Clipper wish list

[mtdoc]

One other application for that controller is for small hydro as well.
Hydro also needs a clipper, usually.

boB

boB,

As much as I love buying Midnite products (just bought my 3rd Classic!),  I'm wondering if the recent development of "mppt enabled" micro hydro turbines like the PowerSpout ME series will mean less need for clipper type products for microhydro. 

[Robin]

3rd Classis! Wow, I only hooked up my first Classic at home two weeks ago. Now I need to get it on the internet. I am liable to become Ryan's worst nightmare when it comes to support. I am a mechanical engineer, not an electrical geek, so I don't actually get to play with this stuff much. Thus I will be asking questions.
If you can keep on buying classics, we will keep making them.
Sounds like your system is a good case for the follow me software.
Thanks for your support. We really do appreciate customers like you.

[mtdoc]

Thanks Robin.  Yes the 3rd Classic will be for my upcoming micro-hydro project.

Next year I may be getting a 4th Classic if i get around to putting together a second system for my detached garage. Love my ePanel, combiners, SPDs and quad box as well!  I guess you could categorize me as a satisfied customer! 

The latest firmware update with the follow me software is downloaded - I just have to find the time to do the install.

Having such great support by you all here on the forums is just another awesome aspect of being a Midnite customer!

[dgd]

Where did you order the Clipper from? ...

I have a feeling Bob could do some sort of data logging about how much the Clipper is actually Clipping? It won't know the wattage, but it could tell you the frequency at when it does it's job. The Clipper takes its direction from the Classic. That is how our battery status monitor will work too.

I'm in New Zealand so delays importing from USA are normal. The MN distributor here does not carry much MN stock. The two 150s I bought here were manufactured 15 months before I took delivery.
I have to agree with my local dealer to pay any additional shipping costs to get the Clipper here sooner
Even so I wish it were possible to buy direct as there seem just too many people clipping the ticket, but then again it's the commercial reality of distributor and dealer networks.
A midnite estore perhaps? PayPal? eBay store maybe? International shipping USPS, FedEx etc..
Seems one of the BIG reasons for dealers/distributors is local support BUT the direct MN support via these forums is way way better than anything a local dealer can do.

Dgd

[dgd]

BTW, that turbine is actually real.  We built one and it worked.

The Controller is also real.   One other application for that controller is for small hydro as well.
Hydro also needs a clipper, usually.

boB

boB,

That turbine looks  slick and engineered to NASA standards, at least compared to my roughly lumpy welded 10 footer 
Just wondering since the application is on a hummer, do those blades, carbon fibre?, have radar absorbing coating or other low radar signature design qualities?.  I can imagine a hummer gets into a nice open wind, raises the turbine and that distant search radar locks and sends something heavier and faster than yer 10mph wind 
Dgd

[Robin]

The blade material is still in debate. We are trying some light weight injection molded material at first. The fall back position will be glass reinforced Nylon, but that is pretty heavy. The Army has not asked for any exotic materials for the blades. I suppose this is not destined to be in the line of fire, so nothing special required. It can be deployed on the front lines though where fuel costs about $1000 per gallon to get it delivered. The turbine will take the small loads off the HumVee engine that at present can be running 24 hours a day.
There are all sorts of applications for this turbine. It can be folded up and backpacked. The tower is carbon fiber and it telescopes. Pretty cool stuff. The best part is that the turbine is a pretty good value as a consumer product also. The only difference will be the pins that lock the blades in place. The military needs quick release parts where the consumer version can use cotter pins.
I spent ten years designing military aircraft power supplies. This turbine would meet all of the mil specs required, but without the cost. A lot of the cost for military hardware isn't the hardware itself. It is in the qual testing and production testing and documentation. None of that excessive stuff is required on this project, but the military will be getting a rugged and reliable piece of gear.
I remember doing a power supply for the B2 bomber. This power supply (secret project at the time) sits on the back of the rotary cruise missle launcher. It's job was to launch the nuclear cruise missle, then to spin the launcher and launch the next one and so on. The pin wire testing for radiation hardening cost $17,000 per power supply. That was only one test! I don't know how many bombers they bought, but each B2 carried 218 nuclear warheads in their 18 missles. I always thought that one B2 bomber should pretty much suffice.
Anyway, this SBIR contract is a good deal for small businesses. The military actually wants a commercial product to come out of it. We will certainly comply with that wish.

[dgd]

Wow! This turbine is real boys toy, I'll take one or two when they are ready. Much more exciting than a fold up solar panel when tramping through Middle Earth.
Dgd

[boB]

boB,

As much as I love buying Midnite products (just bought my 3rd Classic!),  I'm wondering if the recent development of "mppt enabled" micro hydro turbines like the PowerSpout ME series will mean less need for clipper type products for microhydro.

MT, I get the Power Spout E-letters.  When you say "mppt enabled" hydro from them, do you mean they have a controller too or
are you saying that they use MPPT controllers with their turbines ?  I have seen them talk about the Classic as well as the Outback
MF80/MF60 for their hydros.

boB

[mtdoc]

boB,

Powerspout has a series of what they call Mppt enabeled (ME) versions of their turbines which are specifically designed to work with mppt controllers with no need for a separate diversion controller or clipper. They specifically mention using them with Outback FM or Midnite controllers.   My electronics knowledge is limited but I believe they have built in electronics which clamp the voltage at a maximum and have an internal resistive heater type dump load.

More detail HERE in their tech manual and HERE in their installation manual.   Their ME turbines come in different max voltage versions - e.g. ME 120, ME 140 , etc.  The also have a more traditional turbines they call battery enabled (BE).  They specifically mention the possibility of using a Classic 250 with a BE turbine and no diversion load.

I've got a ME 140 ordered and plan to try it out with a Classic 150 this spring if I can get my intake and penstock set up - so we'll see.