Kit_L
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2016
- Messages
- 476
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Suu Kyi
- Vessel Make
- Custom 40' catamaran
I am looking to make a modest upgrade to our vessel's solar system. Presently, we have a tiny panel which trickle charges the two house bank Trojan T105s.
We run the generator for an hour or so in the evening, and load it fully:
AC battery charger (charges house batteries)
Cook dinner, one or two plates
Can run oven and/or microwave, but usually do not
run small electric heater, 1,000W
boil water
heat water via 800W element in a water heater.
The generator is a 6KVa Kohler. We are going to add 4 T105s to the system, making 6 in all.
We intend to add two 400W panels. So, in addition to an MPPT controller, we will need a new charger and an inverter.
Because we really only need a small inverter (to charge two computers, two phones, two tablets), we are thinking that an 800W Victron might do the job. But it's only capable of charging at 35A, so not enough for the 6-battery system. The larger 1,600W inverter–charger would be (charges to 70A).
Would it be better to size the charger to the bank size and use a separate inverter?
So, some questions:
Trojan's site says that these batteries should be charged at 10–13% of the 20-hour capacity rating, so 60–70A for the six, if we go with six, or 40A if we decide only four.
And I have seen advice here that recommends against combination inverter–chargers (like the Victron Multi-Plus units), but I would really like to know what people think the fundamental advantages/disadvantages of separate vs. combined units are, apart from what I have mentioned above. TIA.
We run the generator for an hour or so in the evening, and load it fully:
AC battery charger (charges house batteries)
Cook dinner, one or two plates
Can run oven and/or microwave, but usually do not
run small electric heater, 1,000W
boil water
heat water via 800W element in a water heater.
The generator is a 6KVa Kohler. We are going to add 4 T105s to the system, making 6 in all.
We intend to add two 400W panels. So, in addition to an MPPT controller, we will need a new charger and an inverter.
Because we really only need a small inverter (to charge two computers, two phones, two tablets), we are thinking that an 800W Victron might do the job. But it's only capable of charging at 35A, so not enough for the 6-battery system. The larger 1,600W inverter–charger would be (charges to 70A).
Would it be better to size the charger to the bank size and use a separate inverter?
So, some questions:
Trojan's site says that these batteries should be charged at 10–13% of the 20-hour capacity rating, so 60–70A for the six, if we go with six, or 40A if we decide only four.
And I have seen advice here that recommends against combination inverter–chargers (like the Victron Multi-Plus units), but I would really like to know what people think the fundamental advantages/disadvantages of separate vs. combined units are, apart from what I have mentioned above. TIA.