KID Clipper

[dgd]

Notice that this version has the added ground terminal on the edge of the board. You can access the ground from the conduit openings of directly through the cover where a couple of 1/4" knock outs are placed.

is there a knockout position to mount an SPD? now that you have a ground terminal 

dgd

[Robin]

I am still hopeful to include three MOVs, but I will add a knockout here anyway.
Thanks for catching that.

[tecnodave]

Robin and boB,

Has anyone thought of the possibility that someone might buy a kid and clipper to use with a smaller Jacobs (1000 watt 32/36 volt) or Win lite or other DC generator wind generator, these have commutator switching spikes that might be more severe than the 3 phase generators that are much more common today? They have enough ripple on the output that it is possible to connect an automotive tachometer to the output to read out the r.p.m.'s of the wind generator.

Just a thought, they still exist and there is no one making a suitable controller for them.

td

[Robin]

The KID and KID CLipper may be too small for something like a Jacobs. Sounds like it could be trouble. People do use the Big Clipper and Classic on Jacobs though.

[boB]

You ~could~ use more than one Clipper in parallel, too.

boB

[Robin]

Does that mean you need two KIDs in Bully mode and two Clippers?

[dgd]

Think about what a DC turbine is.  It's an AC turbine with the  rectifier already in the turbine nacelle.

The caps are necessary for an AC or a DC turbine if it is being clipped on the DC side.

The caps are not there for filtering but as  snubbers.  If it were only an AC clipper,
clipping on the AC side, then no capacitors would be necessary.  This clipper needs to
satisfy both AC and DC customers though so gotta keep the caps for now.

On looking at the circuit robin posted it appears the load connections are used just to access the load FET and use it to divert input DC power to the resistor. I assume the relocating of the KID fuses reconfigure it to this mode.

I was just sort of thinking -  would it not be just as easy to include a couple of fets or SSR on the KID Clipper and just use the AUX output for control?
I can't imagine this being a major cost as all the expensive stuff is on the clipper already.

This would then probably allow the use of the large 1.5Kw Clipper for those that get a 1kw to 1.5Kw 48v turbine and want the added turbine/controller protection.

Then the LOAD connections could  still be used for a real output load of some sort - such as a small water heater or secondary battery charger etc..
dgd

[Westbranch]

Does that mean you need two KIDs in Bully mode and two Clippers?

Is that mode similar to "Follow Me" or I'll kick yo' butt?

[Halfcrazy]

Well "Bully Mode" is unique. Basically you use Bully mode when you have a single large array. So you connect the single array up to the 2 kids and put the master in bully mode and it takes over the second kid. So one display and one control

Ryan

[tecnodave]

Robin,

The kid is way too small for the more common Jacobs 3 kW machine, I was referring to the 750 watt and 1 kW Jacobs machines, they are rare but there are others of that design out there, such as the Win Lite and others. All modern machines are using the 3 phase designs but I am sure that I am not the only one who has dealt with these DC machines that were popular 1930 thru 1955 when the Rural Electrification Association strung power lines across the west and required you to scrap your wind generator in 1955 in order to connect to REA.  Why does that theme sound familiar?

td

[dgd]

..and overthinking the KID Clipper some more..
I could see a place here for a KID AC Clipper.
30A max output so 24v 700w turbine 12v 350w 48v 1500w.
Perhaps something built into an ali box of the MNDC size and a trio or 300watt six inch ceramic wirewound resistors, two small AC ssrs, on pcb 3phase rectifier diodes with heatsink, movs, and simplier scaled down connectors compared to BIG Clippers,.
None of the BIG Clipper fans or dead Classic detection,
power it from KID's load connection.
few leds to see what is happening, overvoltage, Clipping active, power on..
dgd

[Robin]

All these are great suggestions however the quantity of Clippers sold would never justify the engineering and parts outlay. We may be the only Clippers available in the world, but we still do not sell many. the KID clipper is the low budget answer to our larger Clipper. We won't be adding a SSR in this Clipper. That will be done in the KID. This does save money. The KID Clipper is already $400 to 500 retail. We cannot add anymore cost. This Clipper isn't designed for a 1930's turbine either, so if it doesn't meet those needs then our large ones will have to do. It is hard to justify spending the resources at all for this Clipper. We are doing it due to the turbine that we are building. Any other turbine that falls into that category is gravy, but we won't be adding any cost to it to satisfy other turbines. The KID and KID Clipper does already satisfy a large contingent of turbines though. We expect it wo work with up to 1000 watts based on a 48V bank, but no more. Feature creep is what happens at times to make products non affordable. This Clipper won't be falling into that trap, thus it is a stripped down product. Even then, I bet we will be lucky to break even on it. I'm not sure we break even on our large Clippers. The quantities just aren't there. We will continue to support the Clippers though as nobody else seems to want the job. Wind is a pain in the butt, but it is more exciting than solar. It is a good thing we have solar to pay the bills so we can play with wind!

[tecnodave]

There is a space for those of us who do not need a dishwasher, big screen tv , etc. I lived for several years with 300 watts of panels and a cheap Chinese controller providing all my electricity, but I am from the backwoods of Alaska and never lived in a house grid fed until I was 15 or so. Not everybody is from an environment that takes electricity for granted. I certainly am not and I believe that the kid will be a great success, maybe not in the cities but lots of people prefer to live with way less complications in life, speaking for myself, I am one of those. I am happy to get a beta kid and already have it hooked up in a direct comparison with what I believe to be the best of the cheep Chinese MPPT controllers. I have multiple banks of panels, identical, with which to do comparisons, and will be posting results of direct comparisons with the Chinese EP Solar Tracer 3215 RN (30 Amps 12/24 volt).

td

[Robin]

Do you have a way to accurately measure current into the battery? Make sure they are both in bulk mode and the chargers are going as hard as they can.
Good luck Mario!

[tecnodave]

Robin,

I assume that you are responding to my post, I do have very good instrumentation including multiple digital ammeters/voltmeters calibrated with my in calibration flukes, wave techs etc. And load testers and assorted other test instruments as well as a calibration lab experience at Seagate Technology so I do know lab calibration. I will give an honest review.

td