Combining three charging sources

[tbodine88]

I am sure this has been asked before.

My boat has Standard Deep cycle batteries.

I have been keeping them charged with a solar panel and Sunsaver 10 charge controller.

Now I have just purchased a new out board with a charging system. I may also soon buy a Wind generator.

Is there a charge controller that can intelligently combine all three sources to charge the batteries. I mean I connect it all up and then let the charge controller decide where it gets the power for battery charging and cabin power?

Thanks

[john61ct]

I believe no harm in just having them output to the bank together. Best if their charging parameters are similar, and matching the needs of the House bank of course.

Or you could input them all to a less expensive batt (act as Starter?), and then use a single powerful DCDC charger like a Sterling feed the expensive bank.

Unorthodox, but would allow you to really tune the charging algorithm to maximize House longevity.

[rom]

Originally Posted by tbodine88

I am sure this has been asked before.

My boat has Standard Deep cycle batteries.

I have been keeping them charged with a solar panel and Sunsaver 10 charge controller.

Now I have just purchased a new out board with a charging system. I may also soon buy a Wind generator.

Is there a charge controller that can intelligently combine all three sources to charge the batteries. I mean I connect it all up and then let the charge controller decide where it gets the power for battery charging and cabin power?

Thanks

You should have no problem with plenty of different charging systems. What's important is that the one you favor the most (solar probably) should be programmed to have a higher absorption voltage than the others.

They will charge your battery all together until each of them reaches its own programmed absorption voltage, they will then go off and let the other charger do the job. And naturally, the last one remaining is the one with the highest absorption voltage. This one charger will typically be working on the last 20% where your battery accepting less and less current overtime until it reaches 100% SOC.

Alternatively, in case solar is not enough, you might want to use the most powerful of your charge source as the last one to make sure your batteries will be reaching 100% SOC.