Arabis
New Member
Does anyone know where I can buy a new voltage regulator for my Aero4gen wind generator, now that LVM has disappeared? I understand they were sold to a French company.
Aero4gen Voltage Regulator
- Thread starter Arabis
- Start date
William_H
Well-Known Member
I don't know the Aerogen however most wind generators use permanent magnet rotor and 3 phase stator windings. So no brushes. This means the out put will be 3 phase on 3 wires. So the regulator usually contains firstly rectifiers to convert output to DC. The "regulator" then may contain a regulator of some sort and perhaps a provision to short out all the windings or connect to resistors for high wind siuations. Shoted windings means a magnetic drag on the generator which appears with rotatioon so slows it down.
So if you can't get a correct "regulator" you can fabricate the rectifier quite easily from 6 diodes. Silicon diodes of a suitable current rating would be OK. Schotky diodes have a lower forward voltage drop so would be better. I a not good at diagrams however take 2 diodes and connect the anode of one to cathode of the other. This join is connected to one of the output wires. Cathode has a band or the pointy end of an arrow marked on the diode. Do likewise with the other 2 pairs of diodes. Now join all of the cathodes of the 3 diodes where anode connects to the output wires. These cathodes give positive out put. Join the anodes of the 3 diodes together to form the negative output. I like to picture the 3 phase bridge rectifier as taking the voltage that appears on the wire swinging from pos to neg and directs it via the didoes to the pos or neg battery terminal. each of the 3 wires having this pair of diodes to direct the current/voltage.
This DC output can be connected straight to a battery like a solar panel. However that gives no regulation. ie no reduction in charge when battery is full. A solar regulator would perform this function.
Unfortunately the output voltage of the generator is proportional to speed. So you will not get any charge into a battery at say 11v until wind speed produces a voltage over 11v. The battery will then take what it can get but the internal resistance of the generator and loading will mean current will be limited. That is good. Now an MPPT regulator for a solar panel might well take a lesser voltage than that needed for battery charge and boost it to enough to charge the battery. So might well produce charge at lower wind speeds.
If you want to try these ideas you need an amp meter so you cna see just what charge you are getting. I hope this might help. PM me if you are confused but want to try it. ol'will
So if you can't get a correct "regulator" you can fabricate the rectifier quite easily from 6 diodes. Silicon diodes of a suitable current rating would be OK. Schotky diodes have a lower forward voltage drop so would be better. I a not good at diagrams however take 2 diodes and connect the anode of one to cathode of the other. This join is connected to one of the output wires. Cathode has a band or the pointy end of an arrow marked on the diode. Do likewise with the other 2 pairs of diodes. Now join all of the cathodes of the 3 diodes where anode connects to the output wires. These cathodes give positive out put. Join the anodes of the 3 diodes together to form the negative output. I like to picture the 3 phase bridge rectifier as taking the voltage that appears on the wire swinging from pos to neg and directs it via the didoes to the pos or neg battery terminal. each of the 3 wires having this pair of diodes to direct the current/voltage.
This DC output can be connected straight to a battery like a solar panel. However that gives no regulation. ie no reduction in charge when battery is full. A solar regulator would perform this function.
Unfortunately the output voltage of the generator is proportional to speed. So you will not get any charge into a battery at say 11v until wind speed produces a voltage over 11v. The battery will then take what it can get but the internal resistance of the generator and loading will mean current will be limited. That is good. Now an MPPT regulator for a solar panel might well take a lesser voltage than that needed for battery charge and boost it to enough to charge the battery. So might well produce charge at lower wind speeds.
If you want to try these ideas you need an amp meter so you cna see just what charge you are getting. I hope this might help. PM me if you are confused but want to try it. ol'will
VicS
Well-Known Member
The rectifier is unfact incorporated into the generator itself. It is as you suggest a 3 phase machine The output being DC
The Aerogens used dump resistors for regulation. AFAIK a solar regulator will not be suitable,
There were two types of regulator . One for a single battery installation and one for a twin battery installation. The former were not suitable for an installation with other charging sources such as an alternator The twin battery type type was necessary, even if there was only one battery, in a yacht installation with charging from an engine driven alternator
See the owners manual, which includes diagrams of the rectifier etc and performance graph. https://www.unavco.org/projects/project-support/polar/support/aero4gen_manual.pdf
Arabis
New Member
Thank you for taking time to respond, but I'm afraid you lost me at "3 phase stator windings"! My question was who, if anyone, carries stock of LVM units for electrical numpties like me to purchase now that LVM has gone.
VicS
Well-Known Member
The answer I fear is, "no one".
