AFast charge 7.2V NiCad battery charger.

This design uses the Maxim, MAX 713 NiCad battery charger IC to control the fast charge time and provide cell voltage monitoring.

It charges a battery to approximately 80% charge in 22 minutes at a current of 2.4 Amps. Once the fast charging has ended, it trickle charges the battery. Power is from a 13.6V, 3 Amp, switchmode power supply. There is also provision to use power from a 12V accessory (cigarette lighter) socket. As there are no transformers inside the case it is lightweight.
Note: You will require a power supply of greater than 13V to operate this circuit. Failure to do so will cuase the fast charge termination to operate incorrectly. I used a car accessory adaptor from Halfords, it provides 13.6V @ 5 Amps, more than enough for this circuit.

The design is based upon the example circuit from the MAX 713 datasheet. Due to the high current, there is a large heatsink on the power transistor, T1 and I also added a small CPU cooler to cool everything down. The cooling fan runs from the 12V supply to the PCB.

Part

Value

Device

Package

Description

C1

10nF

C-EU050-030X075

C050-030X075

CAPACITOR, European symbol

C2

10nF

C-EU050-030X075

C050-030X075

CAPACITOR, European symbol

C3

10uF

CPOL-EUE5-6

E5-6

POLARIZED CAPACITOR, European symbol

C4

10uF

CPOL-EUE5-6

E5-6

POLARIZED CAPACITOR, European symbol

D1

1N4004

1N4004

DO41-10

DIODE

H1

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

3,2

MOUNTING HOLE with drill center marker

H2

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

3,2

MOUNTING HOLE with drill center marker

H3

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

MOUNT-HOLE3.2

3,2

MOUNTING HOLE with drill center marker

IC1

MAX713CPE

MAX713CPE

DIL16

NiCd/NiMH Battery Fast-Charge Controller

KK1

SK104

SK104

SK104

HEATSINK manufacturer Fischer/distributor Buerklin

R1

1K

R-EU_0207/7

0207/7

RESISTOR, European symbol

R2

150R

R-EU_0207/7

0207/7

RESISTOR, European symbol

R3

68K

R-EU_0207/7

0207/7

RESISTOR, European symbol

R4

22K

R-EU_0207/2V

0207/2V

RESISTOR, European symbol

R5

0.1R (5W)

RKH206-8

KH206-8

Power Resistor

R6

150R

R-EU_0207/7

0207/7

RESISTOR, European symbol

R8

1K

R-EU_0207/7

0207/7

RESISTOR, European symbol

Q1

TIP33

TIP33

TO220V

TIP33 vertical mount NPN transistor

LED1

LED5MM

LED5MM

LED

LED2

LED5MM

LED5MM

LED

X1

W237-02P

W237-132

WAGO SREW CLAMP

X2

W237-02P

W237-132

WAGO SREW CLAMP

X3

W237-02P

W237-132

WAGO SREW CLAMP

Click me for the full schematic
Fast NiCad Charger

Updated 23 February 2010