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Forum Index : Windmills : TEST RESULT SURPRISE
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| FandPwithPVC Regular Member  Joined: 09/09/2006 Location: Posts: 64 |
We have now completed testing of our five blade Piggott in a surburban back yard with average wind exposure. Over time we had used a variety of props,rewinds ,neos, conversions together with extensive bench testing. We looked at the graphs and other peoples technical stuff and decided to start again with no preconcieved ideas. Using our windmill for all our testing we wen,t right thru all the usual testing and there it was. The best performing Fisher and Paykel is 100S in DELTA. It does not have the highest output but it up there with them and starts and runs very easy . Like many others we have gone past this one many times. It is cheap with no rewires or Neos and does not suffer from cogging on our mills. |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Well done Dennis. Very interresting. Like you say, its not about building a windmill with fantastic high power figures, but a windmill that starts easy and makes good mid range power. Sounds like you've found the best all rounder. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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RifRaf Newbie  Joined: 15/10/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 32 |
sounds great, these are with the PVC blades right? any details on the length or shape of the blades if they are PVC? pictures? i know 6 blades has been too much for normal winds here so interested to see the 5 blade design. and by no rewind you mean just leave them putting out upto 300v unrectified, the way they are pulled from a washer, works for you charging 12v batteries? |
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Pt w/field Matt Senior Member  Joined: 24/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 105 |
hi ya all yeah i use a 100 on my exersize bike with 14.75 gearing,iuse 6 poles series star and 3 poles series star for best results and it works best in either 12 or 24v modes, have tried 80 and 60 stators and sets of 6 and 9 poles as well,best output was 550 watts but not for long 7 amps is a good workout over 30 mins which powers my tv through an ups box. matt down south |
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| FandPwithPVC Regular Member Joined: 09/09/2006 Location: Posts: 64 |
The 100S is straight from the washing machine and you cut the brass strip to give six outlets.(Delta) Then rectify this into DC in the normal way and this is simple to do. ALWAYS keep a 12 or 24 load on the system while the blades are turning as this will stop the voltage rising. The LARGE PVC BLADES will be flown at the field day in Mackay and they are 3 blades. There are no plans to build ones with 4,5 or 6 at this stage.Also if you look at :The backshed to open : there is a picture of our 5 blade timber Piggotts which was used for this testing.. |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru  Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Good one Dennis--- I knew you would come up with something. I've a couple of the 100 stators , so will put one up and give Er a spin !. Any results, ? I've now completed a 7/2 in .8mm a 7/6 in .6 and .8 mm . Waiting ,as usual , for wind. Have a good time in Mackay. Bruce Bushboy |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Dennis, Thanks for that. By the way, forget Fieldlines, they have upset me by deleting my message about the new cog-free rotors PLUS a mention of this site (with web address) as a more F&P- oriented site. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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Ayjay Newbie Joined: 16/08/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 10 |
Hi Dennis the new Pvc blades sound good. Looking forward to seeing them here in Mackay. Will you be offering any for sale while in Mackay? Cheers AJ  |
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| KiwiJohn Guru Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691 |
How did I miss this post? [quote]hi ya all yeah i use a 100 on my exersize bike with 14.75 gearing,iuse 6 poles series star and 3 poles series star for best results and it works best in either 12 or 24v modes, have tried 80 and 60 stators and sets of 6 and 9 poles as well,best output was 550 watts but not for long 7 amps is a good workout over 30 mins which powers my tv through an ups box. [/quote] Good work Matt, how did you get 14.75 gearing, was that with chain and sprocket? I could not get anything big enough for the front chain ring with the smallest rear sprocket I could find, I ended us using two stages of chain and kept the heavy flywheel the bike already had. I think mine is about 10:1. 550 watts is bloody impressive! In the interests of making something that an ordinary person can realisticly use for an extended period of time I have cut my stator down to 18 coils, of course this has reduced the magnet drag something significant. 18 coils are in 6 coil phases x3 connected in star. 50 watts is just a walk in the park on this rig and is near the maximum too, working really hard does not increase the output much. I guess that means thing a close to optimum for that output. I rectify and charge a small lead acid battery (6 amp hour) via a centre-zero amp meter. With a 50 watt load on it is easy to keep the needle in the 'charge' side of zero. |
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| Pt w/field Matt Senior Member Joined: 24/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 105 |
hi kiwijohn i made a mistake on the gearing its 13.7 to 1,i achived this through 44/16 chain drive and 255/50mm flat belt drive like current cars use using a heavy fly wheel they use on friction type exersize bikes and a ford ea 6 cyl alt pulley bored 25mm for the f&p shaft. ialso use a full size hills exersize bike with 165mm centre crank arms for increased leverage and to suit my 6foot2 body [ the short bikes over balance].your battery seems a bit small for the output you have, try a car battery,its a good way to keep fit while watching tv or do some power runs when ads come on,maybe you need to use the f&p bearing holder instead of your h/made job matt down south |
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| KiwiJohn Guru Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691 |
Matt, the function of the battery is only to smooth out the cyclic peaks each pedal revolution and to soak up the excess volts if the rider gets too enthusiastic. It seems big enough but if I had a car battery on hand I would use it. This is a decent size exercise bike too although it is a bit sedate in the seating style. I did a demo this evening to a group of folks who are concerned with emergency radio communications etc and I showed how they could keep a 100 watt HF transceiver on the air for ever provided they kept the talk time down in relation to the listening time. Everybody who gave it a try was able to maintain 50 watts output without rapid tiring. Considering losses in th e alternator and the two stages of gearing I estimate the rider was putting in about 75 or more watts. |
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| Pt w/field Matt Senior Member Joined: 24/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 105 |
hi kiwijohn just a thought,go karts have a fine pitch chain with plenty of teeth sizes [60/80] on the rear and a 9 on the motor with a 25mm bore rear spocket carrier that would give plenty of scope for gearing! matt down south |
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| KiwiJohn Guru Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691 |
Thanks Matt, there is a go kart place just down the road I should go take a look. It would certainly be good to have just one stage of gearing. |
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| Pt w/field Matt Senior Member Joined: 24/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 105 |
yeah less power loss but still keep the heavy flywheel to aid getting through to the next power stroke matt down south |
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| KiwiJohn Guru Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691 |
Matt, the flywheel will be more effective if it is spinning faster, double the speed gives four times the inertia. I am looking at a flywheel I can put on a F&P shaft. So what I am thinking of is just one stage of gearing and a much lighter fly wheel, wont make it easier to pedal but the machine wont be so heavy to move around the room. |
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