Chinese towers

[Dale Sheler]

Hello all, the new wind ordinance in my township only allows free standing monopole towers,
I have been corresponding with a factory in China that builds hydraulic tilt up towers, the prices are very reasonable.
I believe these are to towers that Cor VanHoutem uses, my problem is I need to get the tower drawings stamped by an engineer licensed to practice in Michigan.
Getting engineering information from the factory is almost impossible, they have a manual with drawings and foundation specs, but of course that information is not good enough for the engineers I have talked to.
If anybody knows of or has any engineering specs on these towers or knows anyone who has had one approved I'd love to hear about it.
This is their website. http://www.f-n.cn/
I am interested in their 16 meter tower they rate it from 5-10kw turbines. they look a lot beefier that Skystream towers, the base section is around 24 inches in diameter with 5/16 thick walls, I can get one shipped to Chicago, tower, foundation parts and a three hundred pound hydraulic cylinder for $4200 dollars, anyone with any first hand knowledge would be appreciated.

[John Szegda]

Tower Engineering Professionals 919-681-6351

[Dale Sheler]

Tower Engineering Professionals 919-681-6351

Yeah, I just emailed them the specs from the manual today, do you have any experience with these guys?

[John Szegda]

Hi Dale,
I do not have any experience with them. I saw a drawing they put together for someone.
I just started construction on my 12m Tower few days ago. The unit is well built and worth the money.

John

[Dale Sheler]

Thank you John, is that a hydraulic SWG tower? How was you experience with shipping?

[John Szegda]

Hi Dale,

Had no problems with the Company at all. The Tower was better then I expected on arrival. The welds look great and the galvanizing is very good. I did not buy the power unit from them. I found a Company in the us that sold me a new surplus gas driven power pack for $700.00.

John

[Dale Sheler]

I intend to power mine from the hydraulic remotes on my tractor, if it is not asking too much did you use a customs broker? Were there any duties or taxes or unloading charges on this end?

[John Szegda]

Dale,

Your going to need a Customs Broker to facilitate fees. It cost me about $800.00. That is for Broker, Customs fee and warehouse charges. The transport charge from China to Boston was only about $ 550.00. YSW use Regent Logistics Inc. Itasca, Illinois
630-250-8733 as Brokers. If you can get them to clear Customs, that would save you money hiring another Broker. If not let me know and I'll give you a name of another Broker I used a few times.

John

[Dale Sheler]

Thank you John, that is very helpful advice.

[Gary St.Onge]

I have one of these towers and it stands up nicely using the hydraulic ports of the tractor.

The key issue of concern is the weight of the turbine you plan to lift. These towers have failed, and you can see pictures of the failures on this web : www.wind-water-power.com .

This swg company has sold many faulty products into the market as you will see on the web site - both turbines and towers. They will not support the product onceyou have your money. So hope you never have a problem.

FYI - I have recently launched a lawsuit against them in China because the turbines they sold me do not work.

Buyer beware ....

Regards
Gary

[Ben Colla]

The key issue of concern is the weight of the turbine you plan to lift. These towers have failed, and you can see pictures of the failures on this web : www.wind-water-power.com .


Regards
Gary

Any thoughts on the cause of the failures you have seen?
Excess load (ie, to much turbine?)
to high a wind?
Or other? (I'm thinking a controller failure, allowing a run away turbine, that then strikes the tower would be bad)

I ask, because I'm thinking of buyng a tower myself, and if the failures you have seen are caused by bad build or design, that is bad, but if it's caused by other parts failing and then damaging the tower, that is a different problem altogether.

[Dale Sheler]

In all those articles and pictures I don't see any actual failed towers, only one picture of a crack in a base section and even that did not cause a tower collapse, there are pictures of reinforcing gussets someone added to a base section.
All these failures seem to be the result of failure of control and over speed of the turbine, these all appear to be 10kw turbines, their 10kw machines are twenty six feet in diameter, my machine is seventeen foot diameter home built and will never over speed.

