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Wind turbine fuse
By henjulfox, Section Controls Posted on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 04:45:33 PM MST
To fuse or not to fuse

Got my 4th turbine flying last weekend. Each has been add-as-you-go to where now I have a mess of wires and meters. Therefore I want to convert/build a nice common combining box with all the connections and meters in one place.
The question is: do I fuse the turbine inputs? I realize this is a lose-lose, if a fuse blows I have a freewheeling turbine which is a bad thing. But, anything that caused a properly sized fuse to blow is also a bad thing.
My thought is that current that would cause the fuse to blow is a worse thing (short, ligtning, etc) therefore I fuse (or circuit breaker). Any thoughts?
-Henry

Wind turbine fuse | 6 comments (6 topical)

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Flux on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 09:55:36 AM MST

My thought is to use a fuse bigger than the turbine can blow. It will protect your wiring if rectifiers go short circuit.

Never use a fuse rated such that the turbine might blow it.

What's really needed is a reverse current breaker that will never trip with charging current but will trip with small reverse current during discharge.
Flux

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by henjulfox on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 10:06:12 AM MST

I agree that the size must be larger than the turbine can blow. Don't want her freewheeling right when the wind is the best.

Is there such thing as a reverse current circuit breaker or is it a wish-they-made-one? I've never seen or heard of one.
-Henry

[ Parent ]

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Flux on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 11:39:06 AM MST

Probably a wish. The units I saw were industrial ones and probably cost the earth. That was 30 yrs ago and they may have been 50 yrs old then.

The electronic version is not difficult to build if you can find a voltage tripped breaker.
Flux

[ Parent ]

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Countryboy on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 12:06:42 PM MST

What's really needed is a reverse current breaker that will never trip with charging current but will trip with small reverse current during discharge.

A simpler solution might be to use a blocking diode, or a semiconductor transistor. They act like one-way valves for current flow.

[ Parent ]

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by Titantornado on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 11:47:16 AM MST

I've been considering using a 4 pole breaker, and utilize the 4th pole as a switch to control a braking contactor. (see diagram)

Rod

Re: Wind turbine fuse (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by johnlm on Sat Mar 04, 2006 at 12:24:07 PM MST

I just had a thought. I wonder if one might use a slightly modified ground fault interupted breaker to do what Flux proposed.

Johnlm

Wind turbine fuse | 6 comments (6 topical)

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