Loading fork at home

A load fork is a device that is necessary to check and determine the degree of charging of each of the battery banks. It is a powerful pull-up resistor with a DC voltmeter, as well as two probes. For many car enthusiasts, the battery fork for battery testing is an excellent helper for servicing batteries. However, in shops this device is quite expensive. Therefore, we will give instructions on how to do the fork yourself.

The first thing you need to find out is what voltage should be in one fully charged can of a particular battery. This is indicated in the user manual. You also need to make sure that the battery has access to individual banks.

Now the microammeter is taken and connected in series with the resistor. Its resistance should be slightly larger than the voltage of one can in the battery. Now we change the scale of the device to a new one, which must now be calibrated, by applying a varying voltage of direct current to the voltmeter formed in the required polarity. The voltage that is supplied during calibration is to be monitored by an exemplary instrument.

Further from the instruction to the accumulator it is necessary to learn the index of the nominal or the maximum load current. Now we translate all the values of the quantities into the SI system, our result is obtained in the same system. Next, calculate the resistance of the load resistor in this way: R = U / I - where R is the resistance in Ohms, the value of U is the voltage in Volts and finally I is the amperage. In this formula, you need to substitute the voltage value of one bank, not the entire battery.

After that, calculate the power, which is allocated to the resistor by the formula P = UI. Here P is the power in Watts, U is the voltage in units of Volts and finally I is the current in Amps. Select the nominal power of the load resistor larger than the one that is allocated from the standard series. The resistor must necessarily be wire.

Now we take probes that will be able to withstand the flowing current through the resistor. Connect them to it using wires that can also withstand the specified current. Be sure to thoroughly disassemble the connections.

At this stage, the load plug is not yet ready. We connect a voltmeter (micro-ammeter with a series-connected small resistor) in parallel with the load. Now the dipstick should be marked with a polarity, similar to the polarity of the included voltmeter. Next, you need to isolate the connection points.

After all this, we fix all the details on a fireproof, dielectric, rigid frame that will be equipped with a handle. It is necessary to arrange the probes so that there is a distance between them equal to the distance between the jar terminals.

The load plug must not be connected to a rechargeable battery. Also, you can not do this near other rechargeable batteries. If the process has stopped recently, it is necessary to ventilate the room well. Now the load plug is connected to each bank in turn.