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dc2374afa

DEMO MANUAL DC2374A

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Changing Board Configuration

This board is optimized for a 24V to 14V lead acid bat-

tery with 5A charge current, however it can be modified

for other charging topologies, different charge currents,

plus different DCIN and battery voltages. The DC2374A

can also accommodate higher power outputs. There are

optional capacitors, inductor, FETs, and a catch diode on

the bottom of the board that can be used for larger com-

ponents if needed. The layout was designed with ample

copperandviastoprovideenoughthermalrelieffor300W.

Refer to the data sheet for the sizing of all of the required

components and changes as needed.

No Battery Operation

The LTC4013 will operate without a battery, however there

needs to be at least 2V on the SENSE pin to startup. This

can be a problem for batteries with a pack protect that

opens when the battery is too low. One way to get around

the BAT pin to provide a weak pullup on the SENSE pin

a Battery section of the LTC4013 data sheet for more

information on this.

Connecting a High Voltage Battery

When connecting a battery to the DC2374A demo board,

the battery will instantaneously charge the bulk capaci-

capacitors have very low ESR, the instantaneous current

can be 10’s or 100’s of amps when the battery is first

connected and can damage the components in its path.

It is recommended to pre-charge the BAT terminals of the

DC2374A prior to connecting a low ESR battery. This can

be done by connecting the battery thru a current limiting

resistor first, then short across the resistor. Refer to the

Plugging in a Battery section of the LTC4013 data sheet

for more information.