diy solar

diy solar

Building the sickest ® VAWT ever. Brilliant minds unite please!!

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of DIYsolar might have hope."
 
Stop right now.
I will look for a small charge controller then first. The one I have at the moment is for the full 48V Battery array. It cuts in (starts relaying recitfied power from the 3 phases of the alternator to the array) at 54 volts and hits the breaks by shorting the 3 phases at 60 volts.
 
What's the point of trying to trash a cell?

If the cell is empty you probably can't hurt it. If it is full you surely will.
Ohh no my dear borther, I never meant to purposely destroy a cell. I meant in the pursuit of science I am willing that as a potential outcome. I would rather keep the cells happy and usable if I can avoid destroying them.

But sometimes risks need to be taken else risk stagnation of knowledge.
 
here comes the ADHD again.. so basically it is all worth a try if the cell is not already full? Let's say the cell registers as a 50% State Of Charge (SOC)

Then running this experiment could provide interesting data?

Or there is nothing to be seen here and we'd better move on to the more grown up stuff that lies ahead?

I realize though that assessing the state of charge might be tricky with Lifepo4 cells as they have a very flat charge curve or something that I do not know how to call it.
 
But sometimes risks need to be taken else risk stagnation of knowledge.

Others here took same risk in the aforetime, for you to benefit from their experience. Read it and weep.

It will work while cell is in the flat part of the curve. But as voltage gets into the knee, you will blink and it will shoot over 4V.
Ever fill a bottle with narrow neck from the tap? Goes up slowly, then suddenly becomes over-filled? Like that.

Unless it is just a brief test of partially discharged battery, to observe it takes current but NOT continuing to charge, you must have a circuit that shuts off at preset voltage.

For someone to test a solar panel, Voc and Isc is easy, but doesn't catch all bad batteries. Vmp and Imp is needed. I used an electric heater as load, but could suggest someone connect panel directly to a (lead acid) battery or bank to provide load. V(load) and I(load). Just temporarily, not left connected or it would overcharge.
 
Then running this experiment could provide interesting data?
Nothing more interesting than you could do with your bench power supply, and you could do that while out of the weather. No need to punish your cells. Your MPPT charge controller is essentially tasked with finding and matching the impedance of your charging source. For solar, that might be anywhere from 1 to 20 Ohms depending on the panels and actual solar conditions. For wind, I suspect that it will be a similar situation, but probably not less than the DC resistance of each coil in the alternator.

I would think that open circuit voltage and short circuit current would be interesting measurements to take at various RPM. If you find that you can't turn the alternator fast enough with it shorted, that's good news since you are producing plenty of current. In that case, find a load resistor and take volt/amp measurements at various RPM.

If you have an Amateur Radio friend, ask to borrow his dummy load. He may have a 50 Ohm load that will take a kilowatt or so for a few seconds. "Cantenna" (search for "cantenna dummy load") was a popular one that has been replicated by many people. It basically uses resistors cooled by a gallon paint can full of oil. You could build your own with whatever resistance you would like (although 50 Ohms should tell you what you want to know, and would allow you to sell it to a Ham when you are done with it).

If you want much lower resistance, just use an old water heater element in a large tub of water.
 
@upnorthandpersonal I realizae that you are a buzy man and have limited time to comment.

But do know this. Once I have my system to fruiition it could even be mobile.

1668269747217.png

It's starting to llook like a structure of the stratagy game red alert.

left or right.

This thing is going to provide power in our darkest hours.
 
and I know that 2 beams in parallel are less useful than 2 at 90 degrees. But I was in a bit of a hurry.
It was about the wind direction at that particular moment.
Never fear gang. I am on this case!!!! I will get it done!!!
 
Guy wires from the top.
Which are easier with egg beater shape, not your rectangular arms/blades.

1668280148612.png
 
Before cell becomes full, it will act as a shunt regulator and clamp generator voltage to what the cell wants.
ahh yes, liberating words!!! I am so happy that I reread comments from time to time as I normally am not able to process al relevant information on the first pass through.

So it is confirmed then that a cell (or array) can hold voltage up to a point.

Now to be sure I never meant to destroy cells willingly and also I never meant to not have a charge regulator in between. I merely wanted to see if I could unify different schools of thought. One on this site and the other on the other.
Turns out that they are both the same, if one takes a bit of time to see past the different wording, so I see no more need to go and test it for my self.
 
Guy wires from the top.
Yes brother, Guy wires are going to be needed once I have got municipality building approval for my master plan. It will have a 7 meter diam.

But these are dreams. I can already think of 2 reasons why it will never happen.
1) I just can't build it. I am a simple man with simple knowledge.
2) The municipality will never allow for it.

Now my local code already has regulation but it is troublesome given it allows for a 2m diam at max.
Now this is not to say that exceptions are possible and that is where I am aiming at with the master plan.
 
