Installation manual

can decide what compromise to make with the packing and what penalty you will pay for not

changing it.

Optimisation is a trial and error process whereby you run the turbine, check the output

current, stop the turbine, adjust the knob on the magnet rotor, run and test again. Once you

have found the best position for the rotor you can pack behind it with washers to lock it

gently in that position. (Note: 1mm thick stainless steel washers are supplied for packing).

Do not over-tighten the plastic nut.

Take note of the number of magnetic rotor packing washers required for a particular jet size

and when running on one or two jets. Change the packers with the corresponding jet sizes

as your river flow changes with the seasons. Hang the jets and packing washers on nails in

your power shed for wet, normal and dry period flows.

8.4.4. Manual adjustment of MPPT settings to optimise turbine speed

Some MPPT controllers allow you to manually set their input voltage settings. If the

controller is unable to automatically track the correct operating point this can be useful.

Adjust MPPT set point (turbine voltage) from highest to lowest voltage and note power

output at each setting. Then select best power result.

Some MPPT controllers can take minutes to locate the maximum PowerPoint, and certain

models will sometimes go to sleep and not wake up. If this happens restart the MPPT

controller (by removing all power from the unit or by selecting the restart option in the display

menu), and on seeing a turbine voltage above the battery voltage it should wake up and

track until it locates the maximum power point.

Here are examples of what you might see. In this example both MPPT units were connected

to a PLT80 running at maximum output.

FM60 locating 1.6kW MPPT from a PLT80 MC250 tracking 1.23 kW MPPT from a PLT80