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Easy way to count rpm on a vawt
By Norm, Section Wind Posted on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 01:54:55 PM MST
Since most VAWTs don't spin very fast....

I noticed that an avi was posted, a vawt with
6 blades one had a small red patch, but it was
still spinning too fast to count by eye...
This would be especially nice for youngsters
making the Pico Turbine, it calls for a wooden
dowel for the axle, about 8 inches.......
now if it were about 2 ft higher you could paint
a highly visible spiral stripe on the top exposed
extended axle a lead or 'thread' of 1 per inch,
the eye can easily follow the spiral from bottom
to top quickly jumping back down to the bottom
when you reach the top....24 turns per cycle,
setting a timer for 10 seconds it, the rpm could
be easily determined, or so I would imagine.
Similar to using good ol' nut and threaded rod
method.
( :>) Norm.

Easy way to count rpm on a vawt | 9 comments (9 topical)

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Devo on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 01:35:05 PM MST

A stiff card or piece of mylar placed to "click" against something works well to-like the old bike tire trick when we were kids. This way you can look directly at the second hand while listening to the clicks.4 clicks a second,240 rpm.......

Just another way...

Devo

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by electrondady1 on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 08:42:26 PM MST

those blades all look the same at 120 rpm norm so i stuck a piece of that red tape on so i could count from inside the house

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Norm on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 10:00:21 PM MST

Fun...isn't it? Just something about a spinning
windmill....
( :>) Norm.
( :>) Norm
[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by robfirth on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 10:16:59 PM MST

I wish I had that problem. I mounted a 2 foot cardboard windmill on a bicycle rim and but it on a 3 foot stick. Maybe it should be higher. tried to count the rpm. It was 0. :(
winds where between 3-6 mph today, usually between 5-8

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by elvin1949 on Tue Aug 02, 2005 at 10:22:19 PM MST

Rob
i saw in a earlier post you say you were in louisiana.
What part i am in leesville.
later
elvin

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by electrondady1 on Wed Aug 03, 2005 at 05:43:51 AM MST

a spining windmill looks like hope !

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by robfirth on Wed Aug 03, 2005 at 11:49:20 AM MST

I am in Baton Rouge. Leesville is between Alexandria and Texas, right?

Good news about the wind here...my cardboard windmill moved today. Actually went so fast I couldn't count rpm. about 120 to 240 rpm in a good gust. rest of the time it stood still. 6-8 mph winds today. I don't think it will be out there long, because the wind is probably here because it is about to rain. Rain + Cardboard = Mess

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by elvin1949 on Thu Aug 04, 2005 at 12:37:22 AM MST

right location.
paint the rotor [cheap wally-world paint]it will last a little longer.
later
elvin

[ Parent ]

Re: Easy way to count rpm on a vawt (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by electrondady1 on Sat Aug 06, 2005 at 06:17:19 AM MST

unless i can make some sort of break through in my geni design it looks as though i must stack up the vawt moduals . i can use a different colored vane(buckets) if i off set each layer it should produce a spiral effect like norm was talking about.

[ Parent ]

Easy way to count rpm on a vawt | 9 comments (9 topical)

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