Branch's SSG Build

[Branch Gordon]

So I have my new 2A12 charger now charging my primary batteries. Made some tuning adjustment to the SG as well...and now I'm seeing what looks like stairstep charging on my curve.

Here's a photo

It's broken up into pieces as I've been rebooting my PC off and on, so I've had to append new curves as the charging continues. But you can see the last two on top are stairstepping. This is a good sign right?

[Branch Gordon]

Here is a video I shot last night of my setup running: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEpBSZyJtrU

[John_Koorn]

Hi Branch, looking good. That graph of your charging is what I would consider as a perfectly normal charge curve. It's perfectly normal to see the voltage step up like that.

John K.

[Branch Gordon]

Happy to report a COP of 1.01 on my charge battery for test run #5 with my new NAPA batteries. That's even counting the extra 5 hours spent accidentally charging up to 15.45V, instead of stopping at 15.30V.

Charge Input Joules: 440,452
Discharge Output Joules: 444,581
Charge Input Amp Hours: 9.35
Loud Output Amp Hours: 9.48

Charging time in seconds:

Run #1: 216,240
Run #2: 192,120
Run #3: 185,820
Run #4: 174,540
Run #5: 168,240

Excited to see the improvements over the next 10 runs. System COP still .35...but at least my battery is improving like it should.

[Branch Gordon]

Hooked up the generator coil off the old 3PM (3 Pole Monopole) kit to my bike wheel SG to load it down some, and powering some LED grow lights with it.

Shot a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CRe-_gRmEw

[Branch Gordon]

So...since I've added this genny coil, do I need to adjust my tuning? Or do you tune the SG first with just the master coil, and then add the load?

[BobZilla]

Pretty cool Branch!

You may need to adjust for the Genny but maybe not. Basically it is going to make the wheel drag a little but that can be a good thing. That is why Mr. Bedini adds that fan.

Check your input current draw and see if you are still in a sweet spot. I'm not sure if you are running on the fixed or the pot resistor but if your running fixed set your pot to equal the fixed and then adjust a little up and down to see if the draw lightens up for the same RPM. I have a feeling you will need a slight adjustment but not much at all, maybe a few ohm. Of course the battery voltage is going to affect this as well so it is best to do this tuning on a full primary at the beginning of a run. ---Bob

[Branch Gordon]

Thanks Bob!

So this recent curve is the result of adding this generator coil haha. It's the shortest one, and as soon as it hit 14.5v, you can see that it shot straight up to 15.5v! Pretty awesome!



In reference to what you suggested, I am running a couple of fixed resistors in parallel @ 32 ohms. I have found that if I switch back over to my pot once the wheel has sped up, I can squeeze the resistance up to around 50 ohms, without losing my sweet spot, and only suffering a few RPM drop.. If I go past that, my current jumps up and I lose major RPMs. I wasn't sure if I should run at that squeezed down resistance however, as everyone has always said to run at the resistance where the "shift" happens to a higher RPM/less current. You, or anyone, have any insight into this?

p.s. - BTW, the little voltage spikes in my chart are points where my primary battery runs down and I swap in a fully charged one. I kill the power to the circuit first of course, and then switch back on once the primary is hooked back up.

[BobZilla]

Looking good my friend, great machine and great results congratulations!

It sounds like you are still in the sweet spot so I would leave it alone. I usually run on the pot so that as the voltage drops on the primary I can adjust the resistance to keep in the sweet spot. You see if you have a fixed resistor and it is tuned perfect for a full primary, well the primary will fall as the run goes on and that fixed resistor may not be optimal towards the middle or end of the run. It is a personal preference though, many other builders swear by using a fixed resistor.

You seem to have all of this down pretty well now so you can experiment with your system and come to your own conclusions for what you like best. Great job man!

[Branch Gordon]

Thanks! Yeah I have some things I am going to experiment with. Gonna keep conditioning these batteries until they plateau, then make some other changes. I'd like to see how far I can load this wheel down without losing the sweet spot.

I might try charting every .10V or so to see how the sweet spot changes at different voltages.

Looking good my friend, great machine and great results congratulations!

It sounds like you are still in the sweet spot so I would leave it alone. I usually run on the pot so that as the voltage drops on the primary I can adjust the resistance to keep in the sweet spot. You see if you have a fixed resistor and it is tuned perfect for a full primary, well the primary will fall as the run goes on and that fixed resistor may not be optimal towards the middle or end of the run. It is a personal preference though, many other builders swear by using a fixed resistor.

You seem to have all of this down pretty well now so you can experiment with your system and come to your own conclusions for what you like best. Great job man!

[Branch Gordon]

So I am noticing that if I don't charge up until the curve levels off, I get less AH out when discharging. The problem is that my charging curve levels out at 15.7v. Obviously way higher than the recommended 15.3v.

Is it ok to charge up to the level off point if that is what the battery is considering fully charged?

[John_Koorn]

Yes Branch, you want to wait until the curve starts to level off. Remember the battery bible says cells are fully charged at 2.7v, or 16.2v for a 6 cell lead acid battery.

John K.

[Branch Gordon]

Good morning everyone! I have a question...shot a video. Please watch if you have the time and let me know what you think.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGTyiBAOW2s

[BobZilla]

Hi Branch,
I'm not sure I am understanding the question exactly but here is an idea for whatever it's worth.

I think I know what you mean in that when I have added gennys in the past I could not get the RPM up fast enough because of the drag but once you are spinning real good you can swing them in and it still runs good. Almost like an RPM hump you have to get over before introducing the drag from the coils.

Depending on if you run normally on fixed or pot resistor you can run initially with a lighter resistance just to get the RPMs up and then switch over to your tuned setting. Like supposing you prefer to run on fixed, use the pot to get her spinning real fast with the coils in place and once you are over your tuned rpm , like 450 or whatever switch back over to the fixed resistor and it should settle down into the tuned region.

I don't know if this addresses your question or not really but just an idea. Basically just have a way to push it harder at startup and then click over to tuned. It will waste a little energy but I am only saying to run it hard until the RPM gets above where you normally want it and then click over and let it settle in.

[Branch Gordon]

Thanks Bob that answer it perfectly!

Hi Branch,
I'm not sure I am understanding the question exactly but here is an idea for whatever it's worth.

I think I know what you mean in that when I have added gennys in the past I could not get the RPM up fast enough because of the drag but once you are spinning real good you can swing them in and it still runs good. Almost like an RPM hump you have to get over before introducing the drag from the coils.

Depending on if you run normally on fixed or pot resistor you can run initially with a lighter resistance just to get the RPMs up and then switch over to your tuned setting. Like supposing you prefer to run on fixed, use the pot to get her spinning real fast with the coils in place and once you are over your tuned rpm , like 450 or whatever switch back over to the fixed resistor and it should settle down into the tuned region.

I don't know if this addresses your question or not really but just an idea. Basically just have a way to push it harder at startup and then click over to tuned. It will waste a little energy but I am only saying to run it hard until the RPM gets above where you normally want it and then click over and let it settle in.