Little help with pre-installed wind generator

[DangerousPirate]

So I got this little wind generator/turbine at the back of the boat, and the cable seems to have been connected at some point once. It is just a weird one because whenever I look up configurations for charge controllers it aways shows 3 cables going in, and then theyre being converted and directed to the battery. Though in my case the direct cables from the wind turbine are only a red and a black (positive and a negative) on a luster clamp, and I dont know what it was connected to.
So how do I connect it to a charge controller if its AC? I dont have the three cables that you normally would connect. And as far as I understand I cant just use a solar charge controller (because of the dump load).

Unfortunately I dont know what brand or type the wind turbine is. It would be a nice addition to the solar panels, not to mention that its already installed and the cables pulled through the boat.

Does anyone have a similar set up and can tell me what I need to do?

 

[Neeves]

Post a picture and someone will recognise the unit and possibly be able to provide focused advise. If you identify the unit (or someone does it for you) you can probably find detail using Google.

Jonathan

 

[DangerousPirate]

Post a picture and someone will recognise the unit and possibly be able to provide focused advise. If you identify the unit (or someone does it for you) you can probably find detail using Google.

Jonathan

Alright. Lets see if someone recognises this model. I did my own research and clicked through pages and pages of all sorts of wind generators to find the model. Without luck.

 

[VicS]

The generators with "three wire" outputs that you may have seen details of have a 3 phase AC output which has to be rectified to produce DC, and probably voltage controlled, for battery charging although many, if not most, of the of the current popular wind generators have the rectifier built in.

Your photo is of a vertical axis generator similar to, although not actually, a "Forgen". The rectifier is built in giving a DC output.
You can confirm this by connecting it to your multimeter set to one of its DC voltage ranges. ( eg the 20 V DC range)

The output from these generators is so small that a controller is not likely to be necessary.. They need a strong wind to do anything useful.

It should be possible to connect it directly to the battery but it would be sensible to check it out first because if it has been connected with the polarity reversed the rectifier will have been blown. Connecting it directly to your meter set to its 10 amp DC current range will show its current output. ( Do it when the wind is not too strong, you don't want to damage it if it is OK)

If / when you connect it fit a fuse close to the battery positive connection

 

[tjbrace]

I have an Eclectic Energy D400 installed. It has a 2 wire output, rectified in the turbine. This connects to its controller which has 2 regulated outputs to charge 2 separate battery banks, they share a negative lead. The controller has 2 other leads which connect to a largish, dimension wise, dump resistors. Seems to work ok.

 

[VicS]

I have an Eclectic Energy D400 installed. It has a 2 wire output, rectified in the turbine. This connects to its controller which has 2 regulated outputs to charge 2 separate battery banks, they share a negative lead. The controller has 2 other leads which connect to a largish, dimension wise, dump resistors. Seems to work ok.

A very different kettle of fish capable of producing 400 watts in a force 8 wind compared to the small Forgen which will produce only abuot 14 watts .

 

[ProDave]

If connecting directly, it would be worth stalling it (or wait for a still day) and check it is not discharging the battery. If so you need to insert a suitably rated diode.

 

[simonfraser]

So I got this little wind generator/turbine at the back of the boat, and the cable seems to have been connected at some point once. It is just a weird one because whenever I look up configurations for charge controllers it aways shows 3 cables going in, and then theyre being converted and directed to the battery. Though in my case the direct cables from the wind turbine are only a red and a black (positive and a negative) on a luster clamp, and I dont know what it was connected to.
So how do I connect it to a charge controller if its AC? I dont have the three cables that you normally would connect. And as far as I understand I cant just use a solar charge controller (because of the dump load).

Unfortunately I dont know what brand or type the wind turbine is. It would be a nice addition to the solar panels, not to mention that its already installed and the cables pulled through the boat.

Does anyone have a similar set up and can tell me what I need to do?

turbine generates the electricity
wind generator, well that would be a fan

 

[DangerousPirate]

The generators with "three wire" outputs that you may have seen details of have a 3 phase AC output which has to be rectified to produce DC, and probably voltage controlled, for battery charging although many, if not most, of the of the current popular wind generators have the rectifier built in.

Your photo is of a vertical axis generator similar to, although not actually, a "Forgen". The rectifier is built in giving a DC output.
You can confirm this by connecting it to your multimeter set to one of its DC voltage ranges. ( eg the 20 V DC range)

The output from these generators is so small that a controller is not likely to be necessary.. They need a strong wind to do anything useful.

