wrote in message
ups.com...
| Hi,
| I have just about finished the updating of my live-aboard boat's
| electrical system.
| After adding all this stuff a concern has arisen.
| With all of todays concern about wasting energy, and the cost thereof,
| I am thinking 'is there a way to utilize all the wasted energy from
| all the various charging systems after the batteries are charged?
| Todays cruising boats, yes mine does still 'go', have a multitude of
| charging devices. Engine alternators (cruising), wind chargers (24/7),
| solar panels (12/7) etc. My Inverter/Charger should probably be left
| out of the equation.
| Does anyone know of an inexpensive black box (oxymoron) that would
| gather all these sources, combine them, presumably by equalizing the
| various voltages into one common voltage, then run this output through
| a smart charger device that would charge all the engine and start
| batteries and then redirect the surplus power left over from the float
| charge to, say, a water heater element or other useful resistive
| load?
| It would appear to be simple, but then I am a mechanical engineer not
| an EE :-)
|
| Just thought.
|
| David

It seems the best way to 'store' your surplus energy is to increase the
capacity of your service battery bank or use it for refrigeration.
Wout
|