Author Topic: Light Wind Heavy Weight Turbine Project - as I build it. (Read 175435 times)

Steadfast · « **Reply #297 on:** July 04, 2012, 09:39:18 PM »

Here is the winch and snatch block system in full extension.

New Face Plate made of Birch wood not oak this time

Steadfast · « **Reply #298 on:** July 04, 2012, 09:54:28 PM »

Here is the Turbine Fully Built! again...

Hooking Up the Stator

Adding the Tail assembly:

Ready to raise!

AND THEN....IT RAINS!!!

and RAINS!

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Steadfast · « **Reply #299 on:** July 04, 2012, 10:02:37 PM »

When YouTube finally loads them up...

These will be the next two "Raising Steadfast's Turbine" videos.

Raising Steadfast's Turbine - Part 2

Raising Steadfast's Turbine - Part 3

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BTW: The LAW of Turbine Raising is still in effect!
There was ZERO WIND as soon as the turbine was lifted
and
The ZERO winds continued to NOT exist for the rest of the day after the Turbine was fully hooked up!
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hiker · « **Reply #300 on:** July 04, 2012, 10:55:49 PM »

nice going there sf...
you know you could have hooked up a elect. drill to that nut on the handle...
mill looks great.....now of course the long wait for the wind....happens every time
you raise a new mill--if there is a wind it dies out as soon as the mill is up!!

DamonHD · « **Reply #301 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:14:36 AM »

Hey, good stuff!

I put solar PV on the school's roof and we promptly had the wettest 3 months in the UK since records began, but at least I solved the drought that we had been having instead. B^>

Rgds

Damon

Frank S · « **Reply #302 on:** July 05, 2012, 11:47:25 AM »

SF I see that you have it up in the air but I'm probably not the only one just a little concerned with your choice of a triangle guy set up .IT looks to me like in a strong wind your bird will be on the ground before it can furl but I hope I am wrong.
But one time a city decided to up grade their street lights the new lights were half the weight but had more surface area per reflector and they added more lamp sets to each pole the first time the wind hit a high gust half of the poles bent some even broke off at the base.
All I am saying is a 3 point guy set up is at best a bit dodgy in high winds
Good luck.

lakesidepark · « **Reply #303 on:** July 05, 2012, 12:44:17 PM »

His lighter weight setup should be having lunch in Knoxville right about now. He might want to have that one be the first that gets hit by a windstorm, for now watch the radar and the skies and be ready to hoist down unless you 'feeling lucky' today.

I'm not usually that lucky. Murphy stalks me.

I'm a firm believer in testing incrementally. that comes from seeing a lot of magic blue smoke and having to answer too many questions about where it came from.

tanner0441 · « **Reply #304 on:** July 05, 2012, 01:57:44 PM »

Hi Frank

I have climbed enough masts supported in three directions, ( four is always better, and always four over 45ft.) not too much of a problem as long as the support is ballanced and are as close to 120 degs as is not obvious, but steadfast seems to avoid answering questions that he doesn't like. I would still like to see how the guys come away from the two brackets that are 180 degs to each other, I see them as being loaded at 45 degs out of line with the brackets, which puts a lot of stress on the welds, add the snatching and flexing from the turbine movement and the failure is inevitable, meaning the three directions of suport become two. The guys that are left change from suport to loading.

120 degs from a square mast is easy enough, the middle of one face and the two opposite corners.

Brian.

birdhouse · « **Reply #305 on:** July 05, 2012, 02:05:45 PM »

i've even read about towers with 5 guys. this way, if one cable becomes disabled, there's a chance the tower will still stand until repairs are able to be made.

one thing SF could do as a safety precaution on those sideways loaded guy brackets, would be to run a short chunk of 1/4" cable through all three thimbles on the guys. this way, if one of those welds breaks loose, there's a chance that the tower won't topple. again, until repairs can be made (hopefully immediately).

adam

Steadfast · « **Reply #306 on:** July 05, 2012, 03:04:34 PM »

Quote from: birdhouse on July 05, 2012, 02:05:45 PM

one thing SF could do as a safety precaution on those sideways loaded guy brackets, would be to run a short chunk of 1/4" cable through all three thimbles on the guys. this way, if one of those welds breaks loose, there's a chance that the tower won't topple. again, until repairs can be made (hopefully immediately).

adam

Thats a great Idea!
I'll do it!

BUT WHY
Oh Why do you guys tell me things like this AFTER the TOWER is ALREADY UP?

birdhouse · « **Reply #307 on:** July 05, 2012, 03:27:55 PM »

i don't think any of us really knew exactly what you had planned until the pictures were posted.

it's hard to explain every last detail when none of us have been on site for what you've been working on. although three guys isn't ideal, if maint. properly, i think it should be fine.

a note: cables stretch after initial install. after you have some decent wind, and or the tower has been up for a bit, i'd give all the turnbuckles a crank or two. last thing you want with just three cables, is any slack. your tower could start swaying in the wind and create pretty large forces on your guys.

adam

spottrouble · « **Reply #308 on:** July 05, 2012, 03:33:25 PM »

Quote from: Steadfast on July 05, 2012, 03:04:34 PM

Quote from: birdhouse on July 05, 2012, 02:05:45 PM
one thing SF could do as a safety precaution on those sideways loaded guy brackets, would be to run a short chunk of 1/4" cable through all three thimbles on the guys. this way, if one of those welds breaks loose, there's a chance that the tower won't topple. again, until repairs can be made (hopefully immediately).

adam
Thats a great Idea!
I'll do it!