It should be possible to connect it directly to the battery but it would be sensible to check it out first because if it has been connected with the polarity reversed the rectifier will have been blown. Connecting it directly to your meter set to its 10 amp DC current range will show its current output. ( Do it when the wind is not too strong, you don't want to damage it if it is OK)

If / when you connect it fit a fuse close to the battery positive connection

My multimeter broke when I was writing this so I couldnt measure anymore, but I remember last time I measured I calculated the watt output, and I think I measured AC. Not so sure now. Will go and buy a new multimeter later and test it.

But it looks like a Forgen Wind Turbine! I looked for sooooo long.

Edit:Okay, looking at itcloser it may not be the Forgen one, but maybe this one: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0068/8150/9479/files/LE-v50_datasheet_April_2020.pdf?v=1598269353

I have an Eclectic Energy D400 installed. It has a 2 wire output, rectified in the turbine. This connects to its controller which has 2 regulated outputs to charge 2 separate battery banks, they share a negative lead. The controller has 2 other leads which connect to a largish, dimension wise, dump resistors. Seems to work ok.

Do you know the specifications of that charge controller?

 

[VicS]

My multimeter broke when I was writing this so I couldnt measure anymore, but I remember last time I measured I calculated the watt output, and I think I measured AC. Not so sure now. Will go and buy a new multimeter later and test it.
But it looks like a Forgen Wind Turbine! I looked for sooooo long.
Edit:Okay, looking at itcloser it may not be the Forgen one, but maybe this one: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0068/8150/9479/files/LE-v50_datasheet_April_2020.pdf?v=1598269353

Do you know the specifications of that charge controller?

If you find the output is AC rather than DC it will indicate that the rectifier is defective ........ That may be why it has been disconnected.

The generator itself is 3 phase if it is like a Forgen and the rectifier will be a s 6 diode bridge rectifier. If you can get it out and your meter has a diode test range it will be a straightforward job to test it ( even without a diode test range one of the resistance ranges will usually do but which one varies from one multimeter to the another.)

If it is broken its small output makes it hardly worth fixing if you have a decent amount of solar charging.

The LE-v-50 in your link is 631 mm tall over all . Is yours that big ?. The 70 watt max output they quote is at Storm force 11 !

You will find all the info about the D400 and its controller here D400 Wind Generator
The controller uses a dump resistor

 

[DangerousPirate]

Yeah, I just measured it. Its DC. So how do I save my battery from overcharging? I think it would be useful to dedicate one battery just to the engine, and one to the rest of my systems. So Id use the wind generator for the engine battery.

 

[William_H]

Yeah, I just measured it. Its DC. So how do I save my battery from overcharging? I think it would be useful to dedicate one battery just to the engine, and one to the rest of my systems. So Id use the wind generator for the engine battery.

If you measure the output current into the battery I think you will find the current quite low. So even in a gale it is unlikely to damage the battery by overcharge. Typically 1% of battery AH capacity as a continuous current is OK. So 100 AH battery can take 1 amp long term. ol'will

 

[tjbrace]

My multimeter broke when I was writing this so I couldnt measure anymore, but I remember last time I measured I calculated the watt output, and I think I measured AC. Not so sure now. Will go and buy a new multimeter later and test it.

But it looks like a Forgen Wind Turbine! I looked for sooooo long.

Edit:Okay, looking at itcloser it may not be the Forgen one, but maybe this one: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0068/8150/9479/files/LE-v50_datasheet_April_2020.pdf?v=1598269353




Do you know the specifications of that charge controller?

Not the controller specifically, the docs really concentrate on the turbine/alternator. The controller is electronically potted so you can’t get to the innards.

 

[DangerousPirate]

I just want it to connect the wind turbine to before I put it to the battery. Just so when the battery isnt used in a while and is full that I dont destroy my battery.

 

[antaris]

On the same subject - I also "inherited" a similar, if not the same, Forgen NT on my mizzen mast.

The output is, as stated before, DC and the Voltage ranges between 0-20Volts! (on a windy day). Is that ok for a 12V system? Not sure about Amperage (it is low, I know).

Going through the same charade as DangerousPirate, I got myself a controller from Ebay (only to realise it is a 1-phase AC... so that's wrong).

