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Wind Power RPM | 14 comments (14 topical, editorial)
Re: Wind Power RPM (1.00 / 1) (#7)
by la7qz on Tue Aug 12th, 2008 at 10:21:12 AM MST
(User Info) http://home.no.net/naomij

Hi

Weird that nobody has mentioned using a bicycle computer. Much easier than messing about with scopes etc.

There are some available that can read both RPM and speed which could be calibrated to show wind speed on the speed readout. You can extend the wire with no problems.

I use one which only reads speed, so I have calibrated it to read the speed as RPM. It also remembers top speed (i.e. top RPM). I'm at work now, but when I get home to the boat, I can check what wheel circumference I entered to make kph correspond to RPM. It's a constant, not related to prop diameter. (You want to know how many times it turns, not how far the tip of the prop travels.) If you put your thinking cap on, you can calculate it, but I'm at work now, so I left my thinking cap at home... :)

Readout is with one decimal point moved. In other words. 30.5 kPh means 305 RPM. Mine has been a bit flaky lately. Probably moisture got into where I extended the cable, or maybe it needs a new battery.

Don't try a wireless bicycle computer. You probably won't get enough range and even if you did, it would be a pain to have to climb up the tower to change the battery in the sender.

Owen
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
[ Parent ]



Re: Wind Power RPM (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by ghurd on Tue Aug 12th, 2008 at 10:47:29 AM MST
(User Info)

Set it to Km/H. Set the wheel circumference to 166.7cm.
The Km/H is multiplied by 10 to get the RPMs.
ie: 32.8 Km/H on the speedometer is 328 RPMs.

CatEye is a higher end brand, Mity8 is one of their lower cost units. This model is listed as 4Km/H min, 105Km/H max.  So it should read from 40 to 1050 RPM.
I stretched the wire to 30+ feet on a Mity8 and it worked fine as a speedometer.
G-


[ Parent ]



Re: Wind Power RPM (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by kc5etv (kc5etv@yahoo.com) on Tue Aug 12th, 2008 at 10:23:12 PM MST
(User Info)

Looking forword to your reply..
KC5ETV Les
[ Parent ]


Re: Wind Power RPM (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by la7qz on Wed Aug 13th, 2008 at 04:56:47 PM MST
(User Info) http://home.no.net/naomij

Hi

Ghurd is correct. The constant for reading RPM on the Kph scale is 166.7cm (or 1667mm). Remember, the diameter of the prop is totally irrelevant. All you want to know is how many times it is turning per minute. (Now, if you wanted tip speed, well that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.)

Using the Kph scale is preferable to using the Mph scale because a speedometer running to max 100 kph may only be capable of showing around 60 Mph max.

Owen
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
[ Parent ]



Wind Power RPM | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial)

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