I would think that open circuit voltage and short circuit current would be interesting measurements to take at various RPM. If you find that you can't turn the alternator fast enough with it shorted, that's good news since you are producing plenty of current. In that case, find a load resistor and take volt/amp measurements at various RPM.
Yes sir, I will get on that!
 
I would think that open circuit voltage and short circuit current would be interesting measurements to take at various RPM. If you find that you can't turn the alternator fast enough with it shorted, that's good news since you are producing plenty of current. In that case, find a load resistor and take volt/amp measurements at various RPM.
well in that case, I have no problem comming back to the 3.2V test. This time around not to see if a cell can hold voltage, as we are already assuming it can, but because you show interest in data.

Tell me sir to jump and I'll ask how high.
 
In that case, find a load resistor and take volt/amp measurements at various RPM.
Well, you have already suggested it I think I remember. So all I need to do then is find a submersible water heater then. Here in my house hold we are all electric, no gas involved. We have a 500L water buffer that is doing it's job quite nicely to store energy (heat).

However, I am always looking for ways to improve. So if I could put in a huge 2000L insulated bag in the crawlspace and heat it with said resistor then it would open up a world of possibilities.
 
how do I test the short circuit amps of an alternator? just short the circuit and then spin the alternator while having an amp measurement device attached to the system?

If so I am going to have so much fun doing that.
 
Do not let it go open circuit. The voltage would go high enough to kill the diodes.

Excess current will also kill the diodes with heat. An alternator can put out high current for a limited time. The three diodes for positive fail first because heatsinked to a small plate rather than chassis like the negative.

Best to connect to the three wires, short them for an AC measurement, use external diodes for continuous load.
While testing, you could connect the rectified (by internal diodes) connections to a car battery. That will clamp voltage to about 15V if your test connections come loose.
 
Do not let it go open circuit. The voltage would go high enough to kill the diodes.

Excess current will also kill the diodes with heat. An alternator can put out high current for a limited time. The three diodes for positive fail first because heatsinked to a small plate rather than chassis like the negative.

Best to connect to the three wires, short them for an AC measurement, use external diodes for continuous load.
While testing, you could connect the rectified (by internal diodes) connections to a car battery. That will clamp voltage to about 15V if your test connections come loose.
I was assuming he doesn't have any diodes on his alternator; I thought we were talking about basically magnets and coils of wire.
 
Update.
@Warpspeed I was mistaken. Earlier I said that attracting fields does not double the flux but it actually does.
First when I said that I was quoting some random source online.
But then I went and tested it for my self and I stand corrected.

View attachment 118075
i used the top right print to measure it with my tesla meter. THe little circle in the middle is where the measurement tip went.

in the lower left we can see a test rig that I am printing to test a few variations on magnet arrangements.

I am slowly beginning to believe I have been at this all wrong all the time.

In where it is not about the frequency of magnetic field reversal that is a component in
e = b * l * v
There is no frequency component in that equation.

So I am going to take my sweet time to trail and error and see if my spre4adsheet holds up. I think it will give get me close enough

View attachment 118112


One thing I do not follow yet in theory is why would a coil running through to attracting fields produce any electrical flow?
@Hedges can you take a stab it this? this is basically what @Warpspeed is suggesting to do.

But in my books it will just result in a theoretical 0 flow of electrons.

BTW. the tesla value was goal seeked. As my tesla meter can't be used to measure the value for an area. only for the spot it is placed at.
@Justaguy @Hedges @Warpspeed @curiouscarbon

I am hitting a low point in my motivation at the moment.

Does the above formula actually need physical scrutiny? Or can I just skip a corner and assume it is correct and get this show on the road far faster that way.

I mean if it is correct than it is almost trivial to build a 54V output at like 20 rpm (and rpm that aligns to what my specific wind conditions / turbine can produce with ease)


If all of you say that the lenz law does not apply here then I will plow through and get some hard data.
 
@Justaguy @Hedges @Warpspeed @curiouscarbon

I am hitting a low point in my motivation at the moment.

Does the above formula actually need physical scrutiny? Or can I just skip a corner and assume it is correct and get this show on the road far faster that way.

I mean if it is correct than it is almost trivial to build a 54V output at like 20 rpm (and rpm that aligns to what my specific wind conditions / turbine can produce with ease)


If all of you say that the lenz law does not apply here then I will plow through and get some hard data.
@justgary I meant to include you in the above, I messed up a bit ;(
 
ohh and before I forget, I have developed over time an insight that I wanted to share with you all dear readers.

It does assume though that the lenz law is applicable.

An axial flux setup is always going to be less effective as a radial one.

That is because, assuming the lenz law applies, there is a speed difference between the inner and outer part of a disk.

I am already imagining a radial alternator that has 2 radia of magnets and 3 of static coils. That is the summon of an efficient alternator but I fear I lack the knowledge and tools to ever build it.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top