SWG 5 KW Runaway

[Ken Hall]

Warning to SWG owners

The cable clamp at the top of my 5KW unit loosened up (no lock washers). All five leads (3 power and the 2 yaw motor) pulled loose from the terminal board.

I had no electrical braking and no way to turn it out of the wind. Fortunately, we recognized it in time and got a lift up to the head while the wind was still light and not coming from the "wrong" direction.

The cable was so tight coming up the tube that I couldn't get enough cable slack to reinstall the clamp properly. Don't know if I have a bunch of twists/kinks down the tube or if this was another Prevailing Power installation special.

I think I'm now out-of-business.:( PM if you want the parts -- bring crane.

Ken

[Cor van Houtum]

hi Ken,
why do you not repair the turbine ?

Cor

[Ken Hall]

Cor,

Several reasons,

1) My tower is too low to generate significant power so my saving per year from power generation is not very high. <$100/year

2) My tower does not tilt. I have to rent a crane at $230/day to do any work.

3) My yaw motor brushes are showing a lot a wear. Looks like they will need replacing every 3 years. I can't figure out how to change the right hand/outboard brush without removing the yaw motor.

4) I've never gotten my controller to work correctly. It won't turn away on loss of grid (letting it shift to internal power blows yaw motor fuses). I don't sleep well/have to get up and turn it off if storms/high winds are forecast.

5) The wind speed is still broken. Costs too much for you to ship me a replacement and then rent the crane to install it (and how long will it last?).

Bottom line: Costs too much. It will cost less and save more CO2 to buy a hybrid car.

[Cor van Houtum]

Hello Ken

a lot of cost is be found in the tower and the inverters
why don't you just get the generator off and replace it with a smaller
and more mechanical turbine.
the change that a WINDSPOT TURBINE goes in defect is very very low
3.5 kw with variable pitch system.

look at this movie
we have a very good expierence with this turbine
and it is compatable with the aurora inverter system

kind regards
Cor

movie

Home Wind Turbine Windspot development and innovation - YouTube

[Don Gamble]

I think I have finally gotten my 5KW SWG under control after experimenting with numerous contoller/inverter settings.
My only problem right now is that the yaw motor has failed. I am pretty sure it is the brushes as I have removed and replaced one of them and it was very worn, I can't get to the other one as it is up against the turbine case. I was wondering if the yaw motor can be removed without splitting the turbine case as I too do not have a tower that tilts and so far the generator has not made enough money in 2 1/2 years to pay for even one of the lift rentals that I have had to have. I don't really want to rent a lift to go back up to the unit unless I can be sure that I can repair the yaw motor while I have the lift.

Any ideas?

[Cor van Houtum]

the yaw motor is connected to the gearbox
in the gearbox on the left site are 4 inbus bolts
this is the connection from the gearbox to the worm wheel

unscrew these 4 bolts
now you can pul the motor with gearbox up
out of the generator housing
the motor and gearbox can turn just enough up to reach the complete motor

replace the motor and push everything back in the turbine housing

remember do not need to unscrew the worm wheel

there are different motors in different types of turbines

the 5 kw should have a 250 watts motor
in some units there is only a 120 watts motor
this is the reason that the units fail after a while

when you have the motor disconnected from the gearbox
look at the main axel shaft
there are two types again
the diameter can be 12 or 14 mm
measure this before ordering a new motor

on the motor is a sticker with the manufacturer in china

do not put the 120 watts motor back
always use the 250 watts type

good luck

Cor