Wind turbines, controllers and batteries explained, March 6, 2020
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มี.ค. 2020
- What you need to know about PMA's, PMG's, rectifiers, controllers, masts, batteries, dump loads, wiring, ratings, max wind and max output, and more.
- แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
this is the most old guy set up every. Nothing fancy and kinda made from rando parts. Love it.
Welcome aboard! Yeah, we all need to start someplace in learning about solar and what it will do.
You can connect your dump load wires to a hot water heater heating element to heat water instead of sending it to a heating element that causes more hot air near the electronics & wastes energy. Thanks for sharing your setup & knowledge.
That's true, but as I said before in prior comments of the same subject, I live in the desert and don't need any more hot water. My tankless propane water heater only is used a couple of months a year, and very little at that. The heat produced in the battery room, is usually in the winter and helps keep my batteries warm through that time, making them more efficient.
@@GBear Gotcha but for someone wanting to go Solar & heat their hot water tank for free using the dump load & a different heating element in their hot water heater works quite well. Speaking of batteries have you done any vids on battery maintenance for lead acid types?
@miguelsalami Yes, before I actually moved out here, I had made a hot water barrel heater for my outdoor shower, but once I got here, I realized it was a waste of time. As for an actual video dedicated to battery maintenance, no I haven't. I have mentioned topping off with distilled water every couple of months, cleaning terminals, etc.
Wow G Bear, Thanks so much. This clarifies both systems and answers a lot of questions. I feel more confident moving forward. It's so kind of you to put this together.
You're welcome!
After 3 days of research, I finally came across your video. Really appreciate all the info you've supplied here and it's really great that you take the time to respond and help people in the comments. :) I'm busy 3D printing my first Airfoil vertical wind turbine. I'm looking to design an affordable system to keep a few items charged and operating during loadshedding (It's a South African thing). Not looking to make a profit, just want to help out where I can. Keep up the great work! :)
Welcome aboard Dillan! Sorry it took so long to find me.
Good luck on your project too.
When you are done I will like one of it
From Nigeria one love man
Welcome aboard! I think you are my first subscriber from Nigeria!
@@GBear thank you sir
You explained everything so well and now I feel way more confident. Thank you so much.
You're welcome. Welcome aboard!
You have an incredible handle on this subject and you are a wonderful teacher! Thank you for explaining all of your components in detail using language that we can all understand.
Thank you!! ❤
Add on to my above comment ^^ If you ever have some extra time, would you be able to list or link some of the components that you used? So we can copy you!!
You're welcome and welcome aboard!
Will do. I already have videos showing my favorite components, but will do another
Very nice set up. I spread my panels to separate charge controllers and batteries which each are dedicated to a specific task and load. Also I would dump excess load to a hot water heater inorder to storage the excess. Nice work sir.
Thank you and welcome aboard.
dumpload controllers with solid state relays SSR have a longer service life , well if the solenoid is switching on and off Alot because the turbine is in a good wind location the mechanical relays can get stuck on due to the result of endless arcing so many point out, Very Good video for beginners, one of the best ive seen.
Thanks for the input! Yes, there are better systems, but keeping a mechanical solenoid cool is key to longer life.
If you have the money, go with the relay unit, though.
The dump load controllers with SSR you speak of are they the ones on the market that only use the AC 3 wires coming in then rectify & control the output to either battery or resistor/dump load? I am trying to take DC from a DC motor wind turbine (DIY) & divert it from the batts once full.
A 3 wire PMA needs a rectifier to convert its ac output to DC, DC can then go to the battery and a digital diverter will keep the battery from overcharge by diverting excess to a dump load resistance.
OMG ! Yes I REALLY like how you incorporated the solenoid into the path of the solar charge controller to the dump load. I was trying to find info to use PMA DC type wind turbines (I am making a small scale 12V 12A old water pump motor into a small vertical wind turbine to light a garden are at night :) Thanks again for posting all this GREAT info!
~C~
Welcome aboard! Keep experimenting, it brings about new knowledge, at the least!
Thank you, Sir, for the great detailed illustrated video which you made it easy for those like me who are hard to understand.
Welcome aboard! Thank you for watching.
Thanks for all the info G Bear. TAKE CARE..
You are welcome!
the best video I've seen. The only thing i would say is that golf cart and fork lift batteries can be one battery ... like on your shelf. or packaged together as a larger 4000lb !! battery..
.. I'm getting windy.. ..
great breakdown! well said..
Welcome aboard. Thanks for watching.
Like your information. Only thought that comes to mind. Mounting electrical terminals on to wood have risk. Since humidity, accidental roof leak or even a hard driving wind/rain storm, can get the wood wet. Not sure if you are in a desert, but I could never do this.
Welcome aboard. Yes, I am in a desert, and the battery room is weather proofed so rain won't get in. Also note that all wood mounted connections are low voltage. (12vdc) the 120/240v stuff is all in electrical boxes and conduits. Thanks for your concern, though.
I only intended to watch just to get a certain answer I was looking for. Not only did I get the answer to my question but I also learned a lot more about things I hadn't thought of. I watched every second and am so thankful that I did. Thank you for taking the time to make this!
