Author Topic: Testing a three phase rectifier  (Read 1352 times)

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omweg

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Testing a three phase rectifier
« on: September 05, 2020, 03:11:03 PM »
Hello,
I connected my Piggot wind turbine with a 3 phase rectifier to a Tristar controller. Now I am afraid there is something wrong with the rectifier because i think the turbine is working at a higher rpm (i don't hear the humming sound anymore when the turbine is loading my batteries), it looks like the blades are turning much faster and I notice less amps.
I have my rectifier casted in resin so I can not measure the diodes is there an other way to test a three phase rectifier.
Thanks
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bigrockcandymountain

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2020, 04:23:57 PM »
Do you have the output of the rectifier hooked to the tristar controller or straight to the battery?

SparWeb

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2020, 09:32:52 PM »
If you cast the rectifier in resin, are you saying that it is up with the generator at the top of the tower?
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Adriaan Kragten

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2020, 05:53:16 AM »
A wiring diagram of a 3-phase rectifier is given in my public report KD 340 at figure 5 for star and for delta rectification. A 3-phase rectifier has six diodes. One can use a complete block with six diodes in it, one can use three blocks with two diodes in it or one can use six separate diodes. I assume that you have used the last method. For this method, the three upper diodes can be pressed in one heat sink and the three lower diodes can be pressed in another heat sink. The heat sinks must be electrically isolated from each other.

Two different diode types have to be used for two heat sinks. You have types for which the housing is positive and the terminal negative and types for which the housing is negative and the terminal positive. So in one heat sink you have to use diodes with a positive housing and in the other heat sink you have to use diodes with a negative housing. The terminal of the first diode on the upper heat sink is connected to the terminal of the first diode on the lower heat sink. The terminal of the second diode on the upper heat sink is connected to the terminal of the second diode on the lower heat sink. The terminal of the third diode on the upper heat sink is connected to the terminal of the third diode on the lower heat sink. So to these three points, the three phase wires of the generator are connected. One heat sink becomes the positive terminal and one heat sink becomes the negative terminal of the rectified DC current. It might be that you have used six diodes of the same type and this doesn't work if you have two heat sinks. You can use six identical diodes but in this case you also need six separate heat sinks which are all electrically isolated from each other.

If the wiring of the diodes is correct, the two diodes of one phase are connected in series and the plus of one diode is connected to the min of the other diode. This means that these two diodes guide a current in one direction and no current in the other direction. But this can only be checked for six separate diodes. If you find that the two diodes of one phase guide no current in both directions it means that one or two diodes are blown or that the diodes are connected to each other with the same polarity.

gsw999

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2020, 07:48:45 PM »
Best buy a new one mate if it's welded in resin , it's a pain to get off , plus they aren't expensive , I have mine cable tied to the top of the tower just seemed to make more sense I may change it at some point.

Mary B

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2020, 03:20:13 PM »
Why most run wild AC down the tower to the battery location then rectify it there. Easier to repair a failure and they are prone to lightning failure and it doesn't take a direct hit, close by can induce enough voltage to toast them.

bigrockcandymountain

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2020, 04:37:49 PM »
I connected my Piggot wind turbine with a 3 phase rectifier to a Tristar controller.
8

As far as I know, you cannot connect a turbine to a tristar controller.  You connect the turbine to the rectifier and rectifier to the batteries.  Then the controller gets connected to the batteries to operate a diversion load. 

Is that how you have it set up?

Scruff

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2020, 01:56:58 AM »
Exactly Big Rock. One also needs to set the dips to diversion control.

omweg

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2020, 05:24:48 AM »
The turbine is connected through a rectifier on the batteries and the Tristar is connected with a PWM (diversion) setting to the batteries.
The rectifier is down the tower and indeed is easy to replace, as I understand there is no way to check the rectifier.
@adriaan I have used a 3 fase rectifier block like this one:
https://www.conrad.nl/p/powersem-psd-82-16-bruggelijkrichter-figure-1-1600-v-88-a-driefasig-561847

What kinds of effects can I expect when a rectifier is going down?
Thanks to all
the planet of my dreams is bulging at the seams

mab

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Re: Testing a three phase rectifier
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2020, 09:44:45 AM »
You can test a 3 phase bridge rectifier: google 'testing a bridge rectifier' and there are youtube videos.

It can be done with either a multimeter diode test or a battery and test lamp.