Subject: Sencenbaugh Wind Generator

From: "Conrad W. Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 1996 21:51:15 -0700

We have a PV system now -- 4 ARCO 64 watt panels powering our 12volt home 
in Vermont with about 500Amp hour capacity in several sets of ED liguid 
NICADs.  We are fairly high up and just leeward of a ridge.  We have been 
considering adding a wind generator to our power capcity.  We have an 
opportunity to get a 3-5 year old, but never out-of-the-box, Sencenbaugh 
500 watt wind generator.  What does anyone know about this generator?  Is 
the company still in business?  What would be a reasonable price?  Any 
other recommendations or thoughts?  We will be needing a pretty high 
tower to get out of the wind shadow of the ridge ( or we need to place 
the wind generator about 1000' feet from the house)

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From: [email-masked] (Alan Muller)
Date: 2 Sep 1996 13:40:34 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, "Conrad W. Smith" <[email-masked]> says:
>NICADs.  We are fairly high up and just leeward of a ridge. 

In the lee of a ridge it might be impossible to get out of turbulent 
conditions.

 We have been 
>500 watt wind generator.  

I think this Co. has been out of business a lot longer than 3-5 years.

What does anyone know about this generator?  Is 
>the wind generator about 1000' feet from the house)

Talk to Mick Sagrillo at Lake Michegan Wind and Sun.  He will know about
these machines.

Hope this helps.

am

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From: john <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 02 Sep 96 01:43:07 GMT

> the wind generator about 1000' feet from the house)
I would bet on placeing the geny on the ridge.
As the wind on a ridge is more likly to be higher than on a tower.
Plus the tower is quite an investment.
Loss in the 1000' cable probably wont be much, simply because wind power often 
produces disapointing amounts anyway in my experiance. -- 

Yours sincerely....John G.*?*?*?*?*? Us Neuron's don't KNOW that much, period.
*What is existance without socialising?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?
(Everybody wants to be certifiably nice on this tide of awesome tech' power.)c?
(Posts mispelt or not should be written with content to be worth saving
so as apathy doesn't drown lurkers)c?

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From: john <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 03 Sep 96 17:20:39 GMT

In regaurd of turbulance on the ridge, I think it would still be wurth seting 
up the geny any way but the geny would probably be better fixed in direction as 
the wind would mostly be funneled from one direction any way.--

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From: Jim Salmon <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 1996 11:05:27 -0400

> so as apathy doesn't drown lurkers)c?

Ridges don't tend to 'funnel' the wind in any particular direction. They
will increase the speed of the wind if it has a component at right
angles to the ridge. If your prevailing wind direction happens to be at
right angles to the ridge, then that is a real advantage. However, it is
only an advantage if you site your turbine near the top of the ridge.
The wind speed decreases as you go down either the windward or leeward
face of the ridge. If the ridge is steep, the leeward face can be a very
bad location.