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RifRaf

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Joined: 15/10/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 32

Posted: 10:31pm 25 Oct 2006

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have got a few lengths of PVC pipe, 1.5meter long 250mm OD and wondering what you think the best PVC blade design is though mainly wondering what kind of a hub you would recommend for using them. Initial experiments with smaller blades used things like plywood hubs but for the F&P mill will need something better. For the current PVC test I cut the pipe in quarters and made blades from that but have also seen a design to cut the pipe into 5 parts and make 5 blades from one tube. Am thinking that I may need maybe 5 blades to catch enough wind but would appreciate any advice with making PVC blades or hubs. Currently got 2 F&P brackets made and just undercoated them, slowly gettin there.

Gizmo

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Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5078

Posted: 12:24am 26 Oct 2006

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Send an email to Dennis

dlatham@chariot.net.au

He is doing a lot of work with PVC blades and has made several timber hubs to suit the F&P.

Glenn

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ

FandPwithPVC
Regular Member

Joined: 09/09/2006
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Posts: 64

Posted: 10:01am 26 Oct 2006

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Hi RIFRAF
While at Glen.s place in a couple of weeks I will have 3 to 4 sets of 3 blade 3.2 metre diameter PVC pipe designs. They are made out of at least 250mm diameter pipe and have been reformed in an oven.With wire stabilizers they run fast and quiet with no hint of cogging.Besides timber there is also a newer lightweigh aluminium mounting with the Toyota spline built in and it is very strong. In South Australia we are nearing completion of testing which F and P be it standard or rewind, neo or not goes with which propeller combination. Of course standing under a tower and looking at an Ampmeter is what counts. This is why the Backshed is to open on the 18th 19th and 20th of November and you can see how it is done.

RifRaf

Newbie

Joined: 15/10/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 32

Posted: 03:34am 28 Oct 2006

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thanks guys, am interested in more details of this get together next month as i may try and make it. Blades are up and spinning, it will start turning fairly easy and in the best gusts of wind so far was able to light up 6 12V 21W globes. Made the hub to handle 6 blades and since i cut six blades from the one peice of pipe, no waste, will experiment with 3 and 6 to see the rpm difference, glenn the piclog (avrlog here) is working a treat and is gonna be great for testing, will be hooking batteries up soon, just bought a kg of king prawns to celebrate the first power and after that will get some batteries hooked up so i can test the dump load and charging.

Blades are 125mm long each and started by slicing the pvc into 3 and then halving them. The cogging is not really an issue as it is starting in about 15km/h gusts and keeps going well.

http://eds.dyndns.org:81/~rifraf/windmill/blades3.jpg

once the wind picks up and have a battery connected will post a screen shot of the piclog output.

RifRaf

Newbie

Joined: 15/10/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 32

Posted: 07:37am 30 Oct 2006

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First data :) , cheers Glenn, this is gonna make testing blades so much easier. Needs calibration still a but for a relative comparison is great already.

this is an odd combo i have up at the moment, starts in light wind but yet to see if it gets the rpm.

http://eds.dyndns.org:81/~rifraf/windmill/blades5.jpg

Gizmo

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Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5078

Posted: 08:13am 30 Oct 2006

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Nice looking blades.

On my PicLog the wind speed isn't calibrated, wasnt real keen on setting the whole deal up in my car with a laptop and driving up and down the road. But like you say for comparison it doesn't mater.

Did you know if you click on the graph and drag your mouse it will select that part of the time line. Its a bit buggy so I never published the fact.

Glenn

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ

makourain

Senior Member

Joined: 19/04/2006
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Posts: 111

Posted: 02:58am 02 Nov 2006

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i like your blades very much, please tell me how you made them :)

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