Question on Clipper operation..

[TomW]

I have my Clipper wired to a Classic 150.

The turbine is an "Otherpower" style 12 foot dual rotor wired for 24 volt cut in at about 180 RPM. I feed DC into the Clipper.

I know this is not ideal but it is what I have.

I put together a wind track that starts @25 volts and tops out @ 40 volts and some guesses at amperage settings. Aux2 connected from Classic to Clipper and Clipper Control set to Auto on Aux2.

Of course as soon as I got it set up the wind started obeying rule #1. Not enough wind to get up much above charge voltage.

I noticed that even when the turbine volts is above 20 volts or so I only see 11 volts on the input of the Classic according to the Local App. If I disconnect the clipper>>Classic DC connection I get 18 Input volts. All according to the Classic and Local App. The Clipper does not seem to pass any voltage through it as I only get .7 volts on the DC out of the Clipper when disconnected from the Classic. Is this normal?

I thought the Clipper simply passed the DC through to the Classic until it sensed over voltage and then diverts power to the resistors?

I tried to read everything I could but either missed this or it was not addressed.

Any info appreciated.

Thanks.

Tom

[Halfcrazy]

Hm that is odd. Yes the Clipper "Unless being told to Clip" should pass straight through. You may want to take a hard look at the slider assembly some of the earlier ones where easy to get buggered up slighlty leaving the pass through breaker in the tripped position.

Ryan

[TomW]

Ryan;

That may be it, I pulled the plate off and cycled the breakers and now the Classic seems to show the voltage I see coming in from the turbine. Maybe the breaker got tripped somehow during the gentle handling UPS is known for.

Now on the fun part. Waiting for some wind to kick up.

Thanks.

Tom

[TomW]

Today I have some wind. Enough to get up around 40 volts DC from the turbine.

The output of the clipper never rises above 18 or so volts, DC out connected to the Classic or not. The Classic agrees with my meter on the voltage going in to it when it is connected.

The breakers seem fine showing "00" ohms on my old meter when closed.

The Classic never gets out of "resting".

Wondering what is eating the ~20 volts difference between the turbine DC and the Clippers output DC?

My windtrack is attached. I know it is less than ideal but thought it would get me started.

Thanks.

Tom

[dgd]

Tom,

Probably a wee bit away from your topic,  but have you tried just connecting direct to the Classic? When the Classic unloads the turbine have you seen the voltage get near or over 150v or does the furling or braking stop it going there?

dgd

[TomW]

Tom,

Probably a wee bit away from your topic,  but have you tried just connecting direct to the Classic? When the Classic unloads the turbine have you seen the voltage get near or over 150v or does the furling or braking stop it going there?

dgd

dgd;

Since I installed it the max voltage the turbine has made is 40 volts so voltage is not an issue for the Classic in these winds. As near as I can tell the Classic never got out of "Resting" mode as it never saw over 20 volts out of the clipper?

What I am seeing does not make much sense to me. It could be dropping the voltage through the resistors but with no load on the output it should still see full voltage with no current flow through the resistors to drop it.   I will have to go back over everything and double check all the wiring again.

I will try it direct to the classic if we have some mild winds tomorrow.

I spent most of today on a mission to check on an RE system a new home owner wanted to sell. I ended up convincing him to keep it and get it working even though I coveted the 2X Trace SW 4KW inverters and other parts. It seemed a crime to part out the system when all it probably needs is a battery bank for the 1200 watts of solar. talked myself out of a possible package deal on panels and balance of system.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Tom

[Halfcrazy]

Tom
Can you Email me a picture of the inside of that Clipper? I am wondering if there may be a bad SSR in there? Anyhow Email me off list a picture I will point you in the direction to test the SSR and we will get you online asap

Ryan

[TomW]

Tom
Can you Email me a picture of the inside of that Clipper? I am wondering if there may be a bad SSR in there? Anyhow Email me off list a picture I will point you in the direction to test the SSR and we will get you online asap

Ryan

Ryan;

Will do. Later tonite. I figure its something simple.

Thanks.

Tom

[boB]

So, 24 volt battery ?   When you see around 11 volts on the input and are using a 24 volt battery, that is
about what you will see when the Classic's input terminals are not connected to anything at all...
That resistor across its internal relay does that.   Now, if the Clipper's AC SSR is loading down the
turbine all of the time, (you do have an AC 3 phase clipper, right ?), then that is what will
happen.  Because the SSR (triacs) are on the AC side of the rectifier, there will be no
loading of the Classic's input and it will look like it was disconnected from anything.

If the triac SSR were to be either ON all the time or shorted or whatever, then the dump load
resistors would load down the turbine and if you had some good wind, it could very well
develop some voltage across the dump load resistors and bring your Classic's input
up higher.  I think you said you saw around 20 volts DC on the Classic's input ??

That might be it ??

boB

[dgd]

The turbine is an "Otherpower" style 12 foot dual rotor wired for 24 volt cut in at about 180 RPM. I feed DC into the Clipper.

boB,

seems its not an AC 3 phase Clipper, or if it is the AC SSR and resistors dpn't do anything.

dgd

[TomW]

Folks;

Today I hooked the turbine straight to the Classic. Mostly to ensure the Classic had not been affected somehow.

It seems to do what it should. My wind track is likely not ideal and I jacked up the amps so it keeps a load on the turbine with it connected direct and only my shorting switch to stop it which is also directly across the input since  is bad to short the Classics input.

Low winds and the input volts around 30 to 40 and getting up near 300 watts occasionally through the Classic. Better power than if it was directly connected, I think.

I think this means the Classic is fine and I will back track from there through the Clipper.

Still hunting a good wind track for the 24 volts @ ~180 RPM 12 foot dual rotor machine.
Just an update.

Tom

P.S.

This is looking very good for harvesting low wind power. These winds, if my flag is any indicator, would normally have the direct connected to batteries turbine just at cut in with a few amps here and there. The Classic is letting it speed up and that seems to be getting power I otherwise would miss. Kind of pumped to sort out what I did wrong on the Clipper.

[dgd]

Folks;

Today I hooked the turbine straight to the Classic. Mostly to ensure the Classic had not been affected somehow.

It seems to do what it should. My wind track is likely not ideal and I jacked up the amps so it keeps a load on the turbine with it connected direct and only my shorting switch to stop it which is also directly across the input since  is bad to short the Classics input.

I just put a breaker after the shorting switch so I could disconnect the input to the Classic before flicking the shorting switch.
I like low wind harvesting even if it is just a trickle   

dgd

[TomW]

I just put a breaker after the shorting switch so I could disconnect the input to the Classic before flicking the shorting switch.
I like low wind harvesting even if it is just a trickle   

dgd

I just rigged this up to test things. The Clipper will do that isolation and shorting  when it is sorted out.

I am definitely seeing power from winds I would not have gotten power from directly connected.

Next time I lower the turbine I will tighten the air gap and get the volts/RPM lower for hopefully better performance.

Tom

[TomW]

I should have mentioned when I opened this thread that this is a USED, early Clipper and NOT a factory fresh, current unit.

Just for clarity.

Tom

[boB]

I should have mentioned when I opened this thread that this is a USED, early Clipper and NOT a factory fresh, current unit.

Just for clarity.

Tom

One of our older Clippers ?   Maybe we can get that slightly updated ?   It's probably without the fan power supply and
failsafe circuit board. (?)