By C45Sanctuary on 4/29/2008 11:15 AM

Over the past few days I've digested the technical information provided for the Air-X wind turbine.  This wind generator has integrated electronics which monitors voltage level and wind speed, and controls (limits) wind turbine speed if either of those levels exceed a specific threshold.  The voltage level monitoring can be bypassed if there is a separate voltage regulator installed (such as in hybrid or multiple power source environments).  At this point I still prefer to use the onboard electronics contained within the Air-X but it's good to know there are other options available if the power generation system becomes more complex (and it will).

One drawback to using the 12V version of the Air-X generator, I've realized, is the system generates twice the amps (electrical current) than the 24V model.  Since wire size is based upon the current carried, this means the wire connecting the generator to the battery bank needs to be bigger than if I had used the 24V model.  However, using the 12V model means I don't have to mess with converting 24V back down to 12V by splitting it in parallel over two different 12V batteries.  Staying at 12V is simpler, even if it means I'll be spending more on thicker (and heavier) copper wiring.

I'm also deciding where, exactly, the output from the solar panels will be connected into the battery bank.  I don't want to connect them to the same point as the wind generators.  Since both systems could be charging the battery bank at the same time, I need to limit the possibility that the output of one system will fool the other system into believing the battery banks are fully charged (batteries are charged at a slightly higher voltage than they discharge).  This means the power generation systems need to be isolated from each other, somehow, so that voltage from one system won't back feed into another system.

Here's the idea: Since the battery bank is really three sets of 12V batteries, that means there are actually three points in the battery circuit where external power generators could be connected.  The batteries would provide the isolation between three different power sources (shore/genset, wind, solar).  So, instead of connecting all three power sources to the same power block, each power source is connected (in parallel) across a different set of 12V battery terminals.

I'll need to work it out on paper, as well as verify this solution will still work with ship's "ground", before I decide to test it.  But the idea, at least in principle, seems solid.  The benefits include easier troubleshooting, insurance that a bad battery doesn't take out the whole bank, and the ability to use the manufacturer's voltage regulation on the wind generator (and possibly the solar panels, too).  The drawback is it might be a really, really dumb idea.  I could be totally wrong on the circuit design.  I won't know until I've drawn it all out on paper, worked out the relevant formulas, and determined they could work.

By C45Sanctuary on 4/29/2008 11:00 AM

It's been more than a week since I ordered the full set of plans from Sailinfo.  I had hoped the turnaround would be a bit ... quicker ... than this.  Various projects under development at home port are slowly grinding to a halt.  Yesterday, I visited the Sailinfo web site and read their FAQ.  Their FAQ states that full sets of prints wont ship until business 5-7 days after the order is placed.  So, in retrospect, I should have placed my order sooner than I did.

By C45Sanctuary on 4/25/2008 2:24 PM

The following wind generator requirements were identified:

• Provides charging voltage at 12V DC
• Suitable for the harsh marine environment
• Installed rotor diameter is less than 48"
• Supplies at least 300 watts with 30mph wind

Several models claimed to supply as much as 500 watts.  However, upon closer inspection, these wattages occurred at wind speeds that were sometimes more than 40 mph.  At 30mph the wattage supplied was typically less than half that.  Some models claimed to be designed for the harsh  marine environment, but they required rotor diameter spans as large as ten feet.  There isn't any way to safely install such a large rotor on a boat.

I decided the Air-X Marine wind turbine was the best bang for the buck.  Plus, the place I purchased it from included the 50 amp safety stop switch as well as a 30 amp analog meter.  The rotor diameter (46 inches) is pretty close to what I decided was the maximum safe size.  In the next few days I'll perform some testing to break it in using the rooftop mount at home port.

I don't forsee relocating the wind generator to the boat until the end of May (at the earliest).  The mounting infrastructure still needs to be designed, manufactured, and tested.  That won't happen until I have determined which solar panels will be used and where they will be mounted.

By C45Sanctuary on 4/21/2008 10:00 AM

The time has come to begin designing the new electrical system.  I'm going to get the full set of prints from Justin Thomson of Sailinfo.  Hopefully, those prints will arrive fairly quickly.  I'd like to learn what the electrical system is supposed to look like (even though I know it has undergone significant changes in the past 35 years).  I know that some of the circuits aren't wired correctly (see April 20th for details).  Figuring out what those circuits are supposed to look like, then comparing them to what they are today, would go a long way to fixing the existing electical infrastructure.

