5kw "inverter" gen head unit?

[BioHazard]

I just found something very interesting on ebay, though I'm not entirely sure what it is?
http://cgi.ebay.com/AuraGen-5KW-Generator-System-NOS-Diesel-Gas-RV-Marine_W0QQitemZ330416258392QQcategoryZ42907QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6354890313998970531
It appears to be a variable speed alternator, for belt drive, which sends power to an "ECU" to output 5kw at either 120 or 240 volts.

Any thoughts on this thing? The manual even talks about an 8kw version.

[mobile_bob]

i have read about these, there are various versions made by as many different manufactures

basically the alternator produces high voltage wild AC and is fed to the ecu which rectifies and reforms the power
to produce 120/240 at 60hz power.

nice setup, and probably less than half of what they originally sold for.

usually the alternator alone goes for 2 grand or so iirc,

might be very interesting to work with

bob g

[BioHazard]

Wow, this thing seems almost too perfect for our uses. How come nobody talks about them? Too expensive? I think this thing just might be what I've spent my entire life searching for........

They have another one that produces 8kw AND 150 amps of 12 or 24 volts at the same time!

[mbryner]

That's basically the same as a microhydro setup, but contained in a nice package for a small fraction of the price.   I wonder how much water head/volume it would take to turn it.   Unfortunately, no specs like that are listed because it wasn't designed for that use.    It has potential for lots of uses.

[LowGear]

I wonder what it's internal DC is before it's rectified to 120 / 240?  I'll let you know is the seller gets back to me but does anyone know off hand?

Casey

[Carlb]

I have a wind turbine which uses a PM alternator feeding wild ac to buck converter and rectified to DC. When the turbine is spinning the DC is normally around 420VDC.

the alternator inverter and radio communications are all in the turbine nacelle

[Hacksaw]

To answer LowGear, the following link indicates 400V DC busses

http://www.aurasystems.com/pages/prod_intro.html

What turns me off is the apparent snake oil on their trucking page -

http://www.aurasystems.com/pages/prod_trucks.html

The unit is only 80% efficient to begin with. Add a major and heavy lead acid battery bank to the truck in addition to all kinds of electric distribution and the truck is magically more efficient than the stock setup? I'll wait for an independent lab report on this one.

BTW, the last time I checked, long haul freight trunks use about eight times more fuel on a ton-mile basis compared to rail.

http://cta.ornl.gov/data/download29.shtml

[billswan]

I have a wind turbine which uses a PM alternator feeding wild ac to buck converter and rectified to DC. When the turbine is spinning the DC is normally around 420VDC.

the alternator inverter and radio communications are all in the turbine nacelle

Carlb
Who made that setup?

And could you explain radio communications in the nacelle?

Thanks

Billswan

[LowGear]

Hi CarlB,

I wonder if there some reason your unit couldn't be spun with a generator and feed into a Sunny Boy?  Without redoing the Eprom from the solar settings?

Casey

[BioHazard]

What turns me off is the apparent snake oil on their trucking page -

http://www.aurasystems.com/pages/prod_trucks.html

The unit is only 80% efficient to begin with. Add a major and heavy lead acid battery bank to the truck in addition to all kinds of electric distribution and the truck is magically more efficient than the stock setup? I'll wait for an independent lab report on this one.

Belt driven accessories certainly use more fuel than electrical ones. This is why nearly every new car comes with an electric cooling fan these days. I'm planning on doing something similar in my old pickup, with a 350 chevy...electric water pump/fan/power steering/air conditioning and a pair of deep cycle batteries. The only belt driven accessory will be an alternator; however, I will have a switch to turn it off and the accessories will normally run on battery power alone that I charge from the grid. I'm getting rather tired of 200 miles/tank on premium...

The thing about normal belt driven accessories, in a car or truck, is that they are designed to work from idle to 5000+ RPM. Electric powered accessories can be designed to run more efficiently at a single speed, like water pumps and fans. For my cogenerator I don't even plan on having an alternator, it will have a 120v battery charger.

Belts are so 19th century. 

[Carlb]

I have a wind turbine which uses a PM alternator feeding wild ac to buck converter and rectified to DC. When the turbine is spinning the DC is normally around 420VDC.

the alternator inverter and radio communications are all in the turbine nacelle

Carlb
Who made that setup?

And could you explain radio communications in the nacelle?

Thanks

Billswan

Southwest windpower makes the turbine They sell it as a Skystream 3.7.  I was a beta tester for them back in 2006 and while we had a few failures in the first year it has been up and running since 2007.  They use a wireless setup made by zigbee called a xbee pro to send data from the turbine to your computer.  It tracks just about everything you can think of including three thermocouples in the nacelle.

[Carlb]

Hi CarlB,

I wonder if there some reason your unit couldn't be spun with a generator and feed into a Sunny Boy?  Without redoing the Eprom from the solar settings?

Casey

I often thought about that and I think it would be possible. It produces about 3600 watts at 350rpm. I have a spare turbine nacelle complete with the inverter that could be spun up and prime mover and connected directly to the grid.  the only problem is that is will not function when the grid is down.  The up side is that it is ul approved for direct grid tie.

[billswan]

I have a wind turbine which uses a PM alternator feeding wild ac to buck converter and rectified to DC. When the turbine is spinning the DC is normally around 420VDC.

the alternator inverter and radio communications are all in the turbine nacelle

Carlb
Who made that setup?

And could you explain radio communications in the nacelle?

Thanks

Billswan

Southwest windpower makes the turbine They sell it as a Skystream 3.7.  I was a beta tester for them back in 2006 and while we had a few failures in the first year it has been up and running since 2007.  They use a wireless setup made by zigbee called a xbee pro to send data from the turbine to your computer.  It tracks just about everything you can think of including three thermocouples in the nacelle.

Carlb

So does the receiving computer need a special card or does it use just the normal wifi thing for receiving.

Billswan

[Carlb]

no special card just plug into a usb port and run the provided software.  The receiver fits in the palm of your hand. 

[LowGear]

I often thought about that and I think it would be possible. It produces about 3600 watts at 350rpm. I have a spare turbine nacelle complete with the inverter that could be spun up and prime mover and connected directly to the grid.  the only problem is that is will not function when the grid is down.  The up side is that it is ul approved for direct grid tie.

Hi Carl,

As you know the Sunny Boy wants over 350 volt DC for lift=off.  How many volts is it delivering at 350 RPM?

Casey