Selecting PV/Grid for charging battery

Started by stump, March 07, 2012, 06:36:36 PM

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stump

The system I'm designing (electric car w/ onboard PV panels) calls for selecting between sources for battery charging (PV or grid, depending on availability of either).  Is there any preferred way to drive the input of the Classic via grid power (e.g. a grid-connected DC power supply and a switch or relay to select sources)?  Doing so would eliminate the need for a separate grid-source charger.

If it works to connect a (nearly) constant DC source (within input voltage range) to the input, which MPPT mode should be used (solar, wind, hydro etc.)?  I realize that at constant voltage maximizing power means maximizing current, so can the input current be limited indirectly using register 4148 (max. output current)? For instance, with battery voltage of 72V nominal, 84V max, setting the output current limit to 11.9A limits the power to 72V*11.9A = 857W at nominal voltage and 84V*11.9A = 1000W at max. voltage.  With an input DC source at 96V the input current limits would be 857W/96V = 8.9A and 1000W/96V = 10.4A, respectively.  Plans currently call for the max. power from grid charging to be higher than the max. PV array power, so this type of limit can remain in place when using the PV panels without reducing power output.

Would such a scheme work, or is there any other recommended method of selecting between grid source and PV source for battery charging?

Stump