Need help wind generator

svhazeldawn
svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
Hi new here

I have a 2 wire 400 watt wind gen. I have tried to connect it to my system. I have a boat and this o s my set up

House batteries
2 6v linked in series creating 12volt
1 12volt battery connected in parralel to above

Starter
1 12volt battery

4 15 watt solar panels run thru a hybrid controller
I tried connecting the wind gen thru the controller
But I think it may be for a.c. generator. 
I have also had 3 others try to hook it up with no gois results. I have tried to hook the generator direct to the battery which I get weird results. The batteries spin the generator. I am pretty sure the wind gen works I have tested it and I see voltage running thru it.
Now for my question.

I need the gen to charge my house batteries. Why how or what do I need to do to put fuel I to the batteries instead of the batteries powering the gen

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Do you have a link to the wind generator?

    Many "modern" wind generators are really alternators (like the alternator on your car). The output 3 phase AC and use a rectifier block (typically 6 diodes) to change the current to DC.

    However, if your wind turbine is spinning when attached to the battery--It sounds like your's is a brush type generator (what was commonly used in cars 40+ years ago).

    http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/91.cfm

    If you have a brush type generator, you would need to install a blocking diode to stop the battery from turning your wind turbine into an "electric fan" (should be turning backwards).

    In either case, you would normally connect the wind turbine directly to your battery bank (through the rectifier block for alternator type, or blocking diode for generator type). If you have a relatively large battery and not too much wind, that would be about it.

    However, if you do have a lot of wind and harvest a lot of current, then you would need to install a "diversion controller" on the battery bank. Basically a diversion controller "turns on" and supplies current to an electric heater (resistor bank) to dump "excess" current during windy conditions when the battery is full (too much charging current can damage/ruin your battery. In worst case conditions, it could cause a battery fire or explosion if there is no dump regulator).

    Some wind turbines have an 'on board' regulator--But it does not sound like yours does.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What the brand and model of the wind gen, and is there a matching controller made for it ? 

    >  4 15 watt solar panels run thru a hybrid controller
    I hope those are not harbor fright PV panels.   And what is a hybrid controller ? again, Mfg & model .



    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 ,

  • svhazeldawn
    svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
    Hi.
    The wind gen was bought on eBay. The link may be to long. https://www.ebay.com/i/201075883557?chn=ps&dispItem=1&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-117182-37290-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fi%252F201075883557%253Fchn%253Dps%2526dispItem%253D1%26itemid%3D201075883557%26targetid%3D323710961482%26device%3Dm%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D9012225%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D853002623%26adgroupid%3D44244218315%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-323710961482%26abcId%3D1128836%26merchantid%3D8177174%26gclid%3DCj0KEQjw7pHLBRDqs-X8hZ3Mgp0BEiQAXIo9ro0TFHV99F6GEB806e-rFCG7AFAhSC-pNQWbMHKxbawaAmSO8P8HAQ%26srcrot%3D711-117182-37290-0%26rvr_id%3D1254911644154&var=500256413229
    If the link does not work eBay Apollo dc wind generator 400 watt. It did come with a dios or something to stop reversed power. I do have it but needs soldering on which I do not have a soldering iron atm. I was going to look into that once I saw it pumping juice into the batteries

    The solar panels are the ones from you guessed it. But they were on the boat when I arrived
  • svhazeldawn
    svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
    I forgot to mention the house batteries have a total of 275ah.

    The charge controller is this one used here
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PBT6ZKY/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1499779300&sr=8-16&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hybrid+charger+controller&dpPl=1&dpID=41TJwvR4b7L&ref=plSrch

    I will see if I can find some one to solder the diode on today
  • svhazeldawn
    svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
    More info I had the 2 wire dc wind gen hooked up to only the 3 grén wires bridging 2 of them to ground. Maybe I am not hooking it up right. Can some one tell my wire for wire how or is it possible to hook it up to a 2 wire dc generator
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    edited July 2017 #7
    It appears that the link is to a 3 wire/3 phase alternator type wind turbine (no electronics in the turbine). And the recommended hybrid charge controller has a three wire input (AC turbine compatible).

    I could not find any manuals for either--But I am not quite sure why you would ground any of the output wires from the turbine, or unused terminal(s) on the hybrid charge controller (integrated Wind+Solar+Low Voltage cutoff+dump load connection).

    I do not understand how the turbine would rotate just from connecting the battery(ies) and (or without) the charge controller. An alternator type wind turbine can only spin when the wind is blowing.

    At this point, I am not sure I can "safely" give you any useful advice without more detailed information on your wind/charger products.

    There is probably an "electronic" brake for the wind turbine. When the batteries are full, the controller would "short" the wiring from the wind turbine. This makes it very difficult for the wind turbine to rotate (very high torque from the "shorted" alternator outputs). That could be "normal operation".

    Another big issue with Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines is that they must point into the wind to rotate and harvest power correctly. If your turbine is mounted too close to the ground and/or down wind of obstructions (trees, buildings, roofs, etc.), the turbulent wind will not generate much power with the turbine. They must be high (typically towers are at least >30 feet/10 meters) tall (2x that is very nice) and well above any nearby obstructions (200-500 feet away).

    If you are (for example) in the middle of a wooded lot and the turbine is not above the trees--It will not work.

    Generally, wind turbines need ~10-12 mph winds to generate any "useful" amount of electrical energy. And many start to shut down at >25-30 MPH winds. For a turbine to by "useful", the location needs to be sort of "miserably" windy (ocean bluff, flat lands, etc.).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Aguarancher
    Aguarancher Solar Expert Posts: 315 ✭✭✭
    Bill you are correct. According to the wiring schematic the 3 green wires connect to the controller in the turbine location and None are grounded. Wasn't able to capture a pic of the wiring.
  • svhazeldawn
    svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
    I didn't mean I grounded it to the battery ground I ment I used the black wire from the gen wired 1 red wire from the gen and bridged the other 2 green wires to the black wire.

    However I do have a blocking diode that came with the gen and am having that sodered on the positive red wire and will then comment it directly to the battery. The manual of what little there is said it was ok to do so.

    What I have learnt with this install. I should have gotten the a.c. 3 wire version to be able to use the controller. It seems as this is how every one else does it and then the controller coverts it to dc and pumps dc current into the batteries. The reversing diode should allow the gen to not act like a electric fan and more like it's designed function. I will be getting that hooked in tomorrow. We will also have a toggle switch to turn off any incoming power to the battery that is not needed.

    I was thinking batteries are dc so a dc gen would be the best way to go as for not having to convert power from a.c. to dc. As for the rest I am on my last option here to get this thing to start pumping juice into the batteries. If this doesn't work the gen is going for drink.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The ebay site gave me no useful information about the wind generator.   At least it's cheaper then the tower you would need to mount it on.  Spend $ on more panels, not wind generation.
    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 ,

  • svhazeldawn
    svhazeldawn Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited July 2017 #11
    Update. I had the diode installed and the wind gen seemed like it worked. Ie voltage went up when I connected it to the battery. We just had a storm go thru pushing 60 mph winds. For now anyways it seems to be working. I will look for a a.c. wind gen.

    Bill. The 3 phase generators are a.c. correct? I will prob scrap the dc gen and get the a.c. type. Any one want to buy a 400 watt dc wind gen... Lol. Btw I will be adding 2 100 or 125 watt flex panels to the boat in the near future