Welcome aboard Richard! I'm glad I could be of assistance.
Mr G Bear , first of all I appreciate you for enlightening us with this information.
Is there a way to communicate, I have a few questions regarding this system.
Thank you. @@GBear
This works, and i get credit for the comments. Also, others can learn from the questions and answers.
No doubt you live this tech I appreciate your time and your talent give us. I understand perfectly your explication. Thank you!
Welcome aboard! Thank you!
Thnx for showing your shelf system on the GH poles. 2morrow I will install a removable shelf (above the potatoes in grow bags) for seed starting. Later on I will relocate the potatoes, remove the shelf and grow tomatoes in grow bags and use the full height of the GH. Best wishes, greetings from Holland
Glad to oblige! Lots of space in a grow house, may as well find ways to use it!
@@GBear Yep, there is way more space, I just thought of the possibilty of hanging a gutter near the roof for strawberries
@@earlshine453 great idea! How about hanging baskets with herbs?
@@GBear Looks like a good idea, especially for the winter months, for the other seasons I aim to construct some raised beds in full sun
Thank You for the freat video and information. I will have to watch this video again in the near future.
Welcome aboard! Yeah, I no longer use those controllers since I got my Midnite classic 150 and Renogy Rover controllers. Like day and night in efficiency!
Very much explanatory,,I appreciate your efforts to tell all things
Thank you.
Fantastic to actually be shown and the explanation as to how to instal thank you so much x🎉
Welcome aboard, Paul!
Absolutely the best explanation. Thank you
Thank you, Scott!
Awesome, super informative video. Thank you VERY much for sharing. Would love to see a diagram of your system (including parts make and specs). Would also love to hear your thoughts on how to choose a good turbine.
Thanks and welcome aboard. I have some videos in my playlists that talk about what to look for in turbines.
Great video. Very informative. Thank you.
Welcome aboard. You're welcome.
This was very helpful to me. Thank you for sharing!
Welcome aboard! You're welcome.
Good Informative Video Sir.
I have both in the works. 12V and 24V . The wind system being 24V. Most likely will be going with 24V only at some point. No Obstructions here so I can get away with the turbine only being 10Ft above my roof line.
The main disadvantage of using a DC 2 wire Wind Turbines is DC voltage they produce requires heavier gauge wire and does not travel distances as well as AC or Three Wire systems can. They work for stuff like boats but for home use Best to just avoid the things.
Well it's Semi Official. Wife works at Wally World and they was informed today to expect the shelves to start being short. The warehouses are feeling the pain. So if there was a Chines product your in need of at Walmart you might want to think about grabbing it.
Good stuff! I don't buy much from Wally World, although a subscriber just sent me a $10 gift if I order food online and pick it up. A lot of imports are affected by the Corona virus. Makes one think if it wasn't by design to quell chinese imports....🤔
@@GBear
Got to agree, there is something very fishy regarding Chinese stock exchange and Trumps new tariffs.
Here's to bringing back pharmaceutical mfg to the USA and all the other things we consume 👍
Very detailed information. Thank you so much I appreciate your time.
Welcome aboard! You're welcome.
I learned more in the first five minutes that I did in the previous half hour looking at other stupid videos! Thanks!
You are welcome, and Welcome aboard!
Would the 12 volt BLS be able to be integrated onto my motorcycle? Thanks
Welcome aboard! The 12v BLS will work on any 12v lead acid battery.
Welcome aboard! Thanks!
I have definitely been leaning towards used forklift batteries.thanks for the reinforcement of that idea
Welcome aboard! Yeah, i sure wish I could afford them and had the facilities to house them. I recently received an ad for refurbished ones for sale.
Thank you very much G Bear 🐻 for sharing this most excellent and educational wind and solar video
You're welcome, and welcome aboard!
Just brilliant. Thanks Bear. 😊👍
Welcome aboard!
Comprehensive thank you. I'm wiring multiple charge controllers and mixing solar and wind. This clarified a lot. Thanks.
You are very welcome, and welcome aboard!
Thanks for the video, I have been trying to get info on how to size the wind generator. My off grid system has 3x100 amp lithium battery and 2.1 kw max solar... I need extra when no sun for days but I have plenty of wind.
Welcome aboard Ed! Ok, let me simplify the sizing for you.
Since wind generators seldom put out their rated value for a consistent time due to fluctuations in the wind, get the highest rated one you can afford. You'll still need either a diverter or a good Midnite classic controller, the latter being the better choice. Not all controllers can be used for wind, but the Midnite classic is designed for it and is very efficient at it.
Take into consideration when going with wind power, max output at what wind speed? Also, 3 bladed units are a better design than 5 or 7 blade units, but size and shape make a difference also. The tower or mast height and strength. My little KT5 PMA has pulled a 300+ pound concrete anchor out of the ground in 60+mph wind.
Guy wires need to be steel rope able to handle 3000-5000 lbs of stress in high winds also.
Then consider access to the PMA for maintenance. Simple things like bird poop can throw the balance off, causing excessive wear.
