simple system to do most of wind/solar/alternator/shore to house/starting/dump + more

[Bene505]

I've been looking all over Sailnet and searching the web, and could use some input form the experts/experienced people here.

I'm setting up my fourwinds wind generator and plan to add solar eventually. The boat will be unattended for days at a time, so the wind gen will need a dump load. (No one there to tie the tail off the wind or throw a stop switch.)

Ideally, the system would have these features:

Accept power from
1) wind generator (fourwinds II)
2) Solar panels (maybe 500 watts eventually)
3) 2 x Engine Alternators (currently a separate one for starting, why not somehow put it to use when running the engine for charging?) I think means something that boosts to overcome internal resistanc eof the batteries.
4) Ideally shore power, although I have a 3-stage shore power charger in place already.

Battery Charging
1) House bank of 2x4D (eventually 4x4D) -- gel batteries
2) Engine starting battery -- wet cell
3) Temperature sensor to keep batteries happy

Inverter for 110v
1) 2500 or 3000 watts
2) remote on/off
3) Automatic switching from battery to shore power.
4) Ideally a way to separate off non-essential 110v if the shore cable comes unplugged. For instance, so the A/C doesn't drain the house batteries to zero when I'm away. (Not that I have A/C. It's an example.)

More
1) Handle dump load to water heater (2 cascading dump loads if possible)
2) Eventually measure and display amphours in/out/remaining in house bank

Anyone have any ideas if there is a single device that does most of this, or maybe a collection of devices that would do most of this?

Regards

[Zanshin]

There is no single device to take care of all of this. If you are in the market for a charger/alternator the new Victron series are quite smart and do supply 2 distinct AC channels which can be set to shut down with different criteria. Xantrex Link monitors will show you consumption and capacity (I recently installed an old Link 10 and am very happy with it).
The hot water heat sink will require special consideration, I don't know of any off-the-shelf system for that.

[chucklesR]

One size almost never fits all.
This
Xantrex C60 PWM Solar Charge Diversion Load Controller - eBay (item 390026713187 end time Feb-24-09 12:07:10 PST)
Handles the wind and solar
Then add a monitor - pick your favorite depending on how many banks you run. The Xantrex XBM I use is capable of being rigged so that it will monitor two if you wire the down rocker to your start battery; saves a lot of money over the link 2000.

[sailingdog]

He'd only need the link 20, not the 2000, which is designed to control a Freedom series inverter IIRC.

Originally Posted by chucklesR

One size almost never fits all.
This
Xantrex C60 PWM Solar Charge Diversion Load Controller - eBay (item 390026713187 end time Feb-24-09 12:07:10 PST)
Handles the wind and solar
Then add a monitor - pick your favorite depending on how many banks you run. The Xantrex XBM I use is capable of being rigged so that it will monitor two if you wire the down rocker to your start battery; saves a lot of money over the link 2000.

[Bene505]

Thank you. That's what I'm now planning to get.

[Bene505]

OK, so after an afternoon with PowerPoint, dinner and then more PowerPoint, here's the design I'm thinking about. Green is for things I have already. Blue is for what I have to buy. Dotted lines are choices to make. Not sure where to route the House Bank alternator.



Any thoughts?

[chucklesR]

Throw in a ACR (automatic combiner) between the house and starter, dump one of the 60 amp alt's and go with the biggest one your engine can handle.

Bottom line is the alternator's should be backup's anyway, the wind and solar should cover any reasonable use.

[Bene505]

Does the ACR go in like this?

[Bene505]

Nevermind. Google covered it.

Regards

[sailingdog]

Use an Echo Charger instead of an ACR...