Light Weight Wind Turbine Project - as I build it.

[Steadfast]

I am hopeful that I will recieve my experimental PMA (delco) in the mail before this weekend.
If I do the LBird should be flying by Saturday evening...

If not, I will begin work on the tail of the HBird this Saturday instead...
and post as I go on the other string.

[fabricator]

Thread.........................................LOL.

[Steadfast]

Wood blades made courtesy of David Moller of Royal Wind and Solar

[windvision]

After watching the video and looking at all the trees and also knowing that this is a low wind area, I would like to retract my bet on the Chris/Dave turbine combination as being the winner. I don't think either unit will make enough to engage the Doc Watson, given the circumstances.

[fabricator]

After watching the video and looking at all the trees and also knowing that this is a low wind area, I would like to retract my bet on the Chris/Dave turbine combination as being the winner. I don't think either unit will make enough to engage the Doc Watson, given the circumstances.

I wouldn't bet the grocery money on that if I were you.

[Steadfast]

After watching the video and looking at all the trees and also knowing that this is a low wind area, I would like to retract my bet on the Chris/Dave turbine combination as being the winner. I don't think either unit will make enough to engage the Doc Watson, given the circumstances.

  that is THE CHALLENGE....
both generator designers knew this going in.... and modified accordingly....
 If I can fly them here, they will fly anywhere....

[fabricator]

There aint no challenge here pard.

[ChrisOlson]

that is THE CHALLENGE....
both generator designers knew this going in.... and modified accordingly....

Actually I didn't modify anything except for a way to bolt an axial generator to a frame you build for it.  The generator was an old unit that was for a small 24 volt turbine and I opened up the airgap on it to drop the voltage for 12 volt and get the rpm up for the 7 foot GOE222 blades.

If I would've built it from the ground up for this application I would've built it different.  But it'll work, even on your poor wind site.  I just hope your tower can take it.

You can fly car alternators with barn fan blades on a 2" pipe because they don't make any power, so they don't make any significant thrust.  Turbines that create real power do it by extracting kinetic energy from the wind, and that creates thrust.

I'll guarantee you this - the first time you get wind gusting over 20 mph with all that turbulence from being close to the ground, and that 7 foot turbine gets wrapped up to 600 rpm, it will shake your tower, and the shed it's attached to, right to the foundation.

You're going to fly the toy one first and learn the basics.  When you put the real one up you'd better shut up, sit down and hang on, because it ain't gonna' be no hayride when the wind blows.
--
Chris

[Steadfast]

Woooohoooo...bring it!!!!   

[Steadfast]

I just spoke to Tony at Hurricane,
He called to give me a heads up
that he will have my PMA delivered by Next Saturday…
even if he has to reward me for my patience by sending me a modified duel PMA as an upgrade…

I told him to send me whatever he most wants the world to see through my video reports…
So... I will be working on Chris/David “HBird” project this Saturday instead…

He also told me he plans to start selling his own line of Axial Generators!
See, he is coming along…and while he does...I and my LBird wait...

[windvision]

Fab:

  Like you, I understand which one has the most potential. This looks all uphill to me. Not to be a "Debbie Downer", but solar is looking better for this site all the time. It's a yawner, I know, but would likely give him more output for the money spent. Just sayin.

[ChrisOlson]

He also told me he plans to start selling his own line of Axial Generators!

I hope you've figured out by now that this guy is full of a certain substance commonly found on the ground in a bull pen.

solar is looking better for this site all the time.

I ain't fab, nor do I play him on MTV.  But if you check way back at the beginning of this thread we already told Steadfast that very fact.  He wanted to build a wind turbine anyway, just for the learning experience.  That's why me and DaveM decided to help him out.  If he's going to have one, he may as well have one that can take advantage of what wind he does get on that site.

Steadfast bought a Doc Wattson so he can log kWh production of his RE stuff.  That will show him where the bear craps in the woods.
--
Chris

[Steadfast]

AND... Back in the beginning...
I also took their advice and picked up some suplimental Solar...

Those are both 140 watt panels.


windvision,
Please read this thread from pg1 on...

[Steadfast]

I just spoke to Tony at Hurricane...   

He told me my modified experimental PMA will be in the mail tomorrow with a Friday delivery.
He also told me that when he completes this PMA's upgrade that he will mail me that one too.
(I, of course, will have to mail him back the other one after I receive the upgrade)

So Saturday Night You guys should get photos and perhaps a video of the LBird flying!
WoooHooo!   Finally!!!

However, First come first served: 
If Tony's PMA does not make it by Friday night, we will press forward with work on flying the HBird...  (Front hub construction, blade mounting, tower reinforcement, 80 amp 3 phase rectifier installation, weather tracker on mast for wind speed, bike computer for RPM, stop switch) and MAYBE, just Maybe we will be able to fly the HBird by Sunday night....

Bumping the LBird's data gathering out of the game for over a month, while we gather data info on the HBird instead. 

[Bruce S]

Sounds like a busy weekend  of the good kind 
Make sure and get really good pics of the Lbird once it arrives.

[Steadfast]

I spoke to Tony at Huricane to ask if I was going to find my PMA at the house today.
he said he will mail it to me on monday...

He says that last week he was just days from being able to build the final PMA.
That he did no want to send me a "Stand in" PMA when he was so close to finishing it.
Now that he has the parts all in, he is building the final product now. 

