Testing wind generator electronics

I was wondering if i could use the bench power supply to simulate the generator , then take readings on the battery wires (but with no batteries involved)
 
I have an Aero/Aqa 4 gen, fitted to Tui about 15 years ago. I dont know how the electronics work but it has a big green dump load and something with a heat sink. I'd be interested too in how it is meant to work. Currently waiting for replacement blade for Aerogen. We replaced one (pics on my blog) but then it rattled as new one much heavier.
 
Bi111ion said:
I have an Aero/Aqa 4 gen, fitted to Tui about 15 years ago. I dont know how the electronics work but it has a big green dump load and something with a heat sink. I'd be interested too in how it is meant to work. Currently waiting for replacement blade for Aerogen. We replaced one (pics on my blog) but then it rattled as new one much heavier.
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all the blades MUST be the same weight ( 180g) or will be out of balance & wobble like a good un
 
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Really? Oh dear I was hoping at least that two matched sets of three would work ok, or even 2 and 4 of the same mass with the 2 opposite each other. The nice people at Xylem (was LVM) said replacing a pair would be ok.
 
Bi111ion said:
I have an Aero/Aqa 4 gen, fitted to Tui about 15 years ago. I dont know how the electronics work but it has a big green dump load and something with a heat sink. I'd be interested too in how it is meant to work. Currently waiting for replacement blade for Aerogen. We replaced one (pics on my blog) but then it rattled as new one much heavier.
Click to expand...

It should still work (if you need the power - now, at reduced output, if you take out 2 more blades and just leave three in situ.

Jonathan
 
J Neeves said:
It should still work (if you need the power - now, at reduced output, if you take out 2 more blades and just leave three in situ.

Jonathan
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with the 5 blade unit with 2 of them removed it will be out of balance & will wobble alarmingly this is why they went to the 6 blade units you can then remove the blade opposite the damaged one & the fan will be balanced
 
sailorman said:
with the 5 blade unit with 2 of them removed it will be out of balance & will wobble alarmingly this is why they went to the 6 blade units you can then remove the blade opposite the damaged one & the fan will be balanced
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Presumably that is why LVM in their wisdom made Aerogens with six blades so you can fall back to three or even two if you run out of spare blades at sea. Using a prime number of blades like 5 would be the worst case!
 
Back to the electrical side of things . The more i'm playing about with this, the more confusing it is! For example picture 1 shows the genny connected straight to the battery so surely all the gadgets running from that battery will fry with 40+ volts?

View attachment 49153

Then next pic is how mine is wired, but then it contradicts the manual someone posted above. The bit about both red wires MUST be connected to a battery to avoid damage.They are BUT not if a fuse blows?

View attachment 49155
 
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single said:
Back to the electrical side of things . The more i'm playing about with this, the more confusing it is! For example picture 1 shows the genny connected straight to the battery so surely all the gadgets running from that battery will fry with 40+ volts?

View attachment 49153

Then next pic is how mine is wired, but then it contradicts the manual someone posted above. The bit about both red wires MUST be connected to a battery to avoid damage.They are BUT not if a fuse blows?

View attachment 49155
Click to expand...

The first diagram is correct for the SB (single battery) units


The second diagram is correct for the TB (twin battery) units


I have already , on your other thread, given you the link to the TB instructions

The instructions for the SB are at http://www.shop.solar-wind.co.uk/acatalog/2SB-4SB_Regulator_Instructions.pdf
 
I am grateful for the links, but what i'm saying is the diagrams and text they give is incorrect. Myself, an auto electrician friend and our local marine electronics guy all agree that you can potentially damage your genny or wreck the equipment onboard if its done as per instructions.

So can you explain what stops say 40+ volts going straight from the genny to your VHF for example? (diagram 1)
 
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single said:
I am grateful for the links, but what i'm saying is the diagrams and text they give is incorrect. Myself, an auto electrician friend and our local marine electronics guy all agree that you can potentially damage your genny or wreck the equipment onboard if its done as per instructions.

So can you explain what stops say 40+ volts going straight from the genny to your VHF for example? (diagram 1)
Click to expand...

The SB unit will dump power into the ballast resistor to maintain the volts at the specified/set value, not that the volts would rise as high as 40 while a 12 volt battery is connected.


BTW The instructions for the Aero4gen can be found in the download section of Bluemoment.com if you do not already have them
 
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