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1
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Mary B on April 14, 2024, 10:15:03 PM »
Quote from: Dirtydiesel on April 14, 2024, 08:32:07 PM
I wish you could post pictures of your setup. It's always neat to see what other off gridders have come up with for solutions.

I agree, it is nice to see what others have done, a great way to find ways to incorporate and make things work better. My houses has a 48V solar system. My well pump shed has its own 12V solar system as the pump is a simple pump with a 12v pump and now I am installing a 12V solar system in my gen shed and sea can. I will only need to fire up the Yamaha 3000watt generator to charge house solar panels in the winter on the short when there isn't enough daylight, but that may be resolved when I add a couple more panels or fire up the 11,500 watt generator to weld.

Right now and through the summer into fall, it takes about 2 hours for sun to top up the batteries from night usage and 3-4 hours if it is overcast. If I can figure out why it won't let me upload picture and get that resolved, I will upload pics.
[/quote]

pic upload is being worked on... software issue...
2
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Dirtydiesel on April 14, 2024, 08:32:07 PM »
I wish you could post pictures of your setup. It's always neat to see what other off gridders have come up with for solutions.
[/quote]

I agree, it is nice to see what others have done, a great way to find ways to incorporate and make things work better. My houses has a 48V solar system. My well pump shed has its own 12V solar system as the pump is a simple pump with a 12v pump and now I am installing a 12V solar system in my gen shed and sea can. I will only need to fire up the Yamaha 3000watt generator to charge house solar panels in the winter on the short when there isn't enough daylight, but that may be resolved when I add a couple more panels or fire up the 11,500 watt generator to weld.

Right now and through the summer into fall, it takes about 2 hours for sun to top up the batteries from night usage and 3-4 hours if it is overcast. If I can figure out why it won't let me upload picture and get that resolved, I will upload pics.
3
Solar / Re: Solar in Arizona
« Last post by joestue on April 13, 2024, 11:35:58 AM »
What I would do, because cooling is the majority of your cost is run a 400-450 volt open circuit solar array, grounded in the middle of the array so you have plus and minus 200 volts..

Use an off the shelf 5 or 7.5hp VFD to drive your 4? ton HVAC compressor directly. good ones have pid control that can be wired to your thermostats.

The vfd will have a dump resistor that will be turned on at all times from a 400 volt array, the vfd will pwm that dump resistor.. (your 4500 watt hot water heater element will work) and drag the voltage down to somewhere around 400 volts.

a second 4500 watt element wired in series with the hot water heater, located to dump the heat outside, and a single SPDT relay, can be configured to short out either the outside resistor, or the inside hot water heater element, without open circuiting the dump load for more than 2 milliseconds.  The VFd brake resistor will never be open circuit, it will be two resistors in series. Wire that spdt to a thermostat on the hot water heater.

If the dump load fails, the 450 volt open circuit voltage is not high enough to destroy the vfd.


About the hvac compressor. i prefer dumb compressors over inverters. they just don't survive long enough to pay for themselves especially if you have to pay a contractor 20 grand for a 5 grand system, or have to pay someone a grand, to replace the inverter ECM fan motor.

A single phase 4 ton scroll compressor draws 16 to 25 amps on the run winding at 60hz and it pulls 4 or 5 amps through the run cap. get rid of the run cap, add a 240v to 120v transformer rated for 5 amps on the 120v winding, and you can drive most single phase compressors directly from a 3 phase vfd. 45hz minimum in my experience for scroll compressors. probably 75hz max unless its an inverter rated compressor designed for a wider ratio.
(the 240:120tx gets wired up as a modified scott t transformer to make 2 phase, and shift the third leg on the vfd to match the compressors interconnected L winding of which you can only access 3 wires, not 4. you may need a second, 240v to 24-48v to get more current through the "start" winding. but it only needs to pass 5 amps on the secondary, to add some volts to the start winding)

When your hot water heater fails, buy an inverter heat pump water heater if your hot water needs justify it. they still have 4500 watt elements you can wire up as previously described.

If you don't need that much hot water, add a desuperheater heat exchanger to the discharge line from the scroll compressor. 

in the winter, use the heat pump to heat your home, and it will also heat the hot water heater through the superheater. use gas for backup heat.

wiring diagram for the compressor and transformer arrangement from a vfd or from a 3 phase source such as a generator or utility
https://imgur.com/xuaTaEE
4
Solar / Re: Time to upgrade
« Last post by ruddycrazy on April 13, 2024, 05:55:20 AM »
Well from 5 days of working this 100/50 has put out 26Kwh and the over night low voltage has gone from 22.9/ 23 it has risen to 24.8 and higher as each day goes past. This weekend was planned to put put the 1.5Kw as my son and the rugrats were coming down has morphed into planB where my eldest daughter and her boyfriend are coming around to help out.

