1/2 HP GE ECM test

[Rover]

In short (since I lost the original post) I'm testing my 1/2 HP ECM conv. that fell of its purch last spring

This is an 18 coil ECM (6 coils per phase, 3 phase), that is used to charge into a 600 amp/hr 12 volt bank.

Bench Tests were done using a VSR 6.6 amp drill (controlled by rheostat) belt driving the unit. ECM to ammeter to 1 12 volt batter at ~80% charge. Great way to kill a drill but I didn't)

3 different wiring schemes tested

1. Parallel Star. Each coil in each phase wired parallel. Stops wired into star point , starts rectified to battery

   
   

2. Series Parallel. 3 coils in series parralel to next 3 coils in series (for that phase). No star , straight to rectifiers

   
   

3. Series. 6 coils in each phase series , no star, rectified

   
   
   

Results:

note. Max RPM obtainable RPM of the drill changed based on wiring scheme, the more the coils were in series, the higher the load, the less RPM achieved at MAX

1. High Startup (500 rpm), higher current at max RPM.. This is how I had it wired while running

   
   

2. Greatly reduce startup(320 rpm), still a decent current at max RPM

   
   

3. Even more reduced startup(180 rpm), lower max current at max rpm

   
   
   

End of story.. will rewire using scenarion 2.

Test setup





Data. Left is Amps, bottom is RPM

[Rover]

Meant to add the references

for #1 Parallel star (Jerry) : http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/12/14/145531/43

for #2 Series Parallel (Adam) : http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2009/4/7/122825/7067

for #3 Series (I know it is Jerry, couldnt find the post)

[adaml]

Good stuff Rover, from memory your data follows what I gathered pretty closely (respectively, different sized ECM.)

Hope she stays on her perch this time!

[Rover]

She will, thanks to both you and Ghurd for your alternative. I was thinking of going 3 parallel series to 3 parallel, instead of 3 series paralle 3 series (yours). But after review , yours made more sense

fyi.. the ecm typically occupies the lower purch on my site http://rovr1.com/wind/ , and is my hobby mill

[adaml]

Rover,

In all honesty I must give ample credit to Ghurd for his hand holding during the conversion of mine.

Have since done a 3/4hp also - need to get some data.

I flew my 1/3hp at its final destination for a week end of Sept - had it set to furl at 5A - my opinion only but any faster than this was looking frightening - I'm sure it could have done more had I given it the chance but didn't want a self destruct situation and we were relying on its output!

Like your site - live data has me intrigued.

Good luck.

[Rover]

Hey , Its all fun.

FYI the #1 windmill is the one I am currently working on. Any amp figures from it are strictly noise right now since it is not up(my calibration errors) from the hall efect sensors

Yeah it is nice to be able to see how the solar/wind is doing from work or anywhere else.

Rover

[ghurd]

Hey Rover,

The link to #1, to RogerAS's story, here is a pic and story about strange ECMs like he was talking about, (too old to add a reply I think)

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2009/3/5/173736/6791

And a couple pics I put up photobucket,

http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww20/ghurd1/ECM%20Conversion/

G-

[Rover]

I prefer to call them misunderstood ECM's ... "What you don't have 18 coils, what kind of aberation are you?, must not be a GE"

[Rover]

I prefer to call them misunderstood ECM's ... "What you don't have 18 coils, what kind of aberation are you?, must not be a GE"