That brings me to another thing...be sure to check your hub and blade balance before installing them on the PMA for best performance and output.
Lastly, consider where the PMA will be located and the distance from the battery bank. Wire size and PMA vs PMG are affected by that distance.
Been trying to find out more on using more than one solar array and wind turbine system but every where I’ve gone seen to think they can talk the lingo and you’ll understand it. You have answered most of my questions in layman’s terms which I understand. Many thanks And great video look forward to more. And subscribed 👍🏼👍🏼
Welcome aboard! Anything in particular you need to know or clarify, just ask and I'll help if I can.
@@GBear great vids g-bear. My question is more about solar. I’m still stumped on how to divert solar power after batteries are charged. Like to heat water. Is there a simple diverter system that can be triggered by a timer or voltage that doesn’t involve using the batteries. One person mentioned it being necessary to have a switch or relay before the charge controller to prevent micro cycling batteries. Im still very new to all this. Thanks
Hi Spot On. Welcome aboard! Yes, there are ways to divert excess power to heating elements. Below is a link to one type, but the element included with this unit is for air warming. You would need to buy a water heater element in your voltage and subsitute it for the air heater element. I'm not promoting this particular charge controller, just showing you what is available.
amzn.to/3yzDi8s
You didn't mention the size, output, or even how much wind you get at your location, so I couldn't be specific on what you need or should expect from the setup.
@@GBear I appreciate the help, and thanks! it’s a small solar setup for a shed. I’m really just looking for direction on the concept tho. Interesting charge controller! i just want to make sure that the dump load doesn’t pull from the batteries and micro cycle them as some TH-camrs mentioned some will. Do this “d” terminals carry the power right from the panels or will they pull from batteries? I haven’t seen charge controllers with a “d” symbol on them before
Oh, wait! Are you just using 'solar'? No wind turbine?
Absolutely wonderful explanation. Contributions like yours are why I call this place TH-cam University,
Welcome aboard! Thank you!
I'm watching this from the UK!
Welcome aboard Jon!
Excellent tutorial 👍
Thank you, and welcome aboard!
Awesome job sir
Thank you. Welcome aboard!
Thanks so much for the information.
You're welcome, and welcome aboard!
Wow amazing thank you ! So much information
Thank you Jp! Welcome aboard!
This was great. Thank you.
Welcome aboard! Thanks.
Excellent video, thanks so much. More please 😅
Subscribed!
Welcome aboard! You can bet on more to come.
Amazing video man, for real this is great information for me, an Engineer student in renewable energies!
Welcome aboard Marcelo! Any way I can help you, ask away! You may want to check out my Playlist about Electrical experiments and such also!
That's what I'm doing, your content is fascinating. I would love to have teachers like you lol. I have a question, I can always connect my wind turbine to a SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER? Aren't there charge controllers for wind turbines? If so, Is it possible to connect a wind turbine and some panels to the same charge controller?
@@marceloadrianmendodelacruz5451 yes, there are hybrid controllers that handle both wind and solar. I prefer not to use them from experience. I had to cycle through the controller to distinguish between which was producing what. By separating them out I am able to see those numbers at a glance.
Thanks for the info, that makes sense. I'm currently doing a project for my thesis that consist on perimeter lighting for my University parking lot with eolic and solar energy as power source. Your knowledge is gold for me, I appreciate the help! Greetings from Mexico.
@@marceloadrianmendodelacruz5451 in the near future I will be installing a solar powered submersible pump system in my water storage tank to keep the water in motion during the hot summer days. This should help prevent stagnation and algae growth. I just ordered the parts and should receive them in a couple of weeks.
Thanks G bear!! great explanation, I’m trying similar project too, POC is done and now will need to design a battery bank.
1) how do you wire the batteries together with 2 source of charging ? I’m thinking to add another source for charging but not sure how to wire it.
2) If it’s a separated batteries zoning , how do we ensure the batteries are equally charge?
3) how do you connect all the batteries to the inverter? Do you have a battery bank management system in place?
4) how to detect a faulty battery under the batteries bank?
Watch tonite's episode and I will answer your questions.
Awesome video
Welcome aboard Fred! Thanks.
Building me a vertical wind turbine. Trying to get all the info I can! Thanks for the tips.
Sounds like a fun project! Good luck! Let me know if I can help with info.
I built my own vertical windmill with a treadmill motor. Now I'm just here to see about the control system for the battery bank.
You'll need to determine the treadmill motor output voltage and wattage, and whether your output is AC or DC.
With AC you'll need a bridge rectifier that not only converts the AC to DC, but steps the voltage down to your usable battery bank level. You can't charge a 12v battery with 60 volts DC!
With DC (PMG) you will also need a step down transformer, but not a bridge rectifier.
Oh, and welcome aboard!
Thanks. Yeah it outputs DC. I'm looking into purchasing a 440 power charge controller is what I've read I should use. That with an inverter as the output. I plan on running dc stuff but then a maybe a couple smaller ac things.
Very informative!
Thanks.
Thanks sir for the good lesson.
Welcome aboard! I'm glad it helped! Plenty more in my playlists.
