I am looking to connect generic asynchronous motors (from washing machines, vacuum pumps, etc.) to vertical axis wind turbines. I need to know how to wire it so that I can sync these squirrel-cage induction machines to the electric grid by allowing me to plug them into an ordinary electric outlet in my home, 20-50 AMP. Since the generator is an induction device, if the grid goes down, then the generator should stop generating, which is what I want. By syncing to the grid I can avoid the cost of an inverter and not require batteries. This would allow to reduce my energy costs, and my net meter would register those savings.
There are companies that plan to sell such a device, including the turbine, generator and interconnection device for $400: http://www.clariantechnologies.com/main/page_home.html
I would rather use by own home-built vertical axis wind turbines and spare asynchronous motors as generators, so I need to know how to wire them and what, if any, interconnection device is needed.
I have asked the local electric company to provide me information about any required protective device that would be needed for this type of generator setup. I know (thanks to a previous response to a question here at Yahoo) that there is a possibility that if the grid is down and the turbine continues to rotate, an induction generator can sustain an open circuit voltage provided there is no load – this is an unlikely situation, but it is something that my electric grid supplier will tell me about.
I know that induction machines such as these must be connected to a grid that can supply reactive power in order for them to function as generators. Exactly how they are connected I do not know.
I need to know how to wire the wind turbine driven asynchronous motor to the grid so that reactive power is applied to it. And I need to know if I need a special controller that would allow that asynchronous motor to function as a generator such that I can just plug it into an ordinary electric outlet in my home.
