Author Topic: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.  (Read 1175 times)

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DamonHD

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Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« on: September 24, 2007, 05:38:14 PM »
Possibly something to do with the fact that a tornado touched down not very far from here!


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7010172.stm


But more likely just a sign of the expected build up in available wind energy into Autumn/Fall.


Rgds


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« Last Edit: September 24, 2007, 05:38:14 PM by (unknown) »
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feral air

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2007, 05:15:30 PM »
2 hours isn't bad. What kind of windspeed does it take to produce?


It'll be interesting to see how well that MotorWind does when you get it.

« Last Edit: September 24, 2007, 05:15:30 PM by feral air »

DamonHD

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2007, 05:23:38 PM »
I have no calibrated way of telling for now.


Looking at the local weather reports each day, I'd say 10mph is enough to keep them spinning.  But at the moment it's very gusty with long still stretches.  I'm still getting a feel for the whole thing of course.


I hope that in another month or so I'll see rather more continuous breezes (and a MotorWind!).


I'll try and break out the stats one way or another, maybe another ASCII-art graph on my live stats page (eg which slots have had wind power).


Rgds


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« Last Edit: September 24, 2007, 05:23:38 PM by DamonHD »
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feral air

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2007, 08:12:19 PM »
I don't have an anemometer either. I had a piece of ribbon that came with a cheap rc plane. It said the ribbon would stretch out horizontally when the wind hit 7-8mph (which meant it was ok to fly)...and now I can't even find that.


Maybe a better sight for the windmill would help increase those hours. I used a cheap kite to verify that there was wind where I wanted to put my 'mill. A string on a long tent-pole would probably work if you don't have much room. Who needs fancy scientific instruments?

« Last Edit: September 24, 2007, 08:12:19 PM by feral air »

DamonHD

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2007, 01:24:02 AM »
Hi,


Part of the reason for my current experiment is simply to find out if I have any sensible available power at all.  I have two of these tiny turbines a couple of metres apart and it's clear that they simply do not always turn at the same time: very interesting!


Rgds


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« Last Edit: September 25, 2007, 01:24:02 AM by DamonHD »
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feral air

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2007, 09:50:37 AM »
Hey, I was just thinking out loud and trying to be helpful. I didn't realize you had two...cool.


You haven't said much about how you've got these sited. 2 meters apart, how high off the ground? Etc. If you're serious about the experiment then you should start looking for the best site (if you haven't found it already), especially since that MotorWind is on its way.


If you have some room, a kite is a really good way to go. I flew one every chance I could get early this summer (my kid enjoyed it too) to get an idea of how the wind came through my little valley. Turns out we get lots of "pulses" (calm, wind, calm, wind) and there's considerable cross-wind and "blow backs" (where the wind reverses direction) in some places...this is partly why I settled on a vawt.


Flying the kite over my house showed me that there was a huge speed/power increase about 4ft to the east from the house's center line and about 8ft up. Also, the wind in that spot was pretty consistent, despite what I saw everywhere else...the build up to go over the house seemed to smooth the pulses a little and the extra speed, I think, destroys the cross-wind and blow backs. This all leads me to think that I could put a small hawt above the house if it didn't vibrate too much.


If you've got 15 minutes, go walk around with a string on a pole or fly a kite if you can. You might look a little "eccentric" with a string on a pole (what, are you fishing for birds?) but who cares. Maybe putting up lots of strings around the place will give you a "big picture" view.


Even though you don't have an anemometer it doesn't mean you can't take measurements...you won't get numbers from strings but a general idea can be useful too. take care

« Last Edit: September 25, 2007, 09:50:37 AM by feral air »

DamonHD

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2007, 10:46:42 AM »
If you saw my postage-stamp site you'd see that kite flying might not do much good!  And the MotorWind site is being dictated by other factors than ideal wind movement; only so many places on a postage stamp are even big enough... B^>


BTW, I see plenty of 'blow back' too, very interesting to watch.


Thanks for the thoughts, all gris to the mill, keep them coming!


The current arrangement is as follows.



  1. First turbine is ~2m (7') up and ~2m west of the house (I'm aiming to catch north/south breezes).
  2. Second turbine is ~3m up and ~1m west of the house (more or less in line with the previous), hoping to catch any 'canyon effect' and it does get some wind.


The MotorWind is due to be installed next to the house ~1.5m up on top of the wall at the south of the garden.


As an example of the variability I had ~130 minutes of wind power yesterday, and so far just 2 minutes' worth today...


Rgds


Damon

« Last Edit: September 25, 2007, 10:46:42 AM by DamonHD »
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feral air

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Re: Approaching 2 hours' wind power today.
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2007, 09:20:08 PM »
I can't think of a better way to say it besides the way I heard it...


"You wouldn't buy a solar panel and put it in the shade would you?"


Screw the neighbors, stick those things as high in the air as you can without breaking the law. Heck, you might find that your neighbors take an interest and get in on the act...you never know.


take it easy

« Last Edit: September 25, 2007, 09:20:08 PM by feral air »