Big straight line wind or something
By jmk, Section Wind Posted on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:26:02 AM MST
It furled while it was shorted!

My machine doesn't furl corectly do to the short tower top piece that I have at the top. It bends from the short leverage of where I have to put the guy wires. I need to put the smaller section at the bottom of the tower so I can spreed the guys apart at the top. When it leans it makes the angle to steep for the wieght of the tail. I short it out before high winds, and don't run it if it's above 20 mph winds when I am not home. The rotor spins about 1 - 10 rpm in a 40 mph gust. Today we had a squaw line come through with a wind that must have been close to 100 mph? When I dashed to the window to look at the machine it looked as if it was doing about cut in speed(120 rpm roughly) and was in a full furl! I thought it might burn up and couldn't wait for the wind to stop. It stayed furled for at least thirty seconds. It sempt like two minutes! I wonder how hot it got at the alternator?

Big straight line wind or something | 5 comments (5 topical)

Re: Big straight line wind or something (3.00 / 0) (#1) by jmk on Sun Apr 01, 2007 at 07:31:23 PM MST

This is a picture of the tower and machine from my roof top at the ridge. My amp gage will hit this when I let it run in about 20 - 30 mph winds at peak. I have to keep it shorted in anything higher. I get lots of turbulence so it dances around and the gage goes up and down. jmk

Re: Big straight line wind or something (3.00 / 0) (#2) by hiker on Sun Apr 01, 2007 at 09:51:06 PM MST

nice.. what size of batt, bank do you have?? still winter there i see... starting to warm up here during the day--30-40s........ WILD IN ALASKA [ Parent ]

Re: Big straight line wind or something (3.00 / 0) (#3) by jmk on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:59:59 AM MST

The picture was taken in the winter. I put it in there to show the tower, but when it was shrunk its hard to see the guy wires and tower sections. I have a 24 volt battery bank consisting of four L - 16 6 volt batteries wired in series. The turbine is Hugh's 12'. Twelve coils 50 raps of #13 16 magnets per rotor 2 by 1 by 1/2" grade 35.   jmk [ Parent ]

Re: Big straight line wind or something (3.00 / 0) (#4) by Flux on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:54:28 AM MST

When you fix the tower you can check your furling point properly. Brake switches are fine for normal conditions but it is a big requirement to remained braked in any wind speed. Normally if the thing is furling at a safe point it is probably safer to let it run than stop it. For that short period it probably didn't hurt but if the furling was at the correct level it may never have pulled out of stall, but even then furling is not much protection to a shorted machine. Flux [ Parent ]

Re: Big straight line wind or something (3.00 / 0) (#5) by jmk on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 04:03:26 PM MST

I think the extra drag on the rotor made it furl way sooner than it would have if it wasn't braked. If it didn't furl it might have speed up faster and burned up? I agree though that it isn't much help, but may have saved it. It seems to be making about the same power so I think everything is fine. Thank you for commenting. jmk [ Parent ]

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