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Author Topic: Oops - gone all bendy!!  (Read 2358 times)

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frackers

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Oops - gone all bendy!!
« on: November 27, 2011, 05:44:07 PM »
Very strong winds this morning, a classic Cantabrian nor-wester off the mountains, gusting to severe gale force.



Guess I'll be putting an extra set of guys on when it goes back up to prevent the whipping about. Still its handled it for over 3 years so no complaints.

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Robin Down Under (Or Are You Up Over)

STYME JONES

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2011, 06:57:10 PM »
WOW....   viagra..  :D
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Volvo farmer

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2011, 07:14:50 PM »
Yikes!

How tall is that tower? And does that turbine furl or not?
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frackers

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2011, 08:07:12 PM »
Quote from: Volvo farmer on November 27, 2011, 07:14:50 PM
How tall is that tower? And does that turbine furl or not?

11.5m high with the guys at the 10m mark. Base is 115mm steam pipe reducing to 90mm, 75mm (the section that bent) and finally 50mm for the stub. I'll be putting the extra guys at the join of the 90mm and 75mm which will stop the whipping and hold it stiff.

I was thinking of using a vertical brace (like on a yacht mast with a spreader) but since I already have all the anchors and 50m of 5mm wire rope with all the fittings is only $150 I'll do it that way. Assuming I can straighten the pole!!

The mill does furl, the problem is that wind from that direction is very blustery and gusty with vertical elements to it (rotors). It was a wind like this last year that lifted the mill (all 50kg of it) clean off the pole :(
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just-doug

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2011, 04:16:56 PM »
well timed post with all the recent tower talk.also interesting that the bend is about the same distance below the top  guys as the turbine is above the top guys.could be interpreted as a preventive rule of thumb to place a second set of guys at the turbine spacing  below the top guys ,in addition to the common spacing.
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frackers

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2011, 12:08:13 PM »
Tower down OK last night (thanks Shawn) so next is to work out how to straighten it. The first idea (which sounds very workable) is, now that the pole is on the ground, to weld a cross piece across the base of it to stop it turning (bend uppermost) and driver the tractor along it!!

We'll see how it goes...
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wpowokal

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Re: Oops - gone all bendy!!
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2011, 12:39:27 PM »
That works but I doubt it will ever be strong enough again without welding some support around that area, it never seems to be round again, thus loosing structural strength.

Yep the gusty winds are worst for tower swaying, you must have the sheep gods on your side for the tower to survive as long as it did with so few supports.

Allan of the tropics
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