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IDENTIFICATION
Wind Turbines are identified by a
Model Number and a Serial Number,
both of which are stamped on an identification plate
located on the
main housing of the machine as shown in the adjacent
photo. These
numbers will be required in the event that there is
a need to return the
unit for warranty work.
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BATTERY BANK
A renewable energy system which uses the ULTRA X900
Wind Turbine as a source of power
generation must also incorporate a battery bank of
the same nominal voltage – 12, 24, or 48 volts.
Besides storing the energy for later use, the
battery bank also serves to condition the power as
it is generated. As a general rule, deep-cycle,
flooded lead-acid batteries are used due to their
lower cost and recognized durability. Absorbed Glass
Matt (AGM) or Gel batteries require little or no
maintenance but cost more per stored watt and
generally store less energy per pound of battery.
They are more convenient but cost a bit more.
Sizing of the battery bank is a critical aspect of
the renewable energy system design and warrants
detailed consultation with your battery supplier.
Over sizing the battery bank results in unnecessary
expense; under sizing the battery bank results in
inadequate storage capacity and an inability to make
optimum use of the power produced by the wind
turbine. |
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POWER CONVERSION
The ULTRA X900 Wind Turbine is an alternator based
system which produces 12, 24 or 48 volt “Wild AC”
power. Wild because it’s voltage, current and
frequency changes dynamically as the wind changes.
The AC power is rectified or changed to a pulsed DC
current by the charge controller-Rectifier and the
“Pulsed DC” output of the controller-rectifier is
used to charge or “pump energy” into a 12, 24, or 48
volt battery bank.
Think of the battery bank as a fuel tank and the
turbine as a fuel pump. The wind is an infinite
source of energy (fuel) but the turbine “fuel pump”
has a limited rate at which it can fill your battery
tank and the tank will only accept so much energy
before it is too full.
Energy can be drawn directly from the batteries to
power low voltage DC loads or by using an inverter
can be converted to 110/220 volt AC to power
conventional household loads or feed power to the
electrical grid in a grid-tied application. To
continue the analogy, the inverter then is the
“engine” of your system. It uses the stored
electricity as fuel to run your appliances and
lights at what ever rate you choose up to the limit
of the inverter (note this is not equal to the limit
of the turbine but only the inverter and battery
combination). The bigger the Inverter and the higher
demand there is the faster you will empty your fuel
tank.
So the determining factor on what you can run with
your turbine is not the turbine itself but rather
the peak or continuous rated power of the inverter
and the size of your battery bank. You may be able
to run your whole house for some period when the
wind is not even blowing. The question is how fast
is your engine using the stored energy and how long
will it take to empty the tank or refill it?
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DIVERSION
LOAD
Diversion resistors are built into ULTRA
controllers. This integrated diversion load is
designed to divert excess energy when the wind is
strong, the demand for energy is low, or the
batteries are full.
Under these conditions the turbine is still
producing and the energy must be handled in some way
or excess heat will build in the alternator and it
may overheat. The diversion load must be able to
continually dissipate all of the maximum
instantaneous and sustained power produced by the
wind turbine. Theoretically, a diversion load can be
installed on the AC side (after the inverter) and
power a 120v AC load such as a water heater or fan.
But AC diversion loads do not protect the wind
turbine in the event of an inverter failure.
Even though it is only rated at 900Watts the ULTRA
X900 Wind Turbine requires at least 1800 watt
diversion load to ensure an adequate margin of
capacity in all possible operating conditions. |
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| SINE WAVE INVERTER |
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The ULTRA system
inverters turn the DC power (12v, 24v or 48v) into
useable household AC current at 220v/50hz. |
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