Dual-input Battery Charger?

Skillcrane
Skillcrane Registered Users Posts: 3
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Does anyone know if they make a battery charger that would trickle charge from a solar array, but automatically switch to running off of 120VAC if say, I turned my generator on?

I've seen the GoalZero Yeti that will charge from AC as well as a solar panel, but you have to manually switch the input cables. Also want to charge my own batteries and not have an all in one unit like that.

Thanks in advance.

SC
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Dual-input Battery Charger?

    Welcome to the forum.

    I would ask "why do you want to do this?"

    Solar panels connected to the battery through a charge controller.
    AC charger powered by generator also connected to battery.
    No problem.
    Panels keep battery charged when they can, AC charger charges batteries whenever the generator runs.
    In fact you can go up to some quite complex versions of this that will start the gen if the batteries go below a certain level and the solar isn't sufficient to charge with.

    You are right to not want it incorporated in one unit.
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  • Skillcrane
    Skillcrane Registered Users Posts: 3
    #3
    Re: Dual-input Battery Charger?
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Welcome to the forum.

    I would ask "why do you want to do this?"

    Solar panels connected to the battery through a charge controller.
    AC charger powered by generator also connected to battery.
    No problem.
    Panels keep battery charged when they can, AC charger charges batteries whenever the generator runs.
    In fact you can go up to some quite complex versions of this that will start the gen if the batteries go below a certain level and the solar isn't sufficient to charge with.

    You are right to not want it incorporated in one unit.

    OK, so no problem with the solar generator and an AC charger being connected to the battery at the same time?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Dual-input Battery Charger?
    Skillcrane wrote: »
    OK, so no problem with the solar generator and an AC charger being connected to the battery at the same time?

    In general, no.
    One must keep in mind that both are capable of their maximum output so if you run the gen on a sunny day you can get too much current to the batteries from the combination of solar and AC charger. This doesn't usually happen, but there are ways to prevent it from happening at all (ranging from relatively inexpensive relay to disconnect PV when gen is running to Outback's FNDC management system).
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  • Skillcrane
    Skillcrane Registered Users Posts: 3
    #5
    Re: Dual-input Battery Charger?
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    In general, no.
    One must keep in mind that both are capable of their maximum output so if you run the gen on a sunny day you can get too much current to the batteries from the combination of solar and AC charger. This doesn't usually happen, but there are ways to prevent it from happening at all (ranging from relatively inexpensive relay to disconnect PV when gen is running to Outback's FNDC management system).

    Thanks for the help Cariboocoot.

    That was my concern to begin with. I think it would be cool if there was like a 3-stage smart charger that would use the gen to do the bulk charging and then switch to solar to do the float charging.

    That is what I was wondering if such a thing existed or whether you would have to build a system with the individual components.

    Thanks again,

    SC
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