Author Topic: Need to measure wind speed, what to buy? (Read 3017 times)

nothing to lose · « **on:** May 11, 2007, 11:17:43 AM »

Well I want to measure the windspeed accurately in several places at once. I would rather buy a low cost meter than to buld one right now. Maybe buy 4 or 5 of them, so I am looking for cheap but good ones. I only care about the windspeed so I don't need a full weather station.

I'd like to just look at a readout and see it's 10mph or 20mph, no math figuring stuff out. And of course I want them to all read correct, not just a close geuss off by 2-5mph. At first thought wireless sounds nice, but if using 4 meters in the same area and reading at the same place not sure how that would work.

A couple things I want to use these for is a small wind tunnel, inlet speed, at the genny speed, outlet speed in front of fans and behind fans. I want to play with a couple things using a venturi type effect also, not just a straight tunnel, so I need all those speeds at once.

Also I want to raise a pole tower and see what the windspeed is at several heights at once. And also would be good to measure various areas at same time.

Wireless would be good for at least one meter. If they can be set to different channels so they don't scramble each other then wireless might work for all of them.

I thought about building some using bicycle digital speedometers, but if I can buy them ready made cheap enough I'd rather just do that.

Preferably I like to get 5 or 6 for about $100 or less.

Norm · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2007, 06:01:46 AM »

How about building some small VAWTs Savonius

type about 2x3 ft. put some weights on arms

that will swing out like a ball govenor. Paint

them a luminescent red and you would have visual

information.

( :>) Norm.

Norm · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2007, 06:08:26 AM »

Well maybe not...since you might want more accurate than that....thought it was a good

idea tho....

BTW I'm using these 2liter bottles as whirlygigs

to get a picture of wind conditions around my

house 4 ft above ground.....what choas that is....

LOL !

( :>) Norm.

nothing to lose · « **Reply #3 on:** May 11, 2007, 07:00:34 AM »

Nice idea but I need a real readout.

I'll probably build one of the Bicycle speedometer types shown on otherpower later today with a hard drive motor for bearings. I don't have anyway to calibrate it correct though. Using the car or truck is out, always some wind around here even if not enough to make power with, still enough to mess up readings.

I have the laser tach so I can see the rpms, but I don't have any idea what windspeed makes what rpm either.

Right now nothing is turning, but I can see the trees have wind in them, maybe 1-4mph?

Countryboy · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2007, 07:23:20 AM »

Stop in at a farm store that sells herbicides. I've seen small handheld anemometers so farmers gettign ready to spray a field can check windspeed to see if it is too windy or not, and how far the spray will drift because of the wind.

Tritium · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2007, 08:25:30 AM »

Here is the best prices I have found on Logging Anemometers. About $100

http://www.inspeed.com/wind_data_logging/Default.asp

Thurmond

nothing to lose · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2007, 12:59:17 PM »

Thanks for suggestions so far.

I called a couple farm stores local, they don't have anything. I'll call some others.

I checked the link, costs too much for me for most of them, and mostly to fancy maybe. I don't need to log anything I just want a read out of currant speeds.

They had a KIT for $60, I read the instructions, sounds like a homebrew with a bike speedometer to me. Very sure that's what it is.

Still looking for ready made, but I might buy 1 and use it to calibrate home brew ones.

Duh on me!

Going to build a wind tunnel right! So if I have 1 real meter for wind speed then I will know the windspeed to calibrate the homebuilt one next to it!

dastardlydan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2007, 03:52:19 PM »

You mite try looking

at this web site they have links to all

weather things.

http://www.wunderground.com/US/FL/Balm.html

I have one from Oregon Scientific.

Thay have all brands.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

scottsAI · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2007, 08:17:37 PM »

Hello NTL,

After searching for windspeed and anemometer, was surprised to learn there was nothing cheap out there. Not Even Kits.

Looks like to hit your numbers you will have to DIY.

Item 160115031017 is bicycle speedometer $1.99+ $7.49 ship

Add to it a DIY cup anemometer.

Calibration should be the ratio of the radius? Or make the cups radius the same as the wheels.

You should be able to build 6 or more for less than your $100 cost target.

Have fun,

Scott.

Countryboy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2007, 12:18:29 AM »

Or try eBay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/La-Crosse-handheld-Anemometer-EA-3010-New_W0QQitemZ260116773941QQihZ016QQcategor
yZ48624QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Not quite as cheap as you'd like, but you could get 3 for $100. (Or just make a small door in the side of your wind tunnel so you can stick the end of the anemometer in and get a reading.)

nothing to lose · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2007, 12:36:52 AM »

Ya, I saw a $59 DIY kit, reading instructions for kit it's a bicycle speedometer! At least it sure sounds like one.

If I don't find anything for ready built cheap, I'll buy one real one and make some, calibrate mine in the tunel next to the real one and that should be perfect. Maybe I'll ebay the real one then and get most my money back. Even Ebay they are high.

Thanks for the link, I'll look at that one. I been looking at those. Got a reply for a price by the Dozen from one seller already, still looking though.

Stonebrain · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2007, 02:35:04 AM »

I think the best way is just building a very small genny,style cups.

You just have to make some voltage.

The difficult part is off course calibrating.There is the car drive method.

but maybe it's easier to calibrate it with a cheap handhold anemometer.

With voltreading,the good thing is you can do it anywhere if you have some wire.

Voltreading opens up the way to datalogging with cheap pixaxe chips(for exemple)

Beware ffor the commercial radiographic dataloggers.They don't give instantanous reading,They don't do what you want and are not cheap.

cheers,

stonebrain

nothing to lose · « **Reply #12 on:** May 12, 2007, 03:19:03 AM »

Ya, for what I want is just an acurate measurement of the wind speed in the tunnel when it's turned on and as I adjust the fan speeds to get certian wind speeds. No need for data logging or other fancy stuff. Flying them in real wind I just want to look and see right then what they read.

I need to know how to rate my wind genny like the people selling different brands out there. You know, run the tunnel at 100mph for 2 minutes so I can claim it's 950watt output from a 150watt motor using a 2' rotor

Naw really just to see how different blades work on the same genny in the same wind mostly.

nothing to lose · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2007, 03:29:22 AM »

Thanks, I just looked at that one now. Might work, I think it only reads up to 67mph it said though. I could calibrate a homebrew with one like that at lowspeeds I geuss then use homebrewed for the faster wind speeds.

I do have a blade setup I want to break, or at least try, so I find out how strong it really is. If they break at 70MPH I won't be making them.

scottsAI · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2007, 12:09:11 PM »

Hello NTL,

item 220111242324, $7.88 ea. Best single price I could find. Several offer this unit.

What price you getting for a dozen?

Yes, I saw the $59, considering you wanted 6 for $100 didn't look good considering you could go all out DIY and make all 6 for less than $100.

You going to make a diary entry on how you build your windspeed meters?

Have fun,

Scott.

willib · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2007, 05:03:15 PM »

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/5/1/61832/14104

this one just needs calibration , which i did with the car.

winston · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2007, 06:54:51 AM »

You could build a pitot tube with an open tube monometer using water to measure the pressure, I am sure there are tables of wind speed vs pressure

aircraft measure wind speed using pitot tubes they are very accurate

some good info here

I'm sure you could find other info too

http://www.flowmeterdirectory.com/flowmeter_artc/flowmeter_artc_02111201.html

winston · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2007, 07:06:59 AM »

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/Index.cfm?AD=1&ArticleID=6396

here is a hi tech version for a pitot tube air speed indicator

looks pretty cheap to build

nothing to lose · « **Reply #18 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:32:46 PM »

Yes, I'll probably do a diary if they turn out good.

I got side tracked again, messing with solar panels and such, can't find my easter eggs now either

LOL

I think the dozen price was $7.88 and shipping. Gotta watch on EBAY about these Speedometers!! I saw a couple I liked, really dug and read the negative feedbacks, seems the ones I liked had some NEGS because they did not read USA MPH. No good for me then!

I don't know about the one you listed there, and I'll have to e-mailed againand make sure the others I checked read MPH.

I got a SCHWINN at wally world I like for $10 and tax. I might just use those if htey work out. If need be I can replace those local and fast.

News:

Author Topic: Need to measure wind speed, what to buy? (Read 3017 times)