away.

    Measurement of the battery capacity requires precise determination of the voltage value at which the measurement is to end. Obviously, the current value must also be set.
    Time measurement is needed to take measurements. I used a long-standing clock in the drawer here.
    It is turned on automatically when the Start button is pressed and stops when the process is finished (blue LED).

    Sorry for the poor photo quality. While making them, I didn't think about describing this topic.
    Workshop device for measuring battery capacity with three meters and connected batteries. Workshop set for measuring battery capacity with various components on a table. The image shows a prototype of a workshop device with a fan, a box with switches, and a quartz clock. Front panel with light bulbs and a fan on a workshop device. View of a section of a workshop device with circuit boards, a fan, and switches.

    Cool? Ranking DIY
    About Author
    W.P.
    Computer PSUs specialist
    Offline 
    W.P. wrote 5278 posts with rating 1207, helped 769 times. Live in city Łódź. Been with us since 2003 year.
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  • #2 19195351
    jaca271
    Level 13  
    Interesting project. I'm waiting for some schematics or part 2.
    regards
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  • #3 19195454
    W.P.
    Computer PSUs specialist
    Part 2 still warm, just finished.
  • #4 19202748
    W.P.
    Computer PSUs specialist
    For years, I have been struggling with an unpleasant ailment that has been afflicting me since I was a child - my innate laziness. I am making progress in this matter and, in the case of more important projects, I draw the final one based on the preserved pages with fragments of diagrams.
    Electronic circuit diagram with components such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors.
    Due to the limited space of the schematic, there is no second bulb cooling fan on it.
📢 Listen (AI):

FAQ

TL;DR: An adjustable electronic load handles 0.1–10 A and auto-cuts at user-set voltage; “I split the power between transistors and light bulbs for safety” [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] Built-in meters swap readings every 5 s, easing fault spotting. Why it matters: One bench tool now tests power supplies and logs battery capacity without lab-grade hardware.

Quick Facts

• Load current range: 0.1 A – 10 A via red potentiometer [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] • Adjustable cut-off voltage set by blue potentiometer [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] • Display cycles every 5 s between live and preset values [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] • Thermal safety: fan-cooled heatsink, over-temp shutdown, LED alarm on fan failure [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] • Power split: MOSFETs + 12 V bulbs share dissipation for up to “alarmingly high” voltages [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

What is the maximum load current this DIY active load can handle?

The red current-set potentiometer lets you draw up to about 10 A continuous from the device under test [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

How do I set the cut-off voltage for battery testing?

Turn the blue potentiometer until the desired end-of-discharge voltage appears on the voltmeter, then press Start. The load disconnects automatically when the pack reaches that value [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

Why are three digital meters installed on the front panel?

Two meters show real-time current and voltage. A third meter activates only when transistor voltage rises to a risky level, giving an early overheating warning [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

How does the device protect its power transistors?

A heatsink sensor triggers fan cooling; if the fan stalls, an LED lights and the control board shuts the load off to avoid thermal runaway [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

Can I use it to determine battery capacity?

Yes. Set discharge current and cut-off voltage, press Start, and a built-in clock logs the elapsed time until shut-off, letting you calculate amp-hours (Ah) [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

What happens if I exceed safe current or voltage?

“Improper setting of operating conditions can damage the transistors before they can heat the heat sink” [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627] Always start below 10 A or high voltage extremes.

How is excess heat removed during high-power tests?

Power splits: MOSFETs mount to a fan-cooled heatsink while 12 V automotive bulbs burn off the remainder, keeping any single element below its limit [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

What forms the current-sensing shunt?

A low-resistance metal bar bolted beside the transistors serves as the shunt; its exact value isn’t specified but supports up to 10 A readings [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

How often does the display toggle between real-time and preset values?

Every 5 seconds the indicators switch, with a green LED marking the preset phase [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]

Do I need two cooling fans?

The schematic shows one heatsink fan; a second bulb-box fan is recommended but omitted from the drawing due to space [Elektroda, W.P., post #19202748]

3-step: How do I load-test a power supply?

  1. Dial desired current on the red pot below the PSU’s rated limit.
  2. Press Start; watch live current/voltage readings.
  3. Stop when either meter or transistor-voltage alarm indicates instability [Elektroda, W.P., post #19186627]
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