Electrical Connections; Regulation - ECLECTIC ENERGY D400 User Manual

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Table Of Contents

Table of Contents

Connecting cables between the D400 and the battery bank or inverter should be

appropriately sized to minimise transmission losses. For low voltage machines transmission

losses are always a consideration, so it is advisable to keep cable runs as short as possible

and be prepared to use heavier gauge cable for longer runs.

Suggested cable conductor cross-sectional areas for a 12 volt machine would be:

0 - 10 metres cable

10 - 20 metres cable

20 - 30 metres cable

For a 24 volt machine, the transmission losses are lower. Suggested cable sizes would be:

0 - 10 metres cable

10 - 20 metres cable

20 - 30 metres cable

Note, cable sizing is always a 'trade off' between the reduced electrical losses

associated with using larger cable, and the additional costs and difficulty of the installation.

The cable sizes recommended above will ensure acceptably high transmission

efficiencies.

Where the D400 is fitted to a tall mounting tower, ensure the weight of the hanging cable is

taken by a strain relief arrangement within the tower, rather than allowing all the weight

to hang on the D400 cable connection.

Fusing:

The D400 is capable of producing very high currents. A line fuse must always be installed in

order to protect the D400. This is in addition to the fuses in the regulator output.

A blade-type 50 amp rated fuse and holder is supplied with 12 volt machines.

A blade-type 30 amp rated fuse and holder is supplied with 24 volt machines.

Note: This fuse should be installed between the turbine and the regulator, and where a

braking switch is fitted, the fuse should be installed between the switch and the turbine.

Where the D400 is being used for battery charging we strongly recommend that a

regulator is installed as part of the system. The regulator's function is to prevent battery

damage through overcharging. The regulator works by sensing battery terminal voltage

and as a pre-set upper limit is approached, the regulator progressively dumps output from

the D400 to a pair of large, foil-wound resistors, where the surplus energy is lost as heat.

The 6TB regulator unit usually supplied with the D400 incorporates a charge splitter so

its two outputs can be connected to two independent battery banks which will be

charged simultaneously. The regulator will preferentially charge the lower of the two

banks first.

Note: each output of the 12 V regulator is protected by a 40 amp blade fuse. The outputs

of the 24 V regulator are protected by 20 amp fuses.

The regulator should be installed within 1 metre of the battery bank where possible and

the dump resistors mounted horizontally in an area where air is free to pass over them

for Cooling.

See wiring diagrams on pages 13 and 14.