Sharing Production with two Classics

[kitestrings]

Very windy here tonight.

Just thought I'd share a couple pics.  The first controller (‘Kitewind’, on the left), goes until it reaches current limit, in this case 40A.  You can see the amber current limit on.  It holds at that threshold, and politely passes the remainder to the second controller (‘Kitewin2’, on the right).

So long as the current limit is set equal to the last step step on the first controller (there are 16 steps), and the input voltage of the first controller ends where second one begins - Kitewind, step 15 = Kitewin2, step 2 (step 1 is -0- amps and just wakes the unit up before it is needed).  It looks like this:


You'll note also that there is an amber LED behind the grill on the Kitewind.  This is the load bank (homemade 'clipper') being triggered off Aux2.  This helps to manage the upper V limit, and rpm, by adding load ahead of the rectifier.

[SparWeb]

2.2 kW versus 500W.  What a difference MPPT and an extra 7 feet of wings will make!

[gsw999]

Must be nice seeing that 2kw keep popping up good work !!

[kitestrings]

These latest settings are about where we'd like to be.  I'm seeing regular recorded "hi output" for the day on Kitewind of 2.5 - 2.7 kW.  The peak Vin, even when the furling actuator is triggering is staying around 130-135V.

I've got the load bank firing a little bit lower this fall/winter.  It's currently set at ~92V with a 5V width.  With more moderate winds, we see 2.5 kW on Kitewind and another .5 kW on Kitewin2.  The current limit is set at 40A on Kitewind, though it is rated for 52A (de-rated 40 degC).  I like this margin of safety a bit more, and the sound of the turbine, to my ear, is more comfortable.