[Lorena Mitchell]

Hey if you need a 12 or 16 m hydraulic tower let me know :)

[John Szegda]

Hi Lorena,

Are these Towers new. Are you a dealer and how much you asking for the Towers.

John

[Lorena Mitchell]

call me 1-866-5 evolve

[Dale Sheler]

Lorena, are these SWG towers?

[Lorena Mitchell]

NO, I try not to use the SWG ones... I know Cor likes them though.. I have a Saip and Hummer one for sale

[Lorena Mitchell]

Hello they are both Hydraulic style support@evolvegreen.ca
PRICE is OBO:)

[Lorena Mitchell]

Sorry John Yes I can still get them but I am moving away from the Turbines/Importing them I mean.

[John Szegda]

You know Lorena,
I thought you where a member who had a Tower that wanted to pass on a deal to a fellow member. But, your using this Forum for cheap Company advertising. I joined this Forum to gain more insight from knowledgeable members about Wind Turbines and other renewable energy devices. If I wanted to be pestered by crap advertising, I would read all My junk mail and talk to all the screw balls that call during dinner hour.

GOODBY

[Lorena Mitchell]

What I have some used Equip for sale, if you don't want it then don't buy.. Rob, told me that I could post it here.

[Lorena Mitchell]

What I have some used Equip for sale, if you don't want it then don't buy.. Rob, told me that I could post it here.

By the way I see you have SWG turbine we had qty 4 burn up so I do not recommend buying those.

[Rob Beckers]

What I have some used Equip for sale, if you don't want it then don't buy.. Rob, told me that I could post it here.

That's correct, Lorena asked before posting the items in the For Sale section. She's getting rid of some overstock, and for the right person these might be good deals. She's not advertising all her store items, just those few things that are overcomplete.

I realize there is always that fine line between good deals that the forum members can benefit from, vs. blatant advertising. In this case I believe we're still on the right side of that.

-RoB-

[Gerry Skinner]

Dale

We are in the final stages of a 25 Meter, 80 foot fiberglass monopole prototype. We expect to begin production and shipping from our location in Newfoundland, Canada by July, 2011. Keep an eye on our website to see how the project is moving along or contact us by email or phone. Attached please see a side view of a 6" slice we cut out of a 40 foot segment.
www.windspot.ca

DaleHello all, the new wind ordinance in my township only allows free standing monopole towers,
I have been corresponding with a factory in China that builds hydraulic tilt up towers, the prices are very reasonable.
I believe these are to towers that Cor VanHoutem uses, my problem is I need to get the tower drawings stamped by an engineer licensed to practice in Michigan.
Getting engineering information from the factory is almost impossible, they have a manual with drawings and foundation specs, but of course that information is not good enough for the engineers I have talked to.
If anybody knows of or has any engineering specs on these towers or knows anyone who has had one approved I'd love to hear about it.
This is their website. http://www.f-n.cn/
I am interested in their 16 meter tower they rate it from 5-10kw turbines. they look a lot beefier that Skystream towers, the base section is around 24 inches in diameter with 5/16 thick walls, I can get one shipped to Chicago, tower, foundation parts and a three hundred pound hydraulic cylinder for $4200 dollars, anyone with any first hand knowledge would be appreciated.

[John Szegda]

Hello Dale Sheler,

How did you make out with your Hydraulic Tower installation. I was about to start My install, but then informed by the Conservation Commission that My house was in a endangered species area. You know I haven't seen a polar bear on My property in years.
They gave Me a permit, but it is to cold to start construction.

John

[Dale Sheler]

Well, not a lot of moment, although there is an outfit north of here that installed one of the chinese towers right in down town Grant MI, this guy says he will have MI stamped engineering drawings by April, and he will sell me a tower and with a drawing or just a drawing, so, there is some progress, the ground is frozen soild til march now anyway.