BUT WHY
Oh Why do you guys tell me things like this AFTER the TOWER is ALREADY UP?

Maybe because we don't know all the details till after its up

. Like the guy wires, I thought you were going with 4, then you put it up with 3?

Several people suggested tying the guys as far up the tree as possible, I DISAGREE, sure in a perfect world all the trees would flex evenly in high winds and 3 trees and your turbine could perform a graceful ballet, but that ain't going to happen in reality. In reality one tree will sway more, another less, and the third might not move at all, so one guy gets tensioned, another slackens, and the turbine suffers a tragic fall. The purpose of the guys is to keep the tower from swaying in high winds,

Beyond a few nit picky details it looks good, now lets see some storm videos

Kristin

tanner0441 · « **Reply #309 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:01:47 PM »

Hi

We did try to tell you before you put it up, I also commented on the two opposite brackets, if your going to put bending forces on a weld it is usual to brace the bracket with gussets in compression, the two opposite brackets should have come from the corners on the far side from the bracket in the centre of the tube.

The guy(s) anchored up the tree should still come from the mast at the same angle as the guy that goes all the way to the ground, and the lower down the tree the less movement your going to get. A retro fit to your brackets you could run a turn or two of guy wire through the brackets and put a couple of clips to hold it, then should a bracket fail it will put the load onto the other two and round the mast.

All this has been said earlier on here. Still you have it up I hope you get enough wind to make it work, but after the first good wind I would be checking everything with a pair of binoculars and checking the guy tensions, and seeing if the drop wire is not twisting up or chaffing.

Brian

Steadfast · « **Reply #310 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:43:03 PM »

Quote from: spottrouble on July 05, 2012, 03:33:25 PM

Beyond a few nit picky details it looks good, now lets see some storm videos

Kristin

My wife just called: said she is 3 miles from the house and a flash heat storm is marching through! They are getting 20 MPH gusts and no one is home to get to watch the fun of seeing what the turbine is doing...

RATS, Bats and Flamming Cats!

I am missing it!

Nuts!
here I am STUCK at work!

(sigh) Yes, I'll check the guys when I get home...

Steadfast · « **Reply #311 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:58:37 PM »

As my wife and daughter called me again, as they drove up our street,
they said "there was dabree all over the road from the wind!"

YIKES!

When they got home and got out of the car... they said...

"The turbine MUST have gotten Hammered!"
but
that the turbine is "moven great and still up!"

I shouted happily for them to "SHOOT VIDEO"
Woohooo!

its 5pm...Im outta here!
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Steadfast · « **Reply #312 on:** July 05, 2012, 05:20:32 PM »

driving home: The news just reported 60mph winds. And the neighbors tree crashed. Into our yard. But missed the turbine and the shed. And yet my turbine stands. Proudly.

Steadfast · « **Reply #313 on:** July 05, 2012, 06:29:45 PM »

You guys are not going to believe the video I just shot of the wind damage! The tree that fell was MASSIVE... And yet the turbine is standing! Those blade must have been moving, because the red paint is stripped off to the primer on the back of the tips! I am posting this from my phone because my internet is out in my neighborhood. I will post the amazing video as soon as it comes up again!

I have Total faith in this tower now... total faith...
and soon... you will also see why....

Yes... I had to tighten my turn buckles..

sean_ork · « **Reply #314 on:** July 05, 2012, 07:19:27 PM »

It's a shame all of those trees didnt blow over

are the mill controls setup yet ? - or is the mill braked/shorted ?

Valalvax · « **Reply #315 on:** July 05, 2012, 07:59:38 PM »

Anxiously waiting for video

Steadfast · « **Reply #316 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:02:19 PM »

Yes... the controls are up... no... it is not shorted... I missed the storm so I could not see the output levels.... the neighbor saw it "spin like a fan and then bend sideways and slow down." Aka he saw it furrel... and I missed it! The battery was full... so I wasted some electricity to get it back down to 80%... very cool stuff... My internet service is wiped out so no video yet. But soon.

Valalvax · « **Reply #317 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:05:04 PM »

Quote from: Steadfast on July 05, 2012, 08:02:19 PM

Yes... the controls are up... no... it is not shorted... I missed the storm so I could not see the output levels.... the neighbor saw it "spin like a fan and then bend sideways and slow down." Aka he saw it furrel... and I missed it! The battery was full... so I wasted some electricity to get it back down to 80%... very cool stuff... My internet service is wiped out so no video yet. But soon.

Could you try uploading via mobile? (I know, I'm impatient!)

