New wind generator flying. "Big 5"

[Jerry]

[Jerry]

Hey were did my full page story go. This is the 3rd time I've try to post this story this morning. First time it was scrubbed cause 1 picture was over the limit. Second time a full page story is gone but the pictures posted.

Oh well me and computers never do get along very well. Its the 2 steps forward 10 steps back for me and computers.  There was supposed to be this story before the pictures? It goes like this. If this doesn't work I think people may ask ?s about the pictures?

I've named this wind generator Big 5. Big because its the largest in my littel wind farm (so far). 5 because it has 5 blades at 84" in diameter.

The tower is the crank up I've been working on. Its based around whats left (10ft) of a 40ft tower that crashed a few years ago. There is a hand  crank wench and a puly system that feeds a cable out to the 18ft point on the tower mast (mast 18 ft of 2"X2" steel tubing). After the tower mast is lifted to within 24" of the tower base a chain temporarily holds the mast until the cable is relocated to the 10ft point on the mast. Then the last 2ft are cranked up till the mast comes to its full upright position.

I thought the 70LB Big 5 would be a problem to lift. Not at all. It cranked up with ease.

Once in the upright position a small breeze came up. I had a volt meter connected to the open leads at the tower base. The meter was reading 17 volts. I excitedly ran into the shop to check the anemometer. The wind was at 4.6 mph.

I was very happy to see this. I was hoping for cutin at 5 to 7 mph. I'm also hoping for .5 to 1 amp in the 5 to 7 mph range? If it never does over 10 amps max that will be OK. However I'll not be surprised to see 40 amps in high winds either. No power testing as yet. There has been no usable wind here for 2 weeks.

Jerry

[Rover]

Nice Stuff Jerry!

Rover

[artv]

Jerry ,..Will be waiting for output #s,..Am wondering what is the height of the tower ,looks to be ~25-30 ft?
Do the 5 blades give more speed?.....Nice work....artv

[Jerry]

Jerry ,..Will be waiting for output #s,..Am wondering what is the height of the tower ,looks to be ~25-30 ft?
Do the 5 blades give more speed?.....Nice work....artv

Yes the center of the blades are at 25ft. This alternator was on this tower several years ago. The tower crashed and the alt has been in storage. When it was atop the 40ft tower it had a set of three 7ft diameter carbon fiber Lakota blades. It was much faster then not only because it was 3 blade but it was also operating at 24 volts (less stall/lighter load).

These 5 blades will be slower but start much sooner. The top end power will be less then before. The nice thing is having power much more of the time. I don't need a lot of power this time.

It nice to see the blades spinning at 3 mph even though this motor conversion has a very slight cogging.

I managed to get it connected with its own amp meter. Its now part of the test group. All I need now is some wind.

Jerry   

[jlt]

Hi Jerry

I am in the same boat when it come's to computers. Hope you get some wind soon.

Don' t give up . Great looking machine U have there.

[tecker]

Looks good up there Jerry . I took the inside on the blade close to the center of the hub also with a similar cut and tsr . The result was not dramatic  but the wind travels down the blade ans spills off about 1/2 way down I used a little smoke to chart that . They are very quiet . Those blade are around 75.? and I used the 120 at the flat side of a 6" triangle .

[Jerry]

We have some wind this morning. Its also a bright sunny winter morning. I looked out the window to see Big 5 spinning. The other 7 wind generators were not. It also had yawed 180 degrees from yesterday. I thought it would have a problem yawing in very light wind but it seems to do just fine.

The wind however is very slight. I went out to the shop to check meter readings. To my surprise I saw these #s. 2.7 mph at .39 amps, 3.6 mph at 1.11 amps and 5 mph at 3 amps.

For the wind generators intended purpose these are great #s. I'm very happy. Very eager to see the #s at 7.5 , 10 and 12 mph. I'm very sure this will keep the RV batteries topped off. This machine is working slightly better then I hoped.

Jerry

[jlt]

 Those are pretty impressing outputs at that low wind speed .
 
 I may  try to make something with some of the ecm motors I have. The shafts are to small to go very large.
A few amps Is allot better than nothing.

   Are you able to stop it by shorting the output wires.It may turn to a monster  in a high wind.

[Jerry]

jlt.

I have changed the shaft in some ECMs to 3/4". You remove the rubber damping bushing in the center of the ECMs armature. I then replace that with a steel core machined for a 3/4" shaft. There are new bearings that fit the end caps.

