Parafold Tower

[Peter Klaassen]

The Parafold turbine tower http://www.parafold.com/ has caught my eye as an interesting and innovative design. I am looking for a tower about 30m tall with the capability of tipping down for turbine maintenance. They indicate that a concrete base is not needed but use an anchor augered into the ground. I am looking for anyone with experience / advice about these towers for feedback. Thanks,
Pete Klaassen

[Stewart Corman]

Peter,
Mario inspired me with his pipe and lattice tiltover tower we saw at the 1st annual RE in Ontario.
I home built a lattice unit which is not that unlike the parafold design.
Some video clips of mine:

http://www.greenpowertalk.org/showthread.php?t=6170

A few points to answer some of your questions:
I am of the opinion that the base unit should effectively be a self standing installation.

I did the 4 ft deep x 4ft square footer.
Besides that, I guyed the base unit.
http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r203/scorman1/Foldover%20tower/Tiltover%20implementation/

I reduced the leverage effect by telescoping the top section.
Besides that, I guy the entire tower.
I also used a double purchase on the winch for raising/lowering.
I would need to know a lot more tech specs for the size tower you are considering
coupled with the weight of the turbine head assembly.
I don't see any counter weights?? I use about 500#s of lead.
The idea was that as a see-saw, you want minimal force on the cabling.
If the turbine arm extends out further, then you need counterbalance.

Any idea of pricing??

The concept is fine and I had no idea that such a unit was available off the shelf,
but the devil is in the details. A 30m tower is a BIG cantilever with a heavy weight on the end!

Stew Corman from sunny Endicott

[Peter Klaassen]

Thanks for the response Stewart, I think your tower is the way to go. The hinge tower I am thinking of would be hinged half way up with the counterweight and leverage arm as you have built. The Parafold tower was an interesting design using lattice rather than guys. I like the simple design of it - I think a cement pad or posts is the way I will have to go because of the shallow soil here in Prince Edward County. I have asked Parafold about towers in Canada and they are working on a supplier. When I hear something more I spread the word.
Pete

[Dale Sheler]

I have emailed parafold several times asking for information on pricing or dealers, I never received any replies, they must not be too interested in selling them.

[Brian McGowan]

I shot them an email asking about something in the 45' range for a 5' or 10' turbine. I could put up a 60' tower but that would be the absolute max size.
Here is the response I got.


Hi Brian,



For a machine that small on a tower that short, our towers and foundation system would not be the most economical solution. Our towers come in 20' sections, so you'd have to go the 60', which is $8335. We cannot change the design. Still interested?



Good luck to you with your new installation.

60' OK
$8335.00 not OK
Looks like I'll be making my own or doing something else.
Brian

[Dale Sheler]

Holy crap! 8K for a 60 foot lattice tower! That is just plain highway robbery, there is about 1k worth of steel in that tower, screw that.

[Brian McGowan]

That was pretty much my first thought but I really don't have any idea what towers cost. I went out to the web to find "similar" towers for sale and came up with these two sites. They may not be that far off the mark compared to what is out there considering what it does.

http://www.aermotorwindmills.com/windmill-towers.htm
http://www.aermotorwindmill.com/Products/TowersParts/Towers.asp

I think one is a distributor and the other is the manufacturer.

Anyway, that is out of my price range for sure for what I am doing. I think I am back to the telephone pole with a pipe bolted to the top and just climbing it or making a trolly that runs up the side or something.

[Dale Sheler]

Anything to do with RE, towers for wind turbines included is ridiculously over priced, being a fabricator by trade I know about what they have in the steel in that tower and labor, what they all do is get the design and engineering investment back on every tower.

[Stewart Corman]

go on craigslist:
http://www.searchtempest.com/
do a search for "radio tower" or "Rohn" within 150 miles
the 25G model is a little small, but the 45G size is substantial

I know of one around here midstate NY that is a tilt over 25G 60 footer that they wanted $1K for
BTW, I have the engineering print for above design as pdf



I would make my own tiltover ala Parafold design, but add a "spreader" as in my design to support the heavier turbine weight.

Stew Corman from sunny Endicott

http://www.greenpowertalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=65&d=1171488804

http://http://www.greenpowertalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=65&d=1171488804

[Keith Buckley]

I was looking at the Parafold website today and saw the latest designs. I got an email reply straight-away that answered my questions. It looks like they aren't the cheapest for short towers but for what I'm looking for they seem to make sense. They would send me info on how their current installs are going. I'll post what I find out if it's relevant.

[Dan Lenox]

I have an HD80 which is an 80' lattice tower from AN Wireless, total cost including life line was about $4700 a couple years ago, right now the bare tower is selling for about $4900. They are on the internet http://www.anwireless.com

As far as I know their towers are *not* meant to tilt, I asked when I got mine.

If you are looking for a deal on a used tower, I'd be interested in talking.

dan lenox

[Central Valley]

go on craigslist:
http://www.searchtempest.com/
do a search for "radio tower" or "Rohn" within 150 miles
the 25G model is a little small, but the 45G size is substantial

I know of one around here midstate NY that is a tilt over 25G 60 footer that they wanted $1K for
BTW, I have the engineering print for above design as pdf



I would make my own tiltover ala Parafold design, but add a "spreader" as in my design to support the heavier turbine weight.

Stew Corman from sunny Endicott

http://www.greenpowertalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=65&d=1171488804

http://http://www.greenpowertalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=65&d=1171488804

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