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DaveP68

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Joined: 25/11/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 292

Posted: 10:42pm 17 Oct 2017

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Finally I'm getting ready to build my first wind turbine.

It will be a 2 stage process as I've got 2 different sets of blades to use. First version is going to be 3 blades with a diameter of 2.15 m as test unit only. The plan is to only have a single F&P stator and work out cut in + TSR values etc. It will also be used to check the operation of my new electronic dynamic brake circuit.

Here is a photo of the 2 different types of blades.

The second version (production unit) will be a F&P dual with 3 blades at a 3 m diameter using the Oz Wind Engineering GOE 222 blades. These are the same blades as Fred (flc1) used on his latest triple F&P stator build. Having been involved with helping him out with the configuration of his stators, it will take some of the guess work out on my own set up.

I'm hoping to achieve 2.5 to 3 kW peak output power from the F&P dual. Bold statement to make from someone who hasn't actually built a wind turbine for himself yet. Know the F&P stators can do it, as you only need to check how Fred's one is performing. For me, now need to make it happen on a wind turbine for real this time rather just talk about it.Edited by DaveP68 2017-10-19

There are realities if you do not accept, will lead to frustration because you will be spending time on wrong assumptions and the results cannot follow! The Dunning Kruger Effect :)

kitestrings
Senior Member

Joined: 23/04/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 102

Posted: 06:07am 18 Oct 2017

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Good luck and keep us posted. Do you have a good wind site? ~ks

DaveP68

Senior Member

Joined: 25/11/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 292

Posted: 11:08am 18 Oct 2017

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Hi ks

Will probably take me a while, as starting from nothing on the mechanical part. Live in a built up area (Central Auckland) so it won't be a preeminent fixture as neighbors unlikely want to see it running for long periods.

Not planing on making power from the first version as already stated, it's a test unit only. A friend of mine who lives on a coastal property can put up one on a peppermint basis, so will try out version 2 with the GOE 222 blades at his property.Edited by DaveP68 2017-10-19

There are realities if you do not accept, will lead to frustration because you will be spending time on wrong assumptions and the results cannot follow! The Dunning Kruger Effect :)

flc1
Senior Member

Joined: 20/11/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 242

Posted: 11:40pm 03 Jan 2018

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So hows the wind turbine build going Dave?

DaveP68

Senior Member

Joined: 25/11/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 292

Posted: 07:39am 04 Jan 2018

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Hi Fred

It's slow progress as I stated it would be in the first post. Have put those 3 fiberglass blades that you can see mounted on a hub in the photo onto a shaft in a F&P bearing block. Then mounted the bearing block on a lump of wood on my deck up stairs in light winds no load on the shaft. It spun up real quickly to about 200 RPM.

Wife spotted me trying it and said what F&!k do you think you are doing that's dangerous! Yep was a bit of a risky stunt and haven'tried that again. I was just lucky the wind conditions were light as it would have gone out of control in medium wind speeds.

Will be getting a proper work bench with vice etc installed in the workshop soon. Hard part is about to begin with my very crude mechanical skills put to use.

I brought the set of smaller fiberglass blades to try first, as don't mind destroying them if it all goes wrong. I have 6 of those fiber glass blades as they cost me less than $100 for the set. Will probably end up mounting 5 or even all 6 on a different hub, as don't think 3 will produce enough start up torque in light winds.

How is your F&P wind turbine with the GOE 222 blades going?

There are realities if you do not accept, will lead to frustration because you will be spending time on wrong assumptions and the results cannot follow! The Dunning Kruger Effect :)

flc1
Senior Member

Joined: 20/11/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 242

Posted: 10:27am 04 Jan 2018

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Ok good luck with that, its a long road ahead for you with your first build,,but with everything we have learnt with my builds it should be a bit easier,
At the moment my turbine is sitting in the shed, as we have sold our house and are about to move south,
hopefully to realise a dream we have had for a few years now of where we want to be. a better place to bring up kids, and further away from citys , large towns etc. A really beautiful part of NZ.

DaveP68

Senior Member

Joined: 25/11/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 292

Posted: 07:55pm 04 Jan 2018

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Wish you and family all the best with the relocation south with and realise that dream you have. I'm sure things will work out you in good time.

There are realities if you do not accept, will lead to frustration because you will be spending time on wrong assumptions and the results cannot follow! The Dunning Kruger Effect :)

flc1
Senior Member

Joined: 20/11/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 242

Posted: 01:03am 05 Jan 2018

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thanks

SparWeb

Senior Member

Joined: 17/04/2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 196

Posted: 03:27am 05 Jan 2018

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[quote]Wife spotted me trying it and said what F&!k do you think you are doing that's dangerous! Yep was a bit of a risky stunt and haven'tried that again. I was just lucky the wind conditions were light as it would have gone out of control in medium wind speeds[/quote]

The first prop I built was carved out of a single 2x4, just as a "try it and see". I put on a trailer hub and clamped that to a post just to see what would happen. There was no wind and it wouldn't keep turning on its own, so I left it and came back later. Well, it had spun... nearly ripped itself off the fence post and was hanging at a funny angle. Lesson learned!

Steven T. Fahey

Madness

Guru

Joined: 08/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2498

Posted: 04:31am 05 Jan 2018

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Years ago I carved a basic blade out of a piece of 50 X 12 mm wood about 600 mm long on a greased bolt for a bearing. I mounted it on a long piece of bamboo tied to a post. Much smaller I know that what you guys are talking about but in a fairly stiff breeze it sounded like a whipper snipper, I don't know what the RPM would have been but would have been at least 2,000. It would have easily taken a few finger or an eye.

There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

DaveP68

Senior Member

Joined: 25/11/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 292

Posted: 12:10am 07 Jan 2018

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I'm sure there are others that share story's like ours...

There are realities if you do not accept, will lead to frustration because you will be spending time on wrong assumptions and the results cannot follow! The Dunning Kruger Effect :)

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