Nice project Sir
Thank you! Welcome aboard.
Way over my pay grade gBear. I think if I was to go off grid somewhere, and I'm not going to but if, I would just hire you and say build me one of those.
Lol, thanks Tom.
Enjoyed the video.
One thing (probably of many) that I haven't figured out yet is how is the voltage from the pma regulated.
I assume the voltage will vary with wind speed but you need a nice steady 14.5v to charge the batteries.
Welcome aboard. Yes, the voltage is quite variable from a PMA due to wind speeds. The best way to control it is through a Midnite Classic controller after the bridge connector.
I still have mine 'old school' style where the bridge rectifier connects to the battery bank and a dumpload controller monitors voltages in the bank and dumps it if it exceeps capacity. I was going to upgrade to a Midnite Classic controller bit the economy made finances go south.
Great vid thank you.
Welcome aboard! You're welcome!
You are awesome, thank you
You're welcome! Welcome aboard X X!
What a cluster you got going on there.
Tell me about it! At least I woke up to a nice cool sunny morning with clear air and skies!
Well worth watching.
Thank you, and Welcome aboard!
Thanks for making this video dude
Welcome aboard, William! You're welcome!
Hi!
I'm the new subscriber. Great video and very helpful info.
Thanks!
Welcome aboard, Adam!
very useful video. thanks g bear!
Welcome aboard. Thanks.
thanks for video, how you connect the dump controller to the system, what is the schematic?
I got a fan for that that plugs into the usb port on the controller, uses .1 watt, nice roller bearings, really quiet...the solenoid is like the one on a John Deere...if I ever get these tapered head Japanese screws out of this Honda PMA, I'll cobble one up, all I like is the solenoid...it's got magnets in it but I've got stouter ones, lol..yeah now that I've got 12 batteries I need a windmill...well too many irons in the fire but slowly slowly...when the sun got stronger a week ago the 10 I had would be full and now it's holding more...I have the forbidden bad ones you mentioned...for one reason I have to move them one day by myself as always and I dont have my old John Deere 790 with the front bucket anymore, just my butt...these are like 80 pounds each though...I can always get a fork truck battery later and have 1500 amp hours with the ones I have and it....I have to allow for the time to save up for such a big heavy thing ....but I can get by on what I have pretty well..I just have to do it between rain storms lol
Off grid is usually about making concessions. My favorite saying: Function before beauty!
Good vid & explanation of ur system G Bear. Wouldn’t it makes sense to use ur dump load to make hot water or at least a pre-heater for a hot water system, but use ur excess solar power from ur controllers as well, as soon as ur batteries are full SOC have the controller divert any extra power to ur hot water system. I have a 50ltr hot water system that operates this way on a stationary 40’ bus, a 24v system, 3kw AIO inverter, 2.5kw pv panels & 10 kwh lifepo4. I can run microwave, 2.5kw split air con, H/W system, everything off Solar & heat water for the family of 4 showers daily while fully charging batteries.
I have a 24vdc multi power element (300w, 600w, 900w capable) for the H/W system but never fitted it as I use the inverter with a AC voltage/dimmer control so I can adjust the output to the 240vac 1800w element I installed previously, instead of the 3600w element it had standard. I can use the controller to vary the power usage of the H/w system if its cloudy or for other reasons.
For my house I have a 5kw AIO 48v system with 10 kwh of pv (grid tied) & 30 kwh of lifepo4, I only use about 20%-25% battery SOC a night on either system generally, higher voltage systems are much more efficient if ur going to use an inverter, & use a step down (or up) converter for lights & light loads to save on wasted inverter idle power usage.
Lifepo4 batteries are a game changer now days in so many ways & using a decent shunt ,means you can know very accurately how much power is going in, out & still available.
They were PWM controllers u were trying to think of , it stands for ‘Pulse Width Modulation’, but Im sure u know that. Cheers
Welcome aboard. I live in the hot desert, and don't use much hot water at all. I use a propane, tankless water heater that gives me on demand hot water when needed. It is off 10
5 months of the year.
My tote-cuzzi outside doesn't have a heater either, and the water is at 90°F or better.
I'm at 9 minutes and alot of good information.
Thanks, welcome aboard.
BLS was a huge tip!
Welcome aboard!
GBear, another alternative to dumping your excess power, feed that extra power into a secondary 14 volt battery bank by using a combination of 6v & 8v golf cart batteries, which requires more current for charging. I’ve been using BatteryMINDers 2012’s for all five battery banks except one AGM bank that uses the BatteryMINDer 2012-AGM model. My golf cart batteries and AGM’s are between 10-15 years old and only need to add acid once a year. I use two banks for Ham radio that requires 13.8 volts. BTW, a PWG also works as a pulse/desulf charger but I like that BLS-12N and I will see if I can buy a couple of those.
Welcome aboard! I do have plans for a second battery bank, but was thinking more along the lines of 48v as a backup.
Umm you should never shunt of dump into anything that could run out of capacity. You could kill the turbine or your batteries or both or all three: catch things on fire. (10:20 looks a little fire risky to me)
@@fishhuntadventure won't the dump load controller just divert the power when the main battery bank is full?