Now I did try to get in to reprogramming the FM60 but those soft input keys will not respond so I can just leave it alone as it's programmed for dry cell batteries and the cutoff is 28.8 volts, so basically the 1.9Kw array can do the bulk and when getting close to float the 1.5Kw array can do it's job to top off the charge. This FM60 has been going since about '07 when the MPPT failed on our first install so I really do wonder if I wake it up with 60 amps output will it wake up or say my time is done.

Topped up the battery today and after 4 litres found 10 of the cells were filled the back 2 on the negative side took close to 2 litres  and one of my old SG testers now serve as a single cell funnel. Like with my shed array by putting 6 found 1.9Kw panels on transformed the battery and I am seeing the same thing here so my claim off living off the grid for 20 years plus on a 24 volt 600AH battery stands firm and the genset is a thing of the past.

There is a good reason why I'm going to stay at 24 volts as I did wire my 4Kw motor conversion to that voltage and soon it's going to be in the air so I do think I'll be heating a heap of hot water but I do want the location to be out the back of the farm and gotta pay the council debts first before asking.

Well August is my birthday and 60 it is so that new tractor will get to dig that big hole where it take 2 concrete trucks just to make the base for this 4Kw motor conversion which won't have a tail as a disk brake will do the job.

Eh making free power hasn't been so much fun for 20 years so this is the new upgrade.

Regards Bryan
5
Wind / Re: H-Darreius wind turbines ( VAWT ) !
« Last post by topspeed on April 13, 2024, 12:32:27 AM »
Quote from: brandnewb on April 12, 2024, 04:22:00 PM
wow, please allow me to be soo ignorant/blunt and yet soo intrigued.

please get me up to speed? top speed even if you will :)

I would like to learn more af what it is you are talking about here.

{1}So are you somehow showing evidence of what my gut has been telling me that this omnicalulator is not entirely accurate?

My lord do I want to get to the bottom of this :){/1}

{2}when i search for The Idaho Black Hawk tilt rotor. I get cool yet non related stuff
same goes for ANEW in Poland  :(
yes Single Wing Energy oy I can find. yet now I have to plow through. hmm I really do not want to do that yet.
I am here to help and learn not to start a new study :)

Can you please help me get going?
{/2}

I remember very well the 38% claim of the widely tested Black Hawk Tilt Rotor....from years back.

Chief of SWE told me they got 40% of their machine.

The ANEW is measured ( 70%) of the BETZ...so it is 41.5%(into the grid).

I also know another bankrupted firm telling 38% but only 36% when switched into campered foil.
6
Solar / Re: Time to upgrade
« Last post by bigrockcandymountain on April 12, 2024, 04:26:05 PM »
I've just started trying some of the smaller victron mppt units too.  Mostly for stuff i sell.  I hope it works for you, because i just bought 3. 

It's good to hear you are making upgrades and not spending much money.  That's my kind of project. 

I'm pretty sure i have a fm60 manual downloaded.  I can check if you like.  Send a pm and i can maybe email it of find a link where to find it. 

Google says password is 141 and the manual is on their website.  You've probably found that already, but I'm sitting killing time so what the heck.
7
Wind / Re: H-Darreius wind turbines ( VAWT ) !
« Last post by brandnewb on April 12, 2024, 04:22:00 PM »
wow, please allow me to be soo ignorant/blunt and yet soo intrigued.

please get me up to speed? top speed even if you will :)

I would like to learn more af what it is you are talking about here.

{1}So are you somehow showing evidence of what my gut has been telling me that this omnicalulator is not entirely accurate?

My lord do I want to get to the bottom of this :){/1}

{2}when i search for The Idaho Black Hawk tilt rotor. I get cool yet non related stuff
same goes for ANEW in Poland  :(
yes Single Wing Energy oy I can find. yet now I have to plow through. hmm I really do not want to do that yet.
I am here to help and learn not to start a new study :)

Can you please help me get going?
{/2}
8
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 12, 2024, 02:09:25 PM »
I am not ready at all :(

You see the gravity torque test is not working out :(

It is proving really difficult to get the PMA rotating at the intended speed with the coils closed.

So for a 29 leg coil of 5x 0.4mm litz wire I got only around 22 watts. (I had to wind the coil a little less than the intended 31 legs because I never realized that when adding wires in parallel we will need more length ;)  so I ended up short thus the 29 coil legs )

I dropped a weight of 6 kg from 2.163 m height.
and open coil it took 4.95 sec
closed coil it took 45.32 seconds but the end speed was nearly not high enough as the intended speed.

I can add weights but there will always be a ramp up time needed and also then the disk would start spinning far too fast with the coils open.
Either I do not get how to properly conduct the gravity torque test or it is just not applicable in this scenario.

I do think though that this 5x 0.4 litz wired coil is not better than a single 1mm wired coil as the area is still less.
0.4 mm diam = 0.12566 mm2 * 5 = 0.6283 mm2
1 mm diam = 0.7854 mm2

what a complete waste having bought huge spools of 0.4 and 0.71mm wires.

if anyone can think of a good use for that?

I am now looking for a reliable way to measure the amps in the coils while shorted so that i can have the motor spin at the intended speed and then calculate the wattage the coils produce.
What would be the best tool to do that an accurate amp measurement?
9
Solar / Re: Time to upgrade
« Last post by ruddycrazy on April 12, 2024, 04:11:20 AM »
G'Day Guy's,
                    Well got 1.9Kw on the roof and working for a week and not once had to run the genset. Checked the sg of our 600AH forklift battery that has been powering our house for 12 years now and just like my shed array with the 6 off 190 watt panels I found at work while clearing up the mess after the floods. I just used that old BP charge controller that came with the house solar when we bought the farm in '03 and it just came back to life so thats a simple solution for the shed and it just works.

                 Got all the gear to put that 1.5Kw array this weekend and with my son coming down will make it easier.

Now as this has taken so long I did have a go at building 2 off 150 volt 45 amp MPPT I got from the backshed guy's only to find I let the magic smoke out of both of them. So to get this array going I went with a 100/50 Victron MPPT and today got a 100/30 one for the Kaneka panels so I can use my FM60 for the 1.9Kw and the 100/50 for the 1.5Kw .

Got 5 years warranty on those Victrons and eh for the price it's a cheap solution. Now the guy at the 12 volt shop today said my 1.9Kw array could output 118 amps and I did ask him what app is that on , I told him as I have 2 in series and 5 strings with each panel only having a 5 amp short circuit current the max is about 60 amps. I did notice while using the Victron app this week 1.4Kw was the max with the output current around 40-45 amps. The Victron is nice and hot and RTFM does say they like too and I just found a reason for those big heatsinks I have off old grid tie inverters to add a bit more cooling.

I do need to find a FM60 manual as yes I did forget the password number so I can change it off the old sonnenshein batteries and match the numbers on all 3 MPPT's so when the battery is fully charged it's regulated and for watering the battery go back to a 20 litre cube to make easier for the girls to do.

Gotta say working night shift in a chocolate factory the last 6 months is a different lifestyle where the months go buy and weekends are just not the same but when to comes to our 20 year upgrade it's still under 4K and in a few months it will be August thats when a new battery is planned and the only battery I will ever buy new will be a 48 volt 1000AH battery which is what the big electric forklift use.


Regards Bryan
10
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by bigrockcandymountain on April 11, 2024, 05:56:32 PM »
Quote from: Dirtydiesel on April 11, 2024, 12:15:16 PM
There are 2 hots and a neutral feeding the breaker panel box which come out the wall where I had an old generator feeding power.. Those are the wires I need to somehow connect both generators to and be able to switch ti either the 240v or 120v generator.
Any switch sold as a transfer switch could certainly be hooked on these wires and do what you are thinking.  I think your plan for the welder cord makes sense too.

Sounds like a nice setup you've got.  I have  the same inverter and so far it has been flawless.  I ask a lot of it sometimes these days too.  I run an 18" lathe off it, and just recently added a 3kw element to my gas oven to use power when we have lots.

I wish you could post pictures of your setup. It's always neat to see what other off gridders have come up with for solutions. 
11
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Dirtydiesel on April 11, 2024, 12:15:16 PM »
There is no grid side, this is totally offgrid. There are no utilities on property. I have a magnum 4400 inverter/charger.

The breaker  panel box in gen shed only has eight slots which are already full, one double for house, one double for welder and the rest are single pole for lights and receptacles in gen shed and conex/seacan.

There are 2 hots and a neutral feeding the breaker panel box which come out the wall where I had an old generator feeding power.. Those are the wires I need to somehow connect both generators to and be able to switch ti either the 240v or 120v generator.

What I am now thinking of doing is hook the 120v/3000 watt Yamaha to the breaker panel to charge solar batteries when needed (winter) and instead of using welder plug already wired in gen shed connected to breaker panel, to just make a adapter cord and plug welder directly into 240v generator.

I could just use the 240 volt generator for everything, but the Yamaha 3000watt is half the fuel price to operate and with a liter of gas at $1.60 ($6.40 gallon) and going up in price soon, I would prefer to use the Yamaha to charge solar batteries.
12
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by bigrockcandymountain on April 11, 2024, 08:45:25 AM »
If it is just a simple, "one generator or the other, but not both" situation, then a slide or rocker in the breaker panel will work fine.  Also, any manual transfer switch will work too.  One generator would be hooked on the "grid" side and the other on the generator side. 

What kind of inverter / battery charger does this feed?

As mary said, you'll only be switching the hot wires.  All the neutrals and grounds are common and will stay hooked up. 

The 120v generator will only power half the panel, and of course only send 120v out for charging. 
13
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Dirtydiesel on April 11, 2024, 01:05:04 AM »
Thanks, I won't need to worry about back feeding a grid, I am totally offgrid, no utilities run to my property
14
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Mary B on April 10, 2024, 10:39:17 PM »
Quote from: Dirtydiesel on April 10, 2024, 10:23:58 PM
Hey, I am trying to hook up a 240v generator and a 120V generator to power a breaker panel box which will then send the power to the house. I want to be able to use a switch to decide which generator I am going to use. I wish I could upload a picture so I can show what I am trying to do, it would be much easier to understand.

you only need to switch hot phases, grounds are common... but make sure you use a lockout or transfer switch on the main panel to not back feed the grid!!!
15
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Dirtydiesel on April 10, 2024, 10:23:58 PM »
Hey, I am trying to hook up a 240v generator and a 120V generator to power a breaker panel box which will then send the power to the house. I want to be able to use a switch to decide which generator I am going to use. I wish I could upload a picture so I can show what I am trying to do, it would be much easier to understand.
16
Solar / Re: Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by bigrockcandymountain on April 10, 2024, 06:04:30 PM »
I built a panel interlock that is just some sliding steel plate, that makes it impossible to turn 2 breakers on until one is turned off.  It took a bit of drawing and head scratching, but once i had it fugured, it was unbelievably simple.  It's all just breakers in a standard panel.  All i built was a sliding plate out of 1/8" steel. 

I also can't post pictures.

I can't exactly picture what you are trying to do, but maybe something like that would work. 
17
Solar / Solar in Arizona
« Last post by Yianie123. on April 10, 2024, 10:29:52 AM »
Hello Everyone, I live in Surprise AZ (God's Waiting Room for Old People)  and am taking the plunge into solar.  I am doing it in stages, part by a contractor and the rest by me.  So, my question is that in the summer my AC bill is roughly $400 a month and it keeps getting higher here.  And the city water is near 80F in the summer, 70 in the winter time (I will tell you why later). In the winter, I have natural gas that feeds my Hot Water Heater, Furnace, and Dryer.  We have sun every day, so that is not a problem here.  In the winter months, my gas bill is beginning to hurt.  The space I have for the solar is 28ft wide x 11ft deep of flat overhang. And the electric utility company is just brutal with the documents that are required to interconnect, that's the reason for the Contractor to help me with this.  Here are what I see as my options, but your help will be greatly appreciated.  Options: 1. If I use every inch of over hang I can install 5.6KW of panels and try to get a minimal credit in the winter time for excess power feeding the grid, which I hate. 2. Install 4.8KW of solar and use 2 -400 panels to feed an heating element I can install in the drain port of the hot water heater. 3. Install the full 5.6KW solar panels and use a plug in heating element only in the winter time.  4. Remove 2 panels and install a pipe in solar water heater, but there is now piping, pump, controls, and digging into the ground to bury the piping which will be a real headack since the ground here is as hard a concrete and the overhang is at lease 30 ft away.  So, any ideas on what to do will be greatly appreciated.
18
Wind / Re: H-Darreius wind turbines ( VAWT ) !
« Last post by topspeed on April 10, 2024, 01:41:59 AM »
The Idaho Black Hawk tilt rotor clocked 38%
ANEW in Poland 41,5%
And Single Wing Energy oy 40%

So the efficiency is not at 30% for VAWTs.
19
Solar / Dual Power Transfer Switch - Is it Possible???
« Last post by Dirtydiesel on April 09, 2024, 10:57:53 PM »

I want to wire both generators to some kind of manual transfer switch where I can hook up both hots and neutral to one side of switch from 240v generator (4 prong twist lock) for welding and just one hot and neutral (120V) to other side of switch from Yamaha 3000watt (3 prong twist lock )when I want to charge solar batteries. As a side note, if I am charging batteries and the 30amp double pole house breaker is on, the welder 30amp double pole breaker would be off and vice versa on the gen shed breaker panel.

I have seen dual switches like CNC (it won't let me upload picture) but I don't think they have a terminal for neutral and ground wires, I believe just for the hots.

I would appreciate any suggestions or idea you may have to figure out if this is an option.
20
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 09, 2024, 03:12:33 PM »

 database check

 https://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/topic,144905.0.html
21
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 09, 2024, 03:05:58 PM »

 this tells me there's something wrong with the database
22
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 09, 2024, 03:04:27 PM »

test 5

  [ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ]


25
23
Wind / Re: Optimizing Blades on CD Wind Turbine
« Last post by Adriaan Kragten on April 08, 2024, 11:01:41 AM »
Quote from: true27182 on April 03, 2024, 06:43:48 PM
I have been attempting to optimize the amount of voltage that can be generated from a CD Wind Turbine with a Lasko 20-inch 3-Speed Box Fan to spin the blades on all three speed settings. The blades that I am currently using are 13.5 cm long, and 4 cm at the base and 2.5 cm at the tip, with a very small curve (around 1-5 degrees). So far, I have managed to generate the greatest amount of voltage (around 2.5 volts) with a two blade setup.

From here, is there anything I could do to improve the design of the airfoil to generate more voltage? I know that longer blades tend to perform better than shorter ones (I'm planning to increase the length of the blades to around 17.5 cm for the next design), but how should I change the width and/or the curve of the blade for better performance on all three voltages?

The theory to design the blades of a wind turbine is given in my public report KD 35: "Rotor design and matching for horizontal axis wind turbines". This report can be copied for free from my website: www.kdwindturbines.nl at the menu KD-reports. If you study KD 35, you should answer the questions as given in KD 196.

A problem with your rotor is that it is very small, resulting small chords and therefore in a low local Reynolds number at a low tip speed ratio and at low wind speeds (see formula 5.5). Normal airfoils perform badly at low Reynolds numbers. A 7.14 % cambered airfoil performs rather well at low Reynoilds numbers. Characteristics of this airfoil are given in my public report KD 398.

The aerodynamic theory gives the optimum blade geometry for a certain rotor diameter, a certain number of blades, a certain design tip speed ratio and a certain airfoil used at a certain value of the lift coefficient. However, if you use a generator with a peak on the cogging torque, you need a rotor with a high starting torque coefficient. But the higher the design tip speed ratio, the lower the starting torque coefficient. So it might be that if you chose a high design tip speed ratio to get a high voltage at a certain rotational speed, the rotor won't start because the starting torque coefficient is too low.
24
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 08, 2024, 09:48:31 AM »
 Ok I now have access, send me a reply we go from there Flavio
25
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the lmits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 07, 2024, 09:42:25 AM »
Quote from: brandnewb on January 26, 2024, 07:24:13 AM
Ok Sir,

Please see if I am following your lead well enough of that I need to make changes.

I have the gravity torque setup ready now. I think.

(Attachment Link)

And this time I will test the failed 6 coil stacked 3 phase arrangement.

It failed because the coils moved during the curing so now there is no longer a perfect 1.25 degree of separation between each phase.
Also this test is too thick and too heavy and also just not homogeneous enough.

Nah I will do it much better next try.

{1}Also a single coil of 300 winds at 0.4mm is 92 grams net. So excluding any resin around it.{1}
(Attachment Link)

Quote from: joestue on January 04, 2024, 03:19:28 PM
Quote from: brandnewb on January 04, 2024, 08:52:35 AM
Can you please elaborate a bit on what is OD and ID.

And what is it I am testing for again?

In my previous thread you mentioned we are looking for the sweet spot for how much mechanical resistance the coils can provide to the magnets to produce amperage or something to that extend.

Is this still related?

The point is to find the optimal inner and outer diameter and thickness of a coil that provides the most resistance.

The problem is, the magnet's radius is also a variable. You cant have the magnets too far apart, because when you connect all the coils together, the current is flowing through other coils which are not producing voltage.. so ideally you need 3 test coils, connected in Y, but shorted. Or perhaps better, rectify the test coils and short the rectifier.

So you want to keep your magnet and coil ratio, and magnet spacing (both are variables you can change) such that you ether get a clean sine wave, or a trapezoid, but if your magnets are too far apart, you get a sine wave ish pulse, followed by dead space, then a pulse of the opposite polarity, and this will be worse.. unless you rectify every coil separately.

 



I am ready finally. I can now do anything you suggest just like @joestru.

This hint is that I am ready and waiting with sensors. To measure .

just in general what I do not like is that fair interaction is not persuaded on.
26
Wind / Re: Optimizing Blades on CD Wind Turbine
« Last post by JW on April 04, 2024, 12:23:34 PM »

  https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Betz_limit

 https://www.google.com/search?q=Betz+limit&sca_esv=bc1eb3f30bc375f8&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ACQVn09LazpdITjZpU4TQHbyuoINLbYEBA:1712247598771&udm=2&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=w1hlf0JvTy6qZM%252CngBpllLVZczBjM%252C%252Fm%252F026rf17%253BKJpiAyYq50KK8M%252CqUUeQXYRAizCOM%252C_%253BsYLpy847GJuP6M%252Ctm1-nDnOmFhoZM%252C_%253BdV64dJnLsq7nTM%252CDfHf_ZKuNG11zM%252C_%253B1Ww1wPsZmDmCjM%252CN5UEpr5MgNMMrM%252C_%253Bcq8QpbxM5cY6gM%252CvSznZX_8_A3YuM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTONfpifSR7fxRtChDOnXXnhxVQ9Q&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMrZGv-6iFAxWHlYkEHcLgDE8Q_B16BAhXEAE#vhid=w1hlf0JvTy6qZM&vssid=mosaic
27
Wind / Re: Optimizing Blades on CD Wind Turbine
« Last post by mab on April 04, 2024, 06:40:35 AM »
To increase voltage you need to increase speed (revs per minute):

Fewer blades gives higher speed but you're already down to two.

Generally longer blades are going to go slower.

There may be ways to increase speed by reducing blade pitch and changing blade shape but that is beyond my knowledge.
28
Wind / Optimizing Blades on CD Wind Turbine
« Last post by true27182 on April 03, 2024, 06:43:48 PM »
I have been attempting to optimize the amount of voltage that can be generated from a CD Wind Turbine with a Lasko 20-inch 3-Speed Box Fan to spin the blades on all three speed settings. The blades that I am currently using are 13.5 cm long, and 4 cm at the base and 2.5 cm at the tip, with a very small curve (around 1-5 degrees). So far, I have managed to generate the greatest amount of voltage (around 2.5 volts) with a two blade setup.

From here, is there anything I could do to improve the design of the airfoil to generate more voltage? I know that longer blades tend to perform better than shorter ones (I'm planning to increase the length of the blades to around 17.5 cm for the next design), but how should I change the width and/or the curve of the blade for better performance on all three voltages?
29
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 03, 2024, 10:57:48 AM »
thank you brother,

I will admit that some if not most of the front user experience facing issues are because my browser is relentless in not allowing any kind of funny stuff.

I just do think even this simple machine software can be configure to just stop with the probing already!!!!!!!!!

other than that of course I am a loyal citizen here and I would love to show my results.
30
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by TechAdmin on April 02, 2024, 01:34:28 AM »
I merged your posts, can't tell JW that he's wrong for getting mad when you're posting 4 times in a row for no good reason :/ PLEASE edit your posts if you want to quickly add informations to what you already said, there are 2 buttons for it.
31
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 01, 2024, 10:13:51 PM »
I did fix the email issue with response to our host.
32
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on April 01, 2024, 09:31:58 PM »
its billing issue the site may go down tonight, but will have it tomorrow
33
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 01, 2024, 04:58:43 PM »
this particular easy flow poly resin does solidify well enough into a rigid structure when we take into account that most of the space is copper wires.

these slabs are pressed down on hard to obtain a minimal layer which in the grander tests should be central. I just thought like this;

heyy now I have got 2 slabs to play with. One powder filled and one without.

Like a toldler I just went at it..  I mean why not try it?

And then indeed even though there are not many iron particles in that slab when we are talking in terms of %.
Well the 230 mT field in the middle sure likes to cause all kinds of bending trouble though.

so your 1) remark is what is at play here.

2) nah, this is an easy flow poly resin that is ready to fight within 2 minutes.
3) it might be the wrong type in the grander scheme of things. but for these early test runs it is perfect as it does not stick very well to my PLA print templates and hardens soo fast I can't even squeeze a bathroom break in between.

and I forgot to mention that this is all without the magnets rotating. this is all during install time.

https://syntecshop.com/en/easyflo-60-polyurethane-resin-shore-d-65-fast-curedlow-viscosity


Quote from: brandnewb on April 01, 2024, 05:12:33 PM
https://syntecshop.com/en/easyflo-60-polyurethane-resin-shore-d-65-fast-curedlow-viscosity

I do respect the poking. And please keep at it.
I call it a form of peer review.


But never let it be said that I was unable to explain myself ok?

And this message is in particular not to Bruce!


DD

I really need to get one thing out of the way once and for all.

I do not do hypocritical stuff or use my words in a cynical way.

Sure I contradict my self at times but boy am I easy to land back where I departed from.

Now all that is important here to me is; How can we find the means to actually quantify what a PMA can do.
34
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by Bruce S on April 01, 2024, 04:24:58 PM »
Quote from: brandnewb on April 01, 2024, 09:41:19 AM

hahha well that flew back in my face like a boomerang as the iron powdered coil slab kept bending. who would have ever thought that 4.5mm of iron powder filled resin is not rigid enough to not bend with these kinds of fields around them :) ?

So I really have to extend the process now. Going to fill up both coils to 15mm in thickness and then finally be able to make some sense of this iron powder use.
I'm a bit concerned about this. Is the resin actually bending when the magnets swing by it? That could mean a few things.
1) Resin pour was too thin to hold up under the forces
2) Resin wasn't completely dry and allowed the pour to bend
3) wrong type of resin? Most that I've used in the past was 2-part type that once hardened was going anywhere, though I did do a few very thin pours on purpose that would bend.

Bruce S

35
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by MattM on April 01, 2024, 03:10:51 PM »
I have confidence there will be plenty of electrical harvesting with your 4:1 gear ratio.
36
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 01, 2024, 01:21:55 PM »
Quote from: MattM on April 01, 2024, 10:52:24 AM
Ive been following your other blog updates.  I think 0 is go.

{1}dear brother, you know of course I meant all this below in good fun yes?{/1}
hahha why would you respond in such an ambiguous manner when you know you are dealing with the weird mind I have. :)

to me this means either you are waiting for things to lift of at 0 because you already have a sense that we are on the right track

or

yeah no matter what these early results have gotten us thus far. we are still not at 0 yet so only then we will know. and a GO can go horribly wrong as spaceX has been showing us.

:)

you see how life is full of choices? too many I must say.
37
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by MattM on April 01, 2024, 10:52:24 AM »
Ive been following your other blog updates.  I think 0 is go.
38
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on April 01, 2024, 09:41:19 AM »
early tests failed hard :( I thought why not only test the central shallow slab with the coils in them of both coils first. They are roughly 4.5mm thickness.


Also I made both slabs 35 winds resulting in a 35 -70 -35 configuration. Please never ask why I went for 36 while in theory 32 should have been enough already!

hahha well that flew back in my face like a boomerang as the iron powdered coil slab kept bending. who would have ever thought that 4.5mm of iron powder filled resin is not rigid enough to not bend with these kinds of fields around them :) ?

So I really have to extend the process now. Going to fill up both coils to 15mm in thickness and then finally be able to make some sense of this iron powder use.

And you already know that I do not mind if I can not demonstrate anything useful in terms of voltage generation ability. I will also report my failures.

However I still am considering still using this iron powered filled casting just to help the heat dissipation ability.

But now we have another challenge. How can we make sure that the casting process was rigid enough to prevent the 150 um sized particles of powder to stay put. Never move else risk chipping away at the enamel.

I'll be honest. I do not think that any configuration in terms of frequency will ever allow for this powder to allow to chip away at the enamel. Because the particles at ultra high frequencies will just get lazy and do nothing. (please do not trust this to be actual science!! this is just my effort to visualize it for my self)

Now then one, including myself, wonders. Why did coil #1 shorted out in earlier tests then?

hmm
I am still at a loss. Maybe just that coil did not like a massage and then went on strike?

Ahh and here lies the possible answer. I just used too much force during the installation process for it to short out. But truth be told I am no scientist so my own data could contradict my interpretation of said data if I just was good and making sense of all this.

Anyway. All systems go!!!

@MattM. Do you remember the thunderbird countdown?
we are now at 2 seconds before liftoff.
39
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by TechAdmin on March 31, 2024, 04:52:48 PM »
Quote from: brandnewb on March 31, 2024, 01:45:07 PM
I would like to get notifications again of when I get feed backback on my content. Just like it has been for quite a while before.

Am I unaware of some kind of setting change that I really should be of?
Emails aren't working either, most likely.
40
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on March 31, 2024, 01:45:07 PM »
I would like to get notifications again of when I get feed backback on my content. Just like it has been for quite a while before.

Am I unaware of some kind of setting change that I really should be of?
41
Coil winding / Re: How to determine the limits of a coil / magnet configuration
« Last post by brandnewb on March 31, 2024, 12:23:50 PM »
So I think I have figured out a way to really compare apples to apples when it comes to coils in the context of the current dual rotor disk and each having their 96 magnets at a 3.75 degree interval.
And whether adding iron powder does any good in terms permeability of the field between the magnets of the rotor disks and thus will lead to an enhanced voltage generation ability of the coil.

This is my hypothesis. It has been for quite a while.

Now please jump in here and present the possible errors of my plan if you can spot one as consensus is all I care about.

So the idea is to have 2 identical 3 legged serpentine coils of 36 winds. Identical other than one is filled with basic resin and the other is filled with iron powder.

Yet both of them will be squeezed to their absolute minimum. I am guessing something of like 3 to 4mm will remain.

Now we know for sure that all the wires are concentrated on a fairly single plane.

Now we can start adding both sides of both coils with their respective resin composition (without any more wires of course) equally to reach their intended thickness.

The result will be a super thin few mm of wires in the center of the full 15mm coil.

And now, and only if I can make sure that both coils are equally positioned enough between the disks.
Only NOW we can take tests seriously.

Now mind you even the last part is no small feat. But I will get there.

