Charge Controller switch on AC battery charger rather than generator?

FarMark
FarMark Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Want to set up an off-grid system to cover part of my farm.  Have AC from power company.  Want to keep the batteries well charged on days when the PV cannot do so.  I know some charge controllers have a switch to automatically turn on a generator, can that switch (or is there another way) to have it automatically turn on an AC battery charger (perhaps each night as necessary)?      
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    If you have grid power at the site, you are better off with a Grid Tie system to sell power back to the grid.  When you include batteries, the cost of frequent replacement of batteries overwhelms any possible savings.
    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 ,

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