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Wind / Re: Appropriate generator characteristics for small wind turbine
« Last post by kitestrings on February 18, 2024, 04:34:59 PM »Hi Lars, and welcome.
You have a really sleek looking turbine; some nicely printed pieces for sure. I hope to see more as things develop. You've probably already figured out that you'll get a wide range of perspectives here on any given topic, and the trick is to wade through them. In the end though, I believe it helps the design process. The comments have been good. I don't have a lot to offer, but for what it is worth...
I think your blade connection at the hub may be something you have to beef up. I'd be concerned that the reduced width might be a weak point without added thickness or some sort of strut.
A couple of us here have been using MPPT type controllers (Midnite Solar, Classic). They are not a true "feedback and adjust" as with solar, but rather they allow you to input a power curve that follows the curve of the alternator. One benefit though, is that the curve can be tweaked, if it is not perfect from the start.
I do agree that it is best to attempt to keep things electrically loaded to the extent possible - I think that was Sparweb's intended message. Side-furling works well. It's time proven. If a turbine runs unloaded, in a good wind site for any amount of time though I would say it is only a matter of time before something fails. It will spin up to rpms that it is not equipped to handle, furl, slow and repeat. To touch here on that "wide range of perspectives" I mentioned earlier, here's a prime example where we get deep in the theoretical discussion on the one hand, but then make broad-brushed summations based on very limited, antidotal experiences on the other.
Good luck, and I hope to see more, ~ks
You have a really sleek looking turbine; some nicely printed pieces for sure. I hope to see more as things develop. You've probably already figured out that you'll get a wide range of perspectives here on any given topic, and the trick is to wade through them. In the end though, I believe it helps the design process. The comments have been good. I don't have a lot to offer, but for what it is worth...
I think your blade connection at the hub may be something you have to beef up. I'd be concerned that the reduced width might be a weak point without added thickness or some sort of strut.
A couple of us here have been using MPPT type controllers (Midnite Solar, Classic). They are not a true "feedback and adjust" as with solar, but rather they allow you to input a power curve that follows the curve of the alternator. One benefit though, is that the curve can be tweaked, if it is not perfect from the start.
I do agree that it is best to attempt to keep things electrically loaded to the extent possible - I think that was Sparweb's intended message. Side-furling works well. It's time proven. If a turbine runs unloaded, in a good wind site for any amount of time though I would say it is only a matter of time before something fails. It will spin up to rpms that it is not equipped to handle, furl, slow and repeat. To touch here on that "wide range of perspectives" I mentioned earlier, here's a prime example where we get deep in the theoretical discussion on the one hand, but then make broad-brushed summations based on very limited, antidotal experiences on the other.
Good luck, and I hope to see more, ~ks