Mixed AC/DC dumploads?

[Phssthpok]

After doing a bit of searching I've finally gotten a grasp on how dump loads work to keep the battery bank from getting overcharged. My power source is solar heavy at the moment, with only the little Ametek mill as an aside. I recently scored some more panels which places my max solar capacity at 1.3Kw. (yes....I have over 1000w of solar)

At full output that much power is a bit too much for my batteries to handle, even with a few (non-dump) loads going. Pushing close to 90 amps at full output, and not wanting to invest in muliple charge controllers (which would waste energy potential anyway by 'shutting off' the solar) I'm thinking that a dump load is the way to go. The batteries will remain charged, and I can put the extra power to use in a water heater or other such utilitarian use.

That being said, here's the meat of the question:

Is is possible to use a single CC (say, a C60) to control not only a trditional dump load (say, a 12v DC water heater element) but also an AC dump load? The way I understand it, the CC passes the DC current through itself from the batteries to the DC dumpload. How, then, could one use an AC load to burn off extra power....or can one?

If possible I'd like to get the CC to switch on my small (520w) window air conditioner as a dump load during the summer months, when sunlight is plentiful, and temperatures soar. Sure would be nice to be able to enter a cool(er) home at the end of the day after hours of toiling in the summer sun.

Is this even possible, or am I living a pipe dream?

[justmyluk]

The way I see it, I would hook the 12 volt D/C side of the dumb load to an A/C inverter. Leave the inverter switched on at all times. When the dump load picks it will supply your inverter with the power it needs to run your Air Conditioner.

Let me know if I missed something...

[Tpfkat]

I have a trace sw inverter,I hooked relay 9 to a larger relay and dump 120 ac into the 240 ac element of a water heater(1200 watts).

you could hook up a relay from your charge diverter to switch ac in the same way,15 amp contact/12v coil relays are common, you should be able to pick one up cheap.

[edward_4576]

Do you have connection to the Grid? If so check with your local utilities, you might be able to sell your eccess to them to offset costs when your on the grid.

[johnjmw]

I'm not really good with the numbers, but aren't you going to burn out the 60amp controller feeding almost 90 amps through it? I seem to recall that you needed something like 25% higher amp rating on the controller to safe. I do love the idea of using an inverter and air conditioner to dump to. Then the CC would cut power completely when the air conditioner shut off. What would happen to the juice from the small wind gen? Does it have it's own shunt?
John