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Posts Tagged ‘Overspeed Control’

Here are 3 of the things you need to consider when looking at wind turbines for use on your home or small business:

* 2 or 3 blades – It has been argued by many people as to what number of blades are the “perfect” number. After carefully testing many units over several years in the industry, it has been found and proven that a 3 bladed unit has a better overall balance and therefore can last longer (less wear and tear on the motor and moving parts from imbalance over a long period of time).

* Overspeed Control – A turbine needs to be able to control its own speed in high winds to prevent it from breaking or overheating. Most home units are fitted with a spring-loaded hinge that allows the blades to bend away from the directional (with what’s known as a furling tail) during higher winds to prevent “overspeed”. Some more expensive units will have a braking system (but this is usually only found on the larger commercial size turbines and not typically on the smaller home units).

* Type of Tower – You need to decide what type of tower you want to use for your wind turbine. There are 3 basic types – free-standing lattice, free-standing pole, and a guyed mast with cables supporting it. Which one you choose is dependent on how high your turbine needs to be placed, what ordinances (city or county) you need to comply with, and the ease of getting to the unit for any repairs or maintenance (For Example: Will you have to climb up the tower to get to the windmill? Or can you lower the unit to the ground?, etc., etc.)