Turbine Operation
The
Chinook 200
is based on a simple design for ease of installation and reliable operation. You may no-
tice the following behaviour during normal operation:
•
Cut-in -
The turbine will not begin to charge the batteries until the rotor is spinning at approxi-
mately 350 RPM. When operating below this speed, the turbine will be ‘Un-Loaded’ and will be
freewheeling. Once the turbine output voltage becomes equal to the nominal battery voltage (at
around 350 RPM), the turbine will become ‘loaded’ and begin to deliver current to the batteries.
During the Un-Loaded stages of rotation, the rotor blades rotate very freely. This allows the rotor
to build up speed and allows aerodynamic lift to be generated by the blades.
•
Normal Operation -
Once the rotor is spinning at 350 RPM, current will be delivered to the bat-
teries. As the rotor speed increases, so too, will the current and voltage. Excessive wind speed
may increase the battery voltage to a high level. Once this happens, the
Chinook 200
diversion
charge controller will recognize that the battery voltage is too high, and switch the turbine output
to the dump load.
•
Charge Regulation -
Once the charge controller has switched over to the dump load, the turbine
will no longer be charging the batteries. Instead, the power from the turbine will be delivered to
the dump load (The built in resistive heater element) and the turbine rotor may seem to rotate
more slowly. The battery voltage will begin to drop to normal levels during the regulation period.
Once the battery voltage is back within acceptable limits, the charge controller will switch the tur-
bine output back to batteries. Refer to the charge controller user manual for specific operational
instructions.
•
Shut Down -
By activating the optional stop switch (if you have installed one), the output from the
wires of the turbine are ‘shorted’ together. This effectively puts an infinite load on the generator
causing the turbine to stall. When the stop switch is activated, the turbine may still rotate slowly
during high winds, but the rotor blades will not be able to build up any significant speed. It is
not
recommended
that the stop switch be activated while the rotor is spinning at high speed. This
sudden braking action will stress the blades and other components. Activate the stop switch dur-
ing a ‘lull’ when the rotor is not spinning excessively fast (not following this warning may violate
your warranty).
•
High Winds -
Every effort has been taken to ensure that the
Chinook 200
will withstand the
forces exerted by strong winds. However, the raw power in high winds is immense, and the
stresses placed upon the turbine are magnified by gusty and turbulent conditions. Where possi-
ble, the turbine should be shut down in advance of particularly strong winds (60+ MPH) and storm
conditions. This will decrease the wear and tear on the machine and will help to avoid a failure.
The rotor blades may rotate slowly during the shut down period, but the forces exerted will be
greatly reduced during strong winds. Protect the turbine from extreme winds as you would protect
other items of your property.
Note: Never allow the turbine to run Un-Loaded with no connection to a battery bank or dump
load. Doing so will allow open circuit voltages to be generated by the turbine. These voltages may
be dangerous and will damage the stator coils within the turbine.
User Manual (Chinook 200) Rev D Final Page 16
