Author Topic: 10ft sections for tower?  (Read 4639 times)

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johnnym

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10ft sections for tower?
« on: March 26, 2017, 02:17:41 PM »
Ready to finally put this thing up. I have 2 10ft 1.5in black iron pipes and just connect them with a conduit. I really think I need 2 more to give the turbine 40 ft. It is tilt up with guy wires. The tower for a wind turbine seems to be just as expensive if not more than the turbine itself. This seems to be the cheapest way to build the tower. Has anyone done this before? Connecting 10ft sections together? Any suggestions/feedback would be appreciated.

SparWeb

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2017, 04:38:50 PM »
1.5 inch diameter - sounds kinda skinny.
You can expect the noodle to dance around.
Better have a lot of guy wires on it.

How big is the turbine?
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
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johnnym

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2017, 08:19:57 PM »
It is one of those Missouri wind and solar car alternator looking things.  I would have gone a different route and built my own with the hugh piggott designs but I didn't believe I could do it so I bought the thing. Ignorance on my part... but I have invested a lot of money in this.. at least a lot for me. The 1.5 inch is what fits on the mounting brackets from Thermodyne. Everything is from Thermodyne/Hydrogen Appliances besides the car alternator looking pma which is from Missouri wind and solar. They sell basically the same $#|+.

super64

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2017, 08:15:29 AM »
if its not a tilt down design try to increase section stiffnes by a material of your choice .

try to calculate a load sheer moment diagram for your tower it will give you an idea about whats going on .

also have a look on this research http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2427&context=etd

all the best luck 
assumption is the mother all failure .

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Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!

Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of people know that.

Mary B

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2017, 03:54:32 PM »
Black iron pipe is weak and I wold not use it for mast material, only 35,000 pound yield strength, more common steel tubing from a metal shop will push that to 75,000 pounds, and chrome moly steel is up around 120,000 pounds. Those numbers sound huge until you do the calculations and see how much force is applied to the unsupported section(above the top guy wires). I use 1026 steel which is the 75k for masts and have had it bend with just antennas on it. And that is 2" diameter .2 inch wall! Do the calculations please and make sure your install is safe!

super64

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2017, 10:07:53 AM »
also you have to build a foundation for the turbine its easy just a hole and some reinforced concrete and anchor bolts

for the reinforcemnt use 6mm steel mesh to save time and avoid trying to bend and join RC bars .



you need to have a person how is on construction to have a look becuase diffrent soils have diffrent characteristics.
this will avoid you tipping over or foundation settlement 
assumption is the mother all failure .

To Alcohol! The cause of... and solution to... all of life's problems.

Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!

Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of people know that.

SparWeb

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2017, 02:59:57 PM »
FYI, the photo attached above is for a big Bergy on a free-standing tower.
The foundation for a guyed tower can be much much smaller.
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
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Harold in CR

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2017, 05:22:58 PM »

 If that pipe has threads, do NOT use them as the joint. You should get pieces of the next size larger that will just fit over what you have, and TACK weld them to the iron pipe. Welding all the way around will make it weak same as the threads. This from an EX turbine installer, 4KW and less.

 You will need 3 guys per tower leg, one in the middle of each section and one at the joint, MINIMUM. This especially for raising. Center support guy is CRITICAL.

johnnym

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2017, 02:35:01 PM »
Ok, this is how I did it. I have 2ft nipples connected to the flange where the main pole would go. This is in concrete. 2ft deep and 1ft diameter. This was done months ago. The two 10 ft sections are just sitting in the garage.

I am thinking I may need to completely start over on the tower based on your feedback because if I am going to do this I am going to do it right. If I were to start over what would you all suggest? Keep in mind this is based on a tight budget. I have 100 ft of guy wire, the turnbuckles etc.. so getting a little more guy wire or small items like that won't be a problem but if I have to spend another 200 dollars then I am in the red. It needs to be at least 40ft tall to avoid turbulence from some trees nearby. It seems that the issue here is the main pole... as in getting it 40ft high.

I really do appreciate all of your suggestions/feedback.

Mary B

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2017, 05:20:21 PM »
2" diameter minimum for that height, 3" would be better... switch to carbon steel form black pipe, or if you can find it well casing(can sometimes find used form a well driller)... or check craigslist. This is near me for example https://marshall.craigslist.org/grd/6039216477.html

mbouwer

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2017, 07:11:37 AM »
Nice example.

johnnym

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #11 on: April 09, 2017, 04:41:50 PM »
I am thinking a used oilfield pipe might be the way to go considering the cost. The shipping would burn a hole in my pocket though and they are hard to find. I have no way of transporting a 40 ft pipe. Thanks for the feedback.

Mary B

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #12 on: April 09, 2017, 06:35:54 PM »
Last time I transported a long section of pipe we used a boat trailer and used the pipe itself to extend the hitch by bolting a hitch directly to the pipe. The trailer was just there for the wheels. used appropriate red flags on the end and moved it 90 miles at 40mph... planned the route to stay off major highways.

MattM

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2017, 08:58:46 PM »
Or use a ladder rack with the ladders extended out.  We once transported 60-something foot sections of 6" K-style steel gutter.  We did quite a lot of stuff in the fifties range, too..  The 40 foot pipe would be child's play.

johnnym

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #14 on: April 10, 2017, 03:24:56 PM »
What about this? I don't know if it is strong as a rohn tower or not?

https://evansville.craigslist.org/for/6025522095.html

Mary B

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2017, 05:27:28 PM »
That is very light duty tower so it would need proper guying to handle a wind turbine. But those towers were NOT designed to be guyed so it may put to much down force on the legs! It is similar to this http://wadeantenna.com/product/18-gauge-golden-nugget-straight-tower-section-2/

Gadget047

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2017, 09:02:43 AM »
I am thinking a used oilfield pipe might be the way to go considering the cost. The shipping would burn a hole in my pocket though and they are hard to find. I have no way of transporting a 40 ft pipe. Thanks for the feedback.

Keep an eye out for a used parking light pole on Craigslist. I've seen 40' steel light poles for $100. in this area. I bought a 25 foot aluminum lamp pole for $50. and made a big hinge for the base mount, cheap and it works great.

Adriaan Kragten

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Re: 10ft sections for tower?
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2017, 03:10:22 AM »
I don't like towers with guy wires. In my free report KD 582 (see www.kdwindturbines.nl) I give a description of a 8.6 m high free standing tubular tower which has a hinge at the tower foot and which is meant for a windmill with a rotor diameter of 4.6 m. In this report you also find a calculation of the tower strength and the natural frequency.