Inverter Charger

adam1984
adam1984 Solar Expert Posts: 72 ✭✭✭✭
So lets say i have a 1kw system with an inverter charger///off grid. So once the battery bank runs out, and its night time, how exactly does the inverter charger charge the batteries? Since it cant take AC (no grid tie), im not sure how exactly it gets power to charge the batteries?

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Inverter Charger

    It doesn't . The batteries run down if they are too small, and you sit in the dark, with plenty of time to caculate how much more battery you need, or loads to shed.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • dwaller
    dwaller Registered Users Posts: 18
    Re: Inverter Charger
    mike90045 wrote: »
    It doesn't . The batteries run down if they are too small, and you sit in the dark, with plenty of time to caculate how much more battery you need, or loads to shed.

    :D That made me smile.

    @adam - First you need to calculate your usage, then you need to design your system such as you can either support your entire load off of the system (even during the times of the year where you are going 2-3 days without a full charge, while keeping the batteries above 50% capacity), or you are building a system and supplementing with a generator.

    I've only been here a few days, but I am learning a ton by not only asking questions, but reading through the other posts here. I recommend doing the same, you will learn more than you can retain, I guarantee that.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Inverter Charger

    There are lots of options out there--- You can connect a generator to a battery charger to the battery bank, there are inverter/chargers that CAN take both AC1 (Main Input), AC2 (Generator Input), or you crank up your AC generator and switch your AC loads to the genset and run a battery charger / solar panels to recharge your battery bank.

    Note--you never want to run your battery bank DEAD... Normally, we try to keep it above 75% state of charge. However, it can cycle down to 50% state of charge as long as it is recharged back above 75% state of charge fairly quickly (hours/day).

    The deeper you cycle the battery bank, the less cycles it will survive.

    Also, you never want to run your battery bank below 20% state of charge--if you have any weak cells (those near 0% charge) will be "reversed charged" by the rest of the cells that are still at 20%--A reversed charged cell is pretty much scrap at that point.

    The dance between 75%, 50%, 20%, and 0% -- separates the folks who have battery banks that last near a decade, and the rest of the mortals that get, at best, a hand full of years from their bank...

    New off-grid folks, many burn through there first bank pretty quickly (aka "training batteries".

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset