low winds

[hemi_1950]

 I live in nw arkansas my average wind speed is 8-15 mph is this enough to run your 10 ft turbine

[gww]

I can't answer you question except to say that solar is probly cheeper and more consistant for power.  That said I do intend to run 2 eight foot hugh piggot turbines in a zone 2 wind area.  I can't tell you how it works for about a year but most say it won't work well.  Maby you could measure your real wind at the higth and location of your planned install. When you get the numbers there are people here who can put the math to it.  I bought hugh piggots book and it tells you how to figure these types of things and fits it to his turbines.  food for thought.
Good luck
gww

[just-doug]

8 average,not so good.10+ real average,just ok.swept area will be critical.skip the 10 footer and concider 12footer +.10 bumped to 12 foot is a 22 percent increase in area.this is the easyest way to increase out put.

[birdhouse]

8-15 is a huge range for average!  i average just over 12mph.  if it was much less, the costs wouldn't justify the output once you factor in the tower ect.   i'm offgrid where i use my turbine. 

some more details would be helpful. 

are you offgrid, on grid?  what are your expectations?  if you're on grid, how much do pay in elec a month?  type of battery bank?  ect...

adam

[Flux]

I suspect you mean that your common winds are between 8 & 15mph.

An average wind speed has one figure. If the average is 8mph it will be a very poor wind area and will not be cost effective but you will still get something if first cost is not the only factor.

An average of 15mph is at the other extreme and will be a very windy site indeed with lots of power available.

You really need to do some wind speed measurements at your site, at the proposed turbine height if you expect to make this a cost effective installation rather than hobby.

Your 10ft machine will be just about cut in at 8mph and may make a few WH a day. At 15 mph it will be producing several hundred watts and a few kWH per day.

On an 8mph average site you will have lots of days with nothing, and a reasonable number of days with useful wind in the 10/15mph region. You will have a few days a year where you reach furling and maximum output.

The 15mph average site will have most days in the useful 10/15mph region, many days in the 20/25mph region where you are near full output and a lot of days where you are furling hard or shut down.

The other factor is how often the wind blows, some sites have near 24hr wind but many low wind sites only have this during storms and on light wind days you may only see power from mid morning to the light change in the evening. This low output combined with limited hours results in a very poor power capture, so the site conditions make so much difference.

Flux

[hemi_1950]

 sorry i was not clear, at the local airport that is what they gave me,and there reading are at 32 ft.and i have a  60ft tower for the turbine to go on,  I had called the air port manager today and he informed me that the average wind speed is 13 mph. thank you all for you input and for your advice, ihave read dan b book and have learned a lot.

[Flux]

13 mph average is actually a windy site, you should be fine as long as there are no local features sheltering your site.

Flux

[Harold in CR]

 When I lived in Arkansas, I worked with a guy that built towers. We went around various parts of the state and did wind surveys. We installed several wind turbines around NW Arkansas. One is installed on the bluff that overlooks Greers ferry Lake, and, shakes the hell out of that machine.

 Exactly where are you ?

 There are several videos and 2 books published by the Arkansas Dept of Energy, with our info and photos at the NW Arkansas Community College, in Harrison. Steve Cook was the guy that ran the Alt. Energy dept and had solar panels and a small Wincharger mounted on a trailer, on a crank up tower we built, that he hauled around to energy fairs and such as a demonstration thing. Steve lives(d)? in Parthenon, and there are several more scattered through out that area.

 We tried to assist or buy the Enertech machine that was installed on top of the building, in Fort Smith, that was placed there by the Engineering Dept, that never did make any output. THEY were much smarter than we were. THEY had diplomas. We couldn't get them to understand wind shear from the flat walls of the building making the wind rise up and over the machine. It needed to be 50' minimum higher than what they had, but, rooftop install is not the best deal.

 The tower guy lives(d) on Hwy. 7, in Dogpatch. Name is Randall Richardson. Company was Custom Towers. He has(d) ? a Bergey mounted on a 120' tower we built and erected there. We were dealers for 4 manufacturers, for several years, and installed from Paris in the south to west of Parthenon. He has(d) all the papers and locations.

 He could probably tell you everything you want to know.

 I left there in 1985, after the tax credits expired and was tired of beating a dead horse, trying to explain Alt energy was going to be a good thing. People didn't want to spend the money for a taller tower. IF you are not 30'+ above surrounding trees, buildings, etc., you will not get efficient wind energy. It NEEDS to be undisturbed flow for best efficiency.

[thirteen]

IF THERE IS ANOTHER TOWER AROUND YOU YOU MIGHT STOP AND TALK TO THEM THEY MAY HAVE SOME INFORMATION YOU COULD USE. I DO NOT KNOW YOUR LAND LAYOUT. I WOULD PUT UP A BALLON ON STRING (WITH A RIBBON) THE SAME HIEGHT AS YOUR TOWER WILL BE. IF THERE ARE ANYTHING LIKE TREES OR BUILDING AROUND THAT COULD CHANGE THE FLOW OF THE WIND. 30 FEET HERE OR THERE MIGHT HELP. AS ALWAYS THINK SAFETY. GOOD LUCK
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[hemi_1950]

I live northeast of harrison arkansas.

[hemi_1950]

Randle Richarson i know well,he built the tower for my dad in 1983 and put windgenerator up alsoi talk and see Randel often as his company installs and maintains HVAC at the resort i work for in Branson Mo. I have a heavy 60 ft tower he had built this is the one i want to put my generator on.

[Harold in CR]

 If he installed the tower for your Dad, I was probably there, also.  You are in good hands to get your info and results you need.

[Bruce S]

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Your caps lock button is stuck in the on position again  .
ALL;
Since this info is in two similar posts I'm going to attempt to merge them so there is less bouncing back a forth.
Bruce S