The 3/4" shaft handles much larger blades with ease. The ECM is well suited to low wind or you can make it a high wind higher amperage machine. The ECM works very well at 12, 24 or 48 volts with some easy connection mods. Its a very versatile small alt that way outpreforms the Delco, Ametek and tred mill machines. I've got video of it doing stomping on a Wind Blue. It still gets beat by the Garbogen though.

Yes the Big 5 stops with shorted leads.

Jerry

[Norm]

Whew ! Jerry all those mills on or on the edge of roof tops....bet they 
really sing at times ?
Norm.

[Jerry]

Whew ! Jerry all those mills on or on the edge of roof tops....bet they 
really sing at times ?
Norm.

The littel storage shed is all metal. There has been no wind here for a couple weeks. Yesterday I was inside the shed, a short term breeze came up and I got a bit of OMG whats that rumble. OH its the gennies on the roof. It sounded like Santa may have landed up there. It does have a sweet hum at some wind speeds. Its kinda cool if it doesn't catch you off guard (not expecting it). The 14 wind generators on my store shop roof made quite a rumble during storm winds.

Jerry

[jlt]

       I was thinking to drill a 3/4 shaft that would fit over the ecm shaft. And put a bearing out on the end of it.
 
       Nobody  around here has the foam core plastic pipe.

[Rover]

       I was thinking to drill a 3/4 shaft that would fit over the ecm shaft. And put a bearing out on the end of it.
 
       Nobody  around here has the foam core plastic pipe.

I did that with my last ECM, machined a 1" arbor that fit over the shaft, then through a bearing in housing that covered the ECM. It did work, however too much drag from the bearing IMHO.

Arbor


Assembled in housing

[Jerry]

The ECMs I've converted to the 3/4" shaft spun as easy if not easyer then the original bearings. Speaking of ECMs. Tomorrow I'll be installing an ECM at the top of my 40ft power pole. Its job is to keep my 48 volt battery bank charged up. I expect it to do an easy 50 watts and on a rare occasion 300 watts plus. You know I'll get pictures.

Hey here's a strange thing I'll be flying it 3 phase star with rectifier on the ground.

Jerry

[jlt]

      I have several ECm's that are wound like a  standard motor they have a square controller on the back of them.

 I separated the star point and  hooked it up IRP. parallel .It will start charging at about 320 RPM. 12v

    I tested it at 12amps 900 rpm.

      What is the cut in rpm of your big 5?

[Jerry]

      I have several ECm's that are wound like a  standard motor they have a square controller on the back of them.

 I separated the star point and  hooked it up IRP. parallel .It will start charging at about 320 RPM. 12v

    I tested it at 12amps 900 rpm.

      What is the cut in rpm of your big 5?

I'm not sure. I just know its very low. I'd say 80 to 100 rpm. Keep in mind it was originaly designed for 24 volt and I'm using it at 12v.

Jerry

[ghurd]

      I have several ECm's that are wound like a  standard motor they have a square controller on the back of them.

 I separated the star point and  hooked it up IRP. parallel .It will start charging at about 320 RPM. 12v

    I tested it at 12amps 900 rpm.

      What is the cut in rpm of your big 5?

Those are old ECMs.
Depends on the HP, and more.

Maybe NORM has an idea what an older-style 1HP will make (open circuit volts) with simple IRP?
G-

[whythehecknot]

WOW what a plethora of wind turbines! You seem to be partial to metal blades. How much power with all of them running at the same time in like say a 12ish mile per hour wind?

[Norm]

jerry....as near as I can figure I get about 40 open volts at 800 rpm
but at 300rpm on my PedGen I charge a 13.4volt battery  about 40watts.
hope that helps
Oh and when I had it geared so I could spin it up to 600 I had to switch to charging
24 volt batterys.
Norm.

[ghurd]

WOW what a plethora of wind turbines! You seem to be partial to metal blades. How much power with all of them running at the same time in like say a 12ish mile per hour wind?

Pretty sure most of those are some type of plastic.
(not metal, not wood)

[Jerry]

We finaly had some usable wind today. The Big 5 hit 500 watts at 20 mph today. I'm happy with this preformance.

Jerry

[jlt]

       That is very good output. hope those foam blades hold up.

  I had wind gusts last night of 59mph. And still blowing about 25mph.

   How is the 48 volt ECM coming along.

JLT

[Jerry]

       That is very good output. hope those foam blades hold up.

  I had wind gusts last night of 59mph. And still blowing about 25mph.

   How is the 48 volt ECM coming along.

JLT

ECM not flying yet. My pole climer guy couldn't make over. We've had some 40 mph gust since last report. The genny does not have furling. The blades are doing just fine head on into the 40 mph winds.

I would like to see if they can take some 60 mph wind?

Jerry