A method for allocating electrical power to a plurality of external power devices (130-180, 340, 345, 410) connected to a plurality of device ports (106, 305, 310, 405) of a power distribution and control module (110, 200, 300, 400) comprising the steps of: - operating a controller data processor (220, 325, 430) to poll each of the plurality of device ports (106, 305, 310, 405); - operating the controller data processor (220, 325, 430) to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power distribution and control module (110, 200, 300, 400) that includes determining a device type for each of the plurality of external power devices (130-180, 340,345, 410) connected to one of the plurality of device ports (106, 305, 310, 405) wherein the instantaneous configuration includes at least one DC power source (170, 180, 340) and a plurality of rechargeable DC batteries: - determining, by energy management schema operating on the controller data processor, a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one DC power source (170, 180, 340): - allocating, by the energy management schema, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to an internal power load or to any external power loads connected to one of the plurality of device ports, wherein each of the power loads are allocated peak power or no power; characterized by - allocating, by a battery charging manager module operating on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power that is not allocated to the internal power load or to the external power loads to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria; - wherein the allocation criteria are dependent on the state of charge or the charge capacity of each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries. - operating a controller data processor (220, 325, 430) to poll each of the plurality of device ports (106, 305, 310, 405); - operating the controller data processor (220, 325, 430) to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power distribution and control module (110, 200, 300, 400) that includes determining a device type for each of the plurality of external power devices (130-180, 340,345, 410) connected to one of the plurality of device ports (106, 305, 310, 405) wherein the instantaneous configuration includes at least one DC power source (170, 180, 340) and a plurality of rechargeable DC batteries: - determining, by energy management schema operating on the controller data processor, a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one DC power source (170, 180, 340): - allocating, by the energy management schema, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to an internal power load or to any external power loads connected to one of the plurality of device ports, wherein each of the power loads are allocated peak power or no power; characterized by - allocating, by a battery charging manager module operating on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power that is not allocated to the internal power load or to the external power loads to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria; - wherein the allocation criteria are dependent on the state of charge or the charge capacity of each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries. - determining, by energy management schema operating on the controller data processor, a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one DC power source (170, 180, 340): - allocating, by the energy management schema, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to an internal power load or to any external power loads connected to one of the plurality of device ports, wherein each of the power loads are allocated peak power or no power; characterized by - allocating, by a battery charging manager module operating on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power that is not allocated to the internal power load or to the external power loads to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria; - wherein the allocation criteria are dependent on the state of charge or the charge capacity of each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries. - allocating, by the energy management schema, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to an internal power load or to any external power loads connected to one of the plurality of device ports, wherein each of the power loads are allocated peak power or no power; characterized by - allocating, by a battery charging manager module operating on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power that is not allocated to the internal power load or to the external power loads to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria; - wherein the allocation criteria are dependent on the state of charge or the charge capacity of each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries.