Author Topic: 16' from heating to charging  (Read 1448 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dave B

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1014
  • Country: 00
    • DCB Energy Systems
16' from heating to charging
« on: November 28, 2009, 12:30:03 PM »
 After a couple years pre-heating water direct 3 phase AC with my 16' I have switched over to charging 8 L16's @ 24 VDC. This past Spring I lowered my machine and made many improvements as well as installing the new stator.


 I have a DR3624 inverter, Trimetric monitor, DC disconnect etc. etc. and soon to have the Coleman 440 controller. (overpriced but seems simple and heavy duty as a dump load controller) Having a decent day of wind today and I switched over my refridgerator circuit to the batteries earlier and so far it's been a free day of running it and then some.


 Charging batteries is a different game for sure, I could probably close up the air gap a bit and get more power but right now it seems very efficient in the 10-12 MPH range at a good 300 watts and runs easy. I'm watching the furling closely, I had lessened the hinge angle a while back and it looks like about 20 MPH things start to happen but I'll need better wind to be sure. Cut in is at 85 RPM and it looks like Max. should be 250-300.


  More news to follow as I check things out but so far it's all been a very successful change over.  Dave B.


   

« Last Edit: November 28, 2009, 12:30:03 PM by (unknown) »
DCB Energy Systems
http://dcbenergy.com/

SparWeb

  • Global Moderator
  • Super Hero Member Plus
  • *****
  • Posts: 5452
  • Country: ca
    • Wind Turbine Project Field Notes
Re: 16' from heating to charging
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2009, 10:21:59 PM »
Making changes to a wind turbine - one you've become accustomed to - can turn it into a completely different animal and it takes on a new set of behaviours.  I know the feeling, and it provokes a whole new round of standing out there with your head craned up.  :-)


It sounds like you had a breezy day, but I'd expect a 16' diameter mill to get more than 300W.  Usually the wind is much stronger up the tower than at the ground, so was it 10-12 mph down in the weeds or 10-12 up on top?

« Last Edit: November 29, 2009, 10:21:59 PM by SparWeb »
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
www.sparweb.ca

Dave B

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1014
  • Country: 00
    • DCB Energy Systems
Re: 16' from heating to charging
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2009, 11:22:59 PM »
 Still plenty to learn, it was 10-12 mph at 85' at the mill. I knew I would be running with quite a large air gap and didn't want to change too much too quick. This is a 15-20 coil / magnet alternator and man does it run smooth and easy in the lower winds. The gap is a heavy 3/16" magnets to stator each side and the stator is about 9/16". I know what the machine will crank out as a heater and I limited it to 3KW that it made easy at about 22-25 MPH.


 I'm going to let it run through the Winter and tweak it in Spring. I can adjust my furling from the ground and it looks like I'll want to make that a bit earlier to limit the speed in the higher winds. With such a large air gap it's not loaded down much to stall in the higher winds to assist the furling. All neat stuff, I'm running on batteries right now, it's been a free couple of days of good testing. Thanks for the reply,  Dave B.

« Last Edit: November 29, 2009, 11:22:59 PM by Dave B »
DCB Energy Systems
http://dcbenergy.com/

ontfarmer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 198
  • Country: ca
Re: 16' from heating to charging by ontfarmer
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2009, 05:37:26 AM »
Glad to here your changes are working.You mentioned heating water for a couple years. What was used to switch the load on or off to your heater Thanks Grant T.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2009, 05:37:26 AM by ontfarmer »

Dave B

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1014
  • Country: 00
    • DCB Energy Systems
Re: 16' from heating to charging by ontfarmer
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2009, 08:43:13 AM »
The connection was AC direct, no controller. Each phase to a heating element load was wired delta and the alternator star. It was a lot of playing to get a decent start up and also power out but it worked fine. I had the tank thermostats set so each individually could switch that load off if over heated and to an external space heater of the same resistance value to keep the load balanced. It took 10+ MPH winds to get it going and the furling was a lot of experimenting to get right. Very little useful heat in the lower winds so a controller made little sense and much easier without. Maybe if it was a 20'+ machine it might be worth the effort but at 16' it takes a lot of wind for heat. Thanks for the comment.  Dave B.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2009, 08:43:13 AM by Dave B »
DCB Energy Systems
http://dcbenergy.com/