Off Shore Charging System for My Electrically Propelled Sailboat PUBLIC

Hi Carl. Thank you for your reply. I like what you said in your bio "Experience, is what's left when the money is gone". Anyway, the Solar Charge Controllers are PWM, here is the photo:

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Solar-Charge-Controller-Street-Light-Regulator-12V-24V-Autoswitch-10A-20A-30A-/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/$(KGrHqV,!nkFB(ZbpPYNBQYV4o)tTw~~60_3.JPG

Two question: first, I'm not sure what you mean by "Charging all batteries at the dock will challenge their circuit breakers". I have three chargers "Minn Kota 315D" two of those with 3 banks and one with two. Here is the photo of the three bank one:

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Minn-Kota-MK-315D-On-board-Marine-Charger-3-Bank-x-5A-/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/$(KGrHqV,!rUE-l,ewkBYBPs+ByDObw~~60_3.JPG

They all seem to work fine charging batteries even don't burn any fuses even when under load connected in serial. I tried to fallow that principle with solar chargers, but they seem to blow the fuse when I connect the two "two sets" together and current becomes 48V instead of 24V. Two, I'm not quite understanding what you mean by "The "Solar Charge Controllers" need their "Inputs" electrically isolated from their "Outputs"." May be you can draw me a diagram? Thanks' again for your time and advise.

I see it now. Thank you Carl, I feel stupid not to see such a simple problem. I'll work on resolving it. You see, your "Second Solution" with a DPDT switch is definitely the right way to do it, the problem I have with it are the diodes. When I measure them, they don't seem to let the current in one direction and stop in the other, may be I'm using the wrong type? Anyway, with multiple solar chargers, I might not need them, a DPDT switch might do the job. I'll work on a diagram and send it to you. Thank you again for your time.

How about this? Look at the main diagram. Do you think isolating just one Sollar Controller is enough?

Thank you, I will.

Okay Carl. Here is my latest diagram. You were right, the previous way, shorted out. I changed it now, look at the diagram, it's different. I connected the right side this way, seems to be working. Of course, when SW2 is on, SW4 is off and vise versa. I'll go check on it in a day or two, see if the fuses are still holding and batteries are charged. I did blow about a dozen fuses by now and fried 3 Solar Charge Controllers. Do you think I need to put switches by F6 and F7? I really don't want to, the more switches, the more chance to make a mistake to switch them on or off in a wrong order or leave them on together. As usual, thank you for your time and expertise.

Thank you Carl. So you suggest I completely isolate each Solar Charge controller when charging and completely disconnect them when the system is under load?

... and "4PDT" has to handle 100A at 24V?

Hi Carl. Thank you so much for all your help. I did the wiring just the way you designed it in your diagram and it seemed to work good. The only thing is that I don't thing my Wind Turbine is charging my batteris. I drew an addition to your diagram on the right hand side. Tha Amp Guage shows only 3-4 Amps that's Solar only. May be because I'm going through 2 charge controllers (one wind and one sollar) somehow the wind one thinks the batteries are charged and stops the flow?

https://www.circuitlab.com/circuit/2k9pp6/circuit-lab-wind_solar-charging-for-8-batteries/

I hope this diagram shows up.

Thank you so much for your reply. I've been struggling with this for some time now. I even got the 2nd turbines, thinking one might be faulty. The output voltage is suppose to be 24V for each turbine and solar (I guess with no load). I measured it and it is about right, depending on the wind and sun. The voltage of the turbine is definitely AC. It has 3 wires coming out; one blue, one red and one I think white. The wind controller input is 24VAC and output 24VDC The type of wind controller is: GUDCRAFT CD5.0 500W FOR WIND GENERATOR TURBINE, I got in on ebay. Could you see the new diagram?

Hi Carl. Haven't heard from you in a while. Do you have any suggestions for me? As far as dumping electricity for the wind turbine, it seems that wind turbine charge controller activates the brakes in the turbine and when the batteries are charged, the turbine just doesn't spin, even in the strong wind.

Thank you.

Hi Carl. How is it going? Did you find the cure to my problem yet?

I did that already. A strange thing happens. You see, when the batteries are fully charged, the wind charge controller activates the brakes in the wind turbines and they don't spin. When the batteries need charging, the controller releases the brakes and the turbines spin. But that's not what's strange, what is strange is that it does that, but my amp meeter is not registering any amperage being drawn. Between the two wind turbine at 400W-24V max and a 100W-24V solar panel, I should be getting 900W, that is 37A. My amp meeter, on the bright, sunny, windy day, at noon, in Florida, shows 2A. I suppose I can connect wind controller directly to the battery through the Amp Meeter and see what the meeter will show, because I think as long as the solar controller is on at all, the wind one thinks the battery is charged, but then, why does it releases the breaks when the batteries need charging? May be the Amp Meeter is not suppose to show any Amps because the current is being forced into the batteries? I don't know, that kind of sounds stupid.

I don't know if it makes any difference, but I put the Amp Meeter slightly in the wrong place in the diagram. It's not where it really is. If you can give me your regular email, I can send you a jpg of the updated diogram. The Circuitlab Editor takes too long to open on my autdated Power Mac.

Yes I do and a pretty fancy one. It also measures Amps, up to 20 DC. Thanks' for the email.

I hope I'm not driving you crazy. I was on my boat today, ran some tests. By the way, in my new diagram, where there is +, it's actually -, I made a mistake in the diagram. Anyway, I disconnected the solar panel, the wind was blowing, my installed amp meeter wasn't showing anything, but when I put my hand-held amp meeter between the + of the battery and + of the solar controller on the output side, I saw amps. Not much, my digital amp meeter, when set on 20ADC showed from 0.07 to 0.27 depending on the strength of the wind. I'm not sure if it was 7A and 27A or under one amp. I'll try to refer to the manual of the meeter. So, it might be working. My next test, after I install my last 2 batteries, I have 12 now, to run them down to about 2/3, then see how fast they charge beck. Therefore, my conclusion from today, is that I might of put my amp meeter in the wrong place. What do you think?

Yes I did, I'll do it again.

Oh, okay, may be that's the problem. I compied and pasted though. I'll try again now.

I just sent you a test. Let me know if you got it.

Did you get my test or the diagram? I also just sent you the lates version of my diagram with some text.

Sorry, I'm not quite understanding what you mean: "Digital amp-meter, measure the Wind Controller to Battery. Without going through the "Solar Controller". Did you mean this is how it is now, or how it should be?