dump load

rahkes
rahkes Registered Users Posts: 1
hi all,

i have a grid tied inverter of 850VA ,12V /150 AH battery connected to 400wp Solar panels through a 30A PWM charge controller.
Now would like to add a wind turbine of 400W to the system .
i have one spare dedicated 30A PWM Controller .
i would like know how much dump load to be connect to the system

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: dump load

    If you assume the turbine has a 400 Watt @ 14.5 volt output:

    400 Watts / 14.5 volts = 27.6 amp minimum load

    For resistance:

    P=I^2R
    R=400 watts / (27.6 amps)^2 = 0.53 Ohm load

    Pretty much the maximum current for your 30 amp controller.

    The NEC (code) requires two parallel dump controllers+loads in case one of the controllers or load banks fails.

    Is this what you were looking for?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: dump load
    rahkes wrote: »
    hi all,

    i have a grid tied inverter of 850VA ,12V /150 AH battery connected to 400wp Solar panels through a 30A PWM charge controller.
    Now would like to add a wind turbine of 400W to the system .
    i have one spare dedicated 30A PWM Controller .
    i would like know how much dump load to be connect to the system

    Whoa.
    An 850 Watt 12 Volt battery-based grid-tied inverter? Are you sure it's grid-tied? That is not a typical specs for a GTI unless it is one of the illegal import units.
    If it really is grid-tied you do not need ay dump load because selling back to the grid means there is always a place for the power to go. SMA used to make A wind turbine driven GTI called "Windy Boy"; turbine to GTI to grid. They have been discontinued.

    Please tell us more about the actual equipment involved.

    If it is not grid-tied then it will need a dump load capable of handling the full power of the turbine.

    It is also unlikely the turbine will afford you any advantage. Usually sites do not have enough wind to make them effective, or the turbine itself is of poor quality with exaggerated output claims, or the installation is not good enough to be effective, or any combination of the three.