Comments on: Wind Generator update

By: JAR

JAR — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:44:48 +0000

Both the older Air 403 (with the basic regulator) and the newer AirX with the newer microprocessor controller are potentially good turbines. HOWEVER the real tragedy with the product that lets it down has always been the regulator. IF ONLY Southwest Windpower would have the good sense to provide the turbine without their rotten regulator then the turbine would perform really well. Some of our customers who have ripped out the crappy regulators and opted for a Xantrex regulator at the battery end have nothing but praise for the SHEER POWER that can be produced. Some customers are running their remote homes on just an Air 403 or AIRX! (lights, tv, central heating pumps etc). As a UK SUPPLIER of the AIRX I can say that when they are installed on really short cable runs using good cable & a large battery capacity, they generally work well. BUT it really is a great shame that the product has always been ruined by the addition of a really rotten regulator. The newer microprocessor based regulator is a real nightmare to work with. WHEN the wind is really blowing, the newer regulator tends to shut the turbine down anyway, another reason for RIPPING the regulator right out. On the older 403 units the more basic regulator worked much better, BUT by dumping power as HEAT into the turbine body they tended to overheat & melt down. This is probably why SW have the newer regulator cutting the turbine out at good wind speeds. HOWEVER, by using an external regulator at the battery end of the cable with a separate dump load, the turbine seems to operate well without melting and continues to produce power in good winds without cutting out.

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By: dfowler

dfowler — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:43:17 +0000

Ross,

Thank you for the advice. We would have purchased the other models had we understood the limitations of the 12V model. Since we have this model, we plan to make modifications to get some use of the unit we paid for. I do beleive that modificaitons will allow for reasonable operation with the smaller wire sizes.

By: Ross

Ross — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:19:12 +0000

Sorry about the typos in the previous post. I meant to type “to allow smaller wire sizes and save money on long wire runs.” Thanks!

By: Ross

Ross — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:17:12 +0000

Or, instead of making all these changes and modifying the turbine (trying to make it do something it was never intended to do), you could look at a 48V version of the AIR-X or Breeze. We make them in several different voltage versions for just this reason – so allow smaller wire sizes and same money on long wire runs. Or, our Whisper series can be ordered in a high volt version – again, to address this very issue. The main purchasers of our 12V turbines are those who are locked into 12V battery systems, such as boat and RV owners. In those installations, the wire runs are generally much shorter so the wire sizing isn’t such an issue. Southwest Windpower stands behind our products and we are happy to help with technical assistance.

By: Berni

Berni — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:29:39 +0000

How about if you place a outdoor electrical box right next to the pole and have the baterys in there, also pu the inverter and evrythyng there so you can carry 110V from that.

By: Mike Yancey

Mike Yancey — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:19:36 +0000

Are you able to invert the DC at the wind generator before it goes over the 150′ of 12ga wire? The problem you’re facing is the same as Edison’s problem with transmitting DC over long distances. If you invert to AC, you won’t have that problem. The cost (in inversion efficiency) would need to be weight vs the cost of additional copper.

What a superb project.

By: Norman

Norman — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:43:36 +0000

The vertical wind turbines at ground level can spin up to scary speeds on really windy days. If you have artificial wind tunnels formed by building placements, it might be a good spot to put them. The only downside is that you need access to some decent machine tools so you won’t vibrate apart.

As for the arduino, using it simply to display bank status might be overkill unless it might be able to control charging, set the load disconnect point (so the bat. bank won’t become over-discharged), and perhaps even display individual battery status. If you only need voltage/current, then digital panel displays and a shunt are all that’s needed.

By: robodude666

robodude666 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:58:07 +0000

Like I suggested in the first wind generator entry, try building a VAWT (Vertical-axis wind turbines)! They are fairly simple and can produce some good power, even under light wind or a small breeze. You seem to have a mighty large open area, so its worth a shot. There are some designs which can generate 90-300w of power. Pair them up with a few battery banks and you have enough to power the house or at least a few toys! I’d also go with Berni’s idea of using an Arduino to read the voltage/current and display on a simple LCD. If you want to go further, put an ethernet port or wifi on it and network it so you can access battery information from the network or away from home!

Would make a nice weekend project!

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:19:31 +0000

You could try tying all three conductors in the romex together and running a second line (again with the conductors tied together) to your generator. This would reduce your losses by 2/3 or so.

It’s not exactly 4 gauge, but if you already have romex laying around, it might help.