Wind Generator came today

[peternap]

Looks pretty good so FAR.
i GOT A TRI STAR  controller and plan to use it as a diversion controller. I think I'll use it to pump water during diversion.
Anyone know where to find a 12 volt water pump with 20 feet of lift or better? Submersible would be best.

[NM_Shooter]

How long does it have to work?

http://www.justwaterpumps.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=BJM1011&refid=FR207-BJM1011

[peternap]

It depends on how much the winds blowing. When I have a full charge, the charge is diverted to an outside load (Water Pump)

[Phssthpok]

I probably don't have to tell you all this, but for those that may not be aware:

Wind and Hydro generators MUST be kept 'loaded' at all times. When using a 'dump' load with wind or hydro, one needs to size the load to be able to handle the maximum output at a 100% duty cycle, lest your (full) batteries unload the power head allowing it to overspeed and eventually burn up and/or grenade. (Think worst case scenario wind storm...your batteries are full, and your windmill is CRANKIN out the amps) This is why the most popular dumploads are resistive heating elements, either for air or water.

That pump you linked lists its watt rating at 200. If one's windmill (or hydro) is not capable of producing that much, then one would be OK to use it. HOWEVER, I'm going to assume that 200w is a MAX rating, meaning that is what it will pull when working it's hardest (pushing the full 23' of its capability). anything less than 23' and it won't be pulling 200w. Looking at the power chart for the windmill you purchased, it would appear that you wouldn't have to worry about breaking 200w output until roughly 30MPH winds, so it looks like that pump may be a viable option. I, however, would err on the side of caution.

This pump has similar head capabilities and almost twice the flow rate. Unfortunately it's also 115vac, not 12vdc but it uses 550w (4.9a@115vac) which would make for a safer dump load cushion (assuming you had an overfill feedback to keep the float switch from turning off). However, it is ~$50 cheaper,and the addition of an inexpensive inverter wired to the controller and dedicated to this pump would just about bring the total cost up to par with the 12v unit while increasing flow capacity, and your watt consumption safety margin (if the chart continued I'm figuring about 55MPH to break 500W output).  Heck, it may even save you some money overall depending on how long of a wire run you need to make from batteries to pump. (higher voltage can use smaller wire! )

[peternap]

That was too quick an answer....sorry

When the battery reaches full power, the load diverter sends the generators full power to a resistive load like a water heater or for a small setup like this, a power resistor.

This shunts the generator and slows or stops the turbine.

Rather than waste this energy, a simple circuit can be made to intercept the diversion power and close a relay. The relay would use battery power to operate an electrical device like a 12V water pump. As the battery voltage drops, the controller senses this and disables the dump circuit including the relay....and starts recharging the batteries.

In a perfect world, the pump would operate all the time. My world isn't perfect though.

This little generator will put out between 1 and ten amps in the normal winds we have here, A good average would be 5 to 7 imho.

So....the pump will be resting more than it will be running.

[peternap]

We posted at the same time

[peternap]

You may be right about using a small inverter although I'm not using the pump as the cushion. I'll use a power resistor for that. I'll just use batter power toggled by the relay for the pump. As you pointed out, not using a resistive device is risky, especially on a system that may be running unattended.

This thing won't put out enough power to be useful for hot water heating, so the cheaper route of a resistor (Properly sized) is better,

[glenn kangiser]

I use my pump as a dump load -- it is a 1.5 hp 240 v pump and draws the well down to 320' if necessary.

It pulls about 10 amps at 240 or 2400 watts - my wind generator puts out 1000 watts - rated but I have seen it near 1500 in our rare high winds.

I used two Ford horn relays in series to make a 24v coil that then triggers a 120 v relay which operates the 240v pump contacts.  I do this so that I can also have the pump work from a cheap timer ($8.00) piggybacked on the dump load that is timeable in 15 minute increments for the entire day and night. Same 240 relay for both that way.

[peternap]

I've been looking over the kit tonight and have concerns. It's small and in hand turning the generator, the kick in seems high in relation to the vanes. This may go back. (I'll keep the Tristar regardless). It doesn't seem overly well constructed and pretty light duty.

I'll decide this weekend.

[Windpower]

In my experience with wind power (I built my first very crude prototype in the mid 70s' that nearly helicoptered me off the garage roof after some lag bolts failed) you can't build them too heavy duty

my AirX 400 cracked 1 1/2" schedule 40 water pipe from vibration after a blade became cracked and unbalanced
the genny hung together though


gives you some idea of the power of the wind




another nice feature of the AirX is that you can just shut it off with a switch in high wind or overcharged batts

this shorts the output and it just idles slowly without damaging it

curious about your 1000 watt genny Glenn -- a home brew or a comercial one

[glenn kangiser]

Commercial, Windpower.

It is a Bergey XL1. 

Careful about signing up for anything on their site.  McAfee rates them as spammers - 5.1 spammy  e-mails per week as I recall.

Here is a link to thei new Owners Manual - PDF 735kb   http://www.bergey.com/Products/XL1.24.OM.V2.2.pdf

It was rated as one of the best commercial generators. 

[glenn kangiser]

I have a couple of treadmills from yard sales - most of them have DC Permanent Magnet motors and are easy to use to make wind generators from.  Some day I may actually get motivated to do it.  I have plans for blades from the green PVC water pipe - 8 to 12"

The one I have needs to speed up for high enough voltage and IMO doesn't  have big enough bearings to run direct so I will run it off of a jackshaft using its  multi V belt and speed reducer sheaves reversed to drive it.

[Windpower]

The Bergey has been around for a long time

how well has it worked for you



If you want to home brew a turbine this site has some of the best info I have found

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.shtml

[peternap]

The Bergey has been around for a long time

how well has it worked for you



If you want to home brew a turbine this site has some of the best info I have found

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.shtml

Just a word of warning about other power. I've been a member there for years. There is a lot of knowledge and information there but a lot of ego too. Members like Flux and Tom, who is a moderator, know generation very well...they have no idea what color the sky is though.

Be prepared, someone will make you mad and when you give an understandable response, you get suspended or banned by the Mods. No, I didn't, but I see it done often. I mostly read and ignore the snobs.

[Windpower]

Peter

this is exactly my experieince there

I was threatened with banning for starting too many threads in one day (3)

and for saying "wth"

and for telling my experience with my AirX

these are all major sins if you are a newby

but there are some very good seat-of-the pants engineers there for sure

but some very large egos to be sure

[glenn kangiser]

The Bergey has been trouble free - going on about 6 years now.  No problems.  I can hear it humming away as we speak...  

Decent sized egos at Bergey also but pretty fair people to deal with.