Best method for locking Wind Generator blades?

FullCircle

FullCircle

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Besides the bleeding obvious, to tie bungees to both sides of the Rutland blades and then wrap it round the pole to lock off, has anyone got a good idea for stopping the blades which wont bend or deform them?

Our new 913 is on a pole that is higher than the old 503, which had a ring I could use to stop the blades rotating and then tether it. Very easy.
I now stretch just to reach the underside of the centre hub of the 913, so not easy to lasso the damned thing anyway.
 
As I understand it Marlec who make the Rutland recommend that blades are not tied off as this can cause "vibration" of the blades which can create flats on the bearings, also water ingress is facilitated when the genny is stationary. The latest regulators have a switch to turn off the generators and in this state the blades turn very slowly(2/3 seconds per revolution) which protects the bearings and helps shed water, apart from winter gale force winds. These regulators have a smart charge splitter diode and also double up as battery voltage indicators as well as charge rates. Rather good I think.
 
Yes, if the genny is being left connected to the regulator, it's probbaly best to apply the regulator brake and leave it at that. When I had to disconnect, albeit a 513, I applied the brake, caught the tailfin with a boathook and turned the rotor 90 deg to the wind to stop it. With a blade loosely tied to the pole, I put a mailbag (airmail ones are ripstop nylon) over the whole thing so no wind or rain to destroy the bearings or corrode anything.

Rob.
 
My 913 with a hrdx controller stops itself either when the stop switch is put into the "on" position or if the battery levels get to 14 volts and the red led comes on.
 
This is taken from the HRDi Manual

Do not use the “Stop” switch as a brake to stop a Windcharger that is in
fast rotation. If possible first orient the turbine to a downwind position to slow it down.

Charge / Stop Switch should be kept in upper position during
maintenance / setting up. The switch should NOT be operated
during high winds

In high levels of auxiliary charge, eg from an engine, the HRDi may enter regulating mode and thus the windcharger will run at a slow speed.

And this from the 913 Manual

Avoid leaving the turbine tied up for any period of time,
we recommend that the turbine either be covered to give protection from the
weather or removed and stored in a dry location.

Note: The Windcharger is designed for continuous running to achieve maximum
resistance to water ingress, should the unit be restrained for any extended period it
is recommended that it be covered.
 
Quote:
In high levels of auxiliary charge, eg from an engine, the HRDi may enter regulating mode and thus the windcharger will run at a slow speed.
End quote.

Strangely, that is the exact opposite of what my Rutland 913 does.
If, for example, I am motoring into the wind, so that the batteries are being charged by both the engine alternator and the 913, the HRDX controler comes into action to prevent overcharging. The effect of this is that heat is produced, and every so often, the genny will go into "Hyperdrive", when it stops putting in charge, but dissipates the heat. While this is happening, it spins at a terrific rate.

My reading of the handbook, which I do not have here at home, is that this is normal behaviour.

Putting the switch on the controler to "Off", keeps the blades turning slowly, as you would expect.
 
All I did to stop mine was to chuck an old cloth into the blades then put a bag over the blades and head for the weather protection.

No I have not got a hand book so have absolutely no idea what the recommended stopping method is.

73s de

Johnth
 
JohnTH said:
All I did to stop mine was to chuck an old cloth into the blades then put a bag over the blades and head for the weather protection.

No I have not got a hand book so have absolutely no idea what the recommended stopping method is.

73s de

Johnth
Click to expand...

:D:D
 
LadyInBed said:
Why would you want to stop it?
Mine has been up and spinning for 9 years now minus a couple of weeks when I had to replace a rectifier block. It is still spinning quiet and smooth.
Click to expand...

Just managed to get it erected last weekend in the howling breeze, and it hasn't got permanent guide lines or poles to support it, and it is not fully wired in yet.
 
I'd recommend an HRDX controller, it increases the efficiency with which you charge, there's a switch that slows the blades in high winds, it stops overcharging, you can wire in up to 100w of solar, they're about £130. As others say, best not to stop the blades...
 
djbreeze said:
I'd recommend an HRDX controller, it increases the efficiency with which you charge, there's a switch that slows the blades in high winds, it stops overcharging, you can wire in up to 100w of solar, they're about £130. As others say, best not to stop the blades...
Click to expand...

Thats what I have, just haven't finished the wiring loom yet......
 
Stopping a wind generator!

Do not do it - especially to a Rutland! If they do not spin moisture will get into the bearings and not get out. Also brinelling may occur to the bearings due to vibration if held stopped.
My Rutland has happily spun for 10 years apart from 6 months when I dismounted it while boat was laid up during hurricane season.
 
Jim - can't say what the official view is but we had a 913 for years and just looped a line around the pole and around the downward pointing blade. We tied it just tight enough so that it didn't slip down without putting real pressure on the blade.

Never went wrong; never had a problem
 
My boat has a Rutland 913 which was fitted when I bought the boat. It is fitted on an extended pole with a small pulley at the top. This is used to raise a ring of material up the pole, like a flag. When the previous owner used to leave the boat he would turn the tubine away from the wind and, when it stopped, raise the ring over one of the blades. I recently fitted a Nasa battery monitor and new batteries, since then I have left the turbine running as the batteries don't seem to overcharge. I have the older type of controller.
Allan
 
let it spin

SimonJ said:
Do not do it - especially to a Rutland! If they do not spin moisture will get into the bearings and not get out.
Click to expand...
Same problem with my Aero4gen: I stopped it during the first winter (1st level thought: avoid unnecessary wearing...); next summer it exhibited a rumble noise and I had to replace the bearings (rusty: moisture had creeeped inside during the winter, LVM people told me NOT to stop it!). I let it spin happily since then...
 
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