I'm currently installing a battery bank to power some lower priority loads like chest freezers, and I've wired up all the batteries, inverter, and sub panel to make sure everything works smoothly. However, I don't have my PV array set up yet. My battery bank consists of LiFePO4 batteries that I've fully charged individually, but I'm curious about the best way to recharge them once they discharge, considering I won't have solar support for a while. Should I disconnect all the parallel connections and the charge controller to manually charge each battery individually? Or is there a way to recharge all batteries while still connected in parallel? Also, do most charge controllers allow you to connect a manual charger directly to the PV inputs?
2 Answers
Check out Victron's Quattro or Multiplus models; they function as inverter chargers. You would also want a separate solar charge controller for your setup.
You can connect a suitable battery charger at the same points where your inverter and charge controller are connected. If you're dealing with a mixed setup like four 12V batteries in a 2s2p configuration, make sure to use a charger that's capable of 24V.
My setup consists of two 24V batteries in parallel, and I have a smart 12/24V charger. Can I connect the charger across the terminals of the two outer batteries? Do I need to route the charging through the charge controller, or can I link directly to the batteries without causing any issues for the controller?
Would I have to manually turn this on and off? I'm on a similar 48V setup and all the AC to DC chargers I've looked at say to unplug them after charging. I need a charger that can automatically manage the charging based on discharge levels. Any suggestions for an easy solution?