I have a Sigineer 6Kw 24v inverter that comes with a built-in charging feature. Currently, my trailer setup has a solar/battery system with a switch that turns everything off, plus a 50a breaker for the trailer's shore power, which also has its own 50a breaker. When we're out, I turn off the shore power breaker and switch on the solar/battery breaker to use the batteries. My question is this: since I keep the solar/battery and shore power breakers on at different times, can I have them both on at the same time? Would the inverter use the shore power to charge the batteries directly, eliminating the need for a separate battery charger when there's no sun or at night?
2 Answers
The inverter should handle using shore power to charge your batteries, but I suggest checking the manual—it usually has specific instructions for setup. Did you install everything yourself?
In theory, since you’re dealing with AC output breakers, it seems like you could have the shore power wired to the AC input of the inverter, allowing it to charge when on. However, I recommend installing an interlock breaker to prevent any chance of both being on at the same time – that could cause issues. Don't forget to also add a cutoff switch for your battery and PV.