It's now mid afternoon and the wind is starting to pick up as we take the decision to try and use the `too small really' crane - I'm not overly reassured when the guys tell me that if successful this will be the smallest crane they have ever put up a turbine of this size!
Ropes are hung on two of the 3 blades, at the junction of the `air brake' section, some 2 metres in from the end and we get all the family and passers by to hang to the ends
bear in mind we are now lifting something that weighs 9 tons and designed to catch the wind in a strengthening breeze and with no margin for error because jib height of this smaller crane requires a very acute angle!
After a struggle the 24 m36X200 ht bolts are inserted and bingo ; job done (well except for 2days wiring the thing up!)
Finished article in production;
All it needs now is some fine tuning to get blade angle right for optimum performance at this location. At the moment we are a bit too efficient, blades are'nt stalling until 18.5m/s which means that peak output near to 650 kW which would tend to overheat a 500kW rated genny if safety cut-out didnt work! It also means that at lower wind speeds it is not as efficient.
I'll try and get some pictures from inside and post here so watch this space..........!
