Part 5: Options for Repair?
It appears my options are 'give up' or fix this mess myself. A fix may be possible but it will be a difficult, expensive and time consuming process. There are certainly cheaper and better ways to harness wind power than starting with this pile of what is currently "junk".To maintain the current certification I will need to keep as much original as possible and only repair the faults - no mean task. If I was starting again I would be looking at new blade design and maybe a better alternator, certainly a different inverter. However, I will have to work around these components as best I can.
Clearly, the furling mechanism is a big problem, the Bergey design requires the existing turbine to sit off the centre-line of the tower. This out of balance force introduces a lateral rocking force, rather than simply a torque as the alternator rotates. It would be sensible to bring the turbine back onto the tower centre-line. This suggests a powered nacelle which can be driven by a motor into the wind but this is a quite major increase in complexity. The advantage would be to have absolute control, there would be no hunting or the tail being kicked off wind by a brief gust. The sounding board tail-fin and boom could then be eliminated.
The turbine has no full-time brake, so I will need to address this shortcoming. An eddy-current brake would not wear out but since it will have little use maybe a friction brake will be fine.
I will update this section as I acquire and evaluate components. If anyone has experience, ideas or can help in any way I would very much like to hear from you.
