48VDC generator head

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Comments

  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    I suspect the HyperVoc function adds a little extra protection for Voltage spikes that most controllers would not have. :D

    Oh yeah. Without HyperVOC, my wind turbine controllers would all be smokeless by now, and probably have all sorts of singed electronic components hanging out of them from little coily looking things. :p
    --
    Chris
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    You see, these are the times I want a DC genset for - we woke up this morning and our little MidNite battery meter had gone from green to yellow on the left side:

    Attachment not found.

    That little MidNite meter, at first glance, might seem like a very useful thing because it's too simple. But it is. I was sort of shocked to see that light not green because we had an excellent power week last week. For folks who don't have one of these meters, if that light stays green it means your bank has been properly absorbed in the last week. If it turns yellow it means your bank has not received a proper absorb cycle for one week. If it turns red it means you don't care about your batteries and you should crate them up right away and send them to me so I can put them on with my bank and take better care of them for you :D

    So with the yellow light it means I have to run a low voltage EQ cycle for at least two hours, a couple tenths of a volt above the normal absorb voltage. Except for one problem - not QUITE enough RE power today from the wind turbines and solar panels to get it done. When the wind picks up the Classics were going to Equalize, but then the wind dies down a bit and they drop back to EQ MPPT, sometimes a couple volts below the target voltage.

    There's only one thing on days like that, that is going to get the job done - the generator - and supplying enough power to hold the voltage at the EQ level. So now what do we have? A Honda EM4000SX generator running at about 4-5 amps load for 2 hours. This is where an inverter gen would be nice. But it's also where a DC generator would be nice because the DC generator can supply the power right to the bank without having to go thru the inverter charger, and it could do it with the little GX160 just idling at 2200-2300 rpm.

    The sooner I get this little DC generator built, the better it will be.
    --
    Chris
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Chris, Do you think a little champion like this might work? http://www.championpowerequipment.com/generators/42451/ Solarvic I saw one at Tractor supply today. Think it was $199.00.
  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    solarvic wrote: »
    Chris, Do you think a little champion like this might work? http://www.championpowerequipment.com/generators/42451/ Solarvic I saw one at Tractor supply today. Think it was $199.00.
    Impressive price. Not as quiet as a little Honda, but for that money I could maybe live with it. :-)

    One interesting thing about the site is that when I click on the picture to enlarge it I get pages one and two of two but they are 100% the same identical picture.
    I wonder if one of them is the French jpeg?
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Mais non monsieur, c'est impossible....LOL;)
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    solarvic wrote: »
    Chris, Do you think a little champion like this might work? http://www.championpowerequipment.com/generators/42451/ Solarvic I saw one at Tractor supply today. Think it was $199.00.

    Oh yeah. For small stuff it would be fine. I've found nothing wrong with those Champion generators. I think they're a pretty good unit.

    I have to pick up a couple PS205 bearings tomorrow so I can mount the generator on this thing and get the stator support welded into place.

    Attachment not found.

    I found a 9.75" diameter cast iron, balanced pulley. So I need a 3.9" B-width pulley for the engine crankshaft. Once I get the generator mounted and the stator support on it, then I'll know exactly where the engine has to go so I can weld on the engine mount plate. I think I'm going to mount the engine with rubber isolators. The Honda rotates counterclockwise viewed from the PTO end, so the belt tighter pulley/clutch will go on the top of the belt.
    --
    Chris
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Chris, I am very interested in this project and hope there will be more pictures. Are you planning on putting any shields around the rotor and stator similar to shielding over a snowmobile clutch? I saw a clutch explode on a snowmobile before. Lucky for my friend and me. We were dragracing on a long field and I was right beside him with my sled when it happened. The end of the crank broke off and the clutch went thru the belly pan and went down the runway a few hundred feet. :D silarvic :D
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    solarvic wrote: »
    Chris, I am very interested in this project and hope there will be more pictures. Are you planning on putting any shields around the rotor and stator similar to shielding over a snowmobile clutch?

    Oh yeah! It'll have a heavy duty scatter shield over it. If that axial generator ever explodes it would blow holes the size of your fist in the shop ceiling.