This project will also involve several smaller projects:

• Wind Generator(s) - Research existing technologies, determine which products can handle the harsh marine environment, analyze the wattage outputs of different products at varying wind speeds, and decide which product will be purchased and installed.
• Solar Converters - Similar goals as the wind generators.  Size and shape will also play a significant role.  I'd like to install the solar panels in a way that blocks direct sunlight from hitting the salon cabin (keeping the interior cooler), but won't get in the way of handing the mainsail nor cause reflective glare in the cockpit.
• Wind Generator Mounting Frame(s) - Design rugged framing platforms for the wind generators.  The wind generators should be positioned on the aft edge of the faintail, at least eight feet above the deck, and should not interfere with other electronic (radar, GPS, antennae, etc) that will also be positioned in the same area.  The solution should ensure the boat davits remain unobstructed.  If possible, the fantail area should allow for other secondary activities, such as fishing and access to a swimming platform.
• Solar Panel Mounting Frame(s) - Design rugged framing platforms for the solar panels.  If feasible, the solution should allow the panels to be slightly repositioned for increased direct sunlight in the early morning / late evening hours.  If the solar panels are rugged enough to support working weight (a person standing on them), then the monting frame must also be designed to allow this safe working weight.
• Power Usage and Calculation program - Written to be hosted on a small device, possibly as small as a Windows Mobile platform.  This application will monitor the feed from a wind speed indicator and calculate the power generation created by the wind generators.  The existing power load will be provided as a known, configurable set of parameters.  Using the known power load, and including battery power decay rates and conversion deficiencies, this program will indicate how much battery power is remaining above the "safe" threshold of 50 percent battery life.  Future program outputs could include interfaces to the (still unnamed) ship's operation and control system.  To allow for easier system interoperability, all alerts will be provided via SNMP, and will be designed into the Power Usage and Calculation program.
• It is anticipated that these smaller projects will occur mostly at home port, with the installation of the final product occurring after the system has proven itself in an operational "alpha test phase" within the model environment.

The rewiring of the existing infrastructure will occur at the boat yard while the testing of the wind generators and the solar converters will occur at home port.

By C45Sanctuary on 4/20/2008 8:00 PM

I spent some time troubleshooting the electrical wiring today.  I've concluded the Link 2000 interface isn't working.  That's the component that controls the Freedom 2500 Inverter-Charger. I suspect the long telephone cord that connects the Link 2000 to the inverter-charger is the culprit.  I haven't been able to locate good technical documentation, such as an installation manual for a field technician, for the Link 2000 so I don't have a solid understanding of what circuits, exactly, it connects into.  It hasn't ever worked for more than a few hours at a time anyway.  And, even when it was working, it was barely working.

The inverter seems to be doing just fine though.  I can operate it in manual mode by using the On/Off switch mounted on the exterior of the casing.  When the manual switch is "OFF", the Link 2000 is supposed to control the charger and the inverter.  When the manual switch is "ON", the Freedom 2500 charges the battery bank automatically.  In manual mode, the inverter portion of the Freedom 2500 seems to generate a low-wattage AC load until it detects a need for a heavier wattage output.  When that occurs (such as turning on the microwave), it then kicks into high gear and you can hear the cooling fans kick in as well as the 60hz hum of the sine-wave generator.

I plugged an electrical tester into the AC outlet at the dining table.  When I switched on the "Starboard AC" circuit it stayed unlit.  When I switched on the "Galley AC" circuit, it turned on and indicated the circuit was wired correctly.  When I switched off the "Starboard AC" circuit with the "Galley AC" circuit still on, the tester turned off.  It's kind of weird that TWO circuits have to be turned on for a single outlet to work.  I suspect the "Galley AC" and "Starboard AC" circuits are wired incorrectly, since both switches have to be closed for the outlet to work.  I'll need to look at the original electrical wiring schematics to see if this is working as intended with the "Galley AC" circuit acting as a safety mechanism, or if someone screwed up when they did some rewiring at some point during the past 35 years.