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Building a Wind Generator Tower
This is a typical Stormy Day in N.E. Arizona. I, having lived OFF the grid
for over 16 years, will attempt to help you assemble your tower, in a
matter, that it will not become a later problem and instead, provide you
with many years of great service.
for over 16 years, will attempt to help you assemble your tower, in a
matter, that it will not become a later problem and instead, provide you
with many years of great service.
Swea 500
Watt
Watt
The trench,
must be below
freeze level,
and meet all
city, county and
state building
codes.
must be below
freeze level,
and meet all
city, county and
state building
codes.
For # 8 wire, three
strands (which I
used as of the
distance) I
recommend 1"
Electrical conduit, as
it is much easier to
install the wiring.
strands (which I
used as of the
distance) I
recommend 1"
Electrical conduit, as
it is much easier to
install the wiring.
I also recommend
that you slip the
conduit over the
wire, and not glue
the joints together
until after all the
conduit is in your
ditch , up the side of
your elect. Building
and also stubbed
out at the tower
base.
that you slip the
conduit over the
wire, and not glue
the joints together
until after all the
conduit is in your
ditch , up the side of
your elect. Building
and also stubbed
out at the tower
base.
How to " bend" your
conduit around
corners and up the
side of the building
out of your trench.
conduit around
corners and up the
side of the building
out of your trench.
The conduit ,
containing your
wiring up the
side of the
building.
containing your
wiring up the
side of the
building.
Everything in place, ready to glue
together , then of course, cover
back up with dirt.
together , then of course, cover
back up with dirt.
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The Basics of building your tower
I dig my trench then measure out my Three
lengths of wire, which meet elec. code,
keeping in mind that I am running 3-phase
wiring to the building. Then, leaving about
10 feet extra on each end, I tape the three
pieces of wire together about every 10 feet,
to keep it stiffer. I then lay the wire along
the trench, and slip the first 10' length of
conduit up the wire and lay it in the trench
and repeat this until the entire length is
covered in conduit. Then, I go over to the
building, and do the conduit up the wall and
then inside of the building, leaving enough
wire to reach the rectifier. Now and only
now do I seperate the conduit sticks just
enough to prime and glue the ends
together and then after testing all three
wires, cover up the trench.
lengths of wire, which meet elec. code,
keeping in mind that I am running 3-phase
wiring to the building. Then, leaving about
10 feet extra on each end, I tape the three
pieces of wire together about every 10 feet,
to keep it stiffer. I then lay the wire along
the trench, and slip the first 10' length of
conduit up the wire and lay it in the trench
and repeat this until the entire length is
covered in conduit. Then, I go over to the
building, and do the conduit up the wall and
then inside of the building, leaving enough
wire to reach the rectifier. Now and only
now do I seperate the conduit sticks just
enough to prime and glue the ends
together and then after testing all three
wires, cover up the trench.
Next step is to run the wire into the
mast of the tower, being very careful to
leave a couple of feet out of the top
and along the side exit area, where the
Junction box is mounted. Now, using a
piece of 1" plastic flex conduit, I
sleeve the wire in it , pull it up into the
J. Box and glue the ends of the flex
conduit into the J box and the rigid
conduit in the ground, which is sticking
out of the ground about 5 inches or so.
Your under ground wire is now all
connected together and ready for the
tower to wind generator head.
mast of the tower, being very careful to
leave a couple of feet out of the top
and along the side exit area, where the
Junction box is mounted. Now, using a
piece of 1" plastic flex conduit, I
sleeve the wire in it , pull it up into the
J. Box and glue the ends of the flex
conduit into the J box and the rigid
conduit in the ground, which is sticking
out of the ground about 5 inches or so.
Your under ground wire is now all
connected together and ready for the
tower to wind generator head.
The Two piece
"Swivel" base unit
"Swivel" base unit
The conduit coming out of the
ground with the flex conduit
connected to the J box which is
the picture to the right
ground with the flex conduit
connected to the J box which is
the picture to the right
The J Box, which
connects the wire in
the ground to the
wire in the tower and
of course the end
result which is the
generator itself
connects the wire in
the ground to the
wire in the tower and
of course the end
result which is the
generator itself
The main tower ,
laying on the ground
laying on the ground
This is the bottom of
the swivel base with
the rebar welded
into place. Two feet
long into the
concrete
the swivel base with
the rebar welded
into place. Two feet
long into the
concrete
The top of the mast
or tower, with the
coupling welded
into place
or tower, with the
coupling welded
into place
Closer detail of the
top coupling, which
shows the very
necessary gussets
also welded into
place
top coupling, which
shows the very
necessary gussets
also welded into
place
The generator being
mounted into place
on the tower and the
blades affixed, now
ready to stand
mounted into place
on the tower and the
blades affixed, now
ready to stand
Angle view of the
generator all
assembled and
ready to go up in the
air
generator all
assembled and
ready to go up in the
air
A simple but safe
way to secure the
blades while waiting
to stand up. You do
not want the blades
turning and hitting
something !
Release as your
standing up
way to secure the
blades while waiting
to stand up. You do
not want the blades
turning and hitting
something !
Release as your
standing up
I am using my
friends propane
truck with only a 10
ton lift system to
raise the entire
system
friends propane
truck with only a 10
ton lift system to
raise the entire
system
Almost there !
Up, plumbed and ready to work !
My friend Mike and
his truck. Entire
lifting opperation ,
took less then 20
minutes to
complete, including
tieing off the last
cables
his truck. Entire
lifting opperation ,
took less then 20
minutes to
complete, including
tieing off the last
cables
Starting with schedule 40 Steel Pipe, not water pipe etc. , you should make your min. length about 30 ft. and up. Have
your local steel fab. / welding shop do all this for you. Build your top coupling as shown, making sure that it mates up
with your mast. Build the bottom swivel box from 1/4" plate steel, and the hinge area also with steel pipe, not water
pipe. You can use an all-thread rod all the way through to make the swivel. Weld 2 "loops" made of 1/2" rebar and
each should be about 2" in total length, and buried in the concrete.
Burn a hole in the side of the tower aprox 1" in diameter and attach your J Box there over the hole. Then you can
feed the wires from the top down to the hole and out and let them join there. Also make sure that the box is rated for
outside weather exposure, so as to insure not getting any water or snow in the box. I drilled a couple of small 3/16"
holes in the bottom of my box , just in case which will allow the water to drain out should some manage to find its way
in. Pour your concrete using min 4,000 pound test concrete, and allow it to dry a week or two before attempting to
stand your mast.