over volatge condition

[windpower4me]

Hi guys hope you can help.A bit of back ground first.I just finished building a 2.4m mill of Hugh Pigot's design everything went well with the build.We put the unit into service and in moderate winds my voltage was spiking to 17v and my amps to around 35 or40.I shut it down lowered the tower figuring that my tail weight is the culpurit causing the over speed before it furled( I did notice that it was furling though).I lightened up my tail and put her back up and still have about the same problem I noted 16.2v and around 30 amps now the amps were not steady but the voltage seems to stay up there 15-16v range in moderat wind (approx. 15 mph).Now my trace c40 seems to go into shutdown and from what I can make of it,ti has a slow blinking orange light.I configured the controler for 12v,charge control mode (using a large .3 ohm resistor for a load)with manual equilization.Any thoughts guys?

Tks. Rob

[Tom in NH]

Hi Rob, I have a C40 configured the same way as yours and it has generated the orange error light upon occasion. I had a disconnect with two pull-out fuses, one to disconnect the rectified dc from the C40, and the other to disconnect the DC from the battery. I found when I plugged in the fuses (i.e. both of them connecting at the same time) the led would blink orange. It could be cured by pressing and holding the reset switch a couple times. I have since re-rigged it so there are two separate disconnects, and I don't get the error anymore when I connect the battery first, then the rectified DC.

I don't think your problem is due to over voltage or over current. I believe the C40 is designed to take up to 125vdc input and 80 amps of current (briefly!).

Curious about your system. What's your wire size in your coils and what do you figure the rpms are? --tom

[windpower4me]

Thanks for the info Tom.The wire size I used was #15 gauge electric motor wire as for the rpm I'm not sure.Tom I have a disconnect at the battery and a 60 amp fuse going to my c40,I will tryRemoving the fuse and connecting the battery first then plug the fuse back in for the c 40 like you suggested.Tom what do you have for a mill?

tks. Rob

[jmk]

  I have a C-40. I have mine configured for 24 volts. I was seeing 20 amps on the gage with no loads hook to the batteries. I wanted to get a full charge on them. I went to the neighbors for an hour and when I got back we were getting about 50 mph gust. My amp gage was at 60 and the dump load was on full time. The C-40 shut off for about 5 seconds and the steamy gage was still reading 60. I was scared! I went to shut it down then the amps went down to 30 and the controller turned back on. It was a close one! I thought when I read the manual it turned an orange light on after it completed a full charge cycle? I'm not sure I will have to read it again. I was told it can handle 50 amps for a sort while from an Xantrex rep.

[Eirbyte]

Try turning down the float and bulk settings it should dump quicker and not let the batteries go so high. Do you have the turbine connected directly to the batteries?