Anotherpower.com Forum
Renewable Energy Questions/Discussion => Wind and Hydro => Topic started by: wilfor03 on March 27, 2012, 10:13:09 am
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Got a question for the board @ large.......Could I use a 12v-8 amp solar charge controller for a very small ac servo motor (w/2' dia. props)
w/rectem-fier to charge 12v boat batterys while underway? I was thinking (I do that sometimes) this could be a way of charging
the trolling motor/night lights battery (day or night running)? Am I out in left field on this thinking? I have a spare Ramsond
controller left over from when I first started playing with solar power. I wouldn't think the controller would mind what type of "dc juice"
is coming into it? The servo motor would put out maybe, 4 amps tops. What you all think? No rocks, please! ;D
Bill
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Wilfor,
I would not use the solar controller. In effect, the solar controller is made to control solar panels (this one anyway). When bateries are charged, it can simply disconnect the panels, something you don't want to do with a turbine. It will just run free with no load, potentially damaging it.
Without knowing the size of the batteries, etc (amp hrs) , hard to give you much more. But there is always a solution.
Rover
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Thanks for reply, Rover....
Yea, I had totally forgotten about keeping the ginny loaded when the batteries charge up. Time for plan "B" now. I think
I'll probably just build a small controller board, and figure out a dump load device. All this hurts my head!!! ::) But, its a fun
project to play with. At least I won't have to worry about the wind blowing, eh? At about 20-25 mph speed, I should have plenty
of wind to "spin" those little props.
Thanks for the light bulb over my head, Rover ;D
Bill
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Bill;
I think you can get a GHurd controller kit for like $15? Mine is customised for a 24 volt system and dumps a kilowatt into 4 big Ohmite resistors with a muffin fan to keep them cool. It seems capable of keeping up with 850 watts of solar and and easy couple KW of turbines when it gets the voltage up. It is a very flexible little unit and can scale up with expansion including higher voltages after you discover 12 volts is not efficient on a largish system.
http://www.ghurd.info (http://www.ghurd.info)
Just saying...
Tom
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Sounds like fun.
The ghurd kit would do it as well as any other controller out there.
The standard kit and a set of dump load resistors is more than enough for 2 of those turbines, so you will have the ability to upgrade the turbine without changing or modifying the controller system at all.
(thanks for the plug Tom)
The solar controller WILL blow up the first time the battery reaches regulation voltage.
The solar controller basically disconnects the load, as Rover said.
Lets say your turbine reaches cut in, 13V, at 7MPH.
Lets say you are going 21MPH when the battery reaches regulation voltage.
The controller disconnects the load.
The unloaded turbine voltage is now (13V x 3) 39VDC.
And notice the blue print in your photo says-
"Maximum Input Voltage: 24V"
The turbine is 2/3rds past the max input voltage.
In laymans terms, "Poof" says the controller.
G-
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Sounds like fun.
The ghurd kit would do it as well as any other controller out there.
The standard kit and a set of dump load resistors is more than enough for 2 of those turbines, so you will have the ability to upgrade the turbine without changing or modifying the controller system at all.
In laymans terms, "Poof" says the controller.
G-
Hey Glen, Tom, Rover and all......
Yeah, Don't want any "Poof's" in my boat, so I best just get another ghurd board and some loadable resistors, eh? I'm hoping that little Ginny
will put out (I dated a girl named "Ginny" once 8)) about 4-6 amps, (12v) on a flat run (16' flat bottom, w/35hp Johnson), about 20mph, I guess.
That should give me some good playground winds. Might even remember to throw out a hook or two!!
G- I'll drop ya an email about your board and stuff, okay??
Appreciate the feedback, folks........
Bill
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Grin,
Just tell us your not going for over unity with the wind gen powering the boat and charging it... LOL
Have fun
Rover