Author Topic: Solution for cable in mast winding up  (Read 6809 times)

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Billy

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Solution for cable in mast winding up
« on: November 30, 2012, 05:02:51 AM »
Hi to all the wizards out there:

Has anyone as yet found a practical solution to the problem of the cable in the mast eventually winding up? At first I thought that sliprings would be a possible answer to this hassle, but that man Hugh Piggott is right when stating that sliprings ultimately fail. Sliprings are OK on a car alternator turning at 1000 - 3000 rpm, but the arching of the slow turning turbine only spells problems.
So, any solutions? I dont like the idea of the cable either breaking or needing to be unwound every so often.
And thank you for a splendid site, Fieldlines + Co.

Billy

stratford4528

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2012, 03:30:05 PM »
I made my carbon brushes with the brush holders from a starter motor and the slip rings off an old genny. Very strong springs so they make good contact with the slip rings

SparWeb

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2012, 11:07:54 PM »
If the cable hangs loosely in the tower, then it should be supported with a Kellem grip at the top (think chinese finger-puzzle) and exits the tower near the base through a hole.  Simplest thing to do is to put a plug and receptacle at the bottom end.  Once a year, unplug, untwist, re-plug.

(PS there are many spellings for Kellem grip and I'm never sure if I'm spelling it correctly either.  Fortunately nobody else knows how to spell it, so google should match you with a supplier even if you spell it Kellam kellem kellum or kallem grip some different way...)
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
www.sparweb.ca

bob golding

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2012, 11:54:11 AM »
i have never found it a problem. i just untwist it when i service the turbine about once a year.i have the cable anchored at the top and it goes down the stub holding the turbine and just hangs loose.
if i cant fix it i can fix it so it cant be fixed.

birdhouse

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2012, 01:06:50 PM »
my turbine has been up for 1.5 years, and i have yet to have to untwist the cable.  granted i use 6/3 SO cord down the tower.  i check it every so often by unweighting it upon the tower exit, and it never has any noticeable twist in it.  my tower gets above the trees, so it's more or less laminal air flow.  i've read about more turbulent sites that need un-twisting every few months...  i'm guessing i may never have to untwist my cable... :o

wind turbines take maintinence, period.  weather it be painting blades, rebalancing blades, adjusting the air gap, retensioning guy lines, re-tourqueing bolts, adding loctite, recoating the tail, adding grease to the yaw and furl bearings, ect...  so what the big deal of adding a simple untwisting to the maint. schedule?? 

adam

SparWeb

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2013, 11:50:02 PM »
Here's a pretty good example of how the wind direction can drift around in a day:

http://maps.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=IALBERTA147&day=2&year=2013&month=11

Today, it actually wandered 270 degrees around counter-clockwise, then went all the way back clockwise, plus another 90 degrees...  I guess that doesn't count as a complete twist, so look at this:

http://maps.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=IALBERTA147&day=1&year=2013&month=11

Yesterday at about noon, do you think it twisted once clockwise or counter clockwise?  Or did it do both and come out even in the end????

At the end of the year, I'm going to drop all my weather data into a spreadsheet, and one of the things I want to do is try to figure out if the wind here tends to turn in one direction more than another.
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
www.sparweb.ca

SparWeb

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Re: Solution for cable in mast winding up
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2014, 03:15:00 PM »
Quote
...At the end of the year, I'm going to drop all my weather data into a spreadsheet, and one of the things I want to do is try to figure out if the wind here tends to turn in one direction more than another.

Well, I did it.  Here's the result:

http://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/topic,148223.0.html
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
www.sparweb.ca