Steadfast · « **Reply #318 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:12:47 PM »

Nope... I only have 3g on my phone not 4g... the tree missed my turbine by 15ft... it was so big around I could only touch my finger tips if I hugged it... it shattered about 10 ft up... wow! And half of my trees are still bent sideways about half way up. But the mast still stands..

Frank S · « **Reply #319 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:14:14 PM »

I for one am glad to hear it is still standing because I have had several concerns about your guy wires

Steadfast · « **Reply #320 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:17:15 PM »

Quote from: Frank S on July 05, 2012, 08:14:14 PM

I for one am glad to hear it is still standing because I have had several concerns about your guy wires

well, it certainly was put to the test... and passed with flying colors...

And why would it not pass? I used your plans...

Mastiffman · « **Reply #321 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:37:37 PM »

Quote from: Steadfast on July 05, 2012, 08:17:15 PM

Quote from: Frank S on July 05, 2012, 08:14:14 PM
I for one am glad to hear it is still standing because I have had several concerns about your guy wires
well, it certainly was put to the test... and passed with flying colors...

And why would it not pass? I used your plans...

Glad it was put to the test though!

Steadfast · « **Reply #322 on:** July 05, 2012, 08:51:50 PM »

Internet up...

Here is the video I shot of the wind damage.

This is one of the turbine spinning slowly:

Mastiffman · « **Reply #323 on:** July 05, 2012, 09:58:26 PM »

HA HAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Man Steadfast!? I have to note that it's good to see that some people STILL KNOW HOW to show true excitement my man! I'm really happy for ya Brother! That thing seems to be Pret-ty Stable! So Good for you and all of that hard work! I honestly think that your next journey should be getting a Chainsaw and some Climbing gear and Ropes to start building yourself a good reserve of face cords from dropping those trees surrounding that B.A. Mill you got yourself there. if you could free up some airspace a good 100ft radius from the Mill you might get some decent wind coming in... Or at least clear a path in the direction that the wind blows the most!?

Either way, thanks for sahring the vid and excitement man!

windy · « **Reply #324 on:** July 05, 2012, 10:55:02 PM »

Steadfast,

I suppose you are now glad that you got rid of that bracket that was attached to your shed. Looking at your video, the tree that snapped off fell in the same direction as the turbine would of fell, if the tower was still attached to the shed.
It isn't the the medium and strong winds that test your setup, it is the 80 MPH wind blast that does.
Glad to see you finally got it going!

windy

definitionofis · « **Reply #325 on:** July 06, 2012, 07:20:43 AM »

Quote from: spottrouble on July 05, 2012, 03:33:25 PM

Several people suggested tying the guys as far up the tree as possible, I DISAGREE, sure in a perfect world all the trees would flex evenly in high winds and 3 trees and your turbine could perform a graceful ballet, but that ain't going to happen in reality. In reality one tree will sway more, another less, and the third might not move at all, so one guy gets tensioned, another slackens, and the turbine suffers a tragic fall. The purpose of the guys is to keep the tower from swaying in high winds,

Beyond a few nit picky details it looks good, now lets see some storm videos

Kristin

Yes, you can't tie it very high up in a swaying tree. However, tying a 40 foot high guy wire to the ground at only eight feet from the tower is hugely more stressful than, tying to ground 40 feet from the tower. So some slight elevation tied to the very thickest tree is likely a good solution to a difficult situation. It requires some judgment and some math. For example, just eight feet up will gain a huge mechanical advantage at that tight angle. I never proposed "as high up as possible".

definitionofis · « **Reply #326 on:** July 06, 2012, 07:51:43 AM »

Quote from: Steadfast on July 05, 2012, 08:51:50 PM

Internet up...

Here is the video I shot of the wind damage.

I just watched this video, and just for the record, I am not sure about what I am seeing regarding the orientation or height of guy wires.

I would be a little happy but not too happy, because it looks like the tree blew down in the direction. which is not the most vulnerable for the tower. I think the most vulnerable wind is maybe from the eight-foot-distance-neighbor property towards the tower. Maybe that wind direction never happened. I just speak up to make you think, for safety sake, not that I actually know any details about what I am seeing regarding angles or wire thickness or parts.

It was a good first test though. Congratulations.

Boss · « **Reply #327 on:** July 06, 2012, 08:15:30 AM »

3 or 4 guys, New Mexico is known for our gusts, we can test a tower. My advise is build the tower side anchors so they surround the tower, do not test your welding.

just-doug · « **Reply #328 on:** July 06, 2012, 12:59:19 PM »

congrats on the tower passing its first test.if i remember correctly,that meter you bought should in the lower left corner,should be flashing/rotating display.it should display max watts,max voltage ,min volts..that it saw when you werent there.just curious what is the max watts or amps rotating accross the display?you dont have to be standing over the meter to know the max numbers.

Steadfast · « **Reply #329 on:** July 06, 2012, 01:16:13 PM »

really...? huh....

I will check that out when I get home!
and let you guys know...

News:

Author Topic: Light Wind Heavy Weight Turbine Project - as I build it. (Read 175435 times)