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Forum Index : Windmills : Charge Controller problems
| Author | Message | ||||
| harrisblair Newbie  Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
So I've just finished my new F&P wind turbine built with heaps of ideas off this website - thanks. The wind has been good but I'm not making power yet. The cheap controller I got off ebay (which is full of features) seams to be loading it up almost to a standstill. Open circuit the turbine speeds right up as expected but connected to the controller it slows up to an RPM that I know is below 12v. So do I have a faulty controller or am I overlooking something? |
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| VK4AYQ Guru  Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Harris Not being familiar with your setup and blades and wind speed it is a bit hard to go into what could be wrong, so I would suggest that you do away with the controller for a test and just use a 3 phase rectifier as it will do the job of AC DC conversion without complication, if you get power out with it it could indicate your regulator is faulty or not suited for the application. Let us know some details of your setup and I am sure some of the members with experience on type could help you. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| govertical Guru Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 383 |
Greetings, here are some videos that may apply to your situations. I hope this helps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TE38SOdf64 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JcC--1urUw just because your a GURU or forum administer does not mean your always correct :) |
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fillm Guru Joined: 10/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 730 |
Info required to help people to help you would be.... - how have you rewired the stator for a 12v application ? - What blades are you using and what Dia - A link to or a pic of the controller as well as how it is wired in. PhillM ...Oz Wind Engineering..Wind Turbine Kits 500W - 5000W ~ F&P Dual Kits ~ GOE222Blades- Voltage Control Parts ------- Tower kits |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
Thanks for all the help so far. It's wired in star 12v. Just like the instructions. Before I put it up I checked the volts across all the phases and was able to spin it up to 12v with my hand. They are second hand blades 800mm long. 
I bought one of these, http://bluelight.en.alibaba.com/product/523673048-213186767/ WS_WSC15_10A_12V_24V_Wellsee_Wind_solar_hybrid_charge_contro ller.html Its wired straight in as three phase. |
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| govertical Guru Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 383 |
Hi, is the controller hooked up to a light bulb???? just because your a GURU or forum administer does not mean your always correct :) |
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| electrondady1 Senior Member  Joined: 12/02/2009 Location: CanadaPosts: 208 |
if you could rig it up to do a quick switch between the controller and a direct connection, see if there is much of an rpm change. if your controller is boosting alternator voltage and the battery is clamping voltage, it may push the rpm of the mill down to where there is no power. clear as mud right? |
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| govertical Guru Joined: 11/12/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 383 |
Hi, the info you provided about the charge controller is for a light bulb. It turns off the output during the day and back on at night. Is that what is happening? How does it work at night? just because your a GURU or forum administer does not mean your always correct :) |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
I do have a small bulb hooked up. For it to operate automatically it needs a solar panel to tell it night from day. But according to the instructions you don't need this. It can just work from the internal timer 30min-10hours and this seems to work. Next time the mill is back on the ground I would like to try electrondady1's test. Am I right in thinking a regulator should allow it spin up to 12v then clamp it there and just increase the current as wind speed picks up? Even a full battery doesn't help. |
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| fillm Guru Joined: 10/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 730 |
I would think that if you could spin it up to 12v by hand the cut-in would be around 50 ~ 60 RPM which is to low for those blades at a Dia that I would think is Approx 1.8m . I would be looking to get a cut-in at 100 rpm min on a 1.8m Dia Like you said they spin fine unloaded , put a load on and they stall. Which 12V instructions did you go off . Another option is to change it to delta to get a higher cut-in RPM . I don't think the controller is the best for this application , if its only rated at 10A you will probably see some smoke, when the mill gets going . Appart from all that it looks like you have done a nice job, if its your first then well done ... PS..Basicly, the regulator should switch in a dump load after 14.3 ~ 14.7V, to control the battery voltage and keep load on the mill. The load can be lights or a resistor ,if the controller is 10 A max then this is only 120~140W which may be enough . PhillM ...Oz Wind Engineering..Wind Turbine Kits 500W - 5000W ~ F&P Dual Kits ~ GOE222Blades- Voltage Control Parts ------- Tower kits |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
I ask about the regulator part of the controller because when I did test it on the ground I could feel with my arm that from 0 RPM the controller was loading it, even with no battery connected. So raising the starting wind speed. I thought a regulator would allow it to free spin up to the cut-in then load it up on the battery until 14.3 ~ 14.7V then the internal breaking feature would take over? Its almost like its tricked by something and already breaking. I used the instruction from this website. I purchased this just the other day, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261051375 223&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123#ht_3569wt_1344 A much simpler unit that is basically a smart dump load switch. I hope I've done the right thing. If I still have no luck I will look into the delta wiring. I also have another stator with the smaller wire (model 60 I think). |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
Big southerly storm came through last night. Went out to my garage to find my 50w dump load bulb had blown. When I switched on the 100w it just popped too. So it was open circuit and I was scared! But it was a good time to check stuff. It was 90v open circuit on the end of the rectifier. When I connected up the batteries the ammeter went off the scale (15A)and the batteries were bubbling! (16V) So I connected up the controller I've been having issues with. It did a good job of slowing down the mill but still made no power even with a flat battery connected. So I might throw it on the heap and continue to wait for my new one. |
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| Privatteer Newbie Joined: 09/06/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 39 |
That controller apparently has overload protection from the spec. It probably shutdown immediately to protect itself from the excess current. |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
Ah true, well I still haven't found a wind that it will work in! |
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| harrisblair Newbie Joined: 29/06/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9 |
MkII wind turbine is up and running. I did the 7 phase conversion. I recommend doing this right from the start! The new controller is working correctly. I just put this video up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtRXN3Hj1Hk&feature=youtu.be because I want your opinion on the RPM for these blades. This is charging my 600ah bank. Its a 20knot wind and its generating about 1amp (12v). I just expected a bit more power for this wind. The stator is wired 3x2C. Should I have done the 6x1C? Or is this running normal? Thanks |
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BobMann Senior Member Joined: 30/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 134 |
Hello you should take a look at what Steve did on tne Smart Controller for my Tree Top Wind Mills VAWT Hear is the link this is the way we went no cutting just a stock stator 60s MPPT Right now the best power curve I've found seems to max out at 200v in about 18 mph winds. At that point the controller has to leave the ideal curve, to pull more current and protect itself. (the 270 watts was seen in this condition. If it was still on the ideal curve it probably would have been much more.) It seems that if the arms were 30" long instead of 18", then in that same 18 mph wind the voltage would only be 120v. The cogging would break free in 7.2 mph winds instead of 12, and the potential power would go up by 66%. This would be a turbine better matched to that alt. [Not sure my pole would handle it, but I'm willing to try!] This is some thing to think about. bob Mann |
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