Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

This is the second Aermotor put together that has "gear mesh"? The main gears are perfectly lined up and there's new cut pinion gears. It just seems to really clack on the downstroke but I just don't understand it. Other windmills I see aren't making this kind of noise. Is it just because the gears are so worn out at this point or? I just don't really want to put this up on a tower and have it make this kind of noise like I did last year.

You say on the down stroke. It could be that when it is on the upstroke the gears are tight against each other then when IT goes over the top with gear wear it catches up and makes the clanking noise. I have a walking beam pump jack that does that.

Wayne wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:13 am You say on the down stroke. It could be that when it is on the upstroke the gears are tight against each other then when IT goes over the top with gear wear it catches up and makes the clanking noise. I have a walking beam pump jack that does that.

I was noticing this. But didn’t know if it was normal or not. I’ve had two what were supposed to be “new” sets of main gears from Dakota Windmill that also made this noise when put in two different mills. Then I got these NOS rebuilt windmills (not sure what company) but they all have the same style main gears that are making this noise too.

Am I just having bad luck finding this main gears or is this just normal. I just don’t feel like it would be a normal noise?

Sounds like bad luck to me. Between my brother and me we have four 602s running and no noise.Still in the process of putting two more up, let you know if they are noisey.I hope you don't gamble !!!

Windcatcher530 Dan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 12:54 pm Sounds like bad luck to me. Between my brother and me we have four 602s running and no noise.Still in the process of putting two more up, let you know if they are noisey.I hope you don't gamble !!!

HAHA exactly why i never step foot into casinos or try my luck at the power ball.

Is there weight on the downstroke?

windybob wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 1:22 pm Is there weight on the downstroke?

In this video no. Not even pump rod. The one making the same noise I have up on a tower has pump rod installed and I did have weight on it and it did not make a difference. Same sound.

ok. Not sure what the issue is, other than need a break-in period, but not even sure about that. I can't remember having that problem on all the heads we've built. If there was, they were usually way out in the field where no one cared whether they made noise or not until running for a while helped with gear mesh. But I really don't remember having problems along that line. Plus the heads would help push the rods down in the well, offering some resistance. Maybe that's the answer. Having the mill push against some resistance. (?) Everyone knows that mill gears fit rather