Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!deimos.cis.ksu.edu!uxc!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!m.cs.uiuc.edu!irwin
From: irwin@m.cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Whatizzit?  ("Battery Booster")
Message-ID: <21000014@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Date: 14 Apr 89 17:15:00 GMT
References: <27792@cci632.UUCP>
Lines: 13
Nf-ID: #R:cci632.UUCP:27792:m.cs.uiuc.edu:21000014:000:670
Nf-From: m.cs.uiuc.edu!irwin    Apr 14 12:15:00 1989


Re: The battery charger, Rick has pointed out that the "thing" is a
selenium rectifier. This is probably true. Since it was built when
that technology was in use, it is probably a 6 volt unit, but MAY
be a 12 volt. You can tell by going to Radio Shack and pick up a
capacitor, something like 20 to 25 microfarrads with a rating at
least 20 volts. Put it across the output of the charger, observing
polarity. You can then measure the voltage built up in the cap.

If around 8 or so DC, then it is a 6 volt charger, if around 16 DC,
then it is a 12 volt charger. Since there is no filtering in the
standard charger, you must smooth the output a bit to tell what you
have.