Anyone with a Breezy 5.5?

[spankytree]

Has anyone built a Breezy 5.5?

Spanky

[ebeacham]

no one?

[Tritium]

Didn't you ask this before on Fri Jan 19th, 2007 in this thread?

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/1/19/41156/5771

I haven't seen any discussion of it since then and I am on the board constantly.

Thurmond

[ebeacham]

I did not start this thread.

just wanted to know if anyone has built one lately.

[Tritium]

Your correct, sorry, momentary blindness on my part. I think the reason why nobody builds these is the controller plans are not included with the rest of the plans.

Thurmond

[oztules]

I have the plans, and the controller is of no consequence.

It can be easily replaced with a frequency comparator, a simple voltage comparator, and a few ancillary circuits to improve it some more.

So thats not why I haven't built it.

I am waiting for a 10kw 15:1 motor gearbox to materialise. After that, with a few mods (don't like their brake system, prefer to place a disc on the main shaft and control directly with hydraulic failsafe system), I will do something with the plans. (in truth not much except the blades and the tower will be to plan).

However, you need to be on grid... so you dont NEED a windmill anyway. You need to be reasonably remote (to be allowed to raise such a beast). You need to want to reduce or demolish your power bill, which in most cases is very cheap anyway (even here on an island it is only 20c kwh. Very hard to beat.... so it is hard to find a reason to invest in such a great device. They are not toys like the dual axials and motor rebuilds here. These are quasi hobby things.

Grid connect turbines of this size and up, are seriously useful tools to generate and use usefully, large quantities of kwh whenever they are available, rather than  not enough... then too much, as we do with battery systems.

I also play with two small grid tie mills over here. In a good blow they push near 100kw into the grid, you can't store that kind of power, same with the breezy, 3 or 4 days of 5kw output would be impossible to store or use successfully/usefully, but if you can shovel it back into the grid, it becomes useful.

I have a 4m dual axial, which if I set up for maximum output, will pull 5kw or more (resistive load) in a good blow, but instead I can't usefully load it like that, and into batteries it's really only good for 1kw or so, and in a good multi day wind event, it is furled or dumping all the time... not a good use of resource... hobby excuse only.

With a breezy, in these circumstances, you would bank hundreds of kwh... sometimes we get 14 days of 30mph winds, they don't call em the roaring forties for nothing. A couple of these events and you could bank near a years worth of power in 4 weeks, (and spend the other 48 weeks putting it back together)

So you need a unique set of circumstances in order to have a reason and resources and environment to want to build one of these things.

.......I will (famous last words perhaps) one day.

............oztules

[ghurd]

That is a great answer.

G-

[tguidic]

I am building one right now.  There have been some completed rather recently that have posted some video on the construction and operation on You Tube.  You might want to go and check that out.

[ebeacham]

cool,

I too am waiting for the 10 kw unit.

[spankytree]

We have a breezy, completed back in late october of 08. It is everything they say. It's a beast, which is why (I think) it stands up with no furling. This poor thing has taken a huge beating this winter season.

On the website I'm #25. We have so much turbulent air it contantly pounds on this thing. Because of the footprint of the guys we could only go 45 ft up. Not enough. It needs to be another 30ft up, they warn you of that in the book. It amazes me it holds up. So far gusts up to 65 mph and it holds steady at 120 rpm. It will push better than 30 amps to a point of tripping the breaker at which time the failsafe brake on the motor shuts it down RIGHT NOW! then the blades follow to a stop via slipping through the torque limiter. Works excellent.

Spanky

[ebeacham]

oz,

P-turbines has a 10kw now.  It is not on their website but they have developed one and they have kits for sale.

[oztules]

Thanks for that Spanky, nothing like hearing it from a happy customer.

I have clean air (nothing for miles around really), so I will probably go 45' as well. (seen 5kw into an R load from a 4m dual at ground level)

Do you have any idea how well it has been banking for you in your turbulent air?

...........oztules

[spankytree]

There were a few things I noticed. Like When the turbulence happened near the kick out point the electric meter would take off like I was welding or something. Come to find out there was a 5 second on time delay.

Under normal conditions the wind would kick up and it would reach the rpm and the controler would give it a 5 second shot of electricity. Problem was, the turbulence would send it to the kick in rpm and back down in a 1/2 second. that means I was powering a 20ft fan for 4 seconds! Prarie turbines said they did that to prevent rapid fire of the relay.

Sent the controller back and had them take it out. NOW there was rapid fire! Bang Bang bang! Luckily prarie turbines has been testing a soft start relay to prevent the torque shock. So I bought one last week and this thing works flawlessly! Unbelievable! Truly happy now.

Now I'll be able to monitor better the electric bill and give better feed back.

Spanky