How to test Wind Generator

[jamelia]

I live on a sailboat, with a 115 W solar panel, and a 200W (homemade) wind generator.  Between the two of them, I am totally self sufficient (with refrigeration) until I run the computer for a few hours, then need to start the engine.

It seems like I am having to run the engine more often now, so I decided to test the system.  The solar panel reads 19 V output, the wind generator reads (fluctuation) to 19 V then reads 1. after it speeds up.  Not quite sure what is going on here, shouldn't the voltage just go higher or stay at the 19?

These readings were with a digital voltmeter, with the power supply (wind generator and solar panel) not connected to anything, just reading the output.

So my question is, am I testing the right way?  If not, how should I be testing.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

Joe

Moved to Newbies as this will yield good information new folks should have. TW.

[Fused]

Sounds like the setting on your multimeter needs moved to read over 20 volts.

Good luck

[Chris OC]

Hi, I live on a boat too, not a sail boat but a narrowboat

Is it being tested with a multi meter? If the voltage is over 20V DC make sure your multi meter is set to the 200V DC scale otherwise you may get the "1."

I am just a newbie myself and have only just finished my first 1.6M turbine. I have tested the alternator and it's voltage increases as it RPM increases "variable voltage 3Phase Axial flux alternator", but when conected to my batteries they sort of act like a regulator on the voltage.

Regards,

Chris

[Flux]

Open circuit voltage readings tell you virtually nothing. The solar panel should be somewhere between 17 and 22v depending on temperature so that seems normal. The wind generator will exceed battery voltage at cut in speed and in a high wind you may see 100 plus volts so as others have said you will need to change range on the meter.

What matters is current and I really can't imagine someone not having an ammeter to read current into the battery. For convenience it is far better to have one to measure panel current and one to measure turbine current. Then it will be obvious whether both are performing normally. It is perfectly possible to have adequate open circuit voltages but there may be resistance in the circuit somewhere preventing you getting reasonable current.

Flux

[tanner0441]

Hi

Also have you checked the electrolite level in the batteries.

Brian

[KilroyOdin]

Hi, do you have blocking diodes installed?

[claude]

May I ask what computer do you use? Because a smaller(hence more efficient one) might spare your gas. For instance one EeePC with a 6Ah battery will run for up to eight hours. It's tiny, that's true but has all the regular features (except for optical drive). And it's cheap.

I'll leave the more experienced folks out here to troubleshoot you power problems.

Claude

[jamelia]

Turns out the controller was bad.  I installed a new Xantrex 40 controller.  Apparently, when the winds get very high, as they were last week, the wind generator can put out as much as 22 amps, the solar panel 6 - 7 under the bright sun here.  As I am from the NorthEast, where I run the motor daily anyway, so the wind generator was not connected, I have never had the conditions of winds and bright sun together with the wind generator connected.  The old controller was a 21 amp SolarPro, and it burnt out.

With the new charge controller, it will handle up to 40 amps, so it should be able to handle all that gets thrown at it.

In addition, I just purchased a new small netbook, which should use a lot less power, and the battery will last several hours longer, so the combination should help a lot.  I hope...............

thanks for the ideas, and yea, it was the range on my voltmeter, silly me.........