# help



## Milkwitch (Nov 11, 2006)

I moved into a strawbale house last year. It is completely off grid. I bought it. Last year the solar power system worked like a dream, I was using even a toaster and a washer! this year we had a very cloudy blah summer. Dream a nightmare. there is a generator but had not used it till this fall. finally got someone to get it stated. it is an All Power America3500 Watt Peak 6.5HP OHV Propane Powered Generator. Now I am having to do a crash course in solar stuff and there sure is a lot of it. 
This generator is hooked up to a AxioMatic 24V DC-DC converter, which is connected directly into the 24v 4 deep cell flooded acid battery bank. The batteries are so low now they may be damaged, however I have been told that it should be connected to the inverter, for it to charge the batteries. Which has to happen to equalize them(which has never been done) and get a good solid charge going on. This particular generator hook up doesn't do much and former owners say never did. I have been told it needs to be plunged into the AC in the inverter to charge the batteries. I am unsure of this. The inverter is1500w pure sine wave inverter cotek. http://repowersolar.en.alibaba.com/...0059/1500w_pure_sine_wave_inverter_cotek.html
this above link is the exact inverter I have, so the question is . Can the generator be connected directly to this interter with an AC input and result in charging the battery bank? BTW it is already hooked to the DC solar array. 
or will it need some type of additional charger?


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## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

That appears to be just an inverter not an inverter / charger which is the kind that can charge your batteries. So yes you would need a charger that is large enough to charge your bank but small enough your generator can power it and other loads. Check out http://www.donrowe.com/Samlex-SEC-2440UL-p/sec-2440ul.htm thats a middle of the road size wise. You would need to check how many amps AC it draws when charging to be sure your generator will run it along with the rest of the house as you charge. I have never used samlex products it is just an example of the type charger you probably need. 
Hope this helps, maybe others will chime in.

Larry


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

That inverter is a very low end unit . . . . . . and no it does not have a built in batt charger.

The Samlex batt chargers are good. 
The Iota batt chargers are even better.

Or converting over to a decent inverter/charger . . . .

From what you have posted I'd bet that you have pretty well killed the batteries from undercharging them.

And I'll bet you do not have the proper equipment to be able to monitor your battery bank.

First thing to do is put that toaster in a six foot hole. . . . . . . .for the small equipment that you have, that thing is killing your poor batteries.


Sorry for the bad news, but your story has been played out way too many times.
Over use, undercharging . . . . . . .


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## Milkwitch (Nov 11, 2006)

well thank you both very much this is exactly the information I needed. Not what I wanted to hear, but definably needed to know! This is turning out to be a really silly system. It has a massive solar panel array, but shoddy set up! 

PS. LOL toaster is LONG gone


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

Nothing wrong with a toaster off grid. We use toaster, mixer, food processor. They have a large (1,500 watt) draw but only for a short time.

It sounds like you just need a good inverter/charger. And a lot more batteries.


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## woobs420 (Dec 2, 2013)

Yes nothing wrong with a toaster at all! My cabin is set up with microwave toaster a dishwasher 120v fridge etc its all about how and when you use it.
I have nuked plenty of l-16 batteries in the past and no longer do so due to proper equalization and maintenance. Do you have a hydrometer? That is the most important tool an off gridder can have the second would be a good 3 way meter. Cheap hydrometers can be had at about any auto parts store for about 10 bucks or less and can save thousands. Sounds like you have no charger now? What does your solar system have for a charge controller? It should be able to equalize on the solar power. Silly question but have you ever checked the water level in the batts?


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## woobs420 (Dec 2, 2013)

Also wondering how and why the generator is hooked to a dc-dc converter? Only thing i can think of is its got a small dc winding and its hooked to there? Even if it was it will never charge the batteries those converters are for for supplying a constant 24vdc and it takes more than 24v to charge a battery. You would find those units hooked to fairly low power dc equipment that requires a very close tolerance to voltage outside of 24v mostly tellcom type stuff.


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