See the video of a good blade working
RE: 7 foot wind gen blade experiment at Joes - from Craig
REGARDING THE 7 FOOT BLADE EXPERIMENTS AT JOES:
Dear Gideon,
As a teacher, please accept my review:...
1. YOU AND ELRIDE DO NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS WELL.
2. YOU HAVE BROKEN TWO BLADES. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU ARE GOING TO GET GOOD AT CARVING BLADES. CONGRATULATIONS.
3. HOWEVER, YOU ARE RISKING THE EQUIPMENT - THAT GENERATOR.
4. IF IT FALLS AND HITS THE ROOF THE MAGNETS CRACK AND IT IS WORTHLESS.
5. THAT IS A $250 GENERATOR AND WITH SHIPPING TO YOU CLOSER TO $400.
I KEEP SAYING AND YOU IGNORE MY WORDS:
1. DO NOT FLY THAT BLADE WITHOUT A PROPER MOUNT, A PROPER POLE WITH GUY WIRES (NOT ELRIDE HOLDING THE POLE - HE CANNOT) AND AT THIS POINT THE GENERATOR MAY ALREADY BE RUINED.
2. THE GENREATOR CANNOT TAKE IMPACT LIKE THAT AND SURVIVE FOR LONG.
GOT IT?
3. PLEASE DO NOT FLY ANY MORE BLADES UNTIL (I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS OVER AND OVER)...YOU HAVE A POLE UP, PROPER, STRONG GUY WIRES (NOT CHEAP ROPE OR SOME OTHER THING)
4. AND HAVE A POLE THAT YOU CANNOT KNOCK DOWN OR KICK DOWN OR HAVE IT FALL DOWN ACCIDENTALLY.
We went over the design - it is simple. But you are not listening. I've taught this class to people all over the world. Many do not speak english. You do and you read well.
Joe is my friend and your friend.
I gave him that generator as a gift.
It is not a toy to be abused or broken.
While it might not make a megawatt of power, if it is still in working condition it can nearly drive all the power for the lights of an apartment or a refer or some other device, depending on wind.
It is like a 1 HP generator - about 500-1000 watts in good wind.
Please do not abuse it any more or risk your safety or those around you. It is not a toy. The blade I gave the Senator is not a toy. They are in fact, as you are finding out - VERY POWERFUL MACHINES.
Please do not make a fool of me, of you or of Joe with silly experiments that are not done correctly.
Please put up a pole that you trust, not junk.
As we discussed, please make sure the mount has the STOP in the vertical pipe so it cannot fly away and crash into a car or hurt someone.
Please make sure the pipe is strong enough - 2 inch is good. 1 1/2 inch is pretty weak. 1 1/2 inch is only good for 4-5 foot blades, not 7 footers.
Please make sure all mount pipe (water pipe) is welded as we discussed.
I am crying here (and laughing) that you have to make ANOTHER blade. That is 3 or 4 for you now; congratulations.
But the good news is:
1. I have broken blades. Make more and your carving skills improve. After 10-20 of them you will be the premier blade carver of your nation.
2. I have fried generators in 100mph storms and dropped them too. They will break, I assure you. Test the one you have: cross the wires and see if you can spin it. It should be very difficult. Feel any grinding in there? You may have broken the magnets.
3. In my second year (back in 2002), I had to shut down a small generator in a 90 mph storm by throwing a rope into it when the brake I had designed back then failed. The blade was destroyed.
4. Back then I also had a software client come to my boat. Back then I had a low flying generator about 6 feet high. The spinning blade hit my client in the head - OUCH! It was a small 4 foot blade on a light wind day; thank goodness.
He forgave me. If a blade hits someone's car in the parking lot, they will not forgive you or Joe and if a 7 foot blade in a good wind hits someone in the head you are going to jail for gross negligence and manslaughter. Got it? An ugly scene and not required by responsible adults who understand the power of 'THAT MACHINE'.
It is a bit more powerful than it looks, eh?
5. If you keep breaking blades and making new ones, your blade carving skills will improve. That is the good news and so I am crying and laughing and smiling all at the same time.
Good luck. Please pay attention. If you cannot hold back a 1 HP motorcycle or a BIG HORSE (1HP and believe me, you cannot), please do not expect anyone man to hold back a 7 foot diameter, 1 HP blade. You cannot.
Got it?
Have fun. Be safe. Follow instructions and others will follow. Please do NOT teach sloppy experiments to people of your community. It is bad for the wind industry. It is bad for the precepts of education and bad for your own reputation. You should be more careful and teach others the same.
Please and thank you.
Craig