Steve:
I don't have a load diverter setup but, I do tap into my 10kw 48 volt propulsion bank when I need to manually:
I have an Engel refrigerator/freezer I use in full time freezer mode and my two 75 watt solar panels do a pretty good job keeping up with the demand most days. I tap into my propulsion bank when I want to use things like my laptop to avoid drawing down the 12 volt bank further. Since once I am at anchor and have charged the bank the 48 volt propulsion bank it is pretty much sitting there fully charged doing nothing. I guess I could also use it to prop up the 12 volt house bank too. A diverter circuit connected to a 48 volt to 12 volt converter would do this automatically I guess. You'd need a 144 to 12 volt of course.
As far as charging. I came back from a sail recently and my propulsion battery capacity had dropped to 97% as read on XBM battery monitor. Three days later (including one day of rain and clouds) it was back up to 100% using two 60 watt 48 volt solar panels and that was with a pretty large boom shadow on the solar bimini panels:
Manually tapping into the propulsion bank for me is simply a matter of connecting the 48 volt to 12 volt converter into the 48 volt solar controller's output connection (which already has a low voltage cutoff protection circuit built in to it). Personally, I don't really see the need for me to buy a diverter type of controller at this time as I can do this manually easily enough when I'm on board able to monitor both battery banks.
Capt. Mike
http://biankablog.blogspot.com
From: Steve Dolan <sdolan@scannersllc.com>
To: "electricboats@yahoogroups.com" <electricboats@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 3:04 PM
Subject: RE: [Electric Boats] Help with Solar Panels Please
Great info coming in Guys THANKS!,
Totally (pleasantly) surprised at the Propulsion Bank votes, it's really the way I would prefer to go and seemed to be in line with the rest of the system. I'll look at some equipment tonight on the net and see what you all are talking about.
I don't know if shading is going to be an issue since both panels will be side by side off the back of the boat so if one is partially shaded they probably will both be. The boom shouldn't come into play but I will look into it. I also thought the MPPT controllers were to take care of the partial shading with the diodes in the panels but will listen to the ideas being thrown out there. Please keep it coming!
Steve in Solomons MD
Lagoon 410 SE
From: electricboats@yahoogroups.com [mailto: electricboats@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of chris Baker
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 2:26 PM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Help with Solar Panels Please
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 2:26 PM
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Help with Solar Panels Please
Hi Carter and Steve
The reason for suggesting two controllers is to get the best output from the solar array. When one panel is shaded its voltage and current will be different to the other panel. A single controller will not be able to see the difference and will be trying to optimise the output for the combined output which can be choked by the shaded panel.
If they are separately controlled the MPPT device can have the best opportunity to optimise the output for the particular voltage/amps combination of that panel.
Cheers
Chris
On 28/06/2012, at 4:00 AM, Carter Quillen wrote:
I wouldn't spend the money on two controllers because the panels have blocking diodes in them to address the partial shading issue.
Also, check the Xantrex C series controllers, I think you might be able to use one in conjunction with your MPPT charge controller to get where you want. The C series can be condigured as either a PWM charge controller or a load diverter.
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