PM generators 2

[magneatorandy]

I have several different opinions related to coil windings for pm generators.some say use fine wire for max vlt.Others say use thicker wire for current.Either one can be converted to current or voltage.what are the pros and cons when winding coils for generator projects.this just applies to a wind generator project im working on.i will be using deepcycle 12vlt batteries and a 12 to 120 rectifier in the end .current vs voltage? whats your recomendations

 

[waross]

I have been doing this for a very long time. I could dig out my old text books and attempt to design a generator winding. But the winding is just one part of the generator design. Do you have the capability to do the machine work required? More important than wire size is the design of the magnetic circuit. How do you propose to punch the stator laminations? The air gap is important and should form part of the calculations and design.
I would not bother to even dust off the old books. Even though one of my class projects from long ago was to design a DC motor for a given HP.
A much better use of money and time will be searching catalogues for a suitable PM generator that may be used "Off the Shelf".
Like I want to build an engine. Should I build a V8 for torque or a 4 cylinder for RPMs. There is more to an engine than the number of cylinders and there is more to a generator than wire size.
But current Vs voltage?
How many 12 Volt batteries?
I would use 3 or more parallel strings and then go for as high a voltage as I had batteries for. A 12 Volt system may use 10 times as much copper as a 120 Volt system. The losses will generally be greater also.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[OperaHouse]

One source for a lot of winding issues is

http://www.fieldlines.com

I suppose it depends on how competent you are at electronics. Don't have any mills myself. My feeling is go for voltage, have lower line losses and less cost in the wire from the mill. I design all my own electronics for solar and I prefer to convert it down. Higher voltage also allows me to dump excess power to a water heater. For simplicity you can't beat matching the mill cut in speed close to the battery voltage.

 

[Ticklemetech]

@OperHouse - Couldn't agree more. Converting down is the way to go. The excess power is always helpful. Especially if you deal with multiple applications that require a different process each.