12' update and controller photos

[Dave B]

Well, my 12'axial has performed well and held together just fine in 40 mph gusts a couple weeks ago. (previous posting of completed on test tower)Now I have run the direct burial into the house and have nearly completed my variable load controller. The other photos show the variable scale output meter and guts inside based on 2 LM3914's and 15 led's trigered by rectified AC from the alternator. These display in bar graph mode with selected led's (dip switches) that when lit trigger solid state relays that switch on the alternator AC output direct to heating elements at the different RPM (voltage levels). I plan to pre-heat water direct, no batteries. I proto typed this and it worked fine, I will add another box to house the relays and dip switches and adjust the hysterisis when the wind co-operates. (strange, it's been dead calm for nearly 4 days now) Sure wish there was time to get the tower up before Winter instead of flying only 10' off the ground on the top tower section test tower. Updates to follow, this is just too much fun.  Dave B.

[anthony]

Hi dave

nice looking machine hope the wind blows for you.im also trying to build a controller like yours but have found the circuit is incorrect.I dont suppose you could post your circuit on here.Also have you got a way to stop the relay from turning on and off too quickly.

cheers anthony

[Dave B]

Thanks for the compliment. My photo shows the output level led meter portion of the controller. If you go to LM3914 on a search you will find this driver IC and many different combinations of circuits for it's use including chaining them together for multiple arrays. The solid state relays are triggered by 3-35 v and so I just parrallel off the selected LED that when lit turns on the alternator AC to the heating element(s). I am testing right now with the capacitor values that slow the response (dampen) the on-off timing of the display LEDs. The capacitors are in parallel with the DC input to the LM3914's. Sorry I don't have a drawing, I'm still in the testing stage so things are changing frequently. I'll post more detail as tests prove out. Thanks again,   Dave B

[domwild]

Great photos! Thanks. Am also interested in the circuit and intend to drive water heating elements directly, perhaps a little bit of DC to drive the electronics. The circuit I have seen and am possibly able to build is Hugh Piggott's LM2917 (?) based frequency to voltage tacho chip that drives TRIACS to switch AC loads.

Anyway, let us have your circuit when you are ready and the wind blows!

dominic

western australia

[Peppyy]

This looks like what I have been looking for also.

I have found a few others but this one looks like it will do what I want.

Can't wait to see the diagram and thanks.

I found a nice one to monitor your battery status but it looks a bit more complex.

http://www.solorb.com/elect/solarcirc/vom/

Best wishes for a steady wind.

Pep