[RE-wrenches] Bergey Excel 1 wind generator issues

[boB at midnitesolar.com]

Ray will also hopefully respond here.  Bergey opted to sell the 
combination of Classic,  turbine control box and XL.1 turbine and take 
on the
warranty for  over-voltage installations, like this one .  The data logs 
show 400+ volts which is as high as the CL250 goes. They assumed that their
blade design will self limit the RPM and thus, the highest voltage 
produced in most situations.  The Clipper makes the system cost more.
I am surprised at how many of these systems have survived without the 
Clipper.  High sustained winds is the problem.
If a storm is brewing and the customer is at the sight, at least there 
is a brake switch in the control box so that could be set before-hand.
The Clipper can keep the turbine speed down to approximately what is 
needed to keep the controller in the Absorb or Float stage and
keep down noise and bearing wear as well as the voltage.  The dump load 
resistor values have been tweaked for the XL.1 so
it works pretty well when the AC Clipper is used.

One thing that a single 48V nominal turbine and using MPPT for wind does 
is to keep from having to stock and sell multiple skews.
They have also shipped many turbine stators that were wound wrong.... 
more like 24V.  Those will work ~OK~ for 24V systems but not
very well for 48V. Unfortunately, the 48V customers that receive those 
stators have had to call Bergey and get new stators,
(wound for 48V),  which they have to swap out.  It seems to me that it 
would be much easier just to ship the correctly
wound stators or at least find out what battery voltage the system is 
designed for so they can ship the lower voltage
stators for 24V or 12V systems.

boB





On 2/19/2014 6:56 PM, All Solar, Inc. wrote:
> Ray,
> Are you referring to Midnite's wind turbine control box, which is what 
> comes with the Bergey?
> It does not include any diversion for slowing the turbine. I 
> questioned why they did not use the clipper, but did not really get an 
> answer. We have installed 2 of the Excel 1s in the last 6 months with 
> no problems.  I also believe the clipper would take care of it, just 
> have no experience with it yet.
>
> Jeremy Rodriguez,
> President
>
> All Solar, Inc.
> 1463 M
> Penrose Colorado 81240
> 719-372-3808 office
> 719-372-3804 fax
> www.asolarelectric.com <http://www.asolarelectric.com>
>
> Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand!
>
> On Feb 19, 2014, at 2:27 PM, Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com 
> <mailto:ray at solarray.com>> wrote:
>
>> We've done some research on this, as we're doing an XL.1 project at 
>> 12 v right now.
>> I don't have first hand experience with the Clipper yet, but I have 
>> over a decade of XL.1 experience and many years with Midnite's 
>> electronics.  The Clipper is exactly what is needed.  It also moves 
>> the rectifier down to the ground, and offers a braking disconnect 
>> system to shut the turbine down completely if needed.
>> The Classic by itself isn't really controlling the turbine speed, and 
>> counting on the XL,1 mechanical governing design by itself is 
>> definitely full hardy.
>> Unfortunately, Bergey's new staff is not really up to full speed yet 
>> on what is needed to make their turbines work long term.  At least 
>> they've abandoned the old XL.1 controller. Hopefully the turbine 
>> itself hasn't changed too much; I've seen them survive some very high 
>> speed winds and direct lightning strikes.
>> R.Ray Walters
>> CTO, Solarray, Inc
>> Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
>> Licensed Master Electrician
>> Solar Design Engineer
>> 303 505-8760
>> On 2/19/2014 1:39 PM, Chris Daum wrote:
>>> Hello Wrenches:
>>> We have a customer who's got one of the Excel One wind gennies, and 
>>> he's burnt up two Classic controllers (overvoltage....the 2nd time 
>>> it got over 400V before it burnt up).  Bergey's been dragging their 
>>> feet as to why this is happening; they're saying it's probably an 
>>> "upslope site" where the RPM just gets too high, among other things. 
>>> Metering tests prove that the stator is OK.
>>> They also said that Midnite Solar has a 'clipper' to prevent 
>>> overvoltage; do any of you have any experience with this device?  
>>> It's ~$1200, and of course there is no mention of this on Bergey's 
>>> web site or in their XL.1 manual.
>>> I have several other XL.1s in the general area, but they are on 
>>> their old 24V controller.  So I am looking for more information on 
>>> anyone who's using this 'clipper'.
>>> Please feel free to contact me off list.
>>> Thanks!
>>> Chris Daum
>>> Oasis Montana Inc.
>>> 406-777-4309
>>>
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