No. It will turn on when the battery bank is over full, but the AIMS and the Midnite Classic also prevent overcharge, so the dump load never activates any more.
@@GBear GBear, thank you for the reply… it seems your video didn´t just enlighten me, but also a huge pouch of people!
AIMS and the Midnite Classic will prevent overcharge and the dump load will not be used right? The thing is that I do want to use that extra power but not on that huge resistor, I want to use it on a large water heater and/or another battery bank for gest house.
The other thing I´m worried (as I´m using lithium-ion battery) is the micro cycling happening on the battery bank while using the dump load.
Can you please give me some insights on these 2 issues?
Hi Thanks for all the tips, wondering if you can explain how you spilt the dual solar panel loads due to the size of the controllers Thanks Ross Tga NZ
First, Welcome aboard! So, I connected 2 of the 305 watt panels in series, (positive to negative), and did the same to the other 2 of the 305w panels. This doubles the voltage output from 40voc to 80voc per set.
Then using a 2 to 1 MC4 splitter I connected those two sets in parallel, (positive to positive, negative to negative), this keeps the voltage at 80voc, but increases the amps from approx 10 amps to approx 20 amps.
Then I up the gauge of wire from 10ga to 8ga from the splitters pos and neg directly to the Midnite controller which has already been connected to the 12v battery bank. The VOC input can peak at 80voc/20aoc, just over the 50% mark the Midnite 150 can handle, but the MPPT balances it to somewhere around 65v/25a input, meaning I can add another 4 of the 305w panels connected in the same way and safely stay within the allowable parameters.
Then I connected my old 100w panels in series groups of 4 each, and parallel 3 strings (groups). I brought the pos/neg leads times 3 into 2 bus bars, then a single pos/neg to the Renogy controller which was also already connected to the battery bank. The Renogy has a max input of 112voc which I stayed under, and the amps are around 20 per string (group), so approx the same input as the 305w strings.
I hope that helps you understand, but if not, let me know and I will do a walkthrough video for you.
Thank you. I am heading off grid in three weeks and have much to learn. Moving into a home with an existing 1200 watt system, but it's ripe for a turbine.
Go BIG on turbine output, PMA, and be sure to have a solid, steady mast. Balance your blade setup prior to raising the mast for best output and performance.
And...WELCOME ABOARD!
@@GBear Thank you much for the considerate advice. I've watched this twice already.
@@thinkfloyd2594 any help in the future needed, just ask!
Great video
Thanks Tony, welcome aboard!
@@GBear I'm a 30 year retired electrician, I always said when I retire I don't want to have a electric bill , well I still do. But I'm looking into going wind and solar. but I'm doing my research first. Just because I'm a electrician I wired restaurants and solar is different. But for the DIY I have a little head start I do understand voltage drop and how to size wire. and a parallel V/S series. The Higher your voltage the lower your amperage. How long do you get out a a inverter.
Welcome aboard Tony!
As with all electrical components there are variables as to how long they last. My first inverter was Chinese made and although it still works I found out the hard way that it's "pure sine wave" wasn't clean. It caused problems with my refrigerator and stove and microwave. It also lied about its capacity claiming 32000 watt surge capability, the in fine print right on the inverter it says it won't handle a pump motor 1200 watt surge. Long story short, avoid Chinese made inverters.
I have since switched to an AIMS split phase low frequency inverter and am loving it. With proper care, not to overload it, keep it clean and dust free, I expect a long lasting relationship with this inverter.
Hello G Bear, thank you for the very informative video. There are so few of these videos going into wiring details. I had a few questions as we are also installing a turbine, but this is in Wales UK. I am learning as I go along so please bear with me. The setup is a 5Kw turbine, standard three-phase (three magnets), 300 yards from the house. 48v batteries with a 5kw controller. I have laid 2 x 10mm cables from the turbine (instead of 3) does the controller now have to be located at the turbine site as it has a three-cable ac input? Or, could a rectifier be put next to the turbine to convert to the two cables? Any advice is appreciated, Dan
Hi Dan, welcome aboard! Since 2 rectifiers can't be used on the same PMA, you would need to mount the controller at the PMA. The problem is, if you do that, then you need to use larger diameter wire from the controller to the load. The reason we choose a PMA over a PMG is to save on conductors (wiring size). It looks like your best option is to run a third wire from PMA to controller.
Very informative
Thanks for this.
Question..
What is the use of pma and pmg
Welcome aboard!
A PMA (3 wire) is an alternating current device which requires an external rectifier to convert the alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for connection to the battery bank .
A PMG has a rectifier built in, so only 2 wires come from the unit, directly to the battery bank.
The PMA can use smaller gauge wire than the PMG which saves money, but also having the rectifier built in means you would need to bring the PMG down to replace the rectifier if it burns out.
Nice, keep producing !
Welcome aboard! Thank you, I will.
Thank you.
You're welcome
I purchased a Lantern type PMA for my travel trailer. I have the same Green MPPT Wind/Solar hybrid controller as in your video. The instructions for setting it up are confusing. Can you please make a video on how to setup the controller.
