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17' flying - questionable output | 26 comments (26 topical, editorial)

Re: 17' flying - questionable output (3.00 / 0) (#19)
by dlenox (dlenox@briery.com) on Sat Jun 7th, 2008 at 05:33:05 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.briery.com/wind_turbine

tecker,

I don't have 520' of wire per phase. Currently there is 150' of #8 coming down the tower into my garage, from there I have 160' of #2 wire going to the rectifier in my basement (all copper).

Flux,

I don't have access to the star point, it is buried in the stator and I did not bring it out. So all I have access to is the 3 phases at the rectifier.

Currently the air gap is about .080" on each side of the stator, between the stator surface and surface of magnets. I see the battery voltage rising very slowly and suspect that essentially my wind turbine is not much more than a 'trickle charger', but do not know enough to trouble shoot to much of any degree.

DaveB,

I checked voltage between each of the 3-phases at the AC side of the rectifier and they are all pretty close, at about 60rpm I measure 44volts between each leg. I have a breaker between the rectifier and the DC distribution box, when opening it I see the voltage starting to climb, but can't observe the blade speed from my basement.

Schedule was very tight last fall and I was still building stuff the night before the tower was to be erected. Looks like stator details eluded me, but I must have suspected something otherwise I would not have had the spools of #14 wire, then time lapse through winter made me forget.

My original intent was to copy the older version of the 17' that was made, and I believe in duplicating good work especially in an area that I am not fluent in.

At this point I have made no decision on what to do, but am inclined to redo the stator per specs since this seems to be the one glaring error that I made. Since I already have the copper wire, the only additional outlay is resin - and time. So it seems like the most cost-effective thing that I can do. Without the time crunch of last fall I can test/debug 'more better' prior to bringing up the tower.

Would love to learn more about what I have, I just don't have the time and knowledge. For now at least I am content with watching it, and will let it run to see if it shakes out any mechanical issues, and will monitor it.

Dan

Re: 17' flying - questionable output (3.00 / 0) (#22)
by Flux on Sun Jun 8th, 2008 at 12:18:41 AM MST
(User Info)

"I checked voltage between each of the 3-phases at the AC side of the rectifier and they are all pretty close, at about 60rpm I measure 44volts between each leg. I have a breaker between the rectifier and the DC distribution box, when opening it I see the voltage starting to climb, but can't observe the blade speed from my basement."

If you open circuit the battery circuit at 13mph I would expect the voltage to at least double and very quickly ( seconds).

"Currently the air gap is about .080" on each side of the stator, between the stator surface and surface of magnets."

Doesn't tell us anything as we don't know the stator thickness, air gap is from magnet to magnet.

"I see the battery voltage rising very slowly and suspect that essentially my wind turbine is not much more than a 'trickle charger', but do not know enough to trouble shoot to much of any degree."

You shouldn't be using battery volts as a charge indicator, for some reason you seem unable to measure amps and you must sort that before doing anything else, you are just guessing without that information. You will not be able to do any worthwhile troubleshooting without measuring current. Measuring wind speed is bad enough and you could be way off on that one, but you must be able to measure current.

By all means go for the new stator, do it now if you like and change it when it is done, but at least learn form your present one otherwise the new one may still not solve your problem.

Fux

[ Parent ]

Re: 17' flying - questionable output (3.00 / 0) (#23)
by wooferhound (tim((NoSpamAt))wooferhound.com) on Sun Jun 8th, 2008 at 05:24:47 AM MST
(User Info) http://wooferhound.com

-quote-
"I have a breaker between the rectifier and the DC distribution box, when opening it I see the voltage starting to climb"

If you get high winds and the current gets high enough to Pop the breaker, then you will have an unloaded Mill overspeeding out of control in high winds.

W o o f -={(

[ Parent ]

Re: 17' flying - questionable output (3.00 / 0) (#24)
by TomW on Sun Jun 8th, 2008 at 06:41:12 AM MST
(User Info)

I have to throw in with Flux here. without current measurements you cannot make a logical decision based on facts as they are. I have seen measurement errors throw even seasoned electronics folks.

Always check any measuring device before assuming the reading it gives is a sign of trouble. Lots of folks are thoroughly confused on how to make these measurements consistently and accurately. A simple blown meter fuse would show no amps even tho the potential for them is there but the open fuse prevents a circuit from being completed.

None of this is rocket science but understanding how to measure system performance is important. And it must be done properly to be useful.

I have trouble offering specific, detailed advice because there are so many things I don't even consciously think about and some are critical items.

Good luck with it.

Tom

"Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned."--Mark Twain
[ Parent ]

17' flying - questionable output | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 editorial)

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