Bulk charging charger set up

Caveman
Caveman Solar Expert Posts: 83 ✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Things are looking up. Starting to understand this whole solar thing. Remember I said starting. haha

Since this forum is so helpful, I've got another question(s).
My cabin is about 60' from where I have the PV panels, inverter, charge controller, and batteries. I have everything out in a sort-of "dog house" that I built, and I am running AC power from the inverter back to the cabin. My generator is near the cabin, but about 100' from the PV panels.

In order to bulk charge my batteries when the solar is not sufficient, I need to run a separate wire back to the "dog house" from the generator to power my Battery charger, right?
The generator already has a separate cable going to the cabin to power the cabin's AC outlets when the generator is on.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up

    Yes: if you want generator AC power in the shed with the inverter is you need another set of wires; you can't "back feed" it along the inverter's AC output.
    The generator already has a separate cable going to the cabin to power the cabin's AC outlets when the generator is on.

    That sounds as though you already have the required wiring in place. If there's an outlet in that shed that's live while the gen is running and the inverter is not, that can power the battery charger.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Caveman
    Caveman Solar Expert Posts: 83 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    That sounds as though you already have the required wiring in place. If there's an outlet in that shed that's live while the gen is running and the inverter is not, that can power the battery charger.

    I was confusing, the existing power cable goes to the cabin, not the "dog house".
    · Share on Twitter
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up
    Caveman wrote: »
    I was confusing, the existing power cable goes to the cabin, not the "dog house".

    Then you need another set of wires. :D
    · Share on Twitter
  • Caveman
    Caveman Solar Expert Posts: 83 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up

    Yeah I got it, thanks again. I hope you enjoy this, you guys on this site are an invaluable resource to an ignoramus like me.
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #6
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up

    You can put the wires from the genset to the dog house, have an internal transfer switch and pre-wired AC battery charger (or even an inverter/charger)--then use the present AC wires to the cabin.

    Fire up the genset, the power goes to the AC Battery Charger, and the transfer switch connects the cabin to the AC Generator output (either a manual or automatic transfer switch--your choice).

    Sort of depends on how you want to run things (need to go to dog house to monitor battery state of charge... Or put genset near cabin for easy starting and maintenance with AC wiring to both--AC battery charger in dog house; AC power in cabin--with or without transfer switch).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up
    BB. wrote: »
    Sort of depends on how you want to run things (need to go to dog house to monitor battery state of charge...

    I like the idea of having batteries, inverter, etc in the dog house. I suggest that you run another conduit from dog house to cabin for monitoring and control. You can run wires for battery monitor, inverter control, etc through that conduit. Low voltage monitoring and control wires should NOT share a conduit with your AC power cables.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
    · Share on Twitter
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up

    From what I've gathered, most of this system is already wired up. As such moving the gen and transfer switch to a locale closer to the inverter site may not be as easy as running a new wire set back to the inverter to run the battery charger from.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Caveman
    Caveman Solar Expert Posts: 83 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Bulk charging charger set up

    Cariboo is right, but I guess that doesn't prohibit me from running some low voltage wires back to the cabin for monitoring.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories