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Barry T Coles

Senior Member

Joined: 30/07/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 109

Posted: 06:34am 18 Sep 2009

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Here's a set of hub & blades I made that are as cheap as chips & dont take a lot of time.
I have only tried them on a uncogged F&P so far but they will turn with ease; I havnt tried them with a load yet but as I have read here that the hard part is to get the F&P to turn without decogging soI am assuming that besause they will turn in only a light wind there wont be a problem under load.

The hub is the centre of the agitator bowl from a F&P & the blades are old road markers I scored from the dump.

Blades on uncogged F&P

More photo's of how I put it together.
The 2 plastic rings are needed to take up the space inside the hub behind the cog that fits over the standard F&P shaft.

This is the curved slot in the hub,the trick to cutting this with a jigsaw is to mark it out & cut the outer first.

I need to learn from the mistakes of others.
I dont have the time to make them all myself.

GWatPE

Senior Member

Joined: 01/09/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2127

Posted: 07:09am 18 Sep 2009

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Hi Barry,

A word of warning. The roadside markers flutter and eventually break off. Have you tested the plastic components for strength and lifetime? The effective blade angle you have would overcome any cogging. The performance in high windspeeds will need to be checked, as it is probable that this windmill could not be electrically braked. The torque developed by the blades will overcome an electrical short used for braking, and lead to possible windmill runaway. I hope I am not too off putting, but if a blade comes away in a built up area, then it can end up anywhere up to 30-50m from the windmill. Others may have more experience with the plastic agitator, and suitability.

Gordon.

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Barry T Coles

Senior Member

Joined: 30/07/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 109

Posted: 07:33am 18 Sep 2009

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Thanks Gordon
Your not too off putting at all this is exactly what I was hoping for that someone else may have already gone down this road & failed/succeded.
"Why re-invent the Wheel"

This is only experimental at the moment as I cant test anything in the conditions that it will eventually be used in.
I live in Karratha in the NW of WA but will be installing F&P & solar when I build down south on a 5 acre property; one advantage of being up here it gives me the opertunity to test plastics in the most severe UV conditions in OZ,leave a Woolies plastic bag outside for a week up here & you end up with confetti, the hub I have used has been out in the weather unprotected for 12 months & is still flexable with no visible damage.
The final product if proven viable will be painted to give better protection & I will be using feathering for blade speed controll.

Cheers
BarryEdited by Barry T Coles 2009-09-19

I need to learn from the mistakes of others.
I dont have the time to make them all myself.

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