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Gizmo

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Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5078

Posted: 12:57am 20 Sep 2009

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Hi Guys

Pete ( Downwind ) sent me a very interesting word document he put together about building encapsulated resistor dump loads from domestic heater elements ( stoves, cloths dryers, etc. ). Its a good read and Pete makes it look easy.

http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/articles/BuildingEncapsu latedResistors.asp

If anyone else has a article or story they think others could find useful, and would like to put on the site, please send them through. I'll do all the formatting and image preparation, all I need is the content and pictures.

Glenn

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ

Downwind

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Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 02:34am 21 Sep 2009

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Hi All
I would like to thank Gizmo for his help in putting this article in web format and posting it.
It was a fun project that evolved.
I was toying with building a controlling system for it but why reinvent the wheel if there is presently tried and tested controllers in use that would easy adapt for this sort of resistor bank.

Any ideas on a suitable controller??

Would it be better to use PMW with all resistors in parallel??

Or switch/add each resistor to the bank as generated power increased??

Downwind.

Sometimes it just works

niall1

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Joined: 20/11/2008
Location: Ireland
Posts: 331

Posted: 10:39am 21 Sep 2009

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seriously impressive ...

..never thought you could bend the segments ...a single 800w 24v commercial water heating element would cost 100 dollars (shipped) to me from the states .. i,d much rather try your idea

with the dump matched to a tristar (pwm) it should be fine , the fan or heat exchanger should stop things getting hairy under heavy diversion ..(though pwm may need a little care with cable layout to help prevent any voltage spikes )

switching in each resistor as needed seems tempting too but you,d need some sort of multiple output controller which dosent seem commercially common (maybe a version of gizmo,s 084 controller ..or a lm3914 led driver chip )Edited by niall1 2009-09-22

niall

GWatPE

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Joined: 01/09/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2127

Posted: 11:38am 21 Sep 2009

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Hi Niall,

The nichrome is a wound wire type, so this will require snubbing with any form of semiconductor switching system.

I switch 240VAC wound wire type radiator heaters with zero crossing SSRelays with inbuilt snubbers.

Gordon.

become more energy aware

Downwind

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Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 11:48am 21 Sep 2009

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Hi Gordon,
Do you know the part number or maker of the solid state relays you use, and can they handle frequency switching (PWM).

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

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