# controller question



## flatwater (Dec 15, 2008)

My good friend has a wind generator but no control box. He called a place that sells control boxes and told him that wind generators require a special controller.The controller that came with the wind generator, I have and it's the same brand and type I use with my panels. What would be the reason for a different controller other then to sell him something more exspensive.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Odd. What kind of wind generator does your friend have?

Ours in an Air-X and it has a built-in controller. I wonder if someone is giving him the run-around, or maybe the place that sells them deals mostly with solar and doesn't realize the wind generator already has a controller built in?


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

I'm no expert, but I believe they need to be able to shunt any extra power and act as a brake if it spins too fast. Solar panels can be shorted to waste the extra power to avoid over charging, but wind can't. Here's the one I have my eye on if I ever get a wind gen.
DIVERSION REGULATOR CHARGE CONTROLLER SOLAR / WIND 12V - eBay (item 320520746296 end time Jul-19-10 15:09:55 PDT)


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

flatwater said:


> My good friend has a wind generator but no control box. He called a place that sells control boxes and told him that wind generators require a special controller.The controller that came with the wind generator, I have and it's the same brand and type I use with my panels. What would be the reason for a different controller other then to sell him something more exspensive.


It depends on the wind generator. nj_m715 may right. We bought an auxilary switch to go with ours. The wind generator is self-regulating in that it won't overcharge the batteries but if the batteries are charged and you have high winds the generator can overspeed and self destruct. The switch re-routes the juice to provide some drag on the turbine.

We'd have to have more info on his particular unit to determine who is right.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

flatwater said:


> My good friend has a wind generator but no control box. He called a place that sells control boxes and told him that wind generators require a special controller.The controller that came with the wind generator, I have and it's the same brand and type I use with my panels. What would be the reason for a different controller other then to sell him something more exspensive.


Can you post a photo of it? We may be able to identify it from that.


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## JeepHammer (Oct 10, 2008)

flatwater said:


> My good friend has a wind generator but no control box. He called a place that sells control boxes and told him that wind generators require a special controller.The controller that came with the wind generator, I have and it's the same brand and type I use with my panels. What would be the reason for a different controller other then to sell him something more exspensive.


Depends on the generator...

There are two types, one that controls the output by external means, (Excite/Regulated type),
And Permanent Magnet types that will produce anytime the generator is moving.

If you have the Permanent Magnet type (Which most small generators are) produce no matter if your batteries need it or not...

This is not an issue with 'Grind Tied' systems, the excess current production is simply put on the grid turning your meter backwards.

If you have a 'Stand Alone' system, then you need to use up that excess production to keep from overcharging the batteries.

That means you need a 'Load Shunt' to burn off the excess current when it's not needed and the generator is producing.
This is normally a resistor wire that simply heats up to shunt the excess power away from the batteries.


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## flatwater (Dec 15, 2008)

Thank you all. It was the info I needed. It is a perminent magnet


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