I found the same thing when I tried to read the Chinglish instructions.
I don't recommend using that controller for your PMA.
Instead, buy a bridge rectifier to convert the AC to DC and go directly to the battery bank. Use a digital diversion control to protect from overcharge. You can find the items on Ebay.
good info QUESTION for a newbie. What can you actually use this to power in your house? example your tv and a few lights? how long do all those batteries last if the wind power and solar is off? thanks man, just trying to learn here.
I power my cabin and workshops on my system, and have gone a week with overcast skies without running out of power.
How do you run a 240 volt A/C circuit off of the system? Also, why did you choose the 6 volt lead acid instead of a lithium 12 volt? And last, if you could start over and recover all the money spent, what would be different? Thanks Bear, I have learned a TON from your videos!
Welcome aboard David!
Ok, running a 240v A/C requires an Low Frequency, Split Phase, 240v inverter.
I went with flooded batteries because of cost and amp hours, and lithium doesn't like the freezing temps I can get out here.
Starting over? More batteries before the price went up, a better, higher output PMA turbine, Only buying Midnite Classic controllers, Only buying the biggest LF SP AIMS Inverter Available.
Great stuff, thank you! so basically the power from wind is going straight into the batteries ( disregarding the rectifier) not using something like a charge controller like the solar does, correct? Would this same setup translate to hydroelectric, no? (Pelton wheel being spun by water) lastly, where did you get that display showing power and voltage? Or what did you Google for?
Welcome aboard! Yes, 3 phase AC power comes in from the PMA (turbine) goes through a bridge rectifier to make it Single phase DC, then through the "high precision wattmeter", then through a breaker to the batteries.
Then a dump load unit or digital load diverter is applied to the battery bank to prevent over charge.
Question. I'm looking at the KT5 on their website, they say in high wind gusts it can produce up to 68V peak on the 12V model. It looks like their rectifier is rated to 1600V, but what would happen to the batteries? would it just trip the load dump solenoid?
Yes, but solenoid dump load systems are no longer used. Digital diversion units are the new wave. I live in a high wind area, but have yet to see more than 60amps and 880watts, and that was with 45mph winds. That's 14.6v. I was told the same thing as you, but can't figure out what they are talking about. A 12v PMA is a car alternator, and it would never put out more than 14.7 volts, even if you were driving 120mph with 5k rpm on the engine. I think they hype the product to sell more product.
I bought their meter unit to monitor output and it failed in a short time. They gave me all kinds of crap about how it was my fault, etc., then it mysteriously got lost in the mail and I was out the money and the meter.
I bought a Chinese meter and it has been working fine ever since.
@@GBear Thanks for the info!
This solve most of my questions on wind turbine system, meanwhile I have a straight question and I need your help urgently,
I have a 120v battery (solar already installed ) system and i want to upgrade by adding wind turbine on it to keep charging the batteries mostly at night, my question is …
is it possible to go for 5qtys of a 24v 300watts wind turbine system and connect then in series just like solar modules to generate the 120v I needed to charge the system.
please kindly share your ideals
Good question! Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. I have not heard of anyone trying that.
The best I can suggest is that you contact a turbine manufacturer. They may even be able to produce a 120v PMA for you.
The 120v battery has intrigued me as the highest off grid bank I have heard of is 48v.
Great video!! I'm in te .idle of a diy turbine with a dc motor. You helped a lot. may I ask... the turbine obviously produces different amounts based on the strength of wind at the time. Does this matter for chargung the battery? Like if its putting out 200 volts into a 12 volt system will that be ok? (I do understand it can over charge so it needs the dump load) I'm more curious if there's a range of voltage or current it must fall under so it doesnt damage the battery or does this only matter for the gauge of the wire to be able to transfer and not burn up? Hopefully that question is understandable. Anyway ty very much.
Hi Tad! Welcome aboard! Normally, a turbine is purchased to match the voltage of the battery bank, ie; 12vdc PMA/12v battery bank, 24vdc PMA/24v battery bank, 48vdc PMA/48v battery bank.
The voltage output of the PMA is very important! If your PMA produced 100v and was connected to a 12vdc bridge rectifier it would blow up. Remember, a DC bridge rectifier is comprised by connecting 4 diodes in series to change the alternating current to direct current by forcing the 3 input wires to all flow in one direction. This produces heat, and lots of it, that's why the rectifier needs a heat sync.
The major downfall of small DC PMA'S is they may start producing electricity at low wind speeds, but that voltage is too small to charge a battery bank. To produce the 13+ volts needed, a 12v-1685 watt PMA needs about a 15mph wind. This means it is pretty useless to most locations/applications, as not many places have constant 15+ mph winds, 24/7/365.
I hope this info helps.
You need a charge controller like the midnight classic in between your turnbine and battery bank It goes Turbine >rectifier>charge controller>battery bank>invertor>main breaker panel.
Yes, I have stated that is my plan in previous videos, but finances are in the way.
I never messed with a wind turbine but want to get one to help my system at night.
i found away to watch your videos with out adds
Since that earns my no compensation, do you at least like and subscribe?
