Which site would you choose?

[Dawn]

We recently purchased a wind turbine with a free standing 100 foot tower. This will be a grid tie application and as I was looking at our property, I came up with three different tower locations.

a) A clearing in the woods near the house. Mature trees 40 - 60 feet tall the only beech tree might be 70 feet. Distance to house is about 110 feet or so. Advantage, not noticable from the road and would be hidden from the line of sight for our other neighbors. Advantage, one of the highest points on the property. Disadvantage, tower would only tilt one way and that's downhill (although it's not too steep there).

b) A meadow located behind the shop and barn. The land is lower at that point and given the hight of the barn where the tower would be located, the barn would have a hight of about 40' compaired to the tower. Distance from the house is about 400 feet. Advantage, level land to erect the tower and tilt down if need be. Disadvantage, winds from north and northwest would have to pass by the woods and that is on land that is about 30 feet or more higher than the tower.

c) A point of land that is as high as choice a in the meadow. Only thing close is a treed fence line with trees reaching 40 - 60 feet. Distance from house, about 10 acres or so. Advantage, the most clear piece of property that we own. Distadvantage, distance from house and concern for the turbine during the many hunting seasons.

Which one would you choose?

Dawn =)

[wdyasq]

Dawn,

Folks will want more inforamtion - type mill, size, voltage, battery system voltage and more. A general location such as "Coatal Plains of Texas" might help also. (Looking for the beeech trees there)

All of thse will help you get an answer that is more informed and possibly one that fits your senario.  Most common wind direction, wind speed, 'lay of the land', location of battery house and inverters and other factors out of the control of the posters should also influence the location decision.  Perhaps some tell-tail indications of how the trees or plants lean will give indications of wind direction and speeds.

Good Luck,

Ron

[Dawn]

The previaling winds are from the west - south west.  Wind speed at our location according to the latest 30 meter wind map that I can find for Wisconsin is on average about 14-15 mph.  

Choice A is located on the north side of the house (ranch house single story).  

Choice B is located to the east of the house.  The barn would be in the way of the prevaiing winds.

Choice C is located in the middle of one of our fields.  Tree line is to the south, all other directions are clear.

This is 17.5 kw Jacobs turbine on a 100' Rhon tower and would be grid tie only.  If back up power is needed, we have a Makita gas generator.

Thanks!

Dawn  =)

[alcul8r]

You might want to specify a distance from house for C.  10 acres is not it.

[thefinis]

Well I would buy an anemometer and do a quick survey of the sites. Ebay has them for around $40. Most likely the highest point will be the best but it depends on lay of the land especially the surronding hills. Are there any features funneling prevailing winds to one of the sites?

Choice 3 says "A point of land that is as high as choice a in the meadow" If this is one of the highest points with the most cleared land around it on the prevailing wind side then wind wise it might be best but line loss must be taken into account. Cables and poles cost money if you are going to try and bring it to the house so unless the wind advantage is great enough distance counts to the neg.

It is very hard to tell from a word description of how the land lays especially in relationship to surrounding features. Pics would help but really need to be from the 100' height for a real good idea of what the turbine will see same as the anemometer.

Good luck and I guess if I had to pick one it would be A for now due to height and distance to house.

Finis

[wpowokal]

Dawn, on the limited specs I would choose A, because you realy do nead turbulent free air.

But, this puts the tower within falling distance of the house.

Possibly read,

http://www.homepower.com/files/windsiteanalysis.pdf

and

http://www.homepower.com/files/towereconomicsseries.pdf

I would also question the logistics of rasing a Rohn 100' tower with a 27kv generator, the gin pole would be 50' long.

As to laying it down hill, I see no problem, you will need an elevated stop, I assume blades are some feet in diamiter. One could build this as a maitenance platform, essentially making the instalation seem like level ground.

I must assume you people have persued the logistics of tilting this tower.  

allan down under

[nothing to lose]

The other are correct more info and such could help.

I'm no expert, but

On the information provided I vote for A  

Your 40' above the trees as I read it except one tree your still 30' above right.

One of the highest points on the property.

Closest to the house.

Only real draw back is not totally level but not to steep.

 Hopefully you will not have to raise and lower the genny too often, so if you can do it right and do it safe I think that should not be a large problem.

 Not noticeable from the road might also be nice.

B I think is bad, Land is higher or trees are 30' higher than the tower and wind come mostly from there? I would think that would be a bad point but maybe other things add in like how far are the trees, does the wind blow downhill where the genny would still get clean air? 400' distance to house? A is 290' closer for less wire and less losses.

C Myself I would not consider 10acres away and target practice for hunters much of an option. Hopefully the target practice part is a joke, but you never know. Ever seen nice old cars with the windows shot out and bullet holes in the fenders sittng on an old farmers woods, most likely he did not do it himself. Most hunters are great people, but like anything else you get the nasty ones sometimes too.

 10Acres is not really a distance though it basically says FAR AWAY. I have a 12 acre place that is about 600'x 800' I think, not exactly square. A better geuss in feet like A and B would be better.

I don't know what a 100' self standing tilt up tower is like to raise or lower, or exactly how the land is in A, but I would look there first myself I think.

[coldspot]

After reading your lay-out

Choise A

Would be best for better winds and closeness

for working on and

watching it.

just my $0.02

[richhagen]

If the "or so" can be a little farther from the house, I vote for A given the info that I have.  'B' seems like it would be hurt by higher surroundings, and C, if it is 600 feet away, just a guess because acre is a unit of area not length, unless the turbine is extremely high voltage, the cable runs would be much longer, also larger diameter even if more losses were allowed for in higher winds.  I would, however, make sure that I researched the project thoroughly before mounting the turbine.  

Safety would be at the top of my list.  You don't want a heavy turbine falling through your roof one windy night, so keep it a safe distance from your house.  Make sure that you can raise and lower the tower without putting any people or pets at significant risk, and that it is in an area that will not likely be in much use during periods of high wind.  Rich

[ghurd]

I will vote against C.

Transmission losses or co$ts. Out of sight, out of mind. An 'acre long' means a dang long ways in my experience.

And against B.  

Trees.  It was quite shocking for me to learn how bad turblance can be.  Transmission distance again, too.

That leaves A, by default.  

Default is how it usually works, unless you have an 800' tower in OK.  

'Hidden from view' also means less noise.  I think.

More higher is always more good-er.

My vote should only count as one half of a vote.  20 feet is high for me.

Maybe that qualifies me for 2 votes against B?

G-

[picmacmillan]

what voltage is it? or did i miss that?..voltage is real important ie. (12 volt, 24 volt,48 volt)?? i am guessing 24 or 48, but not clear..the reason why this is important is the thickness of wire needed for the application from the tower to the house, and their is line losses in long distances?...just a thought..sorry if i missed it in others post..good luck with your turbine..pickster