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Smart Drives Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 115
Posted: 12:25am 17 Jul 2009
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I am about to modify my wind turbine design
by offsetting the pole about 50mm from centre,
if i have rigid tail will this do anything ?
or do i still need to put a pivot point
for the tail aswell ? I only want it to furl in very strong winds.
Thanks.
Cameron.
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Custom built turbine parts on
Multicam flatbed CNC Router
niall1 Senior Member Joined: 20/11/2008 Location: IrelandPosts: 331
Posted: 01:27am 17 Jul 2009
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hi Cameron
unfortunately ...just offsetting the mill wont be enough ...the offset will fight against the tail and the mill will just sit small bit off to one side ...the pivot allows the tail to lift and stay vertical making the whole thing (the machine itself) and gravity do the work
if the machine is your own set up you might have to play about with the angles (usually two) the pivot is set at... it can turn into a welder/hacksaw session for a bit ... but it will do the job ... i could never (and still cant) get my head around the process untill i welded a few bits of pipe to the back of the mill ..seeing how it works its much easier than reading about it ...
ps...thinking a bit more about this there may be a simpler way ..you might be able to leave your tail rigid and attach the tail vane on a offset hinge...i think some rutland machines use this approach but i,m not sure how its set up , i,ve seen it once but cant rembember... ..., i,ll try to find out ... Edited by niall1 2009-07-18niall
Smart Drives Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 115
Posted: 03:16am 17 Jul 2009
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Thanks, I like the idea putting the vane on a hinge
and leaving the tail rigid.
Cameron.
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Robb Senior Member Joined: 01/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221
Posted: 08:05am 17 Jul 2009
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Yes they do. I have one. Will try and remember to get the camera out next week.
KiwiJohn Guru Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691
Posted: 08:54am 17 Jul 2009
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Cameron, I did make one mill with a rigid pole and offset tail and it sort of worked in that in strong winds it would swing off the wind a little then quite quickly swing back. I dont think it is really a good idea.
Robb Senior Member Joined: 01/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221
Posted: 03:18am 19 Jul 2009
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Showing the offset yaw axis, hinged tail and tail stop arm fitted with rubber bump stop.
The tail rests on another rubber bump stop on the small tail positioning arm.
Looking up from the ground. The non vertical hinged tail uses no springs just gravity.
Smart Drives Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 115
Posted: 03:26am 19 Jul 2009
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Thanks for the info, i will gve it a go.
Cameron.
All smart drive parts sold
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MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329
Posted: 10:45pm 20 Jul 2009
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Out of curiosity, how much does a windmill like the ones pictured weigh?
The reason I ask is when I lived in Florida, I manufactured a tower that
pivoted about a horizontal axle and when the winds got out of hand, I would
tilt the tower and attached windmill to an angle of attack that just spilled the
wind and didn't make it turn. Doing this enabled a fixed tail and negated
the need for any braking system.
I like to think one of my live verses is "Simple is best."
FYI my windmills don't make electricity and are therefore only a few pounds
even with solid aluminum blades. Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas
Robb Senior Member Joined: 01/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221
Posted: 01:02am 21 Jul 2009
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Heavy enough to be able to get it up with one man and a ginpole but too heavy to lift when your on a ladder at the top of the tower (have tryed). Its small by the standards of most here.
So when are you going to post a thread on this site about those compressed air mills?
niall1 Senior Member Joined: 20/11/2008 Location: IrelandPosts: 331
Posted: 12:05pm 21 Jul 2009
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nice Explanatory furling pics .. ...so much for my memory then ...Edited by niall1 2009-07-22niall
readyakira Senior Member Joined: 17/07/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 114
Posted: 09:38pm 21 Jul 2009
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I think a bunch of the weight will depend on blade material. but I have a F&P motor with shaft sitting here and it weighs 19.0 lbs. This is the magnet assembly the coil assembly alluminum housing bearings and shaft that the motor came with. Hope this helps. Make sure to keep in mind that 20lbs at the top of an 50ft tower in the wind is gonna make the tower think it is more like half a ton at the baseEdited by readyakira 2009-07-23Don't you think Free/Renewable energy should be mandatory in new buildings?
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
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..., i,ll try to find out ... 