 

[Rappey]

I have a dc output aerogen. Beautiful turbine but really difficult to find a suitable charge controler.
I ended up with this, really easy to connect
DL-300 charge controller for Leading Edge wind turbines

 

[ltcom]

On the same subject - I also "inherited" a similar, if not the same, Forgen NT on my mizzen mast.

The output is, as stated before, DC and the Voltage ranges between 0-20Volts! (on a windy day). Is that ok for a 12V system? Not sure about Amperage (it is low, I know).

Going through the same charade as DangerousPirate, I got myself a controller from Ebay (only to realise it is a 1-phase AC... so that's wrong).

That 20 volts will be open circuit though, yes? Connect it to a battery of 12.5 V and you may see the voltage creep up to 12.6 etc etc. As others have said, if a tiny wattage generator, it won't cook a large Ah battery. Test is and see. If worried, look for 2nd hand windturbine dump resistors and a second hand controler
wind turbine controller - Google Shopping
12V, 0.73 Ohms (0R73), 300 Watt, Ceramic Wire Wound Dump / Divert Load Resistor 5060499000818 | eBay

 

[doug748]

On the same subject - I also "inherited" a similar, if not the same, Forgen NT on my mizzen mast.

The output is, as stated before, DC and the Voltage ranges between 0-20Volts! (on a windy day). Is that ok for a 12V system? Not sure about Amperage (it is low, I know).

Going through the same charade as DangerousPirate, I got myself a controller from Ebay (only to realise it is a 1-phase AC... so that's wrong).

To confirm what the others have said, I have a small Aerogen of slightly larger output. Their advice was:

".......can be connected directly to a battery with no regulator as long as your battery, or battery bank, is greater than 75 amp hours."

.

 

[William_H]

On the same subject - I also "inherited" a similar, if not the same, Forgen NT on my mizzen mast.

The output is, as stated before, DC and the Voltage ranges between 0-20Volts! (on a windy day). Is that ok for a 12V system? Not sure about Amperage (it is low, I know).

Going through the same charade as DangerousPirate, I got myself a controller from Ebay (only to realise it is a 1-phase AC... so that's wrong).

If the controller is just for 1 phase. (somewhat surprising) then it may be possible to modify if to 3 phase. Inside the box immediately after input wires should be a rectifier. Either 4 diodes or a bridge box with built in diodes. Find the output of these didoes which shouild be a DC point. You can make up a 3 phase rectifier that can take your 3 wires in from turbine to that 3 phase rectifier. essentially you need 6 diodes. Preferably schotky type. Take the anodes of 3 didoes to each of the 3 wires coming in. The cathodes (with a band or head of arrow) join together to give positive output. Take the cathodes of the remaining 3 diodes one to each input wire. (ie connected to the anodes of the first 3 didoes) The anodes of the last 3 diodes are joined together and make the negative output. The 2 outputs pos and neg couild feed in to the regulator if indeed it has one. Or sans regulator just feed to a battery.

re the output voltage yes 0 to 20 is probably right for 12v battery. The voltage will be pulled down by the current drain into the battery by internal resistance of the alternator and by the electrical load slowing the turbine. The big problem is that if the battery voltage is say 12.5 volts then nothing will go in to the battery until the alternator (generator) output voltage exceeds that voltage. then as the battery voltage rises with charge it will need more wind to get any charge in. A bit like solar panel but far greater problem than solar. Fit an amp meter just so you can see if it is doing any good. An MPPT regulator might be able to get more charge in at lower wind speeds.
However i think most people see solar as best and wind turbine just oo much trouble on a boat for the charge you get. ol'will

 

[antaris]

That 20 volts will be open circuit though, yes? Connect it to a battery of 12.5 V and you may see the voltage creep up to 12.6 etc etc. As others have said, if a tiny wattage generator, it won't cook a large Ah battery. Test is and see. If worried, look for 2nd hand windturbine dump resistors and a second hand controler
wind turbine controller - Google Shopping
12V, 0.73 Ohms (0R73), 300 Watt, Ceramic Wire Wound Dump / Divert Load Resistor 5060499000818 | eBay

Thank you - I got one of those 1-phase controllers from ebay. Yet, they are suited to AC current, while these ForgenNT thingies actually output DC (there is a "thingy" in the main body that turns AC to DC.

I am (obviously) not knowledgeable of electrics much, so that other suggestion - the blue Dump / Divert Load Resistoris unknown to me.

I think that I will just connect it to a spare battery and see what happens!