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AMACK

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Joined: 31/05/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 184

Posted: 11:42pm 06 Apr 2010

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I have a 24 volt Latronics 1800 watt inverter and 4x6 volt 875 amp hour Enysun battery running the house and a old 12 volt system that has 4 T105 trojon battery that are charged by a Air X 12 volt wind gen that is not connected to anything. What I would like to do is to use the battery bank as a back up and to dumb the excess power into the 24 volt system.
I know I could connect the 12 volt system in to 24 volt but the wind gen will be out of a job. Can you convert 12 volt DC to 24 volt DC from the wind gen?

*Note to self

1. Make it thick

2.Make it heavy.

3.Make it stronger than it should be.

4. Don't rush the first job as the second job will cost more and take mor

ultrabizz
Newbie

Joined: 07/04/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4

Posted: 03:27am 07 Apr 2010

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The only way is via another inverter to upconvert the voltage from 12 to 24.

Maybe just have two banks of 12v batteries and connect the 2 banks in series, but use the wind generator to charge only one 12v section at a time via a two way switch or a timer which alternatively connects the generator to the 12v sections, say for 30 minutes on each section or whatever suites your system best.

MacGyver

Guru

Joined: 12/05/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1329

Posted: 04:18am 07 Apr 2010

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AMACK

If you're married, this is the PERFECT excuse to justify buying or making another wind generator! Hook the new one to the second set of 12-volt batteries and you're off and stylin'!

. . . . . Mac

Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas

GWatPE

Senior Member

Joined: 01/09/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2127

Posted: 04:38am 07 Apr 2010

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Does the windmill have an external rectifier?? These are usually a DC output.

This will affect what is best option.

Gordon.

become more energy aware

Bryan1

Guru

Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1344

Posted: 09:28am 07 Apr 2010

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G'day Amack,
I've said this before on this forum about the air-X the best thing to do with them is loctite them up and make it look like there's no wind around.
Go jump into the deep end and make your own wind genny and there are plenty of options. If you need neo magnets I can get them for a good price out of china and a Dual Axial Flux Genny would be the go.
I'm not sure where you are in Oz but if your in SA give me a buzz and I can help out.

Cheers Bryan

AMACK

Senior Member

Joined: 31/05/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 184

Posted: 09:42am 07 Apr 2010

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MacGyver,, Wife read it first and said "not a hope" but good call.

Gordon \, It's an Air X so it has an internal reg and rec otherwise I could put you voltage doubler in to play but I can not unless I send it down 3 phase.

PS( MacGyver) Have Phurphys Laser in Shepparton cutting me 5 new wind gen hubs and a few other bits, but do not tell the wife..

I was just asking if you could get a tranformer to step DC voltage up from 12 to 24. I know you can step up AC but I am not sure with DC.

Thanks for the comments all..
Andy

*Note to self

1. Make it thick

2.Make it heavy.

3.Make it stronger than it should be.

4. Don't rush the first job as the second job will cost more and take mor

Downwind

Guru

Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 11:10am 07 Apr 2010

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Yes you can step up DC its called an inverter.

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

AMACK

Senior Member

Joined: 31/05/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 184

Posted: 12:05pm 07 Apr 2010

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Thanks Pete,
Not beeing smart but I know I can get an Inverter to convert 12 to 240 and get a 24 volt charger to do the job but I thought that there may have been some new tec to do the job without all the gear.

Like Bryan said said scrap the Air X and go again.
Bryan I have made my own wind gen in the past and have had a few hic-up's but am getting back into it again as have had a few other things on the go.

Thanks all
Andy

*Note to self

1. Make it thick

2.Make it heavy.

3.Make it stronger than it should be.

4. Don't rush the first job as the second job will cost more and take mor

GWatPE

Senior Member

Joined: 01/09/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2127

Posted: 01:29pm 07 Apr 2010

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Hi AMACK,

I convert surplus battery power from 24V to 48V, with a boost cct. Works OK with an analogue PWM controller. With a battery you need current limiting, and input voltage operating parameters, and output voltage regulation.

The Air-X is a low output unit, and will maintain a battery, but will only supply power in a gale.

Gordon.

become more energy aware

KarlJ

Guru

Joined: 19/05/2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 1178

Posted: 04:33am 10 Apr 2010

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have to agree with Gordon....
the air X output is miserable in anything but a gale, it may be re-configurable internally, rip it apart to find out.
perhaps find something for the 12V bank to do that is useful such as a couple of HID lights from ebay, 35-55W input each and roughly equivalent of 150W halogen light each. Use the bulbs/ballasts from an automotive kit and convert different types of lights, anything cheap, rip out the original 240V arrangement and add the bulb using something that can handle some heat, a 3/4" piece of copper pipe with some silicon works a treat.
can use them for workshop lighting etc

make sure (as with any bulb) that it doesnt / cant get wet as there will be a big bang if rain hits the hot bulb when running.

Luck favours the well prepared

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