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Forum Index : Windmills : Its back up!
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frackers Newbie  Joined: 06/11/2009 Location: New ZealandPosts: 23 |
Three days before Christmas we had a fair old storm come across Canterbury and the 120KM/hr winds took out my 3m axial mill by precessing up the stub mast until the whole assembly came off its pivot. Who would have thought that it could lift 50kg by 300mm!! The repairs required the following work: * New blades (the old ones were spread up to 85m from the tower) * new stub mast (bent where the blades hit it) * new magnets (one set of 12 on the front rotor had lost over 70% of their magnetism - cause unknown) * new tail metalwork (the old one was too heavy) * powder coating on the magnet rotors (they had got very rusty under the magnets) The new blades have the pitch going the opposite way to last time, to reverse the rotation, so if the whole furls quickly whilst going at full tilt it won't precess off the stub mast again. They are also lighter being made from western red cedar rather than old remu joists Other work was just refurbishment: * stripped and greased the hub bearings * new connectors on the three phase cable dropping down the tower. The stator and generator frame escaped unharmed so not bad for a big event after nearly 3 years in the air! Robin down under - or are you up over |
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| windlight Guru  Joined: 03/03/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 331 |
Always sad when something crashes but it does give you an opportunity to refine things, and stay away from them earth quakes. Allan "I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - (Act II, Scene IV). |
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shawn Senior Member  Joined: 30/03/2010 Location: New ZealandPosts: 210 |
Great news now I have something to watch when I have my tea break 
It was always a nice mill  |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi There is something hypnotic about watching a wind turbine spinning away and hopefully making a few amps to boot. Ongoing improvement is dependent on such events sad as they are but the opportunity for improvement is thrust upon us. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi There is something hypnotic about watching a wind turbine spinning away and hopefully making a few amps to boot. Ongoing improvement is dependent on such events sad as they are but the opportunity for improvement is thrust upon us. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| frackers Newbie Joined: 06/11/2009 Location: New ZealandPosts: 23 |
The (September) earthquake is why I've rebuilt it - nothing can replace that feeling of security when the ground is moving all the time, the power is out and you haven't slept in I don't know how long but the domestic water pump and the freezers have power!! Wasn't until I got back to work I discovered we're only 2km from the surface fault and 6km from the epicentre :( I didn't think the system would ever pay for itself and it won't in monetary terms but the satisfaction of having it there when I needed it surpasses all that dirty old cash :) Robin down under - or are you up over |
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KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
I had the yaw bearing tear out of the head assembly and although no damage was done it took some time to get it all back up and running. In fact was a significant reason I drove to Melbourne from Perth (tools) As rewarding as the first time it is absoluletly majic throwing the switch and within a few seconds turning slowly, finding the wind then spinning up and punching the power in.. You are not alone, All of those things are worth more than the sum of the parts the feeling is priceless. Nice one. -now how about some pics? Luck favours the well prepared |
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| JimBo911 Senior Member Joined: 26/03/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 262 |
Frackers Some guys in the US (because of poor vision) cant see all the way to New Zealand some photos would be nice. Congrats on your rebuild. Jim |
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| frackers Newbie Joined: 06/11/2009 Location: New ZealandPosts: 23 |
I've not had a chance to sort out pictures from the end of the rebuild but the start of it is on my website. The original build is here with details about the controller and mast. The current state of the system is here which updates every 5 minutes (although the data is gathered twice a second)
Cheers Robin down under - or are you up over |
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