I'm about to purchase a solar/wind setup from amazon for my rv. I can't seem to find any answers on what my best bet is for the battery bank. Any advice? It's a total of 700w system, 3x 100w solar panels and 1 400w wind turbine.
Welcome aboard. Skip the wind power and double up on the solar. Spend more on a good controller like the Midnite classic 150 or Renogy or Outback.
Wind PMA at 400 watts max won't give you enough power consistently to make the expense and added equipment worth your while.
You didn't mention the size and type of your battery bank.
Thank you
Welcome aboard, and you're welcome!
Would a BLS be a good thing to install in my car to increase the life of the car battery?
Yes. The military uses them in their vehicles for that exact purpose.
OMG video panned into his shed there WOW!
Welcome aboard!
Would it work out connecting the turbine’s diversion load into a hot water tank?
Welcome aboard! I'll answer your question in today's video. Easier than typing 3 paragraphs. 😁
We've got winds up to 70 today...I'd have to use a 3 inch pipe lol...I got an Epever 4215 BN controller it can take 1000 w...my inverter/charger charges up to 29.8 v usually so I'll just use batteries for a load..how many volts does it make? I've got an old Honda alternator from a weird 660 car that usually makes about 36 volts so if I put 12 neodymium ring magnets in it , can I just use a diode bridge from an old Miller welder? I've got eight 85 amp hours at 24 volts until I can get 2 more
Sounds like you have a great project in the works! Winds are 25mph here today with rain on and off.
Hey FRIEND! Touching base with you! Interested in learning how much power it generates. It 12volts you say. 1685 watt??? Got to have 90 mile/hr wind…that is rare!
Needs 90mph wind to produce 1685w. It starts producing at 9mph, but only about 30-40w. Normal winds here will reach 22mph and I can get a few hundred watts out of that. I have seen over 1000w in a wind storm with gusts of 45mph.
This video is great thank you so much. I have one question...my energy usage is a little under 200kWh a month, would you think your set up would cover that much power or would I need a bigger set up?
Welcome aboard! You would probably need a slightly bigger system. I produce approx. 3.4kwh per day as is.
@@GBear Got 3 people in house so they consume a lot lol but going off grid soon, thanks for your help 👍
@@hulksmash3259 Good luck! Let me know if you need more info.
We have a 5000W wind generator and 16 6 volt batteries run parallel and in series for 12Volt 830 AH and 600W solar panels but our batteries arent going above 12.3. Should we use a different gauge wire for the wind generator? We are using low voltage wire right now.
Your wind generator is rated 5000w, but that would only happen at maximum wind speed. You should concern yourself with solar power and use wind as an added plus.
You didn't mention what type of controller you use, and how your solar panels are connected for what input.
I suspect there is your problem. Please give me more information and I will try to help you solve the problem.
curious will it not damage the battery if you feed the output of the rectifier direclty to the battery ? . Again I am not expert on this just asking to expand my knowledge. do you still need a voltage regulator to match the proper charging voltage of the battery ? feed the output of the rectifier to a voltage regulator or PWM or charge controller ? thanks
Welcome aboard! First, let's start with the basics. You should not attempt to charge, let's say, a 12v battery bank with a 24v turbine. Think of it like you car. You wouldn't replace the alternator with one that outputs higher voltage, right.
Now, yes, you 'could' do it using a specific charge controller, a transformer, etc., but it would complicate your system and life, while costing you more.
As far as connecting the bridge rectifier straight to the batteries, yes it will damage the batteries unless you also add a 'dump load diverter' to handle overcharges. You could also use a Midnite Classic charge controller set up for wind power conversion, which is the best option, as this allows you to fine tune and adjust the input for best efficiency.
Awesome
Welcome aboard!
I love my 3 phase AC PMA turbine. Mine is rated 500 watt rated gets 1200 watts at 40 mph winds.
Welcome aboard! Great isn't it?
@@GBear I love my portable wind and solar setup. I can tow it with my camper and use it to power my house at home. It took me 400 hours to weld drill and bolt cut and wire everything on it.
Do you have a video posted about it?
@@GBear here is another windy day partially cloudy th-cam.com/video/3H8lqvrAVpw/w-d-xo.html
@@GBear yes i have made several because I am always finding something else to upgrade or do differently and even better than the first go. I am never finished with it.i am always adding something.
As someone new to this, with a basic electronics knowledge from school, any learning resources you’d recommend to build up base knowledge on all this?
TH-cam can help along with hands on experience.
Welcome aboard!
Pma=AC 3 WIRES. PMG=DC 2 wire ok GBEAR I'M TAKING MY NOTES! All Makes sense! Thanks 👍
Correct. PMG has q built in rectifier, PMA requires a rectifier to be added before the battery connection.
I use a 100 amp 3 bridge rectifier. And a dump control board and solid state relay and 3 100 watt 3 ohm resisters in paralleled to drag mine down when the bank is full.
You should mention with the solar wire the gauge could be less if the panels are wired in a series vs wired in parallel (more amps require thicker wire vs more volts and less amps and letting the mppt controller convert the higher volts to amps at the controller)
Welcome aboard! Very good point! I'll be sure to put out that info.
