Hi Peter. I have been involved in servicing a freinds 6kW Proven system for seven years. My main concern is that if you are using battery storage make sure they have connected the trickle charge resistor correctly. They are better at synchronous direct grid feed types. The turbine is the same. The system installed at my freinds house had no resistor fitted at first. When this was pointed out by another local electrical engineer they came and fitted one but the contactor in the turbne controller unit was wired up wrong. The contactor operated at the cut off voltage but the resitor wires were both connected to the same terminal. Batteries were on full charge for about five years! This has cost my freinds £5000 in batteries. Proven customer support was non-existant. We have had to do all the work ourselves. Having said that the actual turbine has held up very well. 10 years approx. A little bit of de-laminating on one of the blades but this was easy to repair. I think all the new ones come fitted with composite blades anyhow. The earlier type were fibreglass encased wood, (like a boat). We get the turbine serviced by a local co. here in Cornwall called "Natural Energy". Simple enough if you get the thing on the ground. Setting up the brushes is a thing worth learning. Never wave a spanner near the magnets if you want to keep your fingers though! One further note: Our local electricity network provider, (Western Power Distribution), will not connect a wind turbine system if it has DC storage. Potentially massive DC current into grid if short circuit, (very unlikely). They will only connect for feed in if it is a synchronous connection to the supply line. Your inverter should be G83/1 approved for this. Check with manufacturer / installer first. Best of luck. Keep it green!
Regards from Dave D.
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ddelectrical