How to decide

Re: How to decide

kimberly cantrell wrote: »

Keep in mind, there is no current fix for the SkyDud, yet they wouldn't hesitate to sell and ship you a box of garbage.

Kim

If you're speaking of the cold weather issue, the fix was available four days ago, after undergoing UL tests. Southwest Windpower posted it to their website and notified me by e-mail.

Re: How to decide

t12zh wrote: »

I want to buy a Skystream 3.7 Grid Tie Wind Generator but do not know if it is the one i need.
I am new to this and do not know if it is a good idea to buy a unit that is intragul type power unit.
Should i buy seperate parts and pieces.
Greg

If you are in Pueblo, it looks like your wind resource is a "2". I am in a "3", almost "4" zone in Oklahoma, and my Skystream works well in this area. If you are truly in a "2" zone (not living on top of a hill or something), you would be better off to add PV and solar hot water heating, vs spending the time/money on a wind gen.

Nothing wrong with the integrated inverter in the Skystream. I have been inside of the unit to replace some parts, and it is well built. SWWP just needs to continue to work on improving customer service and timely tech/warranty support(see below).

Do you want backup power capability? If so, then you will need batteries and a DC wind gen with an inverter. Yes, the Skystream has the capability to "charge batteries", but you'll need to buy a seperate inverter and battery monitor unit for the Skystream. Definitely not cost effective.

You can install a Skystream yourself, if you have the right experience with mechanics, electrical, etc, and you plan well. I installed mine by myself, without any assistance, including all the concrete, electrical work and guyed-tower assembly. Yes, I'm quite proud of my installation, and it was done safely. It looks and works great.

Tech support for this unit has improved from last year. However, there is still one person who answers the "customer service" line that can put anyone in a bad mood. Once you learn how to bypass that lady and call tech support directly, tech support answers your questions, etc within a day or two. If they could take that lady off the customer service line, and hire a few more techs to improve the response time, this would be highly beneficial to the reputation of the company.

Real Skystream owner here. Ask any question you'd like.

Re: How to decide

BB. wrote: »

Noodles,


Wind, to date, small installations seem to be real light on logged numbers that are more than a few months of data before something breaks or there is 9 months of virtually no power generated.

-Bill

You guys are going to make me order a KWH meter and start logging, aren't you?

My Skystream has not been totally without problems. I had a failure in Sept. SWWP sent me a replacement parts kit after about 3 weeks of calling/e-mail. I replaced the parts and it has worked fine. I developed the cold-weather issue a few weeks ago, where the turbine was shutting down in cold weather. Above 30deg, it starts right back up. SWWP developed the software fix for that, went through the UL approval process, and I'm awaiting the remote interface to allow me to upload the software by remote control vs tilting the tower down.

Mike

Re: How to decide

mike90045 wrote: »

That's the only way anyone can know if conservation is happening, or actual selling.

You are correct, Sir. I will look into adding a meter inside the shop.

I have taken current measurements on several occasions. If the gen is turning 100 rpm (about 8-10 mph wind), it is making over one amp on each phase. In a 20 mph wind (about 300-325 rpm), it exceeds 10 Amps per phase, which is more than advertised. On a typical day here in Southwest Oklahoma, the Skystream output is at 3-4A per phase. I'm in a good wind area and it blows consistently. You can see from the photo that nothing blocks the wind as it comes across the fields. The wind generator is making power and the electric meter spins backward quite often, or is slower with heavy loads on.

Wind is not for everyone. It is something I took an interest in and followed through with the project. It works for me. As I mentioned, I'm also interested in adding PV and solar water heating, and I have an HVAC zone controller project I'm kicking around to reduce the need for two heat pumps.

Mike

Re: How to decide

niel wrote: »

quote by noodles, "or is slower with heavy loads on".

it would be slower or faster only by the wind speed as the grid is the load and is constant. curious though as to what precautions swwp took if the grid goes down as there would be nothing to stop the turbine from wildly spinning if they didn't take any precautions.

Meaning my main electric meter goes slowly forward when I have loads on in the house while the wind gen is spinning. The grid and the loads in the house are the total load as seen by the wind gen. For example, when the wind gen is spinning the meter backwards, and my wife turns on the clothes dryer(22A per phase), the meter then spins forward. If the wind gen wasn't turning, the meter would spin forward much faster. What I was trying to say is the wind gen is definitely producing power. Although I haven't begun the complete scientific power logging study of this particular unit (by installing another meter decicted to the wind gen), I can tell you that it puts out power, and I believe the manufacturer's claims of 400-500 kWH are pretty close to what I'm getting from the unit.

