Re: Marlec HRDX/Rutland 913 - Request for information
Roy Emmerich
Subject: Marlec HRDX/Rutland 913 - Request for information
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From: Roy Emmerich <roy.em...@gmail.com>
Date: 9 June 2010 01:30
To: ll...@marlec.co.uk
Dear Lloyd,
My name is Roy Emmerich. Last year in April you dealt with Damien
Puigserver from Berlin. I am now working on the same project Damien
was involved with. I would really appreciate information based on some
Marlec products we are using.
Firstly some specifications:
Location: Organic farm in the Black forest mountains near Freiburg, Germany
System voltage: 12V
Turbines: 2 x Rutland 913 windchargers (one currently disconnected)
Controller: 1 x HRDX
Distance from turbines to controller: ~35m
Comments:
I was part of the team which put this small hybrid system together
last year. In fact we actually reconnected a bunch of old components
and added a bit more stuff to the mix. It consists of two oldish
Rutland 913 chargers, 2 old crystalline PV panels (both connected to
the one HRDX with an extra blocking diode), some refurbished forklift
batteries and a suresine 300W inverter. Suffice to say it is a hack
job using all available equipment and doing it for the lowest cost
possible. If you're interested you can read about the story here:
http://eurec.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/the-haeusleberg-project/
and get more technical info here:
http://groups.google.com/group/haeusleberg-project
So this summer we are doing phase 2 of this project and we need some
info and some new hardware.
Question 1:
Firstly the two turbines are not functioning properly. I have the 913
fault finding manual. One of the turbines (the one not currently
installed) only needs a new bridge rectifier (fault determined last
year). The one currently installed isn't working and I'm not sure what
is wrong with it. I will have to test it more thoroughly and see what
the issue is. To this end I would really appreciate a price list of
all the spare parts for the Rutland 913 wind charger. And could you
give me an indication of delivery times to Oberried (near Freiburg),
Germany?
Question 2:
As the turbines are quite far from the charge controllers (they're
both on the same pole - see here http://tinyurl.com/22rr73x), I was
wondering whether it would be technically acceptable to connect both
turbines in parallel to the same HRDX, thereby summing the currents
from the two turbines? I'm not sure how this would affect the HRDX PWM
short circuit breaking mechanism of the 913 turbines and/or whether a
single HRDX could handle the extra current, especially during times of
high wind speeds.
If this is not possible then we will have to lay another run of cable
and buy an extra HRDX. In the Rutland 913 manual it suggests cable
sizes per cable run. I presume this is the total cable length (i.e.
913 --> HRDX --> 913)? In our case, assuming the distance from turbine
to controller of around 35m, the cable run would be twice that (70m).
In this case we would need to buy 10mm² cable. Would you be able to
supply me with pricing/metre for both your 6 and 10mm² cables?
Question 3:
We only have one 12V battery pack consisting of two forklift batteries
in parallel. If we have two turbines and two HRDX controllers do you
foresee any problems connecting both to the same battery pack?
Thanks very much for your time and I look forward to your response.
Regards
Roy
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From: Lloyd <ll...@marlec.co.uk>
Date: 9 June 2010 11:23
To: Roy Emmerich <roy.em...@gmail.com>
Dear Roy
Thanks for your e-mail.
I have attached the parts price list. Speed and price of delivered
parts is related to the means used to send them. Generally speaking
air mail is the cheapest and may take 5 days whereas a carrier may
deliver in 3 days but for more money.
My first response to your provision there is that the Windchargers
should be Rutland FM910-3 "Furlmatic" Windchargers rather than Rutland
913s.
However if this is what you have then we need to get them working
again. I have attached the fault finding guide just to be sure that
this is the same thing that you have been looking at.
Failure of rectifiers is very very unusual.
It is not possible to use one HRDX for two Windchargers so you will
have to purchase a new regulator. We now produce the HRSi or HRDi
regulators. I have attached data sheets.
With your two Windchargers and two regulators you will be able to
charge the same battery bank.
Regarding cable supplies, I am afraid that we do not stock any twin
core cable greater than 2.5mm. CSA.
I hope that this answers all of your questions.
Best Regards
Lloyd West
Technical Sales Advisor
For and on Behalf of
Marlec Engineering Co Ltd
Rutland House
Trevithick Road
Corby Northants
NN17 5XY
Tel: +44 (0)1536 201588
Fax: +44 (0)1536 400211
Email:ll...@marlec.co.uk
Visit our website at: www.marlec.co.uk
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From: Roy Emmerich <roy.em...@gmail.com>
Date: 9 June 2010 13:26
To: ll...@marlec.co.uk
Dear Lloyd,
Thanks very much for your prompt response. However I have a few more
questions that I would really appreciate answers to.
[Lloyd]
My first response to your provision there is that the Windchargers
should be Rutland FM910-3 "Furlmatic" Windchargers rather than Rutland
913s.
[Roy]
Yes I realise that after going through the Marlec website but
unfortunately I had no say in the matter. The turbines were already
there when we were asked to help revive the system. They were
essentially remnants of a previous setup that had been stripped of all
batteries and controllers, leaving only the windchargers, cables and
solar panels.
[Lloyd]
Failure of rectifiers is very very unusual.
[Roy]
I personally tested the rectifiers, going through the tests suggested
in the fault finding manual, and the one rectifier was definitely
faulty. I'm fairly certain of that, although this is the first time
I've worked with Marlec products. During the next trip I will be able
to be more thorough as we'll have more time to complete everything.
Both turbines sat, disconnected, atop the mast for some time, probably
for a few years, spinning freely. In your opinion would this in any
way affect them? Damage to the windings perhaps?
And from your experience, what are the most likely things to break on
the 913 windchargers during normal operation?
[Lloyd]
Regarding cable supplies, I am afraid that we do not stock any twin
core cable greater than 2.5mm².
[Roy]
I just want to confirm the definition of cable run as used in the
windcharger manual. Is it the complete circuit from turbine to
regulator and back to turbine?
Do you have a rough idea of what 10mm² cable costs nowadays? I'm
almost too scared to ask considering the price of copper!
Other than the cable losses, do you foresee any other problems due to
the long cable run between the windchargers and the regulators?
Once again, thanks for your time.
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From: Lloyd <ll...@marlec.co.uk>
Date: 11 June 2010 13:13
To: Roy Emmerich <roy.em...@gmail.com>
Dear Roy
The 913s allowed to rotate freely for that time should be ok since
they have not been working against a load. The only wear and tear
might be on the bearings. Check these for smooth operation.
The thing that I would inspect regularly would be the brushes.
The overspeed protection on this machine is an embedded thermistor in
the stator which disconnects the hub from load if it gets too warm. If
this fails then the hub can seize with expansion from excess heat.
The cable run (usually twin core) is simply from Windcharger to
battery. The most important section is from regulator to battery.
I have no idea about cable costs etc but you could look at RS
Components website for such items.
Best Regards
Lloyd West
Technical Sales Advisor
For and on Behalf of
Marlec Engineering Co Ltd
Rutland House
Trevithick Road
Corby Northants
NN17 5XY
Tel: +44 (0)1536 201588
Fax: +44 (0)1536 400211
Email:ll...@marlec.co.uk
Visit our website at: www.marlec.co.uk