Is it possible to connect two wind turbines to one on grid wind inverter?

anotherbuffalo
anotherbuffalo Registered Users Posts: 1
I have two wind turbines rated at 1000watt each, connected to two seperate on gird wind inverters. I find that low winds do not generate sufficient energy to overcome the resistance in the system and feed into the grid. What I am seeing is that the turbines turn with approximately 7.5 volts being produced, the red fault light comes on, and only at the highest peak of the wind gust does the green power lights flach at over 10V.

Is it possible to hook both turbines to a single 2000watt wind inverter? Presumably, by doing that, each turbine would produce 7.5 volts for a total of 15 which would immediately overcome resistance and feed power into the grid. Would this set up adversely affect turbines or the inverters? I picture simply taking the red wires from both turbines and attaching them to the single red post on the larger inverter and the white wires to the black post. It just seems too easy - there must be some reason I cannot do that.....

Why did I not do this the first time? I bought the turbines for $1800 each, installed, and they came completely set up with separate inverters. In watching the preformance of my system, I am estimating that the increased power of attaching the two turbines to overcome resistance would end up putting as much as 10 times the power into the grid. Anyone with thoughts about this change.

Comments

  • bill von novak
    bill von novak Solar Expert Posts: 891 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Is it possible to connect two wind turbines to one on grid wind inverter?
    I have two wind turbines rated at 1000watt each, connected to two seperate on gird wind inverters. I find that low winds do not generate sufficient energy to overcome the resistance in the system and feed into the grid.

    That is common. Low winds have very little energy. Your options are: 1) better site 2) taller mount (windspeed almost always increases with height) or 3) larger swept area to better harvest low winds.
    What I am seeing is that the turbines turn with approximately 7.5 volts being produced, the red fault light comes on, and only at the highest peak of the wind gust does the green power lights flach at over 10V.

    What is voltage at maximum speed? If the turbines are permanent magnet then you are pretty much stuck with whatever voltage they generate. If they are alternator based then you can increase the field strength - but that won't get you more energy, it will just increase voltage.
    Is it possible to hook both turbines to a single 2000watt wind inverter? Presumably, by doing that, each turbine would produce 7.5 volts for a total of 15 which would immediately overcome resistance and feed power into the grid.

    No. You'd overvolt during strong winds if you connect them in series, and you'd have other problems with back-EMF during generation. And you can't get more energy when there's none to be had anyway.
    Would this set up adversely affect turbines or the inverters? I picture simply taking the red wires from both turbines and attaching them to the single red post on the larger inverter and the white wires to the black post. It just seems too easy - there must be some reason I cannot do that.....
    That would not give you more voltage, just more current (parallel connection.)
    Why did I not do this the first time? I bought the turbines for $1800 each, installed, and they came completely set up with separate inverters. In watching the preformance of my system, I am estimating that the increased power of attaching the two turbines to overcome resistance would end up putting as much as 10 times the power into the grid. Anyone with thoughts about this change.

    You can't get more energy than is there. And while I don't know the specs of your turbine, if it's outputting 7.5 volts you're getting effectively zero energy.

    Unfortunately your story is a common one. An unscrupulous vendor sells you an expensive system with a short mount, and the turbines never generate significant power in normal winds. Higher towers/better siting are really the only way to solve the problem.