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Forum Index : Windmills : Aeroleaf
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MacGyver Guru  Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Crew It's been a while since I've been on here. Still warm and breathing in North Texas. At any rate, today on Facebook, I saw a little video about a tree full of VAWTs called "Aeroleaf". They are small (like maybe 20" tall each) vertical-axis wind turbines mounted on a metal tree, said to be about 10 meters high. They all twist independently and produce (claimed) enough electricity to power several street lights or an electric car one Km (per year) -- at any rate, it's back to the usual problem with them -- they don't have much output. Still, they're good looking. I tried to copy and paste the URL here but Facebook apparently doesn't work like that. I'll try to snag a picture and drag it in here in an edit a bit later. ----- Okay, the file size is too large and I'm too old to figure out how to shrink it, so you'll either have to use your imagination or google "Aeroleaf" and click on "images" at the top of the page. Hey, I tried. My own version of VAWT is about 10 times as powerful at the same relative size, but again, compared to HAWT output, it's puny. I use mine to pump air and to operate yard art using a worm-and-down-gear transmission, which is VERY slow, but powerful. . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| bitdog Newbie  Joined: 13/11/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 15 |
Aero Leaf Tree, = very interesting subject, so I dug a bit deeper & I approximated facts to get a general overview for me, as follows. Aero Leaf Tree, 5 tons, $31,500 us dollars, 63 generators, = $500 each. 3.1kw or 3100 watt output, divided by 63 = 50 watts out per generator. 50 watts = 12v at 4.16 amps. Generators are wired in parallel. Each generator is 70 cm high (2'4") & needs 8 mph wind to be cost effective. Fashioned for appearance acceptance in a city, & has a first sight wow factor. In conclusion: (the tough talk is:) Most city vertical wind power output is over rated to increase sales. At 5 tons and $31,500 there is no turning back from that. The 12th view = reduced wow factor like a rerun movie. Dirt, corrosion, mold, sun fading, etc turns functional beauty into discarded trash as quickly as fashion changes. High tech & green power makes an owner look smart and careing, which would be necessary if they were the opposite of that. If an Aero Leaf Tree was the only power option for a city burning fossil fuel to make electricity then trees is good, but there are other quiet power production options. A constant 600 watt output for $000.00 sounds like a better option. I saw a home made metal water wheel 4 foot in diameter with 2 F&Ps = impressive. Many cities have dozens of creeks, dropping hundreds of feet. A washing machine company could make & sell a water wheel generator for the cost of a washing machine. At $1,000 for 600 watts = 19kw for the same money as the 3.1kw Aero Leaf Tree which makes no power when the wind doesn't blow more than 4.5 mph. So in conclusion of the conclusion: If you have an Aero Leaf Tree in your yard I probably won't drop by for a visit, but if you have an F&P water wheel, I'm bring at least a half rack (beer) for bribery and you probably won't get rid of me until I'm all talked out. And that's "Show & Tell" at it's finest. Sincerely Bitdog |
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fillm Guru Joined: 10/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 730 |
As for the bit in between Texas and the same thing you have been saying for years , just another VAWT Scam, no need to do the Maths. Hey Mac, how about sharing some pics and some figures on the Air Pumper and whats happened to the BIG one? PhillM ...Oz Wind Engineering..Wind Turbine Kits 500W - 5000W ~ F&P Dual Kits ~ GOE222Blades- Voltage Control Parts ------- Tower kits |
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| electrondady1 Senior Member  Joined: 12/02/2009 Location: CanadaPosts: 208 |
I'm familiar with the Aero Leaf Tree. it's a nice idea but pricey. the windmills i make look a lot like one of those "leaves" but twice as wide and tall 20"x 48" if you check the plastic segments, it requires an injection molding die in order o build one . making for a cheap unit price but a huge investment up front. |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
@ fillm: Mac is getting old; 70 is just around the corner. That said, I am back to building miniature stuff, but likely to your delight, HAWTs. The "Big one" is still in the barn. I might bust out the MIG this summer and toss it together; might not. I'm currently working on a gasifier to run my emergency generator, finishing my "structured water" machine (which I affectionately refer to as Mr. Water), building an array of HAWTs, which will power up my forklift battery in one of my barns for use when the grid takes a dump (pretty regularly 'round these parts) and keeping a ginormous garden out near the road. Also, I'm converting my John Deere tractor to run on propane gas. All this is added to living alone out in the middle of nowhere and keeping up a house and small farm, so like I said up top, Mac is getting old(er) and having to "budget" his time as well as possible. I have one more steel and concrete shop to toss together. It'll be 12' by 30' and house a welding as well as woodworking shop and a hen house for my ladies. Then there are the heifers, the sheep and so on. I'll get 'round to everything sooner or later. Oh, I might add this: My health has improved. Blood sugar and blood pressure are optimal WITHOUT drugs (I'm off all medications). Weight is almost perfect (25 more pounds until I'm "there"). Cholesterol numbers are outstanding with a 'ratio' of HDL:TOTAL of 1.97 (anything less than 4.0 is somewhat remarkable for guys my age) and I have dropped from a 46 waist to a 36 -- so it's not like I've just been sitting around here in Paradise (North Texas). . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| electrondady1 Senior Member Joined: 12/02/2009 Location: CanadaPosts: 208 |
good your health is improving . i dropped 35lbs in the fall by eliminating milk from my diet. still building vertical mills here in town. if i get the mayors permision i maybe could put one down on the beach front to see what it could do, or at least, see how long it would last. the wind coming of lake Huron is mega. |
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oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Good to see your still having fun Mac..... we are all getting older and a few of us are dropping off our perch too.... For those that didn't know, Flux from otherpower is no longer with us..... and that hurts in every way. The man was a gentleman with massive reserves of knowledge that he graciously passed on to anyone that needed sage advise...... very sadly missed. I'm still at it and having fun with it all too, but sadly realised that wind was too difficult to master for long periods of time, whereas solar was simple to get under control... so the 4m mills are gone.... and just in time too.... don't think I would like to wrestle them back up now. Take care over there. .......oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
I dont frequent the Fieldlines forum anymore, so didn't know Flux had passed. That is sad. He rubbed me up the wrong way on a few occasions, but I had respect for him, a clever man, and a great loss to the community. Glen The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Yes Glen, Les Vincent ( flux) did 6275 posts.... I reckon every one of them was to help someone else with a problem. If they can hold that site together for more than a week at a time, his legacy may live on. ...........oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| electrondady1 Senior Member Joined: 12/02/2009 Location: CanadaPosts: 208 |
just heard about flux this morning . i learned so much from him. |
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