Wiring 3 Turbines...

Hi

I now have 3 turbines would am wonderring how to wire them up and what kind of controller I would need.

I was thinking of wiring them in series and getting a 24V charge controller. Somebody else must have done this it seems a few people have more than one turbine :)

Mattie


Mattie

I suspect you can wire them up together AFTER their individual rectifiers. DO NOT wire their AC lines together as this would require they all stay in-phase while generating electricity. If they spin at various RPM or have different generators attached the resulting out-of-phase voltages will load each turbine with the other (net effect: heat and waste, possibly damaged generators).

Wiring them each to a rectifier and then the resulting DC can be wired together...

Of course... this makes sense to me but I am no wind expert!! Second opinions are welcome as I take no responsibility ;)

-XexorZ

My Website: www.GoingGreenGrapevine.com

Forgot to mention they are all DC motors so I was wonderring if:
1 - Connect them all in parallel or series for an easy way of getting 24V in low wind/
2 - Connect each to an individual charge controller and connect all them to a battery bank.


Mattie

MattieG
I suggest keeping them separate.
If your turbine is best suited to 6 volts, maybe charge a 6 volt battery?

Not as useful, but power at any rate.

Ben.

Hi
At the moment I have an Ametek 38V which doesnt quite go past 12V :(
Im toying with gearing one up as they do spin pretty easy or having 2 or 3 in series.
Im hoping the gearing up is going to work well theres a few on YouTube who have dont it
and seems good.

Its not windy round here but I get 8V all the time from the breeze and 12V from the gusts.
It may well be the blades so I am experimenting with everything at the mo :)

I have room for 4 or 5 turbines so there is potential for a bit of power if I can get thins right.

Ben, if I may what charge controllers do people use on here? Ive seen humbertini on YouTube using the JUTA 12A ones. I have a couple of them an they are cheap but am I worth investing in a Xantrex and wiring everything in parallel or series :)

Lots of questions I know but its all good fun!!!

Mattie


Mattie

Hi all,

This post is directed at Mattie but may be interest to others - sorry if Im slightly off-topic:

Im new to the whole wind turbine building thing but have been browsing the forum for a while. I have lately come across one of the 38V Ametek motor at a surplus place for €15. I have done some on-line trawling for info and gather that this motor is less-than-ideal for charging a 12V bank as it needs to spin at ~400rpm to have any useful output. I too am toying with the idea of gearing up the 38V but am at a loss as to where to scrounge the parts from - just wondering if you have had any ideas or success in this area?

Theres a guy on youtube who has 2.5:1 gearing using pulleys and a v-belt but this looks like too-much to me as it takes a fair amount of effort (wind-speed) to turn the generator. I was thinking more along the lines of 1.25-1.75:1. I have no idea of what suitable starting point for blade size/profile/number etc. would be though.

Any input greatly appreciated,

Niall

Hi Niall

I have jsut ordered some sprockets and a chain from BearingBoys.co.uk (took me ages to find suitable stuff) and hopefully will ge round to trying to fit the gearing in a week or two. 10, 20 and 30 tooth sprockets giveing me 2:1, 3:1 or 3:2 ratios which will be cool to test.

Im thinking of bolting two Ametek 38V motors together (siude by side that is) and using one as the mount for the blades and the larger sprocket and the smaller sprocket on the other motor and a chain between the two.

The chain and sprockets are duplex (double) so will be pretty stable I hope and not fall off etc.

Ive also cut my blades down from 24" to 18" but not shaved some width off the profile yet so im not sure if it will go faster.

My theory is that if i can get the gearing to work i will use 5 blades to start spinning easily and hopefully will get 24V from the Ametek. The problem I think is the startup speed. The gearing may not move but onve the turbine is spinning there will be enough power to continue spinning. Im sure we all know that once the turbine spins it goes like mad so I think there is plenty of enrgy available to get the turbine to keep spinning as long as it spins up :)

Feel free to message me with your ideas Niall :)

Mattie


Mattie

MattieG

What type of blades are you using on your ametek 38 as that might be the problem causing low votlage.

Hi
I have chopped a few inches off to 18" but I have not yet trimmed the profile. Waiting for the wind to die down so that I can take it down.
Im not getting about 12.5 volts so im assuming it will be great when ive trimmed the profile back.
Ususlly bigger is better but not in this case!!! ASlso just received 3 new Ametek 38v which I will be playing with shortly :)

Mattie


Mattie

Hooking them up in series is not suggested.
Hooking them up in parallel will only work well if you incorporate a blocking diode on each generator to prevent them from becoming a motor :) but this will come with a small loss (forward voltage loss of the diode) although this is going to be your cheapest solution.

A parallel hookup will not increase the voltage but a boost circuit can... You need a charge controller that will boost your voltage from whatever low voltage DC you have to your charge voltage... I am not familiar enough with this area to suggest a manufacturer or model...

Does this help?

My Website: www.GoingGreenGrapevine.com