Charge controllers

[windy]

 I recently aquired two 48 volt APC Matrix 5000 UPS's with 4-12 volt/284 watt per cell extended range batteries. I would like to try charging the 48 volt bank with my 7.5hp 3 phase motor conversion with a 10 foot diameter blade. I was looking into using the Morningstar Tristar-60, but in the manual it is stated that it can't be used with an inverter. I was also looking into the Xantrex C60, but that can only be used with 12 or 24 volt systems. The Xantrex C40 can be used with 48 volt, but max current is only 40 amps. I would like to stay with a controller that would handle 60 amp continuous, so if I went with a large diameter blade, I wouldn't have to change the controller. The controller would be set up using the diversion charge control system with the excess power going to my water heater. My question is, can I use any of the charge controllers with an inverter? Or would someone have an idea as to which controller I could use. Any comments or questions are welcome!

Thanks!

windy

[wpowokal]

The only reason i'm responding is it will inspire others.

I know nothing of the controllers you speak of but. They operate seperate from inverters, and most if not all have imput voltage tollarences meaning they are not suitable to use with an uncontrolled (voltage wise) wind turbine.

I don,t know what 284 watt batteries are but if you mean A/h they will not suport two 5Kw inverters.

I suspect you need a dump load controller not a charge controller.

allan down under

[kurt]

the Tristar-60 will work fin in diversion mode with a proper dump load.  i have no clue what you were reading but i highly doubt they meant that you couldn't use an inverter in the same system as the tristar. now if you have some funny idea of using the inverter as a dump load or something then that's not gonna work...

[windy]

kurt

 Thanks for the reply. I looked at the manual again and where it says that a inverter cannot be used is in the General Load Control section. The inverter has to be connected to the battery terminals, not the diversion terminals. Should have seen that without having to ask the question!

windy

[Smoked]

Windy,

Other will rectify me if i'm wrong or gave bad explanations, but with a custom charge controler like Ghurd (with a wide hysteresis) modified to activate a UPS or an inverter could take away a lot of power comming to batteries (depending of the load on 120v ac) to heater, water tank

thats the way i've planned my almost direct heating 10 footer

A small batteries bank with an inverter running a 1000w heater. If i'm lucky i could find 2 elements to make it two stage to be less rude with batteries

tell me if i'm going in the wrong way

Nic

[ghurd]

I believe there are problems you may not know about.

The inverter for one.  Either have to leave it on unloaded, deal with "fast" cycling of the inverter and maybe huge surges to the caps, or do some fancy circuit work.

Small batteries with a 1000W load will have a large voltage drop very quickly, meaning faster cycling than one might expect.  Surface charge will make it worse.

An reliable inverter able to handle the loads and cycling may (will?) cost more than 12V elements.

Together they make for quite a complex and expensive project.

Same end result would be DC elements, but cheaper, more reliable, and easier.

And there would be no wasted power in the inverter, meaning more heat in the water.

==

A small load (related to the battery bank size) could be run from an inverter pretty easy, with the hysteresis set wide.

However that's pretty much only for a 2 stage system.  The first stage could not be large enough to act the only dump load.

Might be nice for doing something necessary with extra power (filling water tanks, couple 100W light bulbs for winter heat, 2nd small attic fan in summer?).

Maybe as an outlet that only works sometimes, for the laptop, cell phones, cordless razor, etc. chargers?  That's pretty easy to do!

G-

[TomW]

Glen;

Might I suggest that you put a .sig line on your posts?

A little pimping of the controller that way would be helpful.

Like:

Hurd Solar, home of the ghurd Dump Controller

If you want, I can add it to your profile if you don't know how.

Tom