From: dannyb@panix.com   
      
   I picked up a used 48VDC Sears lawnmower a couple of years ago.   
      
   It uses 4 12V batteries in series, each one a nominal 9 amp hour   
   rating, so (at nameplate maximum) I'd have 48 times 9 => 450 watt-hrs.   
      
   Reality, of course, is a bit less and I have my own back/movement   
   issues, but I get a reliable 15 minutes (and then some...) out of it.   
      
   It uses a 120VAC charger which plugs in, takes about 65 watts   
   from the outlet (measured with a KAW) for an hour or three, then   
   down to 25 or so, then trickle charges at 2.   
      
   (I don't have an easy way to measure the DC output that   
   goes into the assembly).   
      
   I'd like to hook up a solar panel and charge it that way.   
      
   So my key question is... anyone have a recommended charge   
   controller to pump in at the higher rates, and then   
   shift downward as the batteries get full?   
      
   I'd really rather not waste the expense and energy in   
   doing a (nominal) 50 volt-from-the-array conversion ->120VAC   
   and then the regular charge cord...   
      
   Thanks for all suggestions.   
      
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   Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key   
   		     dannyb@panix.com   
   [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]   
      
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