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GRIT · 16-11-2022, 05:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagarwal

Hi Grit,

I have a super wind 350 I recently pulled from my boat.
My reason for doing so was simply the noise it made; I figured I could get as much or more power just adding panels without having to listen to the noise. Other than that it was operating fine and I even have two spare blades.

I was planning to sell it, hadn’t listed it yet. I’d be happy to sell it to you but the problem is that it’s in Panama. If shipping’s not a problem I’d be happy to talk further.

Why are you seeking out this unit? Is their production really superior to other windgens? Their noise production certainly is.

Best
Jack

I'm interested, but I hear that shipping from Panama is quite expensive. Let me look into it, and I'll let you know. Thanks for your reply.

Paul.

Addendum: I've just looked up shipping cost via UPS, from Florida to Panama for 25 lbs, of those dimensions, and it's $1800 USD. I'm guessing it'll be as much to send it here from there.

Good luck. But I'll keep looking.

GRIT · 16-11-2022, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRIT

fxykty.

Thanks for your input.

I don't think you'll find your controller converts/limits the higher voltage into lower voltage, to charge your batteries. To the best of my knowledge, the voltage goes in "wild" and the controller only comes into effect when the battery voltage nears charged. That's when PWM comes in to taper the charge, and maintain an acceptance voltage. Otherwise, the voltage just goes in full on, and is instantly lowered by the resistance in your bank.

I don't have a link to back this up, but I'd be happy to challenge anyone to find a link to refute it. If they fine one, I'll have learned something new, and saved a headache with my own bank.

Cheers.
Paul.

I think the easiest way to prove or disprove this, fxykty, would be to check your resistor for heat, while your bank voltage is low and your windgen is charging. If the resistor is cold, then there's no PWM going on , if it's warm, then there's PWM happening to lower the voltage for charging. There's no other way for the controller to limit the voltage going into your batteries in a dump load system, so that would tell the tale.

Once it's within half a volt or so, of charged, it'll start pwm, so if you're going to check this out, please do it when the batteries are as low as possible. Higher winds would be more likely to be subject to PWM, if it's really lowering the input voltage during charging.

Cheers.
Paul.

GRIT · 22-11-2022, 18:49

Fxykty. I just noticed you said your BMS is able to activate a contactor on the output side of the controller. I'd suggest you remove it from the output (battery side) and install it on the input (wind turbine) side. If the controller loses power on the battery side, while still having input on the generator side, they tend to fry inside. I'd also suggest you use a SPDT relay, ( hooked to your resistor) so when your BMS triggers the relay, the windgen is instantly connected to the resistor, and doesn't allow the windgen to freewheel.

Even though Superwind has variable blade geometry to protect it from overspeed, they just wrote to me and said that the warranty would be void if the BMS disconnected the load from the turbine. I'd be sure to avoid this if possible.

https://www.grainger.com/product/5RL...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

30 is input from turbine, 87 goes to the controller and 87a to the resistor. When the BMS is happy, it keeps the relay "on" and allows 30 and 87 to remain connected, when the BMS cuts power, 30 is immediately connected to 87A, your resistor, and the controller sees no input voltage from the turbine.

85 is the BMS positive, and 86 is ground, the same as your contactor is likely wired.

I haven't seen Superwind's controller yet, but every controller I've seen requires you to connect it to the battery before the wind, and if disconnecting, to disconnect from the wind, before the battery side is disconnected. Same as solar controllers.

Take a look at their installation manual to be sure, but this is the standard.

I've had no luck on this thread, so am in talks with Superwind, about the specifications of their charging protocol for lithium. If I'm going to pay for the controller, I'd like to use it, if possible.

They'll set it to 13.6 for me, but I'm still waiting for PWM info, and for the threshold hysterisis.

Cheers.
Paul.

bergius · 22-11-2022, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRIT

Fxykty. I just noticed you said your BMS is able to activate a contactor on the output side of the controller. I'd suggest you remove it from the output (battery side) and install it on the input (wind turbine) side. If the controller loses power on the battery side, while still having input on the generator side, they tend to fry inside..

That’s the case for most wind generator charge controllers. However, the Superwind controller is powered by the wind generator instead of the battery, so to my understanding it is safer to cut the connection between it and the battery.

GRIT · 23-11-2022, 05:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergius

That’s the case for most wind generator charge controllers. However, the Superwind controller is powered by the wind generator instead of the battery, so to my understanding it is safer to cut the connection between it and the battery.

Thanks for that bergius.

That's interesting, but odd. When there's no wind...

Well, it wasn't an entirely wasted post, if his BMS cuts off the windgenerator altogether, without it going to the resistor, the warranty will be void; unless the controller has programming to prevent this sort of thing. I was just recently warned of this by the US importer/distributor. Using the Relay as shown will keep the turbine under load, and prevent it from free-wheeling.

Cheers.
Paul.

GRIT · 23-11-2022, 12:39

I'm not particularly patient when it comes to boat equipment; therefore we've ordered a new unit from Missioncritical energy.

Thanks for your contributions.

Cheers.
Paul.

fxykty · 27-11-2022, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergius

That’s the case for most wind generator charge controllers. However, the Superwind controller is powered by the wind generator instead of the battery, so to my understanding it is safer to cut the connection between it and the battery.

Correct, the Superwind SCR controller is powered by the wind generator.

Superwind engineers are aware of our solution and agreed that cutting the output of the controller is just fine. As soon as the controller sees 0V on the battery output it immediately diverts power to the load resistor. This is the same behaviour as when it sees a battery voltage that is lower than the controller’s output voltage.