simple questions/simple answears?

Boy, it's like trying to understand Chineese algebra reading some of these posts for the non-electrical types like myself!!

My two simple questions are as follows:
1: I have a 100' cord from the generator to the batteries set up as a 12volt system. Will making this cord shorter, like only 50' be of any benefit?

2: With the generator connected to the batteries, I'm told this will 'clamp down' the voltage. And with 10-20 mph winds, my multimeter connected to the wires on neg of cord at battery 1, and pos on wire not battery side of diode of battery 2, usually reads around 12.5 - 12.6 volts. If wind speed increases, will this number go higher than that, being the voltage is 'clamped down' as it is connected to the batteries?

I want to make a video to show my setup/windmill because it looks pretty good, but alas, my camcorder decided it was time to die, and now it's in for repair and they must be sending it to Japan, because they said it will take a month for repair!

My current setup which I have only started to monitor, seems barely able to charge the 2 12volt deep cycle batteries. So far it could only run 1 75watt halogen bulb for 14 hours and then the inverter alarm was sounding due to not enough juice from the batteries.... So I guess there are 3 questions here... 3: What do you all think about that? Thanks, Terry

1- Shorter is better. Less resistance for the electrons to fight their way through.

Thicker wire is better too. Also has less resistance.
"Cord" makes me think an AC extension cord? That's quite thin to carry much 12V efficiently.
If it is 100', and can be shortened to 50', then could use the 2 halves doubled up. It would be 4X better than it is now.

2- The voltage will increase some, because the battery is charging and its voltage will increase some.
But pretty much it should be about 12.5 to 15V on the generator side of the diode.

A 75W halogen and inverter pulls maybe 90W from the battery. 14 hours would be about 100AH.
I would venture a guess that the batteries were not truly fully charged (1/2 or 2/3rds?), or are maybe used, but that's not too bad of a run time.
It is also why the RE people use 13W CFLs! Easier to conserve power than make it!
G-

[Gotwind Ben]

Found this for beginners, and me sometimes ;) - all seems accurate and easy to understand.
http://www.study-center.com/femp/conten ... basics.htm

Resistance explained
http://www.study-center.com/femp/conten ... /bbres.htm

That battery run time is nearly the same as I was getting and I took 8 batteries back to the shop.
The truth is they just don't perform anything like the numbers tell you they will. :(
It will take a day of 20mph+ winds to charge a battery even with a 500w turbine. :shock:
When you get to watch one in action and see how the wind comes and goes even though you think its windy all the time it isn't. They don't do much unless its really windy.
Unless its a monster or your in a very windy place. :?

thanks ghurd/ben/shawn....
Ghurd- I will follow your advise and 2x up the cord... yep, a medium duty 100' orange extension cord.
Ben- cool, and I will study and hopefully learn!
Shawn, yep even when quite windy, spins sporatically, not all the time like I thought it would. I thought that the batteries would charge faster, and I cheated this week and helped them charge w/ a trickle charger... For now I am using the 'free' battery juice for the garage door opener... :) Terry

Those orange 'outdoor' cords are not UV resistant. The insulation will turn chalky and whiteish in a year or less, and begin to fall apart shortly after that.
Not something I would look forward to doing, but could get a 1.5" roll of electrical tape, and run it lengthwise over the cord.

Guessing the cord is #16 wire. Doubled up is equal to #13.
With 8A flowing, and a 10% voltage drop in the wire, that's only about 25'... and don't forget to include the tower drop. It means a lot of the power that should be charging amps is power being used to increase voltage in the turbine.

Might consider getting a 100' roll of 12-2w/g US-B. Use all 3 wires together, 50' for +, 50' for -. That would (almost) get the equivalent of #7.

As it is now, a good portion of the available power is being used up in that 100' of skinny wire.

Good explanation here,
http://www.windsun.com/Hardware/Wire_Table.htm

It is hard to tell if a deep cycle is full, unless you do all the hydrometer testing, and temp compensation, and......
I don't consider them full until they spent 2 days at about 14V.
I don't play with hydrometers very often (can't afford replacing jeans that often!).
Voltage charts will say they are full at about 12.65V. Which is fine under some conditions, but 5A into a half-dead 100AH will get the voltage up to 12.65V in a short time, and that is NOT full charged.
G-