Identify this and how this works - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2014, 09:15:51 pm
content: Hey guys a friend of mine gave me some goodies and well.. i dont know what this does or what it's used for. He didn't know either..Maybe you do? My best guess its some kind of motor driver??Here are some pics.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2014, 09:35:10 pm
content: Mains inverter. 12V battery in, ac mains out.Looks like it might have been modified with a couple of extra power cables too. What's on the end of those mains leads?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2014, 09:36:31 pm
content: UPS, charges the batteries too.EditYou will have to nut out the battery wiring, looks like it might be 2 x 12 V in series

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2014, 02:51:52 pm
content: Here's what the cables look like. How do you connect these? I'm assuming you don't connect both to the outlets right?

author: gxti
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2014, 03:31:38 pm
content: Definitely a UPS. Not sure why it has two inlets but it looks like the wires both come to the same relay. Perhaps it has dual inputs so you can connect one to utility power and one to a generator?

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 01:17:15 am
content: ok thank you guys. ill have to power this baby up soon.

author: Riotpack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 01:47:59 am
content: Maybe verify that the other mains lead cannot be made live when plugged in.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 02:49:26 am
content: Here is the web site for SEC America LLC..http://www.secamerica.com/Unless you want to make people give wild guesses, you really should post a clear picture of the silkscreen on the PCB that has the manufacturer and possibly product name or part number. You can partially see it in this photo... Or just copy it down and post the text in a post.

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 03:01:20 am
content: Oh cool, didn't see that there. Here's the pic.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 03:11:29 am
content: Looks like 12V input to me.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 05:49:32 am
content: Thanks to Smokey, I found this brochure, looks like it will be part of something like this:http://www.secamerica.com/pdf/Brochures/Stove%20Sentries%202011%20Brochure.pdfMaybe an older model.

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 05:30:42 pm
content: interesting. it looks like the white plug goes to the 120 ac outlet but still not sure what the black one does. ill do some tests on the black one to make sure it's not directly connected to the white plug.. for some reason..

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 05:46:05 pm
content: Quote from: the1cyrus on July 21, 2014, 05:30:42 pmMight be connected, looks like it's used to plug it into an "expanded battery bank"Edit: I think the black (edit: not the white) plug is the regular mains plug, when power goes out, it will pull from the stored power inverting from the batteries into the outlet. But the white (not the black) cable seems to be a secondary mains input like a generator or an external battery bank that provides mains voltage.But not sure how it works so you will have to investigate further before trying to hook it both to mains and a generator.Edit, changed my mind, I think the black cable is the mains plug (but you gotta investigate to make sure which one is which)

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 06:19:41 pm
content: ok so the black is the mains. when its turned on via switch and the black plug is connected to 120vac it powers on and starts charging the battery. since my battery is already fully it stops charging after a few seconds. and your right about the white plug. its just a secondary source of 120vac but if only the white plug and the battery is connected to the inverter it doesnt charge the battery or even turn on and just simply routes the power to the outlet on the inverter.The weird thing is. if i connect the black plug and after some time i unplug it while the white plug is not connected.. it should use the battery and create 120vac on the inverter outlet right? It doesnt seem to do that. everything just turns off.. maybe its broken?

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 06:28:41 pm
content: On the white secondary source, it does make sense it won't charge the battery.I think the normal operation is as follows:Black source connected to 120Vac charges the battery and provides power to the outlet.Power goes off, battery takes over, (but I guess it's not working for you) this gives you time to start a generator connected via the white power source.When power is available from the white cable power source it supplies it directly to the outlet not charging the battery since the auxiliary source might come from batteries or another generator that you don't want to waste energy by storing it on the battery.

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 06:45:00 pm
content: One thing we overlooked is in this image below.. The silkscreen says SWC. Any idea what that might be?

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 07:18:33 pm
content: Quote from: the1cyrus on July 21, 2014, 06:45:00 pmFirst of all, is it an actuator (like a push-button switch) and/or an indicator (like a pilot-light)?We certainly cannot tell from looking at from a photo.

author: the1cyrus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 09:51:47 pm
content: its just a hole with a metal contactor inside. Some more pics:

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2014, 11:27:51 pm
content: So it is a banana jack. I would be tempted to think it was a ground lead, except that I can't correlate that with the label "SWC".Is "SWC" the whole label, or does that resistor cover up the last part?It is certainly a battery-backup/inverter/automatic switch-over device of some kind. Both from the appearance, and what the company specializes in.Unlike the general-purpose UPS things they sell for home computers, SEC have products for specialty applications like sump pumps and pellet heaters, etc.Maybe that "SWC" bannana jack goes to some sort of sensor like water level in your basement, or run out of pellets for your heater?

author: Jebnor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2014, 02:16:02 am
content: This reminds me of a story I once heard of devices that were used to keep computers powered on when removing them from a house ( ie, cops want your computer on.) The item in this story works like this. You'd plug in the the "output" Male power lead into the power bar then unplug the power bar from the wall. The inverter would then supply the power 'backwards' through the male plug. Then at the destination the inverter could be plugged in and it would bridge the real mains back to the computer under inquiry.Perhaps with the dual Male power cords, it might be these (once heard of but never looked into) devices?

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2014, 08:03:45 am
content: Is the jack for auto starting a gen/set.