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Not Sure why its not charging Batteries | 9 comments (9 topical, editorial)
Re: Not Sure why its not charging Batteries (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by wooferhound (tim((NoSpamAt))wooferhound.com) on Thu May 15th, 2008 at 08:49:46 PM MST
(User Info) http://wooferhound.com

In your wiring Diagram
http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/10391/wire_diagram_windmill_controller.jpg
(3 meg picture)
You have your solar and wind power connected totally incorrectly. The diodes for your wind generator are already on the Oatley Electronics controller
http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/10391/controller
(3 meg picture)
Your Solar and Wind power should really be connected directly to the battery through Diodes on solar, and Bridge Rectifiers on wind.
W o o f -={(



Re: Not Sure why its not charging Batteries (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by Ungrounded Lightning Rod on Fri May 16th, 2008 at 09:06:50 AM MST
(User Info)

The layout of the diodes and switches in this controller looks more like it's trying to scavenge power from low winds by acting as a voltage-boost switcher, using the genny as the inductor, rather than act as a voltage regulator.

If it's trying to regulate the voltage using a dump load it has some problems.

 - The dump load is across the source, rather than the battery.  That's OK if it's JUST solar panels.  But it's what's stalling your genny.
 - The blocking diodes between the bridge and the battery are redundant (once the dump load is moved to the battery).  They introduce another diode drop and throw away maybe 5% of your power on a 12V system.

For a quick fix short D7/D14.  (Note that this will cause the "charging" light to falsely indicate charging whenever the battery isn't fully charged.)

Alternatively you could move the hot end of the dump load to the battery - though you'll have extra diode losses things should work OK and your mill should spin up.

The real fix would be:
 - Unhook the hot end of the bridge from D7/D14 and move it to the battery.
 - Ditto the hot end of the dump load.
 - Remove the blocking diode from either your solar panel or your DC generator and use D7/D14 for that function.  Move the controller end of the blocking diode for the other one to the battery.
 - Unhook the hot end of the "charging" light and add small diodes to it from each of the following:  Upstream of the blocking diode for the solar panel, upstream of the blocking diode for the DC genny, and from each of the AC terminals of the AC genny (a redundant small-current version of the top half of the bridge).  Alternatively you could use separate charging LEDs (and current-limiting resistors) for each (though you'll still need diodes from the AC genny - or you could use just one AC line if you don't mind flicker).
Of course that may require surgery on the PC board.

That "charging" light isn't ever going to be reliable.  Below-cutin voltage will light it and you'll be charging with it off if the dump load can't dump the full output of your generation.

[ Parent ]



Re: Not Sure why its not charging Batteries (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by jjrob80 (jjrob@earthlink.net) on Fri May 16th, 2008 at 01:45:24 PM MST
(User Info)

so what i guess now i want to ask is does it seem like this motor it self will produce some good amps if controlled right?  Setting aside the controller,  i know the turbine it self is balanced and would, and has withstood some high winds. I saw someone had a question whether that would hold up.  And the placement of the genny is good to because it seems that most of the VAWT i have seen on the web have been placed low and similar to how i have it.  Im just trying to match things up at this point. Im more on the mechanical end of all of this and im not sure about tearing into the controller like lightingrod is asking me to do. Im going to try a 10mph day and go through my amp meter  to the batteries and see how that works. The controller was only $60.00.  And maybe can still be salvaged as a solar controller like everyone seems to think. (Which is the next project).   Am happy though with this type of genny compared to 3 prop type at this point. Someday maybe a prop type will be a project also.  I built this for the 3phase stator i built, and maybe ill use that on the prop one. I have the most money i guess in that with the magnets and mag. wire for the stator.  well any other advise would be helpfull

thanks

John
acous1
[ Parent ]



Re: Not Sure why its not charging Batteries (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by Ungrounded Lightning Rod on Fri May 16th, 2008 at 07:22:55 PM MST
(User Info)

Just move the hot end of the dump load and the load side of your genny's blocking diode to battery + and see if your genny starts performing properly (and ignore the "charging" light.)

[ Parent ]


Not Sure why its not charging Batteries | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 editorial)

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