Century Model 87151 Battery Charger

wsmm

Member
My Century battery charger no longer works on the charge setting, puts out less than 12 volts. However it works on the Start (Boost) setting. Seeing as it's replacement is about $100.00, I was thinking about trying to fix this one. The PC board is not available and I think that is where the problem is. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong and what it might cost to buy the part(s) and fix it?
Thanks
Bill
 
I just went through that with Century and Schumacher chargers. google the brand by model number and you can find lists of parts, and their availability. Still looking for a decent trouble shooting guide.
 
You need a decent electronics tech to troubleshoot the charger.

Chances are it is a fairly cheap part such as a diode/rectifier.
 
You should be able to wire around the brain box. I've done it many times. However you turn the charger in to an old manual style. If you leave it on too long you cook the battery. I would then use a timer to turn charger off.
 
I believe that one uses a SCR to regulate the charging rate to the various settings. If so, it needs that and it"s associated control circuit to function or things are gonna get ugly.
 
If he can't get a brain box, then buys a new charger or perhaps uses a dimmer switch to control the output of charger. Apparently, the full out circuit must by-pass the brain box.

A while back, I showed how I controlled the output of a 12v charger with a dimmer. That way a person could charge a 6 or 8v battery with a 12v charger. I don't have a 6 or 8v battery, but the volt meter showed I could control the output voltage from zero to over 12v. It worked, but hummed a lot.
 

the dimmer switch thing only works on fairly low current (maybe 20 amp max) straight transformer types of chargers without electronic controls.
 
It's still possible a 600w dimmer switch will work in place of the brain box, with the exception it won't shut off automatically. Think about this. If the input voltage is 120v and 5 amps = 600 watts. The output of a charger is 12v, in theory, the output amps should be 50 amps. That's just theory. Reality, a transformer isn't 100%, so there will be less than 50 amps out.

SOOO, I think a dimmer will work. What is there to loose? The charger is junk. A dimmer is a few bucks. I say by-pass the brain box with a dimmer and then tell me it doesn't work.

George
 
The dimmer puts out a chopped voltage that will eat a transformer.A look at the output voltage on a scope will prove it.Dimmers are designed to work into resistive loads not transformers.
 

The dimmer will not work.
The "brain box" is on the output side of the transformer not the input side.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top