1.6 kw MWANDS turbine. Budget charge controller options for LifePo4 batteries?

[Nick4Freedom]

Hey guys and gals....so first off I am somewhat of a noob to this. I purchased a Missouri Wind and Solar 1.6 kw 12v wind turbine a couple years ago and finally bought a house so I want to put it up with a few solar panels to have some emergency power. I have a Renogy MPPT charge controller for the Solar but as far as wind all I have is the 440 amp charge controller with divert relay that the turbine came with. This would be fine with tbe AGM batteries I was originally going to use but I decided to buy 3 100ah LifePo4 batteries.

What are my options for a charge controller for the wind turbine that will be safe for the lithium bats without going broke? Is there a way I can make my existing charge controller safely work with them without destroying them or causing a fire? I know there are Chinese hybrid wind and solar controllers that state they work for lithium but I don't know enough about them. If there is a way to use my existing charge controller or another inexpensive one please let me know. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Are you sure it's worth it at all?

Wind Resources

Rule 1: The power rating of a wind turbine has NOTHING to do with the amount of power you'll get. The amount of power you get depends on the size and efficiency of your wind turbine, and your wind. The power rating of a wind turbine is just its...

diysolarforum.com

1.6kW has nothing to do with the amount of power you'll get. if it's your typical 2m radius MWANDS unit, you'll get 80-100W at sustained 10-12mph winds.

MWANDS will happily sell you their stuff and not bother to educate you because it would put them out of business. I see a few MWANDS units in my area, and they're rarely turning.

If you still want to bother, link the controller manual.

 

[Nick4Freedom]

Are you sure it's worth it at all?

Wind Resources

Rule 1: The power rating of a wind turbine has NOTHING to do with the amount of power you'll get. The amount of power you get depends on the size and efficiency of your wind turbine, and your wind. The power rating of a wind turbine is just its...

diysolarforum.com

1.6kW has nothing to do with the amount of power you'll get. if it's your typical 2m radius MWANDS unit, you'll get 80-100W at sustained 10-12mph winds.

MWANDS will happily sell you their stuff and not bother to educate you because it would put them out of business. I see a few MWANDS units in my area, and they're rarely turning.

If you still want to bother, link the controller manual.

Yeah I realized all of this afterwards...I bought this a while ago and now I have it so I figured I would make use of it along with some solar panels which (which I will add more of eventually). I don't want to spend 700 or more on a charge controller for something I will only get 100ish watts out of. Basically supplement the power a little in the winter months.

This is the manual for the controller it came with. https://mwands.net/pdf_files/MW440ECCDIG.pdf

This is a link to the page for the controller which has more info on it.

Digital 440 Amp Charge Controller with Divert Relay & LED Volt Meter for Wind and Solar

Our simple economy charge controller handles wind, solar, and hydro systems. Small on price, but not on capacity. Comes with diversion relay and digital charge controller with LED display.

windandsolar.com

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving

 

[sunshine_eggo]

With a suitable dump load, that controller should work if properly programmed. I think the only risk would be if the BMS disconnected in a high wind speed condition.

Alternatively, a common and not too expensive choice is a Xantrax C40.

Xantrex C40 Hybrid PWM Charge Controller

The C40 (40 amp controller) has long been the main stay of Xantrex charge controllers because of it versatility and reliability. The C40 is a 100% solid state, microprocessor-driven controller. UL and cUL listed.

windandsolar.com

You'll need a dump load as well. I'm not too sure it will be happy if the BMS disconnects either.

Does your wind turbine have a brake switch?

Since the battery BMS will protect itself, I'd be tempted to try the controller you have.

 

[Nick4Freedom]

With a suitable dump load, that controller should work if properly programmed. I think the only risk would be if the BMS disconnected in a high wind speed condition.

Alternatively, a common and not too expensive choice is a Xantrax C40.

Xantrex C40 Hybrid PWM Charge Controller

The C40 (40 amp controller) has long been the main stay of Xantrex charge controllers because of it versatility and reliability. The C40 is a 100% solid state, microprocessor-driven controller. UL and cUL listed.

windandsolar.com

You'll need a dump load as well. I'm not too sure it will be happy if the BMS disconnects either.

Does your wind turbine have a brake switch?

Since the battery BMS will protect itself, I'd be tempted to try the controller you have.

I have a 12 volt water heater element for a dump. And yes I have a brake switch for it. I wonder why then it says on the charge controller info page "do not use with lithium batteries". It doesn't say anything on the Xantrex page about Lithium under the list of battery types its compatible with. I am new to Lithium so I just want to make sure I don't start a fire by using a controller I shouldn't have.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I can't say for sure.

There may be a hazard to the controller if the battery is suddenly removed from the circuit due to a BMS cut-out.

I don't think the controllers can harm the battery if they are programmed correctly.

 

[E. Cho]

I wonder why then it says on the charge controller info page "do not use with lithium batteries". It doesn't say anything on the Xantrex page about Lithium under the list of battery types its compatible with. I am new to Lithium so I just want to make sure I don't start a fire by using a controller I shouldn't have.

Does it say Lithium batteries or Lithium Iron Phosphate / LiFePO4 batteries. There is a big difference.

The Xantrex C40 is a simple PWM controller and was built years before LiFePO4 batteries came along and pre-dates MPPT charge controllers, so there would be no mention of LiFePO4 batteries in the data sheet or the user manual. Many many charge controllers and inverters even a few years old or newer do not mention LiFePO4 batteries, the latter which are very new to the consumer market.

The battery also doesn't really care as long as it gets DC current of the correct voltage and often controller input settings can be customized to work perfectly well with LiFePO4 batteries. It's us new users who freak out, as we are looking for "the setting" before learning there are variables.

 

[Hogheavenfarm]

On a sort of related note, I have that same 440a charge controller, I was never able to figure out if the diversion load negative line goes to the battery negative or is it just shown as looped around and connected to the negative on that charge controller, the drawing is not clear there.

(This is the MSWS charge controller, not the Xantrex)