Using a DC Water Heating Element as a Dump Load for a Renewable Power system.

The link should be:

Out of interest, since you`re talking about

If it is to be 'interconnected back to the mains network' then why not use that as the dump load?

When the batteries are fully charged, and the hot water is fully heated, then the surplus can go back to the grid?

Can you tell me what sort of system YOU'RE using?

Cheers,

Nah, I don't think you'll fry the generator with the DC load. If the turbine can't supply full power to the element, it will just turn slower or not at all.

Actually, I don't think you really need any dump load with this sort of system. All that will happen is that the solar cells will get hot and the turbine will spin at a rapid rate. Perhaps a mechanical arrangement to turn the turbine out of the wind if it starts spinning too fast.

Cheers,

have you calculated payback time?

DC heater element casings last the same as ac, and casing failure is common cause of end of life. The element itself will be more robust than mains ones.

NT

Thanks you for your help and interest.

What I will do is connect the small wind turbine directly to the water heating element in the immersion water heating tank- no batteries, inverter, charge controller, etc. Cheaper and less power lost that way which means faster payback time.

Not using any kind of protection system (dont know what G83/1 is). The turbine furls nicely in high wind but keeps producing power :)

Pay Back time quick calcation: Mean Wind Energy where my mum lives

Govt subsidy/grant for renewables in: Ireland - 0%, UK circa 1000stg, Spain - 50% etc

Total costs:

Annual power saving:

Payback time: about 2.3yrs without incl costs of capital and assuming electricity costs do not change. If your govt gives a subsidy for renewables then it=B4s a no brainer even in a medium/low wind area. I also expect power costs to rise over the next few years.

Wind Maps:

I`m not, hence the question - although I do have an interest in how it all hangs together (or not !)

If you`re not looking to "export" any excess generation capacity it won`t apply to you afaik - although if you plan to hook it up to your existing wiring so that it may potentially backfeed onto the mains network it probably would apply :-} ?!? but depending on location and who your supplier and / or network operator is, different rules may apply.

One of the first hits in google gives...