In a DC coupled system, what is primarily used to charge the batteries?

In a DC coupled system, charge controllers are primarily responsible for charging the batteries. This is because charge controllers are designed to regulate the voltage and current coming from the solar panels to ensure that the batteries are charged correctly and safely. They prevent overcharging and can manage the various stages of charging, which is crucial for maintaining battery health and performance.

Charge controllers also enable the efficient use of energy generated by the solar array. In a DC coupled configuration, the solar panels charge the batteries directly through the charge controller without the need for conversion to AC, which streamlines the charging process.

In this context, battery inverters are typically used when converting the DC power stored in batteries to AC power for household use but are not directly involved in the charging process. Grid-tied inverters convert DC power from the solar panels when selling excess power back to the grid but do not contribute to charging the batteries in a true DC coupled system. AC generators provide energy but do not interact within the DC charging process of the batteries in the system. Thus, charge controllers are the essential component for battery charging in a DC coupled system.