multiple sources into one battery charger?

[bobmac10]

I have 600AH house battery bank and 150 AH motor starting battery.
I have several inputs for charging which includes 3 x 120watt 24 volt solar panels - shore power 240 volt 15 amps max - 240 volt generator 2.4 kVA -
plus 80 amp alternator on the engine.
Can anyone recommend a smart charger that will handle these various inputs ?

[djmarchand]

You don't want a charger, you want a battery combiner or similar. Your shore/generator power has its own switch to select which one is supplying power to your boat. You almost certainly have a shore power charger driven by shorepower or your genset. Today, these typically have two DC outputs- connect one to the house bank and another to the starting battery.

Finally you have to deal with your solar and alternator DC outputs. If you simply connect them to both battery banks you face the risk of running down your house and start battery while on the hook (because they are both connected together) and being unable to start your engine.

So wire the alternator and solar panel output (from a controller, right?) to the house battery. Then you need something to pass the charge on to your start battery. Combiners, ACRs, Echo Chargers, Duo Chargers all do this. Yanmdina at www.yandina.com has inexpensive combiners.

And with all due respect, from the nature of your question you need a marine electrician to do all of this for you.

David

[smac999]

I don't entirlly understand the question.

the solar panels should be connected to the hosue bank via a solar controller.

the boat should have a battery charger connected to both batteries. both the shore power and gen would power this charger through the ac transfer swtich.

the alternator needs to be split to bother battery banks. something like an acr is the easiest.

all 3 systems are completely separate and require their own wiring and parts. and all needs to be done properly

[bobmac10]

thanks for your replies, yes I need a marine electrician, I just want to get a rough idea of what the system would be for when I'm talking to him.