Considerations on rectifier sizing

Having too much charging capacity in a power system can be as disastrous as not having enough. When provisioning the charging equipment for a power system, at least three important factors must be considered: the normal drain of the telecom equipment; the maximum recharge time of the batteries; and the maximum recharge current of the batteries. The first two factors are commonly considered, but very often the third one tends to be omitted, even though it can have dramatic effects on the cost of operation. This paper exposes in detail the consequences of improper rectifier sizing. It also discusses features now offered with many new power plant to control the recharge current and prevent some of the consequences listed above. It further exposes the consequences on battery protection (battery fuses or breaker sizes).