Assuming I can get the HBird up and running this weekend.
It looks like his PMA is going to have to wait a month before recieving his performance data.

[fabricator]

He also told me he plans to start selling his own line of Axial Generators!

I hope you've figured out by now that this guy is full of a certain substance commonly found on the ground in a bull pen.

solar is looking better for this site all the time.

I ain't fab, nor do I play him on MTV.  But if you check way back at the beginning of this thread we already told Steadfast that very fact.  He wanted to build a wind turbine anyway, just for the learning experience.  That's why me and DaveM decided to help him out.  If he's going to have one, he may as well have one that can take advantage of what wind he does get on that site.

Steadfast bought a Doc Wattson so he can log kWh production of his RE stuff.  That will show him where the bear craps in the woods.
--
Chris

Yeah, what he said, it's a no brainer, but turbines are just more fun, like watching a kinetic sculpture.

[Steadfast]

Tony claims he held back delivery because of the high profile nature of this situation on this forum... and the fact that he was sooooo close....

Fine with me...
I am a VERY patient man... 
For now, I will say nothing disparaging about this delay...
AND
I will have nothing but GOOD things to say about him if he can pull it off.

Why?
because I support inovation as one of my priciples...
even when it gets in the way of my plans... 

[fabricator]

That guy is so full of s#it, he ought to bag that and sell it instead of his hocus pocus redelco, if you EVER see that thing I'll be amazed.

[Steadfast]

Life is full of amazing things... 

but... to my credit...
If I hear the same thing next week, and not a tracking number....     
"Disparaging" is a word that will only begin to discribe the tip of the iceburg...
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[Bruce S]

Since you'll have a full month of data collection from Hbird....
I'd wait until that time has passed +1 day then if he hasn't gotten one to you, even the backup unit.
Then call him and see where it may possibly be 
That way you're the better person; post the update here and go hoist the Hbird back up, hook ALL the safety stuff back, make sure the batteries are hooked up, do ONE more check of safety stuff  and call it a day 
JMO
OH!! Don't forget to have a little fun along the way too 
Cheers;
Bruce S

[Steadfast]

Rats bats. And flaming cats....   my 80 amp rectier just left vagas in the mail!  It will not be here until next week.  So even if we do finish the HBird in time, I STILL wont be abil to fly it....

Next saturday is my daughters birthday...

uuuuugh... This is really starting to chap my hide.

[Bruce S]

YOU can still hist the Hbird!! short the windings just like you would do.
Get everything else in place and "when" the rectifier arrives get it in place.
Nothing like having stuff ready to go when the last piece of the puzzle arrives!!

 

[fabricator]

Just go over to radio shack and get three single phase bridges for now, they're like two bux apiece.

[Mary B]

I have 3 single phase rectifiers already mounted on a heat sink for sale in the swap and shop.

[Steadfast]

Tony at Huricane called:
He said my experimental  PMA should be in the mail today...
 

[DamonHD]

Here's hoping... B^>

Rgds

Damon

[fabricator]

ROTFFLMFAO.

[Bruce S]

Remember to get pictures of it, the box before opening, Redelco in the box, out of the box and a few good ones of the different sides, ends and hook ups. 
Plus any notes that may have come-along with it.
OH! I noticed it said "should" ?
Keep us up to-date.
Cheers
Bruce S

[wildbill]

I was a mail carrier for 20 yrs. when one sends a package it isn't called back, this redelco, has been mailed how many times?

[ChrisOlson]

I wonder how one of them ReDelco's would work for a standby gas charger?  Drive it with a LoveJoy with a 6 horse Briggs or similar.

I've built gas chargers with unmodified Delco 10SI's and they work great, but you have to come up with a way to excite the field once you pull the regulator out.  I'm wondering if they got the rpm's so low in these PM ones that it would try to put out too many amps and just burn up the stator.
--
Chris

[tanner0441]

Hi

Does anyone know how many magnet poles there are in those things. My chinese Berghey has 3 which makes it easy to measure the RPM with the fancy SnapOn meter my old firm supplied me with, but also means cuttin is over 300RPM and optimum output is at 450 RPM. Oh! it does start turning in a light breeze though......

I tried rewinding a few car alternators and the only way I could get them to work at a lower RPM was to reduce the wire size and testing them with an electric motor driving them meant they quickly warmed up. So I think Chris you answered your own question.

There was another posting on here the weekend with someone asking about a similar unit.  The stated voltages seemed to be measured Open and I assume the current used the ammeter as the load, and you have to supply your own pully and fan so if it burns out you can be blamed for using the wrong fan.

Brian

[Steadfast]

Tony at Hurricane called:
He said my experimental  PMA will be in the mail tomorrow..."For sure". 

Tony described that when he put his new revolutionary forge steel elliptical magnet array in with
12 gauge stator and it did not cut in until 800 rmp...
with a 20 gauge stator it  produced cut in at 150 rpm with enough amps to form an arch between the wires 1 inch apart. 
with a 28 gauge stator it cut in at 80 but with pathetic amps.

So he is mailing me the PMA with the 20 gauge stator... tomorrow... 
After he has dipped painted the PMA with heat set, candy apple red, car paint and pearlized clearcoated it too! 

Oooooo Sparkles....
I kid you not!
(hey Chris, I can pinstripe it too, if you like!)

The whole process only took 92 days...from order to delivery...
I am the very model of "The Patient Man", am I not?   
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