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Monday Open Thread | 64 comments (64 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)
A friend wants to install this
http://www.bettergeneration.com/wind-turbine-reviews/gaia-wind-11kw-wind-turbine.html

in his neighbours garden.

I had sent him this article, from the oildrum

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6954

but obviously those turbines are much smaller than the one he is planning.

Does anybody have any experiences with the one he wants to install?

by PeWi on Mon Sep 27th, 2010 at 02:25:02 PM EST
Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)
I've been through the gaia sites, and read the test report from NREL. As it is a two-bladed turbine, expect more noise than stated on the website. Thus it's likely not suitable for areas near homes or workplaces. There will be some electrical issues, and there will be tower and turbine maintenance especially if a lattice tower is used.

Claimed power production is a bit generous, i doubt it will do what it says in low wind regimes. But it is a professional small turbine.

two-bladed means it has a teetered hub. neither the website nor NREL addressed the issue of how the teetering is regulated. there don't appear to be teeter stops, rather spring compression. could be a weak point in high turbulence. but again, professional design apparent.

both test turbine blades were cracked along the shell seams after some 2700 hours, not encouraging.

small downwind turbines, particularly two-bladed, have been known to move upwind in turbulent yaw, causing the blades to strike the tower. this machine needs investigation on that point, and it's not referenced in the NREL report. i do trust the NREL engineer, who states there are no serious yaw oscillations.

If the owner would be comfortable financially knowing the cost of small wind, as you referenced in the oil drum (but i haven't read, just long experience), he should examine the competition before deciding here.

Gaia has it's pros and cons, but i'd need more analysis before i had an opinion. two-blades have by necessity higher rpm, and are always louder. i am not a fan of deployable tip brakes either, but properly engineered can be effective.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Mon Sep 27th, 2010 at 03:27:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)
I'll simply add a link to my diary about a windmill a farmer friend bought. It's a two-blade, smaller than the Gaia model (7.5kW), but the blades were a major problem and are only fixed now because he bought another windmill for spares and did the job himself. He and his neighbour agree that Aircon is a serious outfit (which doesn't mean Gaia isn't). It's just a cautionary tale about over-hasty buying. (He's now happy with the power he gets from it: roughly covering the needs of house and farm).
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Sep 27th, 2010 at 03:37:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)
Thanks I will pass than on! Will report on any progress.
by PeWi on Mon Sep 27th, 2010 at 03:44:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Monday Open Thread | 64 comments (64 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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