Turbine works well

[97fishmt]

It's up!



The tail is a little light and the vane is too small but the boom is ok.

This worked before with less offset. So it furls too soon right now. It's

an easy fix.  It was a good thing it was very windy the next day after it went

up. Of course there was no wind when I put it up. It starts to turn out of the

wind at 20 amps and then with a little more wind it turns completely out and stops.  

When it calms down it will turn back into it though.  So the tail ether needs to

be heavier or a larger vane.  Or decrease the angle at the tail pivot.



Here is the grip hoist and the old boat winch for the counter action when

it gets to almost vertical.



I'll need to come up with a better anchor point for the winches.

This worked for now but I don't think so with a lot of snow with the grip hoist.

I bought 200' of cable for the hoist, it goes through two pulleys and down to

the lift anchor and I still have plenty of cable left so I'll come up with something.

Wow it is amazing that there is no turbulence now!

[cardamon]

nice looking tower. How tall and who made it?

[97fishmt]

Hello

It's a 64'Rohn 45g with a few modifications to make it tilt up and the top to accept the turbine.  It is very robust, I definitely recommend one to those looking to put up a turbine.  Thanks

[DanB]

I think you meant 'increase' the angle at the tail pivot...?  to make it furl later.

[97fishmt]

Oh! your right Dan.

It was the last thing I looked at when I took it down

and when looking at it on it's side I guess it looked different

and was just a thought as I was leaving the cabin.

Thanks. I might have tried going the wrong direction to solve

the problem.  Any way I'm sure the angle is more than 20 degrees so

that is not the solution. A larger vane is in order.  Thanks again.

[97fishmt]

Actually Dan I know it needs more surface area on the vane but, by watching

the way it acted in the strong gusts, I guess I was wanting more action from

the tail and for the machine to balance and keep it into the wind and add a stop before it got to the top of its function . It maybe going past the 90 degree mark

and not being able to fall back down. This is my GUESS.  Or just a more weight issue.

Is that right or do I investigate the pivot.  Since this is not really the way your turbines are constructed the pivot is only angled one way.  In reading Hughs book it

states there are two angles that need to be observed.

[Flux]

If you only have the vertical angle on the tail pivot and it is pointing directly back it will go over centre as you suggest.

Over most of the working range the forces on the tail will be wrong, it will have very little control at the point where it starts furling.

As well as the 20 or so degree vertical angle the hinge needs to be oriented so that the free hanging position of the tail needs to be about 45 deg away from the straight back direction away from furling. The actual angle may work anywhere between 30 and 60 deg, it is a compromise whatever you do, and the compromise has various effects.

It is possible to include both angles in the same physical set up, it needn't be done as two angles physically separate ones but if you do it as as one compound angle it is very confusing unless you really understand what you are doing.

You will never get a satisfactory result with just the vertical angle pointing straight back.

Flux

[97fishmt]

Thank you Flux as usual you are a wealth of information and really help this site along.

In observing the tails actions it looked as it could not steer it into the wind.

I didn't think it was so critical with the tails function only to put it into the

wind and turn the machine out of it.  

I see how the compound angle will work more to steer it into the wind, more torque.

And a larger vane to come from the other side of straight back to point it ahead.

I should have put a top stop on but was excited to get it up.  I have 19 inches from

the blades to the tower so I wasn't worried about the tail hitting the blades.

It rises up and hits the back of the motor and it is past and over the top of its

rise.

I have more of an idea now of how it should be.  Thanks

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

If it hits the back of the motor you've got a stop.  B-)

You might want to mount a bumper there to cushion the motor/boom contact to avoid damage - and something above that, sticking out farter, to block the boom if it then tries to slide up on its pivot and go over the motor and into the blades.

[97fishmt]

Yes I will add a stop.

Right now it actually is cushioned by the very stiff wires coming out

the back of the motor.  I just didn't think it would go that far.

I had a stop on the last build and it worked great.

I shouldn't have skipped it.

No harm done just didn't get big power.  

There is a fastener to keep the boom from riding up.

It was cool to see it furl so nicely though,  just another step

and I am almost there.  Thanks for the comment

[Dave B]

It's what works for you and your machine. There are some general design specs. for the "standard" machine mostly built here and promoted with a couple of great books but it's not etched in stone. Experiment, have fun, do your own thing. If your machinre is different from the start then throw out the "should be this, should be that talk" it's your own machine and all the new variables that go with it. Dave B.

[97fishmt]

Thanks Dave.

I have learned like the rest of everyone.  Mostly from just trying stuff.

It has all led me here so far.  It has been pretty serious for some time,

I am pushing too many amps, I think, around 80 at 15 volts.

My summer was really about getting the tower done and putting up what was

working before.

I changed the motor platform and wiring, my wire run comes in at 0.2 ohms

in resistance from the turbine to the rectifiers at the batteries.

This is good and the tower is solid,  so I want to use the new platform

to start experimenting with the higher voltage motors I have been stock

piling.

Blade changes and different power curves of different motors will all need

some tweeking.  Let the fun begin.

[97fishmt]

That should be 2.0 ohms

[DanB]

One concern I have about it (just realized as I read this post again) - looks as though the cord is wrapped around the tower - it looks like this could prevent yawing and furling if it gets tight.  Is that the case or am I misinterpreting the pictures?  I would have the line running right down the center of the tower so it can twist up, rather than wind its way around the tower.

[97fishmt]

I see what you are looking at in that first picture.

That is the angle support. The wires are run down the center

of the tower.

I tried to straighten up the picture, I guess it is a digital thing

making it look kind of rough around the edges.  It seemed like all the

pictures I took  made it look like the tower was out of plumb.

I did plumb it and tighten the guys to pretty good perfection,  up and down

work well and comes up to plum.  

New camera or software on this end?

Thanks Dan I love your site and your work.

[97fishmt]

http://www.fieldlines.com/images/scimages/3510/wind_generator.JPG

Here is the original photo