Mountain top turbine still going strong

In 2108 I reported a turbine build in Croatia by Ivan.  It’s based on my ideas but Ivan added some engineering refinements.  He just wrote to report that it is still going strong without problems.

That turbine works perfectly, for the third year in a row. And as I report to you in the mountains where it works there are really extreme conditions.
Cold, snow, ice, rain, hail, extreme turbulent wind, I don’t think it can get any worse.
But, no problems at all! It is just working.
After almost 20 months of constant operation we put it down this spring, because we just wanted to check everything and make regular maintenance.
There was little damage just on the blades leading edge, actually in the beginning I stick too short 3M protective tapes (just 30 cm) and now I repainted everything with 3 more layers of the amazing Veneziani Wood Gloss PU protective paint (use to be used for yachts) and sticked twice longer tapes.
Overall, the blades were in very very good shape, you can see it on the attached photo taken before I start reparation. The blades were made from larchwood.
The only other thing we had to change was the bronze bearing ring (blue in the drawing / bronze in the photo) on the bottom of the head because it was quite worn out. Now we’ve made it out of Teflon, and we’ll see how it behaves.
Also, the electrical system and control with your Tristar follower works really great, stable, reliable!
Again, thank you very much for all your help, and support for this amazing project.
Posted in construction | 1 Comment

Comparing plastic turbine runners with cast metal ones

I had a message today from a customer who has 3 turbines from 3 manufacturers.  After a few years running he has this observation to make:

I have been very pleased with the PS and its nylon spoons which, even after almost 10 years at 70M head seem barely worn and I’m still on the original bearings. Both the Harris and Stream Engine needed a new runner and bearings.

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New 3.6m ferrite windmill on Scoraig

Posted in ferrite magnets, my own projects, Scoraig | 1 Comment

A couple more PowerSpout turbine installations where customers have sent photos

These are both budget systems.  Installed since my last post in February.

The first is a low head site in the UK.  160mm PVC drainage pipe works well if properly supported.  This one is grid connected using a Ginlong Solis inverter.  The “twin pack” is a very cost-effective way to buy a pair or TRG turbines like this with free shipping.

Next is a PLT turbine using 63mm PE pipe for a long 300m run to achieve a 30m head.  This one charges a 12V battery using a low cost Tracer MPPT controller, and a Tristar for load management to keep the turbine under load all the time.

It’s great to see photos of turbines up and running, but most times I just have to be happy to hear that everything is going fine.

 

Posted in PowerSpout hydro turbines | 2 Comments

User experience with evacuated tube water heating

Nathan Jowett asked me to publish his article that he wrote about his solar hot water system.  I have to agree with him that evacuated tubes are brilliant, having had my own system for fifteen years now.

Nathan’s Article V3.0

Posted in People, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Kragten update again

Dear Hugh

I have written a new report KD 723 which can be copied for free from my website: www.kdwindturbines.nl at the menu KD reports. The title of this report is: “Ideas about an 18-pole, 2-phase permanent magnet generator using the housing of a 6-pole asynchronous motor frame size 100 for driving a 0.55 kW motor of  a centrifugal pump”. In chapter 6, an alternative 6-pole armature is described which can be used in combination with the standard 6-pole, 3-phase winding.
Adriaan Kragten
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New Kragten paper on asynchronous motor conversion

Report KD 718 can be copied for free from my website: www.kdwindturbines.nl at the men KD-reports. The title of this report is: “Ideas about a 16-pole, 3-phase permanent magnet generator using the housing and winding of a 4-pole asynchronous motor frame size 100”.

This report describes a way how to modify a standard 4-pole, 3-phase asynchronous motor such that it can be used as a PM-generator for a wind turbine for 24 V or 48 V battery charging. Manufacture of the new armature is rather easy as the magnet grooves are wide and shallow and in parallel to the armature axis. The magnet costs are low as only a rather small magnet volume is used. Mechanically the armature has sixteen poles but physically it has four poles and therefore it can work together with the standard winding of a 4-pole motor. The flow pattern is given in figure 2. The armature pole angle is 2.5° larger than twice the stator pole angle and the fluctuation of the sticking torque is therefore almost flattened. A front and a side view of the armature and the stator is given in figure 1.
Adriaan Kragten”
Posted in Adriaan Kragten | 1 Comment

Upcoming workshops with Jonathan in Germany and Austria

Windrad Selbstbau Workshops  

Baue mit uns ein Windrad. Voll funktionsfähig, nach dem weltweit bewährten Piggott Design.

Die einfache Anwendung nachhaltiger Technologie steht im Mittelpunkt des Workshops.

 An einem Workshop teilnehmen

 Einen Workshop veranstalten

more 

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Some of the owner-installed Powerspout turbines that I supplied over the last twelve months

Bear in mind that the turbines are freshly installed and working so the setup is a bit rough in some cases. Most owners will do a bit more work around and about or even build a shed although this is not necessary for protection against the rain. These turbines happen to all be in the British Isles.

Most of my sales are to people who do the work themselves, so I spend plenty of time explaining stuff. I love it. Especially when I get to see pictures.

This PLT in England was expected to produce 548W but kicking out 720W off grid.
Posted in PowerSpout hydro turbines | 1 Comment

F-series wind turbine manual available soon from Jonathan

Here is a link to find out more and keep in touch with Jonathan.
Posted in construction, ferrite magnets | Leave a comment