Now before I break my head on actually doing this. Is there anyone that can see an error in the idea? I mean what is the point going through all this trouble if no one will take the data seriously and no one will take my test setup I offer to reproduce said results.
42
Wind / Re: Christmas Windmill Time
« Last post by taylorp035 on March 31, 2024, 09:44:29 AM »
After it's not so windy first run, the 12 magnet configuration with a ~1/8" air gap peaked at 5.27A and 21.4W.  I think this is a pretty good result.

I've now tightened up the air gap another 0.050-0.060", so we shall see how it does.  If it can peak at 6 or 7 amps and 30 watts, I would be happy.
43
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on March 29, 2024, 09:10:32 PM »
 
 XXX
44
Solar / Re: Output of solar panels depending on slope and azimut
« Last post by MattM on March 29, 2024, 02:39:20 PM »
High slope angle also lengthens the life of roof materials.
45
Solar / Re: Output of solar panels depending on slope and azimut
« Last post by Adriaan Kragten on March 29, 2024, 02:26:21 PM »
Quote from: brandnewb on March 27, 2024, 05:37:58 AM
Quote from: Adriaan Kragten on March 25, 2024, 02:12:48 PM
The calculations of the output have been reviewed because I took a too high peak power of a solar panel size 1 * 1.65 m. The peak power is reduced from 400 W up to 300 W.

Dear Adriaan,

So in general; if one has far too much power generated by the solar panels oriented in a east-west back to back setup in summer times. with as goal generating as much as possible during winter times.
even after you have refined your study a bit based on the new peak values.

Would you still conclude that an optimal south facing orientation of the panels, even though now needing more spacing between rows, will benefit the power generation during winter times?

If that is the case then I need to find some new and inventive ways to reposition more than 22 panels as my roof is already maxed out :( (I now have 44 panels in a east-west back to back configuration)

One thing I have been considering is to have floating arrays of panels. But especially during winter time the sun is rather low so I will need to have them float outside of my property to have full sun. But I guess no one minds as then we have little to no boating activity during those times anyway. But then that damned freezing that could happen. Now I have to think of a raft type that can deal with that.

{1}reason I ask is because I am trying to transition away from grid connected as even though netmetering has been extended for some time by our government again. electrical utility providers are actively trying to circumvent the loss of revenue by employing really nasty tricks like for people with smart meters. Some if not most of them are now being taken from behind by now netmetering will be done on a monthly basis rather than annually.

I am ecstatic I have always resisted the installation of a smart meter. And please believe me they tried! hard!!{/1}

If you want to put solar panels on an existing house you have little choise about the slope and the azimuth. But for as new house or a new solar park, I think it is best if you optimise the positioning for the month December. If the solar panels are grid connected, the fee which you recieve for one kWh is much higher in december than in June. Maximising the output in December means orientation to the south and a large slope of about 60°. My calculations show that then the loss of energy in summer because of the large slope is less than the gain in winter.

Recently a new solar park was made in my town with east west orientation and a slope of 15°. I have calculted that the output in December is only about 10% of the output in June. If all solar panels would be orientated south at a slope of 60°, the output in December is about 1/3 of the output in June and so the grid imbalance is much lower. Another disadvantage of a small slope is the sensibility of damage by hail. Today I read a story that thouthends of solar panels were damaged is Texas by golf ball large pieces of hail. This was not only caused by the small slope but also because of the too small thickness of the panels ralated to the other dimensions.
46
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on March 28, 2024, 08:14:02 PM »
 Ya they slapped me in face again. still working on this.
47
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by JW on March 28, 2024, 06:01:35 PM »
yes give me a minute, im working on this today.
if the site go's down it will be for a short time I have to make a payment to the host. This time it wont be down for last time which was 2 weeks. I will check on the host tomorrow morning I have to make switch with a bank account. Transfer money to the account for this.
48
Site News / Re: We had a great week!!!!
« Last post by TechAdmin on March 28, 2024, 05:12:53 PM »
Can you please relay to "Seriously hurry the fv(k up", because I have to delete hundreds of thousands of errors everyday due to php version incompatibilities?
49
Logged in diaries / Re: VAWT backyard experiements
« Last post by brandnewb on March 28, 2024, 04:27:02 PM »
also I am going to incorporate a 4 times rotational speed increase.

I really would like to share why but I also would like to test the waters if there are still actually people interested in the why?
50
Logged in diaries / Re: VAWT backyard experiements
« Last post by brandnewb on March 28, 2024, 04:21:27 PM »
@JW, are you sure there is no way for us to just lift the limits of this front end and let us use an actual SQL statement?

I am still frustrated by the fact that one of the community posted the very best suggestion on how to deal with the wobbling of a direct drive. It is in your database I KNOW!! But how to retrieve it?
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