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  • Charging Batteries With Generator

    I have a small setup with 6 300w panels running into a Midnite Classic 150 with 4 12 batteries 100ah each for a total of 400ah. During the winter months is it possible to charge them with my external generator? I have a 10,000 watt Generator and am not sure how I would do it.... Thanks for any help....

  • #2
    Originally posted by Svencool View Post
    I have a small setup with 6 300w panels running into a Midnite Classic 150 with 4 12 batteries 100ah each for a total of 400ah. During the winter months is it possible to charge them with my external generator? I have a 10,000 watt Generator and am not sure how I would do it.... Thanks for any help....
    Are the batteries in a 48V configuration... never mind it doesn't much matter. What does is the inverter. Is it an inverter/charger like from Outback?
    OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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    • #3
      No the inverter is just an inverter that converts the power..... Would i need something like an Outback?

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      • #4
        Well I hope you have the batteries wired in series for 48 volt @ 100 AH. It should be anyway with 1800 watts of panels. Anyway assuming it is 48 volts will require a 48 volt 15 amp charger. Just buy you a 48 volt golf cart charger rated 15 to 25 amps.

        The only way you can have 400 AH if you wired the batteries in parallel for 12 volts which is a huge No-No, and just plain silly because with 1800 watts of panels would require a second Midnite 150 Classic Controller. If that is the case it would need a 12-volt 50 to 60 amp charger and will cost a fortune. If you running 12 volts you need to throw away 2 panels in the trash and be prepared to replace the batteries every year.

        Ideally you would want a 1500 to 2000 watt, 48 volt Inverter, with Built-In 20 Amp charger and generator support.
        Last edited by Sunking; 03-11-2017, 08:40 PM.
        MSEE, PE

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Svencool View Post
          I have a small setup with 6 300w panels running into a Midnite Classic 150 with 4 12 batteries 100ah each for a total of 400ah. During the winter months is it possible to charge them with my external generator? I have a 10,000 watt Generator and am not sure how I would do it.... Thanks for any help....
          You would use a battery charger that is set up for the voltage and chemistry of your battery system. It would be powered from your generator.

          Now as Sunking asked are your 4 12v 100Ah batteries wired in series or in parallel? Because with 1800 watts of panels you have certainly exceeded a 12volt battery system and you can't create a 24volt or 48volt 400Ah system with 4 x100Ah batteries.

          So help us help you by telling us more about how you have your system wired.

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          • #6
            Well SunEagle he has another huge problem on his hand. Makes no difference really how those 4-12 volt 100 AH batteries are configured with 1800 watts of panels. Do the math and you will discover his charge rate is greater than C/3. So all I can say he had better be configured for 24 or 48 volts with AGM batteries.
            MSEE, PE

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            • #7
              Sorry I meant to say 5 panels not 6 sorry! Batteries are wired Parallel. After these batteries get spent. I plan on using 2volt batteries and wiring them in series at a higher voltage 48v These are serving there purpose for now....

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Svencool View Post
                Sorry I meant to say 5 panels not 6 sorry! Batteries are wired Parallel. After these batteries get spent. I plan on using 2volt batteries and wiring them in series at a higher voltage 48v These are serving there purpose for now....
                Ok you have 1500 watts of panels with a 96 amp charge controller into a 12 volt 400 AH battery.

                At 1500 watts of panels into a 12 volt battery requires 125 amp charge controller. You have 5 panels a prime number which means you can only configure them all in parallel loosing a lot of the benefits of a expensive charge controller. At 96 amps of charge current into 400 AH battery is a C/4 charge current which is to much.

                You would be ahead of the game if you lost 1 panel, and reconfigured your panels in 2S2P. Still leaves you at the same C/4 charge rate.

                You have to much panel wattage, and not enough batteries. Never use a prime number of panels except 1 and 3. With 3 and many conntrollers you can wire them is series doing away with fuses and combiners and a lot less hardware saving some serious money.

                With 5 panels you need a combiner with 6 ports and 6 breakers. With 4 panels 2S2P no combiners or fuses are needed. Maximum input on your controller is 1200 watts with a 12 volt battery. So with 5 panels you are 300 watts over the limit.
                Last edited by Sunking; 03-19-2017, 07:24 PM.
                MSEE, PE

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                • #9
                  Ok I can trip a breaker and take one of them out of the mix!

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                  • #10
                    As for your genny question. Today you would need a 2 Kw unit and a 12 volt 60 amp charger That will give you 750 watts of charging power which is about the max your batteries can take.

                    Smart money says wait until you get your equipment matched up because right now you have a bit of a mess that is way beyond any 12 volt limits. You have to much panel wattage and not enough batteries operating at the wrong voltage.

                    Example the equipment limits on 12 volts is about 1000 watts, on a 800 AH battery. You have more panel wattage than that and only half the battery capacity. So wait until you know where you are going.

                    24 volts is good to 2000 watts @ 800 AH battery
                    48 volts is good to 4000 watts @ 800 AH battery.

                    You are already into 24 volt battery territory with your panel wattage.
                    Last edited by Sunking; 03-19-2017, 07:56 PM.
                    MSEE, PE

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                    • #11
                      Thanks Sunking! I was talking with a guy today that is totally off grid and hope to see his setup and learn a few things as well. I've learned allot from you guys and am much appreciated for it. But sometimes for me seeing is believing. He's running I believe 64 6v batteries in 4 strings at 24v. Thank You... Mike

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Svencool View Post
                        Thanks Sunking! I was talking with a guy today that is totally off grid and hope to see his setup and learn a few things as well. I've learned allot from you guys and am much appreciated for it. But sometimes for me seeing is believing. He's running I believe 64 6v batteries in 4 strings at 24v. Thank You... Mike
                        That is not someone you want to use a mentor or an example. Well that would be a great example of what not to do.

                        MSEE, PE

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                        • #13
                          64 6v batteries in 4 strings at 24v
                          Run away, Run away. Before it blows up. Just because it's not on fire, does not mean it's a "good installation", it means you should have bought a lottery ticket that day.

                          Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                          || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                          || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                          solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                          gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Svencool View Post
                            Thanks Sunking! I was talking with a guy today that is totally off grid and hope to see his setup and learn a few things as well. I've learned allot from you guys and am much appreciated for it. But sometimes for me seeing is believing. He's running I believe 64 6v batteries in 4 strings at 24v. Thank You... Mike
                            The numbers you gave just do not add up.
                            64 6V batteries would be 16 strings of 4 batteries each producing 24V nominal.
                            If it is really 4 strings of 4 that is only 16 batteries.
                            And 4 strings in parallel is way too many.
                            One string is good, two strings well monitored may work for awhile.
                            You have the right idea about going to a higher voltage using 2V batteries at some point in the future.
                            SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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                            • #15
                              He has them in Series and I asked if I could check it out some weekend. So I will have more probably correct info to share and he is 100% off grid....

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