Scaffolding tubes as wind turbine towers

[DavidP]

Hi Guys,

I've been reading this excellent discussion board for a while now and this is my first post.

Over the past few months I have been carving a set of blades for an 8 foot turbine (Hugh Piggott's design).  The blades are now finished and I've tried them out in a light wind without the alternator.  I was amazed with how quick they got going in just a breeze, but of course there was no load.

I am now turning my thoughts to the tilt up tower while I finish making the alternator.

I was thinking about using scaffolding tube to make the tower (probably about 10m high) and then sizing the yaw bearing to fit over the top of this.  Does anyone have any experience of using scaffolding tube to make towers?  Are there any good reasons not to do this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

David (based in the UK)

[harrie]

Hi David. Its hard to understand what your talking about,there are different kinds of scaffolding tubes. I would think that if it was ridged enough, and you welded the joints with the pins in them, It may be good. it depends also on the weight and size of your turbine, and also the guy system. Hope this helps, One can get alot of money tied up in a tower, but it does not pay to put up something that will destroy all the hard work you have in your genny.

Great fun, Harrie

[Flux]

Standard UK scaffold tube is 1 1/2" water pipe outside dimensions.

It will just hold a 8ft machine at 10M but you will need top guys as close to the prop as you can safely get them. You will need another layer of guys at about 6.5M.

If you have to buy then I would go for bigger but if you have some and you are careful it should be ok.

Flux

[electrondady1]

 used construction scaffolding is cheap

i was thinking it would make a very good tower for a vawt

two counter rotating mills fiting within the 4x8 cavity

[tecker]

 Using three sections per tier seems doable set in a triangle . I 've been collecting scafold for tower building I like the whole idea here.

[vawtman]

David why not set the scaffold in concrete and weld the pins in place.Strong joints.

 Then attach a mini tower on top for the tubine?It would be easy to go up and do servicing without lowering and you probably wouldnt need guys.

 Just a thought for ya

 My tower will be of the same priciple but stronger 2x6x1/4 steel beams.

 V......

[vawtman]

Electrondaddy your idea of using the inside is a good one.Not sure if you seen this contraption drawing or not.



Why waste all that space?

[bob golding]

hi david, i am using  43mm scaffolding tube on my  2.3 m turbine. i have it very well guyed. it has bent a couple of times before i beefed up the guys. i am using double 6mm plastic ropes and 2 sets of guys. you will need to anchor it really well. i used the deadman method from hughs book. 2 12 mm theaded rods buried about i metre down attached to a fench post. this seems to be ok so far, but we havnt had any serious winds yet.serious winds in cornwall are around 30 mt/sec. an 8 foot turbine in a strong wind is going to test your guys so make them strong. or go for 60 mm tubing. around £43.00 for 10 metres from a steel stockholder delivered. around here anyway.

bob golding