"Wind" KID?

[0jenroc]

Hello Forum members,  is there still plans for a "wind" version of the Kid?

Last year i purchased a KID charge controller and the reseller told me that firmware updates would me coming to support wind functions..

I patiently waited only to find out later by reading this forum that there are two different hardware versions..  solar / wind.

thank you much

-delfino

[dgd]

It appears the development of the wind Kid  and the Kid Clipper have been overtaken by higher priority issues at Midnite.
The last available info was their availability in Q2 2014 but that was well over a year ago and there have been no updates since.
The only alternate option is to invest in a Classic 

dgd

[canuck webmaster]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I'd like to share some ideas.

I have a MideNite Kid with WBjr and Temp sensor. Current setup is:
- 2 x 140W solar panels in series (I had 4 PV, but i disconnected 2 for testing purposes)
- 8 x 6V/220Ah AGM battery bank wired in 24V (so I have 440Ah max)
- 1 x Primus AIR 40 wind turbine (24V / 160W)
- I don't have the lastest Kid firmware (1811), I guess I have the previous one...
- load is around 1A, with occasionnal peaks at 2.5A when a small heating device is on
- more details here

Solar panels are hooked to the Kid's PV input terminals, load to the load terminals, but the wind turbine is linked directly to the battery bank. The AIR 40 has an internal charge controler, so no interference with the Kid.

The Kid manual says on page one "This version of the Kid is for use only with solar installations", but I think my setup with a wind turbine works fine.

These days around here, we have not much sun, lots of snow, -10C to -15C, and a few windy days. So the Kid was showing me this morning Float 26V, SOC 100% and 309Ah remaining (temperature compensated).

But back in December, no sun, no wind, freezing rain (so the heater was on), so my SOC got down to 20%, and the Low Battery Disconnect function (LBD) did cut the load for a few hours twice. That's quite ok with me. This setup is a prototype, trial and error is what I'm paid for. By the way, my LBD is 23.5V, reconnect at 24.2V.

So I think you can mix wind and solar with the Kid, as long as your turbine has a separate charge controler, like the AIR 40 has.

Any feedback appreciated! Maybe I got it all wrong!

[TomW]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I'd like to share some ideas.

I have a MideNite Kid with WBjr and Temp sensor. Current setup is:
- 2 x 140W solar panels in series (I had 4 PV, but i disconnected 2 for testing purposes)
- 8 x 6V/220Ah AGM battery bank wired in 24V (so I have 440Ah max)
- 1 x Primus AIR 40 wind turbine (24V / 160W)
- I don't have the lastest Kid firmware (1811), I guess I have the previous one...
- load is around 1A, with occasionnal peaks at 2.5A when a small heating device is on
- more details here

Solar panels are hooked to the Kid's PV input terminals, load to the load terminals, but the wind turbine is linked directly to the battery bank. The AIR 40 has an internal charge controler, so no interference with the Kid.

The Kid manual says on page one "This version of the Kid is for use only with solar installations", but I think my setup with a wind turbine works fine.

These days around here, we have not much sun, lots of snow, -10C to -15C, and a few windy days. So the Kid was showing me this morning Float 26V, SOC 100% and 309Ah remaining (temperature compensated).

But back in December, no sun, no wind, freezing rain (so the heater was on), so my SOC got down to 20%, and the Low Battery Disconnect function (LBD) did cut the load for a few hours twice. That's quite ok with me. This setup is a prototype, trial and error is what I'm paid for. By the way, my LBD is 23.5V, reconnect at 24.2V.

So I think you can mix wind and solar with the Kid, as long as your turbine has a separate charge controler, like the AIR 40 has.

Any feedback appreciated! Maybe I got it all wrong!

canuck webmaster;

I cannot see a reason a turbine fed in parallel would be a problem? My recent system had a couple of Classics, one on solar and one on a turbine with a Kid on more solar plus a direct to battery turbine. They all played well together but the WBjr readings were not accurate.

There should be no problem running a Kid on your system as I understand it.

[Doug]

Hi CW,

The biggest risk is overvoltage. A turbine can have high enough voltage to damage a Kid if there is not an adequate clipper.
Highest voltage is recorded and would affect warranty service.
The wind Kid will be have wind specific software and come with a clipper.

Doug

[dgd]

...
I cannot see a reason a turbine fed in parallel would be a problem? My recent system had a couple of Classics, one on solar and one on a turbine with a Kid on more solar plus a direct to battery turbine. They all played well together but the WBjr readings were not accurate.

I changed a direct-to-battery connected 600w turbine on 24v battery system to the non-battery side of a Deltec 500a shunt/WBjr combo connected to a C150.
It was very pleasing to see the WBjr reporting true battery current and with my gauge web page see the Battery current meter move with turbine current. During sunshine time at Absorb/Float the Classic would then reduce its output current (from PV), sometimes to zero, as the turbine picked up.
But the real nice feeling was a darkness time seeing the gauge going from -ve current into +ve current as the turbine contributed power.

dgd

[Cniemand]

DGD : What do you typically harvest overnight from that 600w turbine? I've thought about adding one to my setup for a bit of aH overnight and during blizzards.

Photos?

[dgd]

DGD : What do you typically harvest overnight from that 600w turbine? I've thought about adding one to my setup for a bit of aH overnight and during blizzards.

Most nights nothing or miniscule 0.1 to 0.3Kwh. Higher winds here seem to be associated with dull weather when PVs make little then turbine can make 1 to 3Kwh, more than enough to cover base loads.
Very very occasionaly its static cloud cover, no sun, no wind but a 1200Ah 24v bank takes 3 days to get down to 75% SOC.

Overall I found the turbine works nice if its rated at 20 to 35% power output of PVs and direct connection is ok if bank is of decent capacity. That system is remote located and connecting to its Arduino web server is interesting and hypnotic to watch the battery current gauge (WBjr gauge) moving about as the turbine operates.

Of course with a larger turbine the only way to go is with its own Classic and a Clipper to provide proper protection and maximize power production.
I would not connect a 1Kw+ turbine direct to battery bank.

dgd

[grgdgreek]

Hello everyone :-)
My name is George.
I'm still working on setting up my profile so please excuse me.
My question is has anyone put a kid on a 400 watt eclectic energy model d400  wind turbine?
Thank you all in advance!

[dgd]

Hi George,

Is it a 12volt or 24volt turbine?
I have seen a KID connected to two in series 130 watt PVs and in parallel a 24volt Air Breeze turbine that can made about 250 watts in a stiff wind.
The Kid is set up in solar P&O mode (slowish scanning)
Seems to work ok as the boat hasn't sunk yet 

dgd

[grgdgreek]

24volt. Ecleticenergy D400 -i have two of these and 1 D400 industrial which switches star/delta automatically.