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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
 Posted - 24/02/2008 : 18:18:39
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hi fellow windies,
Well we had a few gales here again, and my tower got bent over, the bearings in my futurenergy are knackered (rumbling like mad) so not a great weekend..lol.
My tower of scaffolding pipe only protrudes through the roof by 1.3mtr and it bent it clean over with the gusts, the blades etc are perfect. So a 19 mile drive to my other farm and check on my chinese mill, well it had sheared the bolts at the top of the mast, and cracked well more fatigue of the tower bolt holes, so welder out and re-weld a thick washer on the cracked area around the 2 holes, and re-erected and back up producing the free power.
My other chinese mill upon inspection, had cracked the tail fin around the holes, again another welding job and thats her fixed, i tell ya pound for pound they cannie be beaten, and no bearing trouble either. (futurenergy c***) so while i had lifted down with the digger i removed the blades to do the quieting mod to them, (the strimmer line down the back edge of the blade) but i know its works, but i'll let ya know how they fair on this one . Sorry guys not many photos to show , i was more interested in getting everything up and running again.
But to say i'm dissapointed in the futureengy pmg is an understatement, dam its only been up a wee while, and the bearings are goosed, not a good advert for there stuff, and there prices. Another £60.00 would have bought another chinese one, and been far more reliable, i can vouch for that.
but where these pmg's run on straight ball races they are only designed for radial loading, not thrust loadings, and i'm convinced thats a big issue with them all, again the chinese are larger bearings but still omly ball races, some sort of thrust bearing is needed, ie a taper bearing, or a flat needle bearing to take the thrust, my beewind had to have a new front bearing after awhile, so i think its a pretty common issue, but then again we have proper winds up here .....lol, and 70mph winds are normal here.
i'll upload more photo's after tea.
tail fin damage
tower damage
modified chinese turbine blade ready for refitting.
just keep her spinning..
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Edited by - donniedingle on 24/02/2008 20:38:27 |
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gotwind
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
875 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2008 : 18:44:16
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Hi Donnie.
Good to hear you have got your free power back up and running.
Interesting to hear a bad story about the Futurenergy alternators, I guess they would claim it was the mis matching of blades to the alternator.
Hopefully they will read your report and fit sturdier bearings in future. |
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2008 : 20:47:42
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Hi Ben,
Yes i hope they do listen, but i'll ring them tomorrow and see what response i get from them, but going by the size of the casting that holds the bearings they cannie be that big, god help anybody placing big wooden blades on one, i think it maybe a future issue, the big hughe piggot ones are running mostly on car wheel bearing, and they are up to the job.
What i may do is look around for a small metal lathe, and i can machine out the bearing housing and fit larger, if not a thrust bearing into the unit. but i added photo's showing the only damage to my chinese units, and a quick fix with the welder, but the mast was the first time i'd touched that in over 14 months so not bad eh, like i say they are crude but work well.
just keep her spinning.. |
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gotwind
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
875 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2008 : 21:50:50
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Futurenergy should feel a little embarrassed from your 'real world' experiences, particularly after claiming 2 years of testing in similar conditions... 
http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/products.html
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2008 : 23:34:28
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Hi Ben
I have just read the gaurentee clause's on there site, i tried to copy and paste the pdf document but i cannie manage it, but what it basically says, "the guarantee is null and void if it gets hits by gusts of wind greater than its design rating", This is maybe other members should be aware of. Well its getting a real pasting tonight with sleet and hail, i think they tested them just over the scottish border ......lol.
regards donnie
just keep her spinning.. |
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Del
Junior Member
United Kingdom
369 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 01:04:40
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Hi Donnie,
Do let us know what Futurenergy say tomorrow. If you want me to input into this I am more than happy. The internet is a very powerful media and Futurenergy will need to respond accordingly. The phrase 'fit for purpose' is key here and we need to see this through properly. PM me if you want my tele number to discuss over the phone.
Cheers
Del. |
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 09:51:20
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morning guys.
just a quick update, my first email to futurenergy sent off at 9.45, i'll keep ya posted of progress.
just keep her spinning.. |
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 12:16:41
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Hi Guys
Just in for dinner and no reply as yet from them 12.20
just keep her spinning.. |
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litespeed
Starting Member
USA
42 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 13:50:27
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Wow! That is some amazing damage. That looks like some pretty stout pipe too (thick).
That is a shame about the generator. I cannot imagine that they would not replace it. It is obviously defective. I would surely give them a few days to respond.
That is pretty funny about the Chinese unit. Who would have thought?
AJ
What's that noise!? Uh Oh!...
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chris_psmith
New Member
United Kingdom
77 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 14:31:43
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A question from a non hawt man, would the turbine not furl before there was enough force on it to bend a scaffold pole, i can't quite get my head around just how much force it would need on the small area that is the side of the generator to bend a pole, on a similar thought, if the pole bent (backwards i assume) did the pmg end up with a large side load as it would not be face on ito the wind or furled, just canted over?
Obviously concerned now after my weekend mods where i have a complete vawt stuck on the end of my futurenergy pmg! |
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Hefhoover
New Member
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 17:12:54
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Hi Donnie, and anyone else who might be having bearing troubles, try Googling "angular contact bearings", especially the double row type,they are sometimes a touch wider, but far superior in these cases, Hef  |
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 17:59:10
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hi everbody
i'll update ya all after tea tonight what has gone on today ....
regards donnie.
just keep her spinning.. |
Edited by - donniedingle on 25/02/2008 18:02:47 |
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donniedingle
Junior Member
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 21:36:57
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hi everybody,
well what a day..lol.a phone call to futurenergy only to find out they do not stock bearings, peter the chief indian said he can arrange for them to get a courier to collect my unit, and they will inspect it and fit the offending bearings, and delivery back as good as new, but i am dependant on my off grid use of it, so i asked for new bearings and i'd fit them myself, (i have drawers and presses ) but alas they do not carry bearing's. s*** no bearings, but peter emailed me the bearing number and i got onto bearing supplys for 2 bearings, the guy said "och jimmy thems skate board wheel bearin's" they are only 42mm OD X 20mm ID x 13mm wide. so hopefully i shall have them in the morning, and fitted by afternoon.
i'm off to re-read the emails that transpired between us today and i'll post more later.
regards donnie
just keep her spinning.. |
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gotwind
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
875 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 22:17:31
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Hi Donnie.
In fairness that seems like a professional prompt response from Futurenergy.
Peter Osbourne is the main man I believe.
If it is just a case of upgrading the bearings in their alternator, you have given a good service in informing them, unless yours was a defective unit.
Ben.
The Futures Green - Getwind of it. |
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weekend storm damage.....grrrrrr
