# Tower collapsed!!!!



## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

Several months ago, I purchased a wind turbine from Ebay (not the highest quality, I know), and mounted it on a 30 foot tower with a kit. I purchased the thickest pipe I could find (schedule 40), and it seemed to do alright....
Yesterday, my tower bent in half from the force of the wind on the turbine. The turbine fell and the blades broke (which I'm sure I can repair), and the tower/pipe is absolutely trashed!
Any thoughts to preventing this in the future? I liked the kit, it wasn't expensive, and out here I got between 2-3 kwhrs per day production from it. 
Could I put two pipes instead of one? Maybe putting a second row of guy wires in the middle of the pipe? I want to put this up to a 45 foot tower, but after seeing what happened to this one, I'm pretty sure I need to rethink the whole idea. We get some real doozy wind storms out here, and I need this thing to be bulletproof!
Incidentally, I've got pictures if anyone is interested.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Pictures should help and would be interesting! If you need help getting them posted let me know


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## bbbuddy (Jul 29, 2002)

A 45 foot pipe tower should have 2 sets of guy wires. Did you study the DIY plans at otherpower.com?

A basic introduction to building wind turbine towers:

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind_towers.html


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Take it as a lesson in how much force in on a wind turbine. 

There's really only 4 things you can do (in no particular order):
1. thicker wall pipe
2. larger diameter
3. more guy wires
4. use a higher grade pipe such as chrome moly

There is a fifth but since you didn't do it the first time around I don't see you doing it now. Hire someone to engineer your tower. 

Here's a chart of most commom pipe sizes.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/nominal-wall-thickness-pipe-d_1337.html

If needed you can use a reducer to neck a larger diameter pipe down to a smaller size to fit the genny. Do that as close as possible to the genny. Don't know your tower but *DO NOT* use any threaded fittings. They reduce the wall thickeness by 50% and are a weak spot that will fail.

Good luck


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

One easy way of strengthening pipe is to fill it with hydraulic cement and vibrate the pipe for the first few hours as it sets to remove any air pockets.


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## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

The tower is the 27 foot Air X tower, and I used the maximum thickness of pipe available, as recommended by Air X. This tower was engineered by Air X, and is supposed to withstand up to 90 kph, but it wasn't the kit that failed, it was the pipe that you buy separately. I did use the proper pipe though, maybe I should talk to Air X.
Has anyone ever used a large pole/log with a short bit of pole on top?
I know how to post pics, I just haven't downloaded them off my phone yet.
Thanks everyone, very good ideas, I will try the extra guy wires and perhaps the cement.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

. ."Engineered by air x"

Thats your problem.
They are not competent. . . .items coming from them are of inferior quality . . . .including that toy you bought (the "X")

Only one set of guy wires on even that short of a stick !!!!!
Shame

You and "them" have no clue as to the vibrations present in the middle of that pole.
And if your going to continue with that toy . .get it up higher........

No I will not over the net engineer a tower for you........... 

Sorry but I really have a problem with a company that puts out "low' quality stuff . . . . it gives the industry a black eye...........



thats my $0.03 rant


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Yeah, Jim....but how do you REALLY feel ? 

( Planting greenhouse tomatoes today, wanna fresh one about New Years day ? )


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

As a matter of fact yes..........................

The route to your beautiful place is ingrained back in gray cell # 12,953,749.

We ole curmudgins are entitled to have very strong opinions.....

Jan 3rd OK . . ??


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

I use one of them 3 sided TV type of tower wider at the bottem narrow top cemented into the ground

kinda like this


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## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

Jim-mi said:


> . ."Engineered by air x"
> 
> Thats your problem.
> They are not competent. . . .items coming from them are of inferior quality . . . .including that toy you bought (the "X")
> ...


Uh...I never asked you to engineer a tower for me...
I don't dispute that the tower kit is junk, but I don't have $3500 for a better one, and the turbine itself wasn't expensive either. I hear you calling it a toy, but it does produce a bunch of electricity that we would otherwise not have, I just need a stronger tower.


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

I was looking at the photos from your previous post:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=3770556#post3770556

The single guy wire is a problem. You mention the thickest pipe you could find, but what diameter was it? You should be able to get sch80 pipe almost anywhere. Larger diameter, but thinner tubing, will be stronger. Same weight, but higher strength. Add the second set of guy wires.

You really need to go to Otherpower.com as bbbuddy said, and look at what they have done. They are flying 10' diameter turbines without tower failures.

If the turbine works, and produces the power you need, its not a toy.

Michael


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

adamtheha said:


> Several months ago, I purchased a wind turbine from Ebay (not the highest quality, I know), and mounted it on a 30 foot tower with a kit. I purchased the thickest pipe I could find (schedule 40), and it seemed to do alright....
> Yesterday, my tower bent in half from the force of the wind on the turbine. The turbine fell and the blades broke (which I'm sure I can repair), and the tower/pipe is absolutely trashed!
> Any thoughts to preventing this in the future? I liked the kit, it wasn't expensive, and out here I got between 2-3 kwhrs per day production from it.
> Could I put two pipes instead of one? Maybe putting a second row of guy wires in the middle of the pipe? I want to put this up to a 45 foot tower, but after seeing what happened to this one, I'm pretty sure I need to rethink the whole idea. We get some real doozy wind storms out here, and I need this thing to be bulletproof!
> Incidentally, I've got pictures if anyone is interested.


 http://www.swap.qth.com/

............Look at the right side and click on Towers and Equipment , You should see several listings for....RG-25 series tower , for $50 to $60 a 10 foot section . It weighs 40 pounds a section and can be stacked to 40 feet(or 120 feet with more guys depending on the windload) with ONE set of guy wires . Keep checking the listings until you find one that is fairly close too you , say 200 miles or so . Now , you can purchase a 40 inch short section that can be cemented into a hole that the tower can be stacked upon . This is a ham radio site so the sellers should be fairly honest . See if there is a Ham Radio club in your local area and they'll probably help you($$) put up your tower and make sure it is erected correctly . , fordy


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## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks for the advice everyone. As I have found, wind is great until you have too much, hehe. I wish I could use a bigger diameter pole, actually what I really want is a tlephone pole, but more guy wires ought to do the trick. Can't wait to get it back up and then get another one!


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