The Skystream does have safety measures built into it. I have seen it work. It shuts down if grid power is not within specs, and it does not turn. Even in 70 mph winds, the blades might turn 1 rpm max. If I expect a severe storm (over 60 mph winds) I shut down my system with the manual disconnect located in my garage. If I'm not home, the Skystream will shut itself down anyway at 56 mph, if I remember correctly. As soon as I get the remote interface, I'll have the capability to turn the system off wirelessly without leaving the house.

From the Skystream manual:

3-2 Electronic Stall Regulation
The Skystream 3.7 has the ability to adjust the rotational speed of its
blades or even stop the blades if required by ambient conditions. This
referred to as Stall Control and it is accomplished by adjusting the current
draw from the alternator. The higher the current draw the greater the
electromagnetic torque applied to the rotor and if enough torque is applied
the blades will slow or even stop. In simple terms the inverter is demanding
more power than the available wind can provide thus causing the blade
rotational speed to decrease.
As a safety feature the alternator is capable of producing approximately
five times the torque required to control the turbine. This extra available
power means that even if segments of the alternator windings are damaged
there is still sufficient torque to stop the turbine.
While Skystream is connected to the utility grid it constantly monitors that
all conditions, for example grid voltage and frequency, are within limits.
If the inverter determines that all operating conditions are within limits,
it opens three Normally Closed (NC) relays, RL1, 2 and 3, removing the
short from the alternator windings and allowing the blades to spin freely.
Only then will it operate the DPDT Grid Relay RL_G to allow the inverter
to export power to the grid. Refer to the Skystream Block Diagram in
Appendix A. Should the inverter sense an abnormal condition, for example
high current in the alternator windings by means of the current sensors on
the relay board it will close relays RL1, 2, and 3 thereby stopping the turbine.
In turn, the DPDT Relay RL_G will be operated to the position where
the inverter power exporting circuitry is disconnected from the grid.
3-3 Redundant Relay Switch Control
As a redundant measure of safety to guarantee stopping the turbine in
case of a winding fault or a lost connection to the alternator; there are
seven connections to the alternator windings, but only three are necessary
to control or stop the turbine. And as a final measure of safety, if the
inverter is unable to control the rotational speed and Skystream exceeds
approximately 400 rpm, the rectified voltage will exceed the Zener (Z)
voltage on the relay board, causing the latching relay (RL4) to open. This
will cause the relays RL1, 2, and 3 to close and apply all the available
electromechanical torque to the rotor, stopping Skystream completely. The
inverter power path will also be disconnected from the grid my means of
relay RL_G. This is the final level of control and is only applied when all
other methods of control have failed. As such, once set, (latched) RL4 may
only be reset by gaining internal access to Skystream – it cannot be reset
via the Remote Display.

Re: How to decide

n3qik wrote: »

No need, the remote interface will do that for you.
[/I]

One of the techs at SWWP told me that the "remote monitor/interface does not keep track of total power produced". He said the unit is more for troubleshooting than anything else, and suggested a separate meter for "accurate totals".

I had one of the remote monitors here a few weeks ago. It did have a KWH function, but I did not have time to check it out thoroughly. I had to send it back because the dealer sent me one that had been returned by another customer. Sorry, but when I buy something "new", it better be "new", and not used by someone and returned. That is the dealer's fault(not NAWS) and not anything SWWP did.

When I receive another remote monitor/interface, I'll update this post to confirm/deny the function.
UPDATE: The remote kwh function is reasonably accurate, compared to my dedicated meter.

Thanks! Mike

Re: How to decide

Thanks Bill. I found a KWH meter with a socket online tonight and I'm having it shipped here this week. I'll start gathering numbers and will report back.

UPDATE: 296 kwh in the first month with my dedicated meter......

I saw in another thread that the original poster on this thread has made himself a wind gen, so he's probably not interested in the Skystream info any longer.

- Mike

Re: How to decide

kimberly cantrell wrote: »

Noodles,
You sound like a SWWP company man to me.
If the unit is well built as you claim, why are you already replacing parts inside of the nacelle?
According to your MA dealer, his turbine has not run for a week staight at any given time for over a year and count them, 5, yes 5 'fixes' so far and no production. Just lies and deceit from your customer no-service center.

People on this discussion list know about your company's reputation. In time, you will too when they close the doors because no one will invest in SWWP turbines.Kim

Ms. Cantrell,

OK, you got me. I surrender.

Mike

Re: How to decide

S u f D a d d y wrote: »

Does Noodles have any updates on his system?
TIA.
-S u f

Still turning. Been in service 9 months now(installed last July).

432 kwh since installation of the dedicated meter(March 1st).

Averaging about 8 kwh/day.