🚀 go-pugleaf

** My parents have a narrow boat which has both 12 volt and 240 volt
   supplies. When the marine engine is running it drives 2 x 75 amp alternators. 
   The two alternators have been adapted and the charging circuitry 
   has been removed. The 150 amp hour power output from the two alternators
   passes into an electronic charging controller called a TWC unit. It is
   the TWC unit which controls the charge rate. The TWC unit supplies
   3 batteries (total capacity) 500 amp hour through a 3 way blocking
   diode. A heat sensor attached to the batteries is connected to the TWC
   unit to detect temperature rises within the cells. I gather that this
   system charges the batteries using something called intelligent 
   charging.

   Initially, when the boat engine is started the two alternators run
   quite hot for the first 15 minutes. After this point, they start to 
   cool down ( I assume as a result of the TWC unit decresing the charging
   rate).

   My father has a portable generator on the boat as well which provides
   240 volts at 50 or 60 Hz. In case the main engine fails he would like
   to use the mains generator to power a 240 volt to 12 volt transformer
   which he could connect into the TWC unit which would provide upto
   150 amp hour in effect taking over the role of the two alternators.

   I was wondering whether it is possible to obtain a 240 to 12 volt
   transformer capable of achieving this and whether it would be 
   possible to conect one side of the transformer to the 240 supply 
   and the other to the TWC unit without needing any other additional
   electronics ? Incidentally, in order to use this transformer would
   the two alternators need to be isolated from the circuit ?

   Thanks for your help in advance.

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         *      Graham Wilson      *  lsg001@cck.coventry.ac.uk  *
         *     LL.B.  Law  III     *     Coventry  University    *
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