What goes up, comes down, part 2
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2021 5:40 pm
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.
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...
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
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...
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