HindlePower Battery Chargers Product & Technology Comparison

HindlePower battery chargers are used in the Utility Transmission & Distribution, Oil & Gas and Industrial Manufacturing. The most comprehensive line of stationary float battery chargers and DC power systems to fulfill a variety of DC power applications.

Products

HinldePower’s products range in power level from 1 to 150 kW, and feature both single phase and three phase inputs. The main product line, AT10 & AT30 Series, utilize Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR) conversion techniques at 50/60 Hz.  As a matter of fact, they combine the performance and accuracy of a microprocessor with the reliability of SCR power conversion, making them  the standard in stationary battery chargers.

• AT10.1 Series:
  • Single-phase input
  • 12, 24, 48 and 130Vdc Output voltage
  • 6 - 100 amps DC output current
  • Microprocessor / Digital Control

• AT30 Series:
  • Three-phase input
  • 12, 24, 48 and 130Vdc output voltage
  • 25 - 1000 amps DC output current
  • Microprocessor / Digital Control

• ATevo Series:
  • Next generation of the AT Series product line
  • Single-phase & Three-phase inputs
  • 24, 48, 130 & 260Vdc Output voltage
  • Easy to use interface
    
  • Graphical LCD display
  • Configuration verification system
  • Self-diagnostic tool

The next generation utility battery charger is represented by ATevo, an evolutionary product including intelligent self-diagnostics through the HindleHealth System. ATevo not only keeps the simplicity and intuitive nature of the original AT Series, but it also offers flexible operation and it complies with NERC PRC-005. The Universal Maintenance Charger or UMC Series and the Single-Cell Battery Charger are also manufactured by HindlePower. The first one protects the operation in case of a dc plant emergency and connects to any input voltage, charging any battery. The second one, is a small lightweight single cell application float battery charger that meets IEEE 1106-1995.

Comparable products to HindlePower Battery Chargers

There are a wide variety of companies in North America that manufacture industrial battery chargers. It is important to realize that they represent specific industries and some feature different battery charging technologies. HindlePower provides manufacturing for many brands for example, ALCAD, BAE, EnerSys, HBL, Hoppecke, Saft, ABB/Thomas&Betts, and most notably MDS Power. Some of the competitive products available in the market are:

• P4500 Series Stationary battery chargers by Primax.
• Unipower ARE-S, ARE-M and ARR-M single and three phase utility battery chargers.
• SENS EnerGenius® SCR stationary battery chargers.
• A77 Series battery charger by Lamarche.
• Alpha offers Spectra SCR charger as well as Cordex™ high frequency chargers.

Battery Charger Technology

Every type of charger performs the same basic function: convert the incoming alternating current (AC) line voltage into a regulated DC voltage. However, the way the power is converted and delivered to the battery varies by technology including: SCR, Ferroresonant or High Frequency.

SCR

HindlePower manufactures SCR type industrial battery charger. This technology uses a silicon-controlled rectifier, together with conventional transformers to regulate voltage and current to the battery. Some of the many advantages of this mature technology are:

• Very reliable in high power applications.
• Provide more precise control of output voltage.
• They can be easily interfaced with a microprocessor to implement various charging profiles.
• Deliver a constant current-constant voltage-constant current charge that eliminates the possibility of overcharging.

Ferroresonant

Ferroresonant battery chargers utilize a ferroresonant transformer circuit to regulate the charger output. This is the oldest technology of all that it’s known for its reliability and long life, but some of its limitations are:

• Low power conversion efficiency.
• Lack of sophisticated control circuitry.
• Can easily overcharge and damage more delicate modern sealed batteries.

High Frequency

High Frequency chargers are the newest battery charging technology on the market. This type of technology stands out for achieving higher power conversion efficiency, however some disadvantages are:

• Low reliability
• High complexity, therefore, extremely difficult to repair.

Comparison Table

	SCR	Ferroresonant	High Frequency
Efficiency	Medium	Medium	High
Control	Medium	Minimal	High
Size / Weight	Large / Heavy	Large / Heavy	Small / Light
Noise	Audible	Very audible	Non Audible

Warranty

When buying an industrial battery charger the warranty is always important; for this reason, HindlePower offers the best warranty in the industry of 5 years, while other companies may only offer a warranty from 18 months to up to 2 years.

Conclusion

Overall, HindlePower battery chargers provide the most advanced technology in the market. Its products fulfill a variety of DC power applications for  many industries for example: utility, power generation, transmission and distribution. After all, more than 40 years of experience and a remarkable warranty can only reflect the high-quality manufacturing standards. For more information about HindlePower Battery Chargers, please contact us.