Xylem, ( Jabsco, Flojet, Rule et al ) I believe own the LVM brand name and still sell a range of LVM in-line pumps and a few odd bits and pieces for Aerogens
What do you need. regulator or dump resistors or both? Your only hope may be ebay but bear in mind what I said above about needing the "dual battery" version.
Maybe the old regulator is repairable ? What's wrong with it?
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Neeves
Well-Known Member
If you are an electrical numpty how do you know what is wrong and what you need.
We have had an Aero4aquagen for 20 years - fault free. We have the dual battery version. The dump resistors look very early 20th Century devices.
LVM were a UK company and their background was in motors. When they sold out to ITT the production and all the spare parts were transferred to China. I would have thought someone in China is probably still making the self same models - have a trawl through Chinese wind gens and see if you can find anything similar. The other option, and equally difficult long shot, LVM and Neosid worked well together and Neosid (whom I recall, maybe incorrectly, were Sheffield based) if they still exist may know if LVM made the resistors and regulators in house - but its the sort of 'off the wall enquiry' that would need a telephone call. I do know that people in Neosid knew exactly where ITT transferred production in China - but this was a discussion I had with them, Neosid, about 15 years ago (I knew Neosid for other reasons - I had done some consulting for them, even earlier, on China).
As Vic says the other option is Jabsco/Flojet/Rule
Jonathan
We have had an Aero4aquagen for 20 years - fault free. We have the dual battery version. The dump resistors look very early 20th Century devices.
LVM were a UK company and their background was in motors. When they sold out to ITT the production and all the spare parts were transferred to China. I would have thought someone in China is probably still making the self same models - have a trawl through Chinese wind gens and see if you can find anything similar. The other option, and equally difficult long shot, LVM and Neosid worked well together and Neosid (whom I recall, maybe incorrectly, were Sheffield based) if they still exist may know if LVM made the resistors and regulators in house - but its the sort of 'off the wall enquiry' that would need a telephone call. I do know that people in Neosid knew exactly where ITT transferred production in China - but this was a discussion I had with them, Neosid, about 15 years ago (I knew Neosid for other reasons - I had done some consulting for them, even earlier, on China).
As Vic says the other option is Jabsco/Flojet/Rule
Jonathan
nigel1
Well-Known Member
The D400 made by Eclectric Energy originally used the LVM regulator, but now that LVM no longer exists, they have a replacement (it looks very similar to the LVM regualtor)
Regulator 12V (complete with dump loads) 80007
Its a bit pricy
Regulator 12V (complete with dump loads) 80007
Its a bit pricy
Neeves
Well-Known Member
Interesting,
That looks like our LVM Aero4aqua gen regulator and dump resistors. I'd give them a call.
Jonathan
That looks like our LVM Aero4aqua gen regulator and dump resistors. I'd give them a call.
Jonathan
Arabis
New Member
Thank you all for your sage advice.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
I aquired a aerogen4 some years back. Also needed a charge controler.
Bought a relay type device to divert power to a dump load . Did not like it at all because when battery fully charged the relay was clicking on and off like crazy and wondered how long it would last until the relay failed, leading to overcharging of battery's.
I hunted high and low and chatted with a few helpfull suppliers.
What I ended up with was this, so simple to fit.
DL-300 charge controller for Leading Edge wind turbines
As mentioned, the dc output is where the problem is as virtually every turbine outputs ac.
Why bother? Probably because the aerogen were so well made and are so silent compared to the others.
Bought a relay type device to divert power to a dump load . Did not like it at all because when battery fully charged the relay was clicking on and off like crazy and wondered how long it would last until the relay failed, leading to overcharging of battery's.
I hunted high and low and chatted with a few helpfull suppliers.
What I ended up with was this, so simple to fit.
DL-300 charge controller for Leading Edge wind turbines
As mentioned, the dc output is where the problem is as virtually every turbine outputs ac.
Why bother? Probably because the aerogen were so well made and are so silent compared to the others.
Steve_N
Well-Known Member
I have this lurking in the loft.
I think it's for Aerogen2 though so may not be what you're after. It does work - I recall testing it many moons ago.
I can look for numbers etc. on it if it's of any interest.
I think it's for Aerogen2 though so may not be what you're after. It does work - I recall testing it many moons ago.
I can look for numbers etc. on it if it's of any interest.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
The aero2gen is a max of 4 amps. The aero4gen is 20 amps
The resistor in your pic looks tiny so i would say your correct in thinking its for the aero2gen..
The resistor in your pic looks tiny so i would say your correct in thinking its for the aero2gen..
