Question - Best way to determine charging status

[[email protected]]

I have a couple of hand held battery operated vacuums.

The internal brass charging contacts that are suppose to make
contact when the power switch is turned off will not always
conduct good enough to recharge the batteries. It is a bad design
that I have been unable to correct by modifying the contacts.

What I have been able to do is to wiggle the off switch every time
I need to recharge. This gives me the best shot at seating the
contacts.This has worked for the most part. The problem is that I
can not determine %100 of the time if the vacuum is actually charging.

Here's the question............The vacuum uses a low voltage
AC output brick power supply. Is there a way to make a add on
pickup/sensor for the brick or two conductor charging wire that
will let me know if the contacts are made and current is flowing?
I do not want to cut into the circuit.

 

[Mark]

I used to use a small low voltage light bulb sized such that is just
glowed dimly when the battery was charging. The bulb needs to be wired
in SERIES with the power supply output. If you don't know what that
means then someone here can give you more help.

Mark

 

[[email protected]]

I used to use a small low voltage light bulb sized such that is just
glowed dimly when the battery was charging. The bulb needs to be wired
in SERIES with the power supply output. If you don't know what that
means then someone here can give you more help.

Mark

I'd rather not cut into the circuit.

 

[Franc Zabkar]

I have a couple of hand held battery operated vacuums.

The internal brass charging contacts that are suppose to make
contact when the power switch is turned off will not always
conduct good enough to recharge the batteries. It is a bad design
that I have been unable to correct by modifying the contacts.

What I have been able to do is to wiggle the off switch every time
I need to recharge. This gives me the best shot at seating the
contacts.This has worked for the most part. The problem is that I
can not determine %100 of the time if the vacuum is actually charging.

Here's the question............The vacuum uses a low voltage
AC output brick power supply. Is there a way to make a add on
pickup/sensor for the brick or two conductor charging wire that
will let me know if the contacts are made and current is flowing?

A current clamp, or a multimeter with a 10A current range?

I do not want to cut into the circuit.

- Franc Zabkar

 

[NSM]

I have a couple of hand held battery operated vacuums.

The internal brass charging contacts that are suppose to make
contact when the power switch is turned off will not always
conduct good enough to recharge the batteries. It is a bad design
that I have been unable to correct by modifying the contacts.

What I have been able to do is to wiggle the off switch every time
I need to recharge. This gives me the best shot at seating the
contacts.This has worked for the most part. The problem is that I
can not determine %100 of the time if the vacuum is actually charging.

Here's the question............The vacuum uses a low voltage
AC output brick power supply. Is there a way to make a add on
pickup/sensor for the brick or two conductor charging wire that
will let me know if the contacts are made and current is flowing?
I do not want to cut into the circuit.

One old trick was to take a piece of thin insulator and add thin contacts on
either side with wire leads. Slip it into the base socket and attach a
meter.