Joining solar panel

[ian19147]

Turn two sources into one

As Gord suggests, if you disconnect the brain on the Air-X and put all the charging sources into a common buss bar, won't you then be dealing with one source between the bus and the batteries? Insert a controller with a load diversion between the buss and the batteries.Just a thought!

 

[Jeff Bole]

Some more AirX info

"The AIR-X’s charge controller periodically stops charging, reads the battery voltage, compares it to the voltage setting and if the battery is charged, it completely shuts off all current going to the battery. This function is performed within a few milliseconds. The closer the battery is to reaching its full state of charge, the more often the AIR-X’s circuit repeats this action. This means any size battery bank from 25 to 25,000 amp hours or higher can be charged safely. When the battery has reached its charged state, the AIR-X will slow to an almost complete stop." (http://www.nooutage.com/airx.htm)The problem is that the AirX thinks it is reading the "static" battery voltage, which will never be the case if the solar panels are charging. Perhaps one (smarter than I) could use this same AirX circuitry that "periodically stops charging" to feed a relay that would concurrently interrupt the solar output.I haven't checked with AirX lately, but in the past their only answer was to put the solar and AirX at different ends of the battery bank - which didn't work with my small bank.

 

[Jeff Bole]

Not a problem for AirX???

The diagram on pg. 16 of the AirX manual (http://www.windenergy.com/SUPPORT/downlman/manax_0056_rc.pdf) shows the AirX ouput and solar charge controller output connected together to the battery. Apparently, they don't see this as a problem.However, elsewhere in the manual it recommends wiring the AirX to its own battery posts, thus allowing it to "operate independently". They go on to say that other charging sources (i.e. solar) can interfere with the turbine's electronics and cause "pre-regulation". This causes the turbine to "spin slowly as if braked or in the stop position." They give no solution other than to locate the cause of the 'interference'.So far the only solutions I see are to bypass the internal electronics and use a diverting charge controller with all of its expense and complexities (why not just use a 'dumb' windmill in the first place), or to somehow disconnect the solar input when it is windy.

 

[Gord May]

one example

Skip Randall of the s/v “Nehalennia” (Baba 30) offered this on the Take Her Sailing forum “The Virtual Anchorage” - http://www.takehersailing.com/quoteHi Gord, here's the details on how I wired up the wind generator and the solar panels. For the wind generator, the + & - leads run first to a dipole toggle switch on the electrical panel, with one throw completing the circuit to the regulator, and the other to a loop which shorts the generator (and brakes it for tying it off). The regulator is one sold with the generator, and has 3 resistors to dump off current when the batteries are topped off.In practice, I tie off the blades when a big blow is coming and when I'm on shore power. In prep for Ivan, I took the blades down entirely. The leads from the wind generator regulator go directly to the ganged house batteries (the two AGM 8-D's). As for the solar panels, the wires are led to a dedicated regulator manufactured for solar panels, and from there directly to the battery lugs. There is a simple on/off switch between the panels and the regulator that allows me to switch them off when the batteries are topped off. If I don't (switch them off), the regulator attenuates the charge anyway, and since the amps are much less than the wind generator (8-9 volts, max), they don't require the resistor array. I also have a high-output alternator on the engine (120v ample power) that has it's own "smart" regulator. All three charging sources can be active at the same time, all with their dedicated regulators, and the composite system works well. I know it's somewhat complicated with 3 seperate regulators, but it has worked relatively trouble-free for 6 years. The engine alternator regulator (ample power) did go tits up 6 mos. ago, and I replaced it with a new solid state unit from west marine (I 'm blanking on the manufacturer) which is working well. I hope this info is helpful for you. Regards, Skipend quote

 

[ian19147]

Here is one that should work

I spoke to the distributor and he claims that this will do the job.http://www.bestmarineimports.com/cgi-bin/ez-catalog/cat_display.cgi?138X362960

 

[Jeff Bole]

I don't understand that example

Regarding the example of the three sources with three separate charge controllers, I don't see how the charge controllers can get an accurate measure of how full the batteries are and correctly regulate the charging current.My thinking is that each would work individually, but in parallel they would be reading a voltage influenced by the other chargers and be fooled into thinking that the batteries were more full than they actually are. The batteries may be getting charged, but I doubt that the three sources are being used to their full potential.

 

[Jeff Bole]

It may not be worth it.

If the sun's not shining, there's no issue.If the wind's not blowing, there's no issue.Depending on their state of charge, the batteries can only absorb a limited amount of current negating the need for multiple charging sources much of the time.If one is concurrently charging and using the power while it is sunny and windy, it may work fine as it is currently setup. The current draw will lower the battery voltage, offsetting the charging current and higher voltage from the solar input.I agree that it is not ideal, but I would be willing to live with it as is, with perhaps the addition of switches to cut out each charging source as I see fit.

 

[Jung]

I agreed with Jeff's last comment.

I personaly don't think this is an issue have to be dealed with by the reason stated by Jeff.If one really wanted to have a system that could meet such condition, the only way is to have a micro-processor controlled charger or an electronic device which is able to sense battery condition as well as the output capability of each charging source at any moment so it can decide which charging source to use(or both of them) for charging the battery. It's could be done technically, but, would you spending so much $$ for such not so an issue?