    I just figured it out - each of those magnets on the rotors weighs about one pound. At rated power the magnets are traveling at 92 ft/sec. So if a magnet departs from a rotor it carries about the same amount of energy as a bullet from a large caliber handgun, except that the magnets are 2" square. Suffice it say a human would be severely damaged if he got hit by a magnet coming off that rotor.
    --
    Chris
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Hi all,
    I have built a small DC generator running off a 4.5hp diesel and am very happy with it.
    It comprises of a Fisher and Pykel washing machine motor, rewired series/parallel and rectified to output approx 120vdc.
    This runs directely into an Outback MX60 MPPT solar controler and when the MPPT sweeps the generator it pulls the generator down to about 65volts.
    Its very efficient. Puts out 1050watts chugging away. Max is about 1400watts. AC ripple doesn't seam to be a problem.
    Auto starts via an ARRAY PLC.
    If anyone is interested I'll put up some more info.
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    Swanney wrote: »
    If anyone is interested I'll put up some more info.

    I am. Some pictures would be good too.
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Have a look at this link
    http://www.ecoinnovation.co.nz/p-45-smart-drive-engine-kit.aspx

    This place rewires washing machine motors for DC generators here in New Zealand. They are mainly used in wind and hydro turbines but work very well on diesel generators as well.
    I purchased one but had a problem with it. When it was rewired they used a low temperature glue gun to secure the wiring. This is fine in a hydro or wind generator as they do not produce heat but the heat generated from the 4.5hp yanmam diesel melted it. So I rewired my own and used silicon sealer and has been running for 3 winters with no problems.

    I would recommend using any PMG generator head coupled to a diesel generator through a MPPT controler. Just make sure the max open circuit voltage of the MPPT controler isn't exceeded.
    I coupled the generator to the diesel via a 'V' belt and pully so I could match the diesel engine revs to the generator revs. 2:1 works well.
    The fuel consumption from memory was around 300 ml/KWhour?? Don't quote me on that. I'll recheck it as this is probably what you are interested in.

    Prior to this setup my generator comprised of a 9hp petrol engine coupled to a 120amp car alternator. It worked well but was very hungry on petrol. I didnt run this through the MPPT as it had an internal regulator and was wired directely to 12volt house battery system (yuck!). I now run 1.4KW of panels and 500amp hours at 24volt batteries.

    A generator running a mains power battery charger dosn't make sence to me.
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    Swanney wrote: »
    The fuel consumption from memory was around 300 ml/KWhour?? Don't quote me on that. I'll recheck it as this is probably what you are interested in.

    12 kWh/gallon. Sounds too good to be true :D

    How do you control engine's throttle?
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Yes sorry my memory let me down. Just ran fuel consumption test and it uses 570 ml/KW hr. I control the throttle via a cable run from a windscreen wiper motor. You could use a solenoid such as a car door locking actuator. This is only used to open throttle before engine starts and then after a set time the plc pulses it again to stop. Throttle is set to run engine at approx 2000rpm. The governer in the engine maintains rpm as load comes on the pmg generator. Beauty of the mppt controller is that it will vary the load on the pmg generator. If your batteries are full the load will taper off and there is no chance of overcharging the batteries. I also warm up engine for a couple of minutes before plc connects load via a 100amp relay to the mppt solar controller. Another relay disconnects the solar panels as you do not want to back feed them! Hope this is useful. Attachment not found.Attachment not found.Attachment not found.
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    Swanney wrote: »
    Throttle is set to run engine at approx 2000rpm. The governer in the engine maintains rpm as load comes on the pmg generator.

    Have you thought about running it at variable speed, that is slowing the motor down when the load is low? This should save lots of fuel at low loads.
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Yes I've thought of doing that and it can be done. However it auto starts when the battery bank is low and runs for a couple of hours so only really runs during the bulk charge stage. Solar panels handle the absorb and float.
    I have programmed it so battery volts need to be low for more than 5 minutes so you can still cook toast or misses can use her hair dryer without it unnecessarily starting. I would like to get a bit smarter by running a balance of watts in/watts out of battery bank.

    Ultimately I'd like to recover the heat generated by the engine for water heating. I think that would be an efficient use of a diesel generator.
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    how do you get that stuff to stick to the side of the hill like that? :confused:
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    mike95490 wrote: »
    how do you get that stuff to stick to the side of the hill like that? :confused:

    he must've found the edge of the world everybody warned columbus about.:p
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    Ah, he is in New Zealand, you know the other side of the world... it's all upside down:roll:
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head

    looks sideways to me. are you on the other edge of the world?:p
  • Swanney
    Swanney Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭✭
    Re: 48VDC generator head
    niel wrote: »
    looks sideways to me. are you on the other edge of the world?:p

    Yes it's a crazy place here alright!