Mounting a wind generator

[paul]

I've just bought an Air X wind gen which needs a tower made of 48mm o/d pipe. I would like it to be made of either polished stainless or white powder coated aluminium. Can anyone tell me where you get this pipe from and what type of fixings are used to secure it to the boat. I would like to fix the "stays" to the pushpit rather than the deck and would like some type of rubber fixing to insulate the tower from the boat to help keep vibration down. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Colin_S]

I reckon Jim aka FullCircle is your man for anything to do with SS tube - see here

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Mines on a pole, with stays to the pushpit.... just ordinary stainless clamps, not rubber insulated in any way, and I can't say it causes a problem with noise.....

There are quite a few sources of fixings such as these

 

[snowleopard]

The correct size of tube for mounting an air marine genny is standard scaffold pole which you can buy in aluminium. I sprayed mine with zinc chromate then white cellulose which worked fine. I then replaced it and left the aluminium bare on the new piece. Also no problem.

To rubber mount it I got 2 short lengths of plastic pipe slightly larger than the pipe so it fitted over leaving 1/4" all round. Having attached the plastic pipe to the boat with GRP I inserted the aluminium tube and poured liquid rubber into the gap. (That's the stuff they use to make moulds for plaster gnomes, obtainable from Glasplies). The system works well and has lasted longer than the genny did!

 

[LadyInBed]

Tut Tut! This suggests a case of impulse purchase without thinking through and planning erection and connection /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Did you also get a regulator?

 

[FullCircle]

48mm?
Nah, dunno where to get that.
Got low down on some lengths of shiny SS 60mm for nix in SE Essex. PM me if interested.

PS, due to availability of rich seam in new SS tube mine, my design parameters have been , ahem, modified.

I do like Snowleopards idea with the rubber though. Could go into the marital aid biz soon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[crisjones]

As Snow Leopard says, 48mm is standard scaffold pole size.

Best place for fittings is keeklamp, they make all sorts of bends, fixing plates, elbows etc in cast aluminium and they will also supply the tube but only in 6m lengths I think.

Try the local building site for tube - ask the scaffolders, they will normally supply some in exchange for beer tokens, although aluminium tube is not so common. It is generally used for larger scaffolding structures to minimise weight.

Keeclamp can also powder coat the fittings if required although you can paint them as per SL's post. Try www.keeklamp.com for more info, look for the keelite range.

Chris

 

[Heckler]

where you at? have a brand new piece of SS schedule 40 2 inch pipe in my garage that i bought for a now aborted wind genny, about 2.5 mtres in length. am in llangollen and boat in pwllheli
stu

 

[paul]

Thanks for the reply. I'm on the South coast and the piece I need is longer. Thanks anyway.

Paul

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I'm suprised at the size of mounts being recommended...

Mines on a 1" pole, and has been for a number of years without any problems of any kind at all..... its an Aero4gen

Only reason I can think of for going as high as 2" is if you have it unstayed.......