Well said 🙏👏👏👏 a lot of people make this mistake to parallel panels and they spend a lot of money in the cable but the problem is a lot of people use low amps charger(most of the cases cheap ones) and those they can't take higher voltage input like the midle/premium brands(even though there are quite a few cheap Chinese chargers that can take over 100v input and output 12-24V or more)
Welcome aboard! So true!
GBear! I'm having an issue with my wind turbine (pma). Whe I connect to a charge controller (3-wire) it appears to be breaking. There is no free spin. What am I doing wrong??? By the way.... Are those 3 fuse boxes just before you 3 wires going to your rectifier? I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!!
Hi Jerald, welcome aboard.
Ok, let's recap. First you connect the battery to the controller. (I'm assuming you have a hybrid controller)
Then you connect the PMA to the controller.
At this point the PMA will have resistance, because the fields are activated. The blades should still turn, but feel like a magnetic stop every quarter turn or so, but this is normal.
If it freewheels when connected something is wrong. The resistance is what the wind must overcome to produce electricity. Don't ever let the PMA freewheel in a wind, as this can burn it up.
Yes, those inline 60A fuses are between the PMA and the rectifier, then I have a 100A DC breaker on the + wire going to the batteries.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for the info....it can get confusing...lol
If you need the confusion to go away, just ask.😉 I'm here to help if I can.
Thanks...lol
Dear G.Bears We thank you for your clarity of your videos ,very clear speach of yours ,and properly technical placement of all the aspects concerning what else....Energy. I have one question .We all know that somehow china is the center of our planet for most of the things that we all days we need.One thing that strikes my mind is the Wind Generator issues.They shout 1,5 KW 2 KW etc and there are plenty of videos that they measure their output and the result is so dissapointing to the thechnical world.I really wonder how Not even one [to my knowledge] has not tried to create a wind generator from a truck Alternator which they really have good output but of course need long wings and strong wind.I will continue searching around for an honest wind generator in regards its cost.Also instead of having dump load for the wind generator to drive the cable to the appropriate Resistance of a water boiler so.no energy is being lost cause actually heats up the water inside the boiler. Everybody knows that there are professional people that they construct resistances to your needs AC DC 5 volt 20 volt 100 volt .u just name it.....Best regards.
Hi 👋🏾 G l know it's been a while, ☺️ just wondering could you use a 12v wind turbine to change a 24-v battery bank, l was thinking if you had a converter 🤔 but not sure what do you think
No, you can't. A 24 volt battery needs at least 25.5v to properly charge. If the incoming voltage doesn't exceed the battery's base voltage, the current can't flow.
Hello from the UK. Have you ever tried running a 24v turbine with a 12v battery bank, former forklift batteries 6 x 2v each. I can't find much on it. I've tried this and didn't get any power from the turbine, 15w max. Was brand new. I tried it with the controller and also bypassed that and used rectifier only, again nothing even in strong winds. Would you have any idea if it could be the controller not up to it (I used the one it came with) or it just won't work. Just thought I'd ask in case you tried it. Thanks for this video, very detailed and picked up lots of tips.
Sorry, for my last response, I read your question backwards. Haven't had my coffee yet.😉
A 24v PMA would have a way to high output to use on a 12v battery bank and could damage the batteries. That would be like plugging a 120v fridge into a 240v outlet. Again, you could use a step down transformer, but not efficient.
It is possible that your turbine is not PMA (permanent magnet alternator) and actually a standard alternator that requires electricity input to produce output.
In that case, the 12v input would be too low to activate the alternator.
@@GBear ha! No problem. Coffee is fuel, for sure! It was a recommendation from another TH-camr. 500w turbine 24v 5 blades for a 12v set up but I found it didn't output anything. OK, thanks for your answer and analogy. That helps. J : )
Yeah, the one thing to remember with turbines is, If it is rated 500w with a maximum speed of 60mph wind, what they are actually saying is you need a 60mph wind to get 500w.
But for basic electrical in wind and solar, you should ALWAYS match voltages.
Thank you for the videos. Question can I add a wind turbine to my existing solar setup rather than a power dump I want to have the PMG turbine go through a charge controller. My solar setup is identical to your solar setup
Yes. You need a separate Midnite Classic controller dedicated for the turbine. With the Midnite Classic you will be able to adjust the curve for optimum power from your turbine. Note, if you have a PMA, you still need a bridge rectifier between the PMA and the Midnite Classic.
Welcome aboard!
that one green controller takes wind turbines too. i have the same one connected to four 100watt panels and a 400watt turbine
Yes, it is a hybrid controller, but not a good one. Same with the one right beside it.
I bought those in my early days of learning and retired them when I found better, more efficient options.
@@GBear i just got it in February so far its doing its job but yes i will be upgrading in the future as my ranch and the system grow
Smart man! We all have to start somewhere and sometimes learn the hard way. I try to share what I learned that hard way to help others save money, time and frustration. Welcome aboard!
@@GBear i have seen i have been watching the channel off and on for the last year and a half now
Thank you for your continued support.