Air Breeze Wind Turbine

[emandvee44]

Recently, we had to dismount ours as the mast fabricated in the UK at huge expense was unsatisfactory, (too flexible, too long, massive vibration).
After only one year in situ we found the stainless securing bolts seized into the alloy. All attempts to loosen them with heating and plus gas failed, so drilling out was the only option.
We also noted that the allen bolts are Imperial, which is no surprise as the Air Breeze is American made. (I have bought replacement bolts in metric)
The paint finish on the clamps was also coming off, which is disappointing, and there is deterioration of the paint finish on the turbine body. As all these parts are alloy, it is going to take some special paint to re-coat them.

Any suggestions?

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[DipperToo]

Vibration might be resonance in the pole.

I mostly cured my resonance issue by inserting a small plastic conduit inside the pole to take the electrical cable and then injected the pole at 18" intervals with expanding builders foam. Make sure that the deck mounts (and stays) are on neoprene or similar isolation to minimise transmitted noise.

I believe the AirX pole mount has a rubber insert and when mounting the genny back on the pole, lift it up a few mm so that it is clamped by the rubber section only.

 

[Norman_E]

If the holes in the alloy are tapped, you need the same UNF of UNC bolts to replace the ones you took out, unless you have drilled out all the threads. Any stainless bolts will seize into alloy if they are put in dry. You should use Duralac on the threads to prevent them seizing up.

If paint is coming off alloy castings due to corrosion a real cure is difficult, involving removal of all the paint, cleaning off the corrosion, priming with a primer designed for aluminium, then top coating. I would be inclined to strip all the paint, clean up the alloy, then get it anodised, and forget about painting it. For a quick fix. I might be tempted just to do a quick clean up and paint with Hammerite or similar paint.