Sonkyo Windspot 3.5 Turbine Disassembly

[Carl Terri]

Hello Fellow Wind Turbine Owners,
I have just lowered my Sonkyo Windspot 3.5 turbine for maintenance and servicing and I found a few surprises, some critical. I have the turbine completely torn down for refurbishment and here are my questions:

1) Do you know of a good source for Sonkyo parts?
2) I cannot pull the magnetic rotor out of the three coils, the magnetic field is just too strong for me to pull it out. The rotor is completely free but just trapped in the field. Do you know how I can remove it? What do I need to do to relax the magnetic field or break the field? I was considering slipping a thin plastic in and around the magnetic rotor in the small gap that exists between the rotor and coils but question that approach as well.

Thank you for your anticipated help and I look forward to any good sound advice.

[Peter Klaassen]

FYI Sonkyo is no longer in the turbine business. Enair has parts that are compatible but the “warranty “ from Sonkyo is not honoured. I have had failure of the blade holder and blade which I had repaired locally. Taking the generator apart is a big job. Are you replacing the generator bearings?
Pete Klaassen

[Carl Terri]

Peter,
Thank You for your reply. I was aware that Sonkyo is out of business. I've sent an email over to Enair in hopes that they can help me with parts. Regarding the generator disassembly, I agree it is a big job, I've already tore the turbine down to the generator, I can push the magnetic rotor out the backside of the coil housing a few inches but the magnetic field is too strong for me to completely pull out the rotor. I will inspect the bearings once removed, they look to be good quality sealed bearings out of Japan and I do not anticipate having to replace them but I will know once inspected. My question remains, do you know how I will relax the magnetic field so that I can pull the magnetic rotor completely out of the coil housing? I will try to post pictures moving forward.

[Peter Klaassen]

Your question about how to remove the rotor by altering the magnetic field suggests a wrong approach maybe. The generator is permanent magnet type so I don't think it is possible to relax the field. If you are having trouble in the generator, the disassembly will have to overpower the magnetic field I am thinking. I saw a Youtube of people doing this on a large lathe to keep things in line. I have tried contacting Ginlong about their generators but got no response.

Sorry not to be able to help.
Pete

[Carl Terri]

Peter, I apologize for my poor choice of words. I was able to successfully remove the magnetic rotor. I slipped a thin sheet of plastic around the rotor between the rotor and coils, this helped weaken the field allowing me to pull the rotor out.

[Peter Klaassen]

Hi Carl,
good to see you have pulled the Rotor. What sort of apparatus did you use? The plastic sheet would have helped things slide easier but magnetic fields aren't affected by it. What needed repairs that required the rotor to be removed?
My windspot has been doing extra work lately in the gales we are having this time of year near Lake Ontario. We had the electric heater going and put 35 kWh's on the meter. It sounded like some was still going to the dump load as well.
Let me know if you could how you find dealing with Enair. Another poster on Green Power says he has had good relations working with them.
Pete

[Bruno Motta]

these openings lose at least 10% of the magnetic field
so it is better to do them only if it is indispensable
in fact, in the factory, they are assembled demagnetized and only after having put them in exact magnetic position, giving momentarily the DC current on two phases, the capacitor pack is discharged (> 800 volts> 100 000uF) through a loop that passes between all the polar shoes or between two phases, for a duration of a few mS (see Sm Co or Fe Ne Bo magnetizer)