Keeping My Wind Generator On the Boat

[beno]

Hi;
I just bought a wind generator that weighs I'm guessing 150 lbs. Its wing span is about 80"...giant. I've got a 10-foot 1.5" pole on to which to stick it. I'm not worried about the pole bending--it's a thick enough pole--but how should I mount it? I mean, when the wind starts whipping (St. Croix) how do I keep it put? My current design is to use I think it's called a collar that collars the pole and has a lip with several screw holes that will pass through the fiberglass of the boat to a piece of hardwood that's a foot long or so. I also have two guide wires that go about half way up so they don't get caught in the blades and connect to the back and side. The unit itself will be mounted on a corner of the transom, so the wires are at a 90 degree angle. The thing will generate up to 1 Kw/hr...one of my neighbors said when the wind blows my boat will be glowing lol.
Thanks,
beno

[SV-Joana]

I recommend that you consider rubber isolation to dampen vibration -- as it will vibrate. Make sure that you factor that in.

[Scott Berg]

When isolating wind generators we've used the "tube in a tube" model with a 1/4" to 3/8" poured isolator of 3m 5200. Works very well

SB

[beno]

Can you please provide more information on that poured isolator? The manufacturer said this unit would work for marine applications; however, I now discover I'm the first such application! He talked about mounting it on a radio tower type base for stability. Any other ideas?
Thanks,
beno

[nukahiva]

How big a boat is this going on? It sounds like a huge wind generator for your avaewrge size boat.

[JeanneP]

Before you commit to this wind generator, I've got a few questions to ask.

Does the generator have a brake so it doesn't spin itself to death in a big blow? You sure don't want those blades snapping off and flying off the boat, as happened to us when we had a Wind Bugger.

How can it be stopped safely when a storm with big winds approaches?

You've got to mount this monster extremely high in order to get the blades above the heads of any person who might be on the boat. That's a lot of weight so high above the COG, I think.

What kind of voltage regulator do you have to protect your batteries from being overcharged?

Why do you need so much power?

[beno]

Yeah, it's beyond my current needs; however, I'll be moving to London in a year, buying a new liveaboard there, and there I'll use that much power. I don't know that *any* wind generator can be *braked*; however, I can turn the tail so that the blades don't catch the wind, which is the standard approach as I understand it. Actually, I could turn the tail, stopping the blades, then simply catch one blade and tie it down to the post.

I've already bought the unit. I'm committed

Now, back to my last question that didn't get addressed: Can you please provide more information on that poured isolator? The manufacturer said this unit would work for marine applications; however, I now discover I'm the first such application! He talked about mounting it on a radio tower type base for stability.

Thanks,
beno

[Scott Berg]

Wow... I'd love to see pix! I have seen fairly large wind gens on canal boats so go for it...

As for an isolation mount take a 3" mounting pipe and out a 2" pipe inside it (hold it in place with a couple of "set screws" (I'd use 1/4x20 hex bolts for that tapped into the larger pipe). Let the 2" pipe stick a foot or so out. Then pour in 5200 between them all around till full around the smaller pipe. Remove the "set screw", fill the holes with more 5200, let it cure for a week or so and presto, the top pipe (2" in this case) is isolated from the support pipe with a nice, flexible but strong mount. Then the mount on the windgen can just slip over and secure to the 2" pipe.

We've done several and it really reduces noise transfer. Be sure to scale up my sizes to your load needs....

As to brakes I'd probably want a shaft brake on something that big if it could be mounted. As for supporting the pipe treat it like a mast. Radio style box mounts are great but heavy and very non-areo. A three inch ss pipe with a collar could be supported by some ss wire and you're good to do.

What kind of regulator/diverter are you planning to use?

Scott

[beno]

To see pics, you can go to the vendors' site:
http://www.windgeneratorspro.com/

In your illustration, are you mounting the generator on the 3" pipe or the 2"?

What is 5200?

