Sailoradam
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2020
- Messages
- 2
Hi,
I bought a new (used) sailboat last year and I’m going to equip it with LifePo4 domestic batteries, and five 100W solar panels to keep them charged. The charge will be regulated with a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 regulator, and I wonder if this unit also could solve another problem? The diesel engine has a traditional alternator that I believe can deliver 70 A. Initially, I planned to get an isolated DC to DC charger and let the engine battery charge the lithium batteries – but couldn’t the MPPT regulator be used instead?
I’m planning to use a relay to switch between solar power and alternator power for the regulator. When the engine is turned off the solar panels are charging and when it’s on the alternator is charging. This way I can charge the lithium batteries exactly the way they should be charged and at the same time I will limit the current from the alternator so it won’t burn up from overheating. The alternator will always be connected to the AGM engine battery so it can’t be destroyed if the regulator shuts off. If you wonder about the isolator it's already there and I can't see any harm in leaving it were it is.
The only disadvantage I can see is that I wont be able to use both the alternator and the solar panels to charge at the same time …
Anyone out there with some skills?
I bought a new (used) sailboat last year and I’m going to equip it with LifePo4 domestic batteries, and five 100W solar panels to keep them charged. The charge will be regulated with a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 regulator, and I wonder if this unit also could solve another problem? The diesel engine has a traditional alternator that I believe can deliver 70 A. Initially, I planned to get an isolated DC to DC charger and let the engine battery charge the lithium batteries – but couldn’t the MPPT regulator be used instead?
I’m planning to use a relay to switch between solar power and alternator power for the regulator. When the engine is turned off the solar panels are charging and when it’s on the alternator is charging. This way I can charge the lithium batteries exactly the way they should be charged and at the same time I will limit the current from the alternator so it won’t burn up from overheating. The alternator will always be connected to the AGM engine battery so it can’t be destroyed if the regulator shuts off. If you wonder about the isolator it's already there and I can't see any harm in leaving it were it is.
The only disadvantage I can see is that I wont be able to use both the alternator and the solar panels to charge at the same time …
Anyone out there with some skills?