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Forum Index : Windmills : DIY Wind Tubine Charge Controller
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| powerbox Newbie  Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
I'm currently developing a DIY Charge controller for wind turbine, below are some of the features that i'm planning to include in the first prototype. I will be building DIY PCB Kit as well for interested parties as soon as it's working properly. Input voltage range without failure: 10VDC - 150VDC Maximum Charge current: 100A ( Higher current for future kit) Battery Voltage: User programmable thru 4 switches LCD user interface( 12V, 24V, 36V, 48V). Charging control: 4 State Charging system Display: 2X16 Blue LCD Display Display Parameters: Input/Output Voltage, Charge Current/Power, Turbine RPM (voltage frequency detection), Charging mode, Fault Display, battery capacity. Dump Load: 2 Channels, FET PWM Switching. Fan Control: Temperature dependent Protections: Overtemp, Short-Circuit, overvoltage. 
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AMACK Senior Member  Joined: 31/05/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 184 |
Looks like a good project. I like the features, One i would like to see used would be a dump load or grid tie invertor control set point that can control a relay. This is something I have been looking for so I can turn on a grid tie invertor when batterys are full. AMACK *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 |
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| VK4AYQ Guru  Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Powerbox Sounds like a good project and I look forward to see it up and running. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Hello AMACK, Dump load to the grid will be a good idea, but most of the Inverter currently in the market doesn't have external interface for Grid synchronization. It will be a good idea to have an inverter that can communicate with the charge controller thru simple signaling which drive a relay and activate grid synchronization. I will include this in my future project maybe a 2000W Sine Inverter ( Neutral Point Clamp) for easy Grid sync, with interface to Charge/Dump Controller and data logging. It will keep me busy the whole year.  |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Hello Bob, Thanks, I will keep you updated, I will have the power board prototype by next week and I will have the prototype code by that time. Regards, PowerBOX |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi powerbox You will be a busy boy with that on the go, just one suggestion, if you are going to make an inverter make it a 5kw unit downscaling to make it more useful. Make a 2500 watt module driven off the common controller that modules can be added to plug and play style, so the basic unit can be expanded as required and modular servicing is possible, rather than the present rats nest composite systems. If you are going to make it in DIY kit form please stay away from surface mount things!!! All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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Doug Regular Member  Joined: 11/05/2010 Location: New ZealandPosts: 41 |
Hi AMAC you mentioned that you would like to be able to control your GTI through a charge controller. Would it not be possible to use something like Glens charge controller on the projects page to do that. But rather than switching between the battery's OR a dump load, use it to energize a rely between your battery's and you GTI so as when the battery bank reaches a preset voltage the rely trips and dumps into you GTI. That way the battery bank is always at full charge and all the excess goes back up the line. A lot would depend on how much currant you want to switch. One possible source of hi currant rely's would be automotive starter solenoids. These are quite capable of handling over 200 amps and use 12V to trip. I'm not sure how the would react to being energized for long periods of time though. Doug May The Power Be With You |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Hello Bob, Thanks for the suggestions, 2.5KW with N+1 capability, the modules will be connected PCB-PCB so that it will not have messy power wirings. The power boards will be thru hole PCB kit, the common Inverter/Charger/Display controller might be SMD as a single fully assembled PCB kit since this pcb will require precision components that might not be available for DIY. Thanks, Powerbox |
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| AMACK Senior Member Joined: 31/05/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 184 |
Doug, Have looked at it in the past and the bloke over the road from me uses Glenns set up and has for some time now. He said it was quite a pain to get the set up right for the cut in and out but did get it to work well. I was gust looking at a few other things that could work too. I run a 24 volt system here and the pannels and turbine have been in shut down or dump for most of the day. I have four 6 volt 875 amp/hr batterys and last night I used 3% of there power so when I looked at them today at 10 am they were full again and going no were so why not work the sun and wind and send it to the grid. I have 1710 watt grid tie system also that is chugging away. AMACK *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 |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Powerbox Just another thought as to the versatility of the unit, could you also incorporate a high voltage DC output ahead of the sine wave inverter so it could be used to drive the high voltage GTI in lew of the solar panels or with the solar panels to utilize the GTI during the night when no solar is present. That would give the load dump facility and some useful return on investment, as the unit already has the voltage ahead of the sine chopper it would only mean an interface unit, All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Hello Bob' OK noted :). Powerbox |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Here's the Controller Design Block Diagram: 2011-01-08_192717_WIND_CHARGE_CONTROLLER.pdf |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Powerbox That is some project, but the modular nature will help by developing each module separate, better you than me mate All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Hi Bob, Yes it's a big project for this year, schematics and PCB design is 60% done, most of the effort will be in the firmware development and functional testing. I'm hoping to have the charge controller/Dump Load be ready for evaluation in 2 months. Mark |
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| powerbox Newbie Joined: 31/12/2010 Location: Posts: 8 |
Here's the 3D of the rectifier module 2011-01-14_011436_RECTIFIER100A_2.pdf2011-01-14_011647_RECTIFIER100A.pdf |
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