You state: "Be sure to scale up my sizes to your load needs...." Could you be more specific?

I'm mounting this on a 1.5" pipe, which is what the manufacturer says should work and works for land applications. I really don't think this pipe I have is going to bend I'm using 3/16" woven wire at 90 degree angles on a corner of the transom.

As far as regulators and diverters, I'm getting these shipped over right now: 2 TriStar 45 controllersand 2 Hotwire 500 watt resistive loads.
Thanks,
beno

[nukahiva]

I'm not an engineer so my input is only worth what you are paying for it

I think a 1 1/2 inch pipe might be ok for a static land mount, but you are talking about a 150lb weight trying to swing side to side and for and aft in a seaway. That's a lot of inertia to hold in check. I would also recommend a larger pipe, 3" if you can fit it in place.

Those large blades look like machetes to my eye. I could see losing a limb if they are not mounted high enough to be away from accidental contact by someone standing on the cockpit coaming and reaching up. I think you have a potentialy lethal system you are planning to install and you may want to reconsider your choice of wind genrators.

[S/V Veranda]

With the set up you're describing you're going to have the lower tips of those spinning blades barely more than 6 feet off the deck. Thats a disaster just waiting to happen. I understand that you will have 2 cables mounted at a 90 degree angle along the transom and one side but what keeps the thing from flopping forward. Toss the cables and go with tubing. 150 pounds is a heck of a lot of weight to have up there flailing around.

If you're not familiar with 5200 you just may be in over your head.

Bill
s/v Veranda

[beno]

Where did you get this idea of 150#? I said it weighed 75# and the manufacturer corrects me that it is only 57#. It was my mistake of ordering the larger blades. He's graciously shipping me out a new set of shorter blades.

Please don't state I'm getting in over my head. I'm intelligent enough to research this thoroughly online and make my own interpretations of how prepared I am or not. I've disproven countless people who have stated I was getting in over my head and, if you'd be so kind as to tell me what the heck 5200 means, then I will probably disprove you, too.

Also, I'm considering strapping (with ss, of course) the pole on to the back butt end of the transom for superior stability.
Thanks,
beno

[nukahiva]

5200 is 3M brand caulking, the regular cure takes 7 days to fully cure, the fast cure takes 24 hrs

your initial posting said the wind generator weighed 150 pounds

I don't think anyone here means any disrespect, just showing concern over possible safety issues

[beno]

That's what I thought...caulking.

My original post stated the manuf. said it weighed 75# but that I thought it felt like 150#...to be perfectly clear.

I'm sure nobody means offense. Email isn't the easiest means of communication and misunderstandings are common

Thanks,
beno

[S/V Veranda]

Where did you get this idea of 150#? I said it weighed 75# and the manufacturer corrects me that it is only 57#.

I just bought a wind generator that weighs I'm guessing 150 lbs. Its wing span is about 80"...giant. Your post is where I got the idea that it weighed 150 lbs. 57 pounds is still freakishly heavy for a vessel mounted wind generator.

It was my mistake of ordering the larger blades. He's graciously shipping me out a new set of shorter blades. While you're speaking with him you should find out how much less output you can expect to be seeing from the shorter blades.

Please don't state I'm getting in over my head. I'm intelligent enough to research this thoroughly online and make my own interpretations of how prepared I am or not. I've disproven countless people who have stated I was getting in over my head and, if you'd be so kind as to tell me what the heck 5200 means, then I will probably disprove you, too. I wasn't doubting your intelligence but your lack of familiarity with the system you've purchased and the most common marine adhesive in the trades does raise a few warning flags. Purpose built marine wind generators can be extremely dangerous. The system you're proposing requires more than ordinary care during installation. A professional set of eyes on your project would probably be a good thing. An incident with a wind genny of that size could be devastating.

Also, I'm considering strapping (with ss, of course) the pole on to the back butt end of the transom for superior stability.
Thanks,
beno

Good luck, Bill
s/v Veranda