battery charger or alternator into midnight classic

[jigbon]

I have a an old woods battery charger -30 amps 2-12 volts DC and a fairly new 110 amp 12-16 volt DC (adjustable) alternator.Both were used to charge my old 2 volt 700 amp hour C100 wet cell batteries.
I have recently bough Gels -1100 amp 12 volt C100 and have a Midnight Classic 200  for my solar panels input ..As the woods is a  linear charger its not good for gels.
Question.
If I need a charger to charge the gels.......
Can I run the Woods into my midnight classic  input, as if its another input like wind turbine etc, and make the Woods become a 'smart charger' to suit gels ?
Could I do the same with alternator too ? This way I wont have to buy a smart battery charger as that what the classic really is isnt it?
All without damaging any of the equipment.
If its a yes, Any constraints or restrictions I need to be aware of ?

Any input would be much appreciated 
jigbon 

[Resthome]

Battery chargers are not considered a good input for a Midnite charge controller.

[jigbon]

Thanks John
Guess ill bite the bullet and buy a smart charger.

[mike90045]

Sometimes, the "smart" chargers are flummoxed by external loads on the battery, and when the "battery & loads" don't behave and charge like a battery only, the smart charger gives up and shuts off, thinking the battery is bad. 
Just so you know what may happen, if you have loads on while charging.

[phonetic]

I use a 48volt/50amp  switchmode battery charger to feed into my classic 150 works a treat with 2.5kVA genset

[zoneblue]

Well the point is that the classic will try to draw the maximum power out of any input source. Thats what it does.  It really depends on t he battery charger as to how they will like that. To be safe you need it to emulate a solar panel. That can be acheived by adding some series resistance in the form a power resistor of the right value. Swtich mode supplies that are robustly current limited internally will achieve the same effect. Disclaimer: the view around here is something to the effect "not a recomended configuration".

[CDN-VT]

 "not a recommended configuration"
I run my external battery chargers through the shunt & WBjr , that way the Classic has it's settings & the charger is monitored from the WBjr readings . I run Iota's that way .
Gen support with Inverters also , but one system is smaller & that works well but is manually overseen .

VT

[zoneblue]

IM just telling you what boB has said here previously. ie... Doesnt mean it wont work if you are careful. Just take care with your warranties.

[Vic]

IM just telling you what boB has said here previously. ie... Doesnt mean it wont work if you are careful. Just take care with your warranties.

zoneblue is spot on.   Using an external DC power supply can work fine ...  I have done this in the past,  myself.

If one wants to do it,  GREAT!    But it is not recommended by the MidNite,  as a general case.

Going ahead anyway just means that the person doing so bears the responsibility of the outcome  --  good or bad.

IMO,   Vic

[CDN-VT]

I am NOT feeding the Midnite as giving the power into the solar in , That is not recommended .
I am paralleling the Iota with the classic & use the WBjr to let the classic know the amount of watts supplied .
The Iota has a few settings & you can trim as needed .
Gen-set to Iota is one way I find I can boot in AMPs as it's also picks up some AC load .

I like a clean DC power that the Iota can produce ..

VT