Small Wind and siteing Again

[Paul Bailey]

I Know Rob has discussed this more than once here and linked to his site http://www.solacity.com/SiteSelection.htm Re : Proper siteing of all wind turbines and stated performance Vs actual. DO your homework (site assesment of at least 2 years) at the intended site ,get a turbine that produces what it says it will ,and lasts with a proven reliability record so it adds good value to your electrical generation mix ,or stick with Solar panels so you don't have to babysit them. and usually there Neighbour friendly as well. I love wind but when I read this, OUCH !!!! And to top it all off there getting Goverment grants for stuff that is a total waste of money. I'm sure there is alot more to most of this story, but some of numbers in here are scary to say the least.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704586504574654591353003848.html?m od=googlenews_wsj

[Peter Klaassen]

Hi Paul,
I have just installed a Davis Vue Weather station. I was planning to log data for a year to see if a wind generator is viable here. The Wind atlas and Environment Canada website give long term general data. You really would look at data for two years before investing in wind power? Do you think installing the weather station at a 20 foot height will give data I can extrapolate from?
I am willing to wait if it will save me from a mistake that may be costly.
Thanks for your input!
Pete Klaassen

[Ralph Day]

Some of us just don't have your patience Paul. I jumped in with both feet, and seem to have had good luck with our H80. It's produced about what it should according to SWWP specs. That was before SWWP went all corporate and chasing subsidy dollars.

Ralph

[Paul Bailey]

Hi Peter: I Know your much closer to the lake than I, but I do not know your site and as the saying goes it can be very much site specific. With your line of work you may connections for some real good recent Prince Edward Cnty. data as well as history. Most wind data is from 30 Feet I believe, with the exception Data bouys and Large turbine siteing at close to Hub height. Heres a couple county charts/graphs...one with an 18 year avg. Paul:cheesy:

[Mario De Castris]

Good morning to all, it's been a while since my last post.

Peter I wish I`d known earlier that you're running a Davis Vue, mine is due to arrive within the next couple of weeks I am hoping that it performs a least as good as my Davis wizard 3. If you have any comment or suggestions regarding something you have encountered doing your installation and operation of yours I would appreciate hearing from you. I am still awaiting arrival of my 250w panels directly from China.

Mario

[Peter Klaassen]

Hi Mario,
I have the Vue on a post in the back garden near where I will possibly put the Wind generator. It is about 150' from the house and a clear sight to the base. I am planning on getting the computer link to log a year's worth of data. Did you get the computer link? Where did you get yours? I went to Efston Science in Toronto to pick up mine and I was going to order the link through them too. So far it is working well.
Rob has suggested that it should go higher to get better data. I may get a friend to climb one of the old power poles and put it up about 40' high near one of the fields.

Pete

[Mario De Castris]

Hi Peter,

I've ordered both pieces from a retailer online, after search for the best price I contacted Davis and they assured me that the supplier was one of their best reparable dealer. The price was much better than Toronto however I will know better after all the extras are added to get the parcel to my door.

Mario

[Mario De Castris]

Good morning Peter and all,

The Davis Vantage vue and PC link have arrived the other day, after a very small glitch in the link not wanting to communicate with the PC everything seems to be working fine, the station for now is on a test stand in the yard a ground level until I play with the settings before moving it to the tower about 60 ft. of height.

Mario

[Peter Klaassen]

I have just purchased the weather link for the Davis Vue weather station. It was about $180 CAN at Efston Science in Toronto. It has the ability to join a US weather observation network which I think I will try to do. I am planning to log the wind data near Consecon On. for this year to decide about a wind generator. The plan is to mount it on top of a telephone pole in a field on the farm. Where it is now in the garden it doesn't seem that windy. The daily averages are only 5 knots or so. We shall see how it goes.
Pete