Non PV power into charge controller

[foretmark]

How would a charge controller generally used to charge batteries with a solar panel input know or care whether the input voltage was being generated from solar power or by a different source?
I'm told it can't /shouldn't be done, but I don't know why.

As far as I know, the voltage out of a solar panel is just DC voltage....and the controller just regulates it....

 

[itsmoked]

Well a PPT (Power Point Tracker) for solar works with the high source impedance of solar panels to try to find the most efficient current to be drawing from the panels from minute to minute. It does this by chasing around the V-I curve. I'm sure a PPT would be "unpleased" by being hooked to some low impedance source.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[alehman]

I can imagine it might get confused if the source doesn't behave like a PV system. But I have not tried it.

Alan
----
"It’s always fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

 

[cranky108]

Some charge controlers control the voltage and current to the batteries by opening the circuit in a pulsating fashion (some how the pulsating voltage is supose to be good for the batteries).

But the source needs to be able to handle the pulsating load. Also most charge controllers have a limit on the current capabilities.

The charge controller probally was designed for it's application, which dosen't preclude it's use in another application. You just need to evaluate the application to see how simular it is to what the controller was designed for.
If the application is wrong and you see magic smoke, then you will just have to buy more parts.