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Store bought charge controller?


By Otto, Section Controls
Posted on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 at 01:48:18 PM MST
Advice on an economical charge controller?

I finished building my first DC motor wind turbine and I need advice on an economical store bought charge controller.  I did a search on this site and building your own is definitely the cheapest way to go but my electronics knowledge prohibits that so my next best bet is to bite the bullet and purchase one already made.  Any advise is appreciated.
Thank you,
Otto
Store bought charge controller? | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: Store bought charge controller? (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by etownlax on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 at 10:51:28 AM MST
(User Info)

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/8/24/172521/889

You might want to look into Ghurd's controller. Its really simple. Only thing you need to know how to do is how to solder it togather. Which is really not that hard at all. You might even be able to work out a deal with him to solder it for you. But I wouldn't know if you could work some deal out.

Thats probably the cheapest solution.

-Randy



Re: Store bought charge controller? (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by Otto on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 at 02:23:43 PM MST
(User Info)

If you are out there Ghurd, would you be interested in selling one of your charge controllers?
Thanks,
Otto

[ Parent ]


Re: Store bought charge controller? (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by ghurd on Sun Sep 30th, 2007 at 08:58:00 AM MST
(User Info)

Hi Otto,
Yahoo email ghurd1
G-

[ Parent ]


Re: Store bought charge controller? (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by ZooT on Sat Sep 29th, 2007 at 11:38:37 PM MST
(User Info)

Put it up a pole, get a deep cycle battery and a big diode, and use a multimeter, and find out what it will do......

Here's what I'm using now on Ed's minigen200 that's up a pole in my backyard...

My current charge controller is a double pole double throw bayonet switch and a voltmeter.....paid $3 for the switch (radio shack) and $3 for the voltmeter at harbor freight......
Hook your turbine to the center taps on the switch, your battery to one end, and your dump load to the other....

Hook the voltmeter to your battery....and when your battery is fully charged (14.4 volts), flip the switch to disconnect the battery and connect the dump load.
And when your battery starts getting low, flip the switch the other way.....

I've got a 115ah deep cycle battery connected to one end of the switch and a great big 12 volt space heater connected to the other end...

My little wind turbine doesn't charge that battery very fast, so if I'm late checking the meter, I don't think it's going to do very much damage....and it might even act as "an equalization mode"

And I know that's not the answer you wanted.....but it is one that'll buy you time to find out just what your turbine will do....so you can tell folks, and they "can" give you the answer you want...



Store bought charge controller? | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 editorial)
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