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beachmode
Member
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:32
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Howdy folx.. this is my first post.
i live on a sailboat and have multiple sources for power but i'm trying to get off the dock so to speak. i am thinking of adding multiple sources of power to charge my house batteries and was wondering if i can attach them to one single charge controller or do i need a rectifier? for instance.. i want to have 3 various generators and a solar panel. the simple way would be to just attach them to my charge controller but i don't want to burn it out from lack of knowledge. are there charge controllers with rectifiers built in? can i attach multiple generators to one rectifier or should i have a rectifier for each generator.
really new in this area so any help with sites that can explain this better. or books or products. Thanks in advance.
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 12:13
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It's probably not a good idea to send one generating source into another. I would have a switch matrix in order to switch one off then another on.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 14:27
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To be on the safe side you'd need a four way transfer switch, but I doubt such a thing exists. How about a large 240 receptacle feeding the charge controller, and each power source has its own plug. Thus only one can plug in at a time.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 14:30 - Edited by: MtnDon
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Quoting: beachmode want to have 3 various generators and a solar panel. the simple way would be to just attach them to my charge controller
Some solar charge controllers can be used to control a source such as a wind generator, as long as the CC is constructed with the needed dump circuit. Then you would need a dump load, often a resistance heater to heat water or air. However the CC can only be used for either the solar or the wind at one time. You can not have two different sources like solar and wind connected to the inputs at the same time. For simplicity sake you should have a separate controller for each. Using switches is probably a good way to mess up some day and damage some equipment.
What other types of generators do you have in mind?
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 18:18
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Quoting: bldginsp How about a large 240 receptacle feeding the charge controller
Since the term charge controller was used in the OP, I assume we are working with various DC power sources. AC plugs and receptacles are not made with heavy enough contacts to be inserted and removed while passing much in the way of amps. Given sufficient DC amps a flame arc can be caused with resulting fire and possible burns. Remember, you can arc weld with a low voltage source and enough amps.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 15 Mar 2017 20:22
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Quoting: MtnDon flame arc can be caused with resulting fire and possible burns
And on a marine application, big no no. 
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beachmode
Member
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2017 10:14 - Edited by: beachmode
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HI EVERYONE!.. thanks for the great responses.. after reading them i figured you need more info.
i have 9 three phase 12 volt 10 watt 4 amp turbines. individually i think they can go strait into the battery based on the electronics inside.. the purpose is to recapture a hot water recirculating system that i'm trying to use to heat my boat. the theory being that i would like to flip a switch to circulate the water which will heat the boat and charge the batteries at the same time. also im setting up a system that will automatically switch the system on when the batteries get below 25% .. 20% is the critical shutdown point for the refrigerator. and if it's running i'm hoping to have enough to run the electronics if or when the engine breaks down at which point the alternator isn't a generator anymore.
so the system i'm working on.. i have the pump in the mail and the 9 turbines in my possesion. so to break it down.. how would i tie all nine turbines to the batteries? assuming i bypass the electronics inside the turbines? and how do keep electricity from going back to the turbines and burning them out. i looked this stuff up some time ago and can't find the info anymore..
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 23 Mar 2017 13:05 - Edited by: MtnDon
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Quoting: beachmode the theory being that i would like to flip a switch to circulate the water which will heat the boat and charge the batteries at the same time.
...and where is the power to operate the pump coming from? The batteries? If so, NO, this will not work. If you start with the batteries fully charged, turn on the pump and have water flow spinning the turbines to make electricity you will, without fail, end up with discharged batteries. It is not possible to make this work without an external separate source of electricity making up for the frictional losses in the motors, pumps and generators. As well batteries are quite inefficient things and we never get the same amount of energy out of a battery as what we put into one.
If this could work I would be able to place a windmill on the roof of a Prius and drive forever without ever needing to buy gasoline. Or I could levitate myself by pulling up on my shoelaces hard enough.
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beachmode
Member
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# Posted: 5 Apr 2017 02:10
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Ya. Mtndon Thanks. I learned about the thoery of conservation of energy. Which does make sense to me that there is this imaginary wall outside of a vacume and not including zero point energy that dosent allow you to make more energy than you put in.
That being said i think i figured out what i need. The answer is i need to attach all the positives to a buss bar and into a charge controller. The turbines have back voltage worked out in the electronics. I tested the pump and it has a controller built in that allows me to attach directly to a battery. I have a few more parts to get and then ill have a working unit to test. I dont think this will work the way i was thinking it might now but i have a few other ways to incorperate this for other applications. But it will extend my battery or in conjunction with other charging units charge faster. I think.
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