What diode on a wind turbine for the least loss?

[darwenn]

Hello, a quick question. To measure the voltage output from my wind turbine, I had to connect a diode at the output of the + wind turbine, and connected the + of the volmeter before this diode (otherwise I measure the voltage of the batteries and not that delivered by the wind turbine ). The concern of a diode is that it causes a loss. Which diode do you advise me to put to have the least voltage / power loss? With the reference, I will be able to order some. Unless I can get it somewhere, like PC power supplies for example. Thank you.

[Forhorse]

Your diode is useless, to charge a battery it is necessary that the voltage delivered by the charger (on wind turbine) is higher than that of the batteries to be charged.
So effectively when the wind turbine does not turn or it produces nothing you measure the voltage of your battery, but as soon as the wind turbine flows you measure its voltage well.
Research and try to understand the mesh law.

But in the end, measuring the voltage is not very useful, it is not representative of the production. It is better to measure the current. Suddenly the problem of the diode does not even arise.

[Alain G]

Hello, a quick question. To measure the voltage output from my wind turbine, I had to connect a diode at the output of the + wind turbine, and connected the + of the volmeter before this diode (otherwise I measure the voltage of the batteries and not that delivered by the wind turbine ). The concern of a diode is that it causes a loss. Which diode do you advise me to put to have the least voltage / power loss? With the reference, I will be able to order some. Unless I can get it somewhere, like PC power supplies for example. Thank you.

Hi Darwenn!

Like Forhorse says, you don't need diodes, anyway you have a diode bridge, you have to use a clamp-on ammeter or whatever.

The voltage can give you an idea, if you go above 14 volts if your batteries are full or above 12 volts if they are discharged.

The best solution remains the ammeter, your diodes will make you lose a few watts.

[darwenn]

Alain, I don't have a diode bridge, because there, as the regulator is integrated, it is DC that comes out.

I have an analog ammeter plugged in, it works, I have peaks tonight at 10A, the wind is average and I have to change my cable and put 6 square to limit the losses. So, on the power measurement side, no worries, it's just that the voltmeter's meter will always indicate the voltage of the batteries if I don't put any diodes. With the diode it allows me to check as with the ammeter, the voltage drops of the wind turbine. If I don't put on a diode, I can't see these voltage drops anymore. But finally the important remaining the power, I will follow your advice and remove the diode. thanks for the advice

[Alain G]

Alain, I don't have a diode bridge, because there, as the regulator is integrated, it is DC that comes out.

I have an analog ammeter plugged in, it works, I have peaks tonight at 10A, the wind is average and I have to change my cable and put 6 square to limit the losses. So, on the power measurement side, no worries, it's just that the voltmeter's meter will always indicate the voltage of the batteries if I don't put any diodes. With the diode it allows me to check as with the ammeter, the voltage drops of the wind turbine. If I don't put on a diode, I can't see these voltage drops anymore. But finally the important remaining the power, I will follow your advice and remove the diode. thanks for the advice

I checked the spec and your wind turbine is three phase so there are bound to be diodes inside, you don't need an external diode.

To calculate the wattage supplied you take the voltage at the battery that you multiply by the amperage you have which gives you the wattage produced at the moment: 14.5 volts x 10 amps = 145 watts produced.

[darwenn]

Yes, I did not use the Diode as a non-return diode, but just to be able to measure the voltage rises and falls of the wind turbine, because as I specified, even if the alternator is three-phase, the integrated regulator with the diodes leaves the DC on my cable which goes to the batteries. But in the end, it's okay, the important thing is that I can measure the power. Thank you

[loop]

Bonjour,

When we can measure the AC voltage between 2 phases of the alternator, we can know the rectified three-phase voltage.
The calculation is as follows:
U DC = U AC x 1.414 (square root of 2)
Knowing that the rectifier bridge alone loses 1 V at 1.5V, what is most often observed (its my wind turbine is the case), is that it takes 10V AC between 2 phases to start battery charge. The voltage drop of the diodes corresponds to a loss by Joule effect. This value of 10V increases a bit as the battery charges.

A+

[darwenn]

Doesn't it depend on how the alternator is wired? in triangle or star? I had read that this formula is only valid for star wiring.

[Forhorse]

Uh no, this has nothing to do with the three-phase.
It is just the relation that exists between an alternating voltage and its value after rectification.

But I maintain that measuring voltage is pointless.
With your current diode system, it's sure when the wind turbine does not turn quickly you still see the voltage go up, but this does not mean that it produces because as long as the voltage of the wind turbine is lower to that of the batteries there is no current flowing, zero times anything that is always zero ...