What is that wierd scraping screeching sound?

[ruddycrazy]

Regarding some of the comments on my thread,
                                                                    I have worked with all types of bearings for the last 5 years repairing industrial gearbox's and have had formal training from both SKF and Timken on bearings. In certain applications where heat is generated tapered bearings generally have a 0.025-.010 mm end float (loose) as with heat the bearing will expand and give a light pre-load in operation. As a dual axial flux wind generator using trailer hubs won't generate much heat in operation, the best setting for long term performance of tapered bearings is zero end float to a light pre-load so the rollers will run in contact at all times. If there is excess end float the roller will want to bounce around causing cage damage and imagine the forces generated by a 12' prop in wind changing conditions.

                                                                   With all the hard work put in to making a dual axial flux wind generator the last anyone needs is a bearing failure and wrecking the turbine due to a loose bearing arrangement.

                                                                    Regarding the Chinese and Russian front bearings, I have seen many in the gearbox repairs and some of them have out done SKF and timken bearings. Others have failed in a short time so it really is a jackpot in using them, for the slight more cost of a Timken bearing I would spend the extra money without a blink and set them as described above.

Cheers Bryan

[Tink]

To everyone who contributed to this post I thank you sincerely,

I think I found my problem! Me being the novice that I am I missed what may be a critical point in the tower construction on this project. I didn't weld the cap (ring as stated on page 228 of Dan & Dan's book) on the end of the stub. It's just floating there and probably binding and not allowing the turbine to furl properly. Now I have to get out my welder and try to get it to feed wire for a few minutes till I can complete this. As I tore apart the hub I found nothing wrong and those China bearings look perfect.

luv2weld,
Are you saying I should have a brass or HDPE washer between that 'ring/cap'?

I'll let you all know how this works out when I get it complete, that may be a while since my cheap little welder is real picky about feeding wire these days.

Tink

[Flux]

If you have wire feed problems try blowing the muck out of the conduit with a compressor ( usually fills with rust), fit a new tip and throw away any rusty wire.

Also check the feed roll pressure, too much and it will squash the wire and distort it, too little and it will slip. Hope this helps.

Flux

[Tink]

Fux,
Yep, I took it to a weld shop here and they told me to do the same thing. It's a little Century 80 I got as a gift 10 years ago and never used it except to weld up the 45 foot tilt tower for this turbine. I'm feeding the wire through manually to get it started and it should work I think. I'm just waiting for the lightening storm to go away now so I can get out there and get it done.
Tink

[luv2weld]

Tink,
If you don't already have the 10-Foot Axial Flux Wind Turbine User's Manual, you can get it here

http://www.otherpower.com/ownersman4_70.pdf

It is a pdf file so you need Adobe reader or something similar.


Here is a quote from page 29

  Grease the tower top liberally with axle grease. Then install the yaw bushing, which is a disc of self-lubricated
bronze or plastic sized to fit on the tower stub and inside the yaw bearing, also with a 1 inch diameter hole in it.

I did a quick look in the Homebrew Wind Power book but could not find any reference to the bushing.

But it is well worth the time and trouble to get the owner's manual and read it. Can never have too much information.

Ralph

[Volvo farmer]

BTW, you can get a $3 white cutting board at the grocery store and cut it to make that HDPE bushing

[Tink]

luv2weld,
I have that owner's manual but didn't notice that about the bushing!

Volvo farmer,
How thick is that cutting board? Any brand name? Where did you get it?

Flux,
My little Century 80 welder works like new again! I just had to figure out it's quirks.

I welded the top ring and ground it down smooth and polished it all up real nice. I haven't gotten a bushing yet but it flies real smooth now. I don't hear that loose bearing sound as I put my ear to the tower anymore. What can I say, we live and learn. I've done this all from the book since I can't get to a seminar or workshop.

Tink

[TomW]

Tink;

I looked on Feebay and prices are all over the map.

This one is .22 inch thick and 8" X 15" made from HDPE Free Shipping at $12.50 US Only. Could get a good handful out of that sheet!

I bet one of those Dollar Stores or Walmart has them for cheaper but they do not exist everywhere.

Just because I might do that to replace the PVC sheet I used.

Tom

[freejuice]

1/2 inch stuff: http://www.target.com/Plastic-Cutting-Boards-Cutlery-Kitchen/b?ie=UTF8&node=359547011


 
Or try one of these puppies with some grease: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vertical-Pole-Axial-Thrust-Ball-Bearing-30mm-52mm-51206-/360275049899?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e210fdab

 

[Volvo farmer]

Volvo farmer,
How thick is that cutting board? Any brand name? Where did you get it?



Tink

I got mine at Walmart. Just a little 6x9x1/2 one
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=hdpe+cutting+board&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=18229988555683617894&ei=Q7omTJTvBoaglAeC5K2yAw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ8wIwAg#

[Tink]

Volvo Farmer,
Thanks for the link. I'm going to get one and put it in there. After observing the turbine at 20+mph winds yesterday it sounds better than ever, no weird sounds polluting the neighborhood anymore. I think with the bushing in there it will be even better.

Thanks to all you guys for the valuable input. This is a great forum. My ex-business partner from China is coming to visit this week and I'm hoping to get him interested in these turbines as he does a lot of charity work for rural people in China where they could use something they can build themnselves.
 
Tink