Slow Generator in moderate winds

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Wind Power Generation #1
Hey guys, need some advice here if you can... have a 38v Amatek mounted about 13' up. When I get some decent winds here in Houston (about 12 to 20 mph) the generator spins really good, puts out about 16 to 18 volts, but when I connect the windmill to a battery even just the negative side the windmill spins very slow even in good winds. Do I have something connected wrong or is this just something I will have to deal with?? My blades are 24" long, so I know the mill is picking up the winds. Thanks for your help
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,658 admin
    #2
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    You are probably stalling the blades with the load of the battery on the generator...

    24" diameter is not much (wind power increases with the square of the diameter), 13' is not high (turbulence at ground level--need smooth flowing air), and such are not helping you...

    Longer blades, different blades (change in pitch), etc. can help. If you have some power resistors--you can try putting some in series with the generator to lighten the load of the generator.

    Searching around google shows around 5-7 amps at 14 volt output (about 70-100 watts) seems to be respectable output for this guy.

    What kind of current/voltage are you getting with yours?

    There is at least one forum that is dedicated to Do-It-Your self wind:

    www.otherpower.com

    You will probably find plans and help from them that addresses your problem better than (at least) I can.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    There is something completely wrong here..but when I connect the windmill to a battery even just the negative side the windmill spins very slow even in good winds
    You saying if you connect even only one of the 2 wires from the wind generator it slows dow?
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    Thanks for the advice, but actually 1 wire seems to be causing the problem and that would be a negative wire going from the battery negative side to my diversion load which is a ceramic resistor. According to what I have been told the resistor does not have a positive and negative side, just 2 terminals, but this is my first project so I really don't know. As far as the blades go I was getting about 16 volts in a 12mph gust 30 min. ago. Any help with that resistor tho would be great.
    · Share on Twitter
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    Correct resistors have no neg or pos terminal..
    ok you have one end of the resistor connected to the neg term of the battery and the neg wire from the wind genny is also connected to the neg term of the battery.. (1)Now what is the other end of the resistor connected to?
    (2) the pos (red) wire from the wind genny is connected to the pos term of the battery?
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,658 admin
    #6
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    And do you have a "charge controller" that turns on power to the dump load resistor when the battery is fully charged?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    BB slow down.. lets get him to answer a question at a time so we can see what is causing the problem..
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,658 admin
    #8
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds
    john p wrote: »
    BB slow down.. lets get him to answer a question at a time so we can see what is causing the problem..

    Hmmm... ahaa.. cough cough... yea, you are right...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #9
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    Wow !! I had no idea that I would receive so may replys on this forum. Thank you all for listening. This is my first try at windmill building, so forgive me if I'm a little slow. Thanks for anwering my question about the negative and positive ends on the resistor, and yes one end is connected to the negative battery terminal and the other end is connected to a 12v relay (pin # 87a as per the charge controller install instructions) The resistor is an Ohmite 300 watt enamel type. The charge controller I purchased from a guy in California. My battery is an ordinary 12 volt car battery. I also have an 800 watt inverter, but not hooked up yet until I get this dump load problem worked out. Anyway, thank you all very much for the help!! Oh, by the way... The Amatek came with 3 wires (black, brown, white) I was instructed to use the black and white wires, so I did and checked them with my voltmeter. The brown wire is not used. Also the positive end of the generator goes to a diode, then a 30a fuse, then connects to pin #30 on the relay, there again as per the install instructions.
    · Share on Twitter
  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    there's you're problem the genny needs to go to the battery not the relay the dump circuit and the genny circuit need to be 2 separate circuits
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,658 admin
    #11
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    Without the entire wiring diagram (web link to manual?) -- it is hard to know how everything is connected...

    I am guessing that the charge controller disconnects the wind turbine from the battery and connects the wind turbine to the dump load (through the relay).

    Depending on if the battery is fully charged or not, there will be a battery load on the wind turbine or the dump resistor. And the turbine may behave differently depending on which load is currently connected.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    Chumleyr can you give as a link to the web site of the actual model charge controller you have?? its very hard to know what the connection#s are without seeing the manual.
    Dont worry about you being slow to explain it we understand its not easy to explain some things to others on here,
    just read our questions to you carefully then reply if you not understand a question dont be shy ask for explanation.. we not jump on you..
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #13
    Re: Slow Generator in moderate winds

    John P. Got the charge controller from powerplanted.com Have tried to stick to the rules regarding the controller. Have been in close touch with one of the owners there. I did in fact hooked the positive side of the turbine to the positive side of the battery, but got bad results from the genny. Instead of charging the battery it actually discharded it. Not good.....
    · Share on Twitter

Categories