Diversion controllers [RE-wrenches]

[Hugh Piggott]

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>  Rather than using high current switching to disconnect diversion 
>loads, one could switch the battery sense leads to a voltage divider 
>or regulated supply at an artificially lower voltage level thus 
>fooling the charge controller.
>
>William Miller

Yes indeed I have used this technique as a means of equalising 
batteries (where the controller does not make provision).  You can 
put a diode or two into the feed to the volt sense wires (dropping 
voltage) and this makes the controller push the voltage a bit higher. 
The same technique could be used to inhibit the controller from 
dumping during generator run-time.  It would probably be safer than 
disconnecting the load altogether.  Sometimes the generator will be 
run for high loads during times of high wind and the charge would 
still need some sort of control.

On the whole I prefer not to tamper with the control settings but to 
dump power directly off the source (before a blocking diode or from a 
separate rectifier).  However this mode is not described in the user 
manuals and is presumably not covered by warranties.  I would like 
the controller manufacturers to offer a solution.

I still have not got to the bottom of how to set up charging of gel 
batteries.  The controller standard settings are much lower than the 
battery manufacturers recommended settings for gel batteries.  The 
temp comp on the tristar is also much steeper than the battery people 
suggest (5 instead of3 mV/C/cell).  This could be tweaked with a 
computer but I still don't really feel that I know the best voltage 
setpoints.  Sounds like 28.8 volts would be a good compromise for 
bulk charging(?)

Thanks for all your inputs.
-- 
Hugh

Scoraig Wind Electric
http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk/
leaving for South Africa next week for a month with family.
E-mail contact may not be reliable.

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