This must have been asked, but I can't find it - perhaps too new to know the words, or this is such a bad idea that it hasn't been tried. Will current from a generator operated charger connected to the same battery terminals as the midnight classic SL feed back into the controller or otherwise interfere with its operation? I want to start recharging batteries in a 4x12v battery bank in series when voltage drops to about 48v then recharge to about 49v to prevent battery deterioration, but don't know if this creates a problem for the controller. It seems that too many things are happening at once - power going out to appliances while power is coming in from both the controller (during daytime) and from a generator.
JRM
My generator basically does the same thing , going to inverter which then charges the batteries.
It won't interfere with the Classic . The Classic will just respond to the battery voltage so if it is at it's absorb setpoint , the Classic would go into Absorb . if lower it will just keep charging in bulk like it always would. Depending on what charger you are using you would want to make sure it has setpoints that don't over charge the battery. My inverter charger has it's own charging setpoints much like the Classic does.
Do you have a Whizbang on your Classic ? If you hook the generator up so current goes through the shunt , the Classic SOC will rise as it charges and you can also see the current going through the shunt via whizbang.
Larry
Larry,
Thanks for the reassuring reply. I am using the generator to power an Aims 48-volt battery charger that currently connects to the battery pack on the same terminals as the Classic. The inverter connects to the Classic side of the shunt and to the large circuit breaker in the electric box. I do have a whiz bang jr. Do you think I can run the battery charger negative lead directly to the Classic side of the shunt (where my inverter already connects)?
JRMunn
Your shunt should have one side that goes to the battery. No other negatives should be on that side. So yes connect the charger negative to the other side of the shunt where all the other grounds are . That way you can monitor the current going into the battery from the charger by looking at the Whizbang system amps data if you are using the Local Status App I think that is what they call it. Or on the MNGP you would go to the Whizbang data screen . The only thing that the Classic will do is count the amps in from the charger towards the SOC . So the SOC will go up as it charges.
Larry
Larry,
This is starting to make sense to me. Thank you again.
JRMunn