How to Erect a Wind Generator Pole
Once you have your wind turbine assembled, you need to build a strong and secure wind tower to keep your turbine in place and securely spinning. A wind tower is relatively simple to build, not too much more than a pole to support your turbine, but you do need to give it a solid base and make sure it is quite sturdy in order to withstand the rapid rotations of a wind turbine and safely channel power to the ground. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Two 2 ft. x 1¼ in. steel pipe nipples
- One 6 in. x 1¼ in. steel pipe nipple
- Two 1¼ in. 90-degree elbows
- One 1½ in. female steel pipe T fitting
- One bag concrete
- Sand
- One 10 to 30 ft. piece of 1 ½ in. steel pipe
- Pipe wrench
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Drill and drill bit
- Level
Instructions
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Base
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1
Dig a hole about 2 ft. deep and 1 ft. wide.
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2
Place the 6-by-1¼ steel pipe nipple through the horizontal section of the steel pipe T. A T is just a piece of pipe shaped like the letter "T" to which you can attach pipes to separate or change the direction of the structure. You should have no trouble finding the piece at your local hardware store.
In this article, the cross-bar will be referred to as the "horizontal" section, while the long vertical central stick will be referred to as the "vertical" section.
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3
Screw the elbows onto each end of the nipple you just fed through the T.
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4
Screw the 2 ft.-by-1¼ in. steel pipe nipples onto each elbow. You should have created a downward facing open rectangle shape to anchor your pole at the base.
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5
Set the base into your hole, placing the T upside down, and, using a level, make sure that the horizontal crossbar is perfectly level in the hole. The vertical piece of the T should be just above the ground line.
Because the base will determine the direction of your pole, it is crucially important that you check and double-check the proper positioning of the base. Measure at the horizontal section of the T to confirm that the base is level (horizontal) and that your pole will go up straight.
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6
Mix your concrete and sand in the wheelbarrow and pour it into the hole. Allow the concrete to dry overnight, or for a few days if you have time, so that it can dry fully and secure the base.
Pole
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7
Screw the pole into the vertical section of the T left above the ground.
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8
Plan your wiring system for moving power from the turbine to the ground. If you want to run wire through the pole, drill holes at the top and bottom of the pole.
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9
Mount your turbine.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you have a very large turbine and need added stability, consider guy wires to balance your tower. Place a U-bolt at the top of your pipe and connect four guy wires. Then set up four stakes at equal angles on the ground around your pole (about 10 feet away, depending on the height of your pole) and connect the guy wires tightly.
Regularly check on your tower to make sure it is still stable and not loosening at the pipe unions or in the concrete.
Always be careful when operating power tools or mixing concrete and remember to wear the appropriate protective gear.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Windmill image by Siew Yee Lee from Fotolia.com
