Wind data from camp.

[snowcrow]

  In January I hooked up a "Watt's Up" meter to my Air-X to see what kind of power it was actually putting out.  I have the Air-X (12v) mounted on the peak of the camp roof, about 5' above it.  The metering took place over a three month period, from 01-08-08 to 04-08-08.

  Current Voltage:   13.6 volts

  Minimum Voltage:   12.3 volts

    Peak Amperage:   31.3 amps

     Peak Wattage:  506.9 watts

        Amp-Hours:   62.4 Ah

       Watt-Hours: 2793.0 Wh

  Guessing from these figures, the wind blows hard, but not for long periods of time?  Placement of the Air-X is probably an issue as well.

  The wind map for the site shows that I sure be getting an average wind speed of 16.8 to 17.9 mph. Not very useful winds if they're aren't steady enough!  I wonder if there is any means of setting up my system to take better advantage of the wind on my site?

  A +50' tower for my 10' windmill is going to be a must, to take advantage of the winds higher up!

Blessings, Snow Crow

[DanB]

Interesting - good data! <1kWh/month is not terribly impressive. It either goes to show...

• you don't have much wind at that location
  
• the AirX is not very impressive
  
  

or both.

We had a week of 'moderate winds' (some days were fairly breezy, some days calm but nothing extreme) and Rich's little single rotor 7' turbine produced almost exactly the same amount of energy.  (2.7 kWh if Im n ot mistaken)  It's on a 50' tower that is by any standard too short for around here.

[Flux]

I suspect you are seeing winds much lower than those predicted figures.

The AirX will not be very impressive, its total crap in low winds and I doubt that it runs below 10mph, but even in a 12 mph average wind area you should have some useful winds up in the region where it ought to be going quite well.

When you get average winds in the 17mph region the thing ought to be performing well.

Local site conditions can seriously alter the wind speed, taking figures from national resources or even from the local airport may be almost meaningless.

You might not be able to change the wind conditions, although a bit of extra height may work wonders. You can cure the other problem, virtually anything will beat an AirX.

Flux

[DanB]

I was in error about Rich's turbine, it did 2.7 kwh on the windiest day and 6 over the course of the week...

[snowcrow]

  There a lot wind up there!!  I've repair the tin on the west side of the roof twice in the three years the camp has been there.  The winds I see are very close to the winds shown in the two links that follow:

http://truewind.teamcamelot.com/bin/TrueWind.dll?WindRose?Rec=1311&Area=NE

http://truewind.teamcamelot.com/bin/TrueWind.dll?DetailSheet?Area=NE&X=250&Y=4950&Z=50&a
mp;Map=?176,424

  The picture below (old photo) is looking west and as can see, beyond the camp there is not much in the way.

  This picture below is looking SSE and yes, I still need to clear a few trees.

  One thing that would help the Air-X is to add some tail to it.  The tail is so short that the blades starve it of wind, thus allowing it to turn out of the wind.  I'll do an add on to the tail and put it higher to see what difference that makes.

Blessings, Snow Crow

[jmk]

 Your going to need to get it up higher with all your trees. I have that problem too. I think your going to need to be higher than fifty also.  If your tallest tree is 70' you need to be up around 100'. It's hard to get up that high though

[snowcrow]

 One good thing is, the lot owners around me have been harvesting timber for the past year. If I wait long enough, and cut the tallest of the trees on my lot, I should be fine with a 60' to 70' tower.

  If I go up 100', I'll have to deal with the state, because of the elevation it would need to be lighted. I really DON'T want to get the state involved it my project, if at all possible.

Blessings. Snow Crow

[DanG]

Please post current pictures of the house!

I agree with being anti-beacon, just a 'steal-me' flag visible for 10 miles...

[jmk]

 It is good that you won't have to go so high. Seventy foot high is a lot easier. I'm at fifty-four foot, and need to be over a hundred. I am not going to go that high, maybe another twenty foot, but no more. Yes, if you and your neighbor cut down some trees it will make a nice wind site. Looks like a great place to live! Enjoy, John

[snowcrow]

  I did post some more resumed picture in November:

 http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/11/28/51122/086

  I'll have to more pictures this spring and summer.  Due southwest of the camp I am also clearing a stand of White Birch, to put it a pond.  The state has already given me the go ahead on that project, just waiting for funds to dig it out.

  The camp is 20' to the peak of the roof, if that help to assume tree height.

Blessings, Snow Crow