What goes up, comes down, part 2

[Ron Stauffer]

After Thanksgiving, I did a Front Range install trip of a couple solar pumps and a couple windmills. The foothills area of CO does get a lot of wind so I got the usual query of how much wind will they withstand etc. I gave the usual reply of the Aermotor desgin build of 100 mph. The new owner had 2 weeks of blissful windmill ownership that included last Fridays dramatic sunset.

berthoud.jpg

So there was a wind event forecasted for that area today and I get a text from the customer on what to do yesterday. With gusts projected over 80, I told him it would be the best to furl it. This morning at 10 am I got a pic texted...

berthoud 2.jpg

I called him right away to see what happened and we didnt get much more than hello when he had to go since the fire dept was there because of a down power line. I looked at the pic again good and saw the anchors were all in place and I knew that the tower got all new bolts and mast and tormented myself on what happened and how high was the wind.

Five hours later he got things under control and called me. It seems that a 12 x 20 anchored down livestock shelter 200 yards away got torn loose with the wind, became airborne and hit the tower dead on and then went on to take out the power line.

I am getting old enough that stressors like this bother me as I know if you sit on the front porch stuff like this doesnt happen. I want to see what the livestock shelter looks like.

Of course, he wants it replaced my next trip over... 8 X 27

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

[windybob]

Dang, what a shame. Accidents happen. Most farmers we work for don't have their mills insured. I don't know why.

[Wayne]

WOW1 Looks like some carton drawings you see. Was watching the news telling about the high winds going across from West to East.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Wow what a shame that looks like it hurts.

[windybob]

That tower would be a decent source of anchors now. Waste not want not. LOL

[mtblah]

Windy , always thing of solutions ! and a use for everything .

[windybob]

Poor folks have poor ways. LOL

[Ron Stauffer]

Speaking of anchors, anyone notice how well the anchors held up? Angle iron I dont think would have held up that well. The anchors were made out of used 2" galvanized drop pipe anchored with 4 bags of fast set per hole.

A couple years ago a charter bus was turning around at the Windmill Campground in NM. After he was done turning around, it could no longer be called the Windmill CG. Angle iron anchors didnt hold up as well but the tower did as he continued to push it over after he made contact. It was a good thing he kept backing, if you only kink one side and stop the tower will fall back on you.

oro quay.jpg

And we all know what hit the tower in Roswell...


Ron

[Adobejoe]

Wow, brutal! I have seen 80-100 I am sure and nearby at Clark they get over 100 routinely.

[hedgerow]

We had a storm come threw our area last week also. A guy I sold a tractor to last summer texted me some pictures of the tractor and his wife's new car both totaled by a anchored down cattle shed that took off and hit both of them. He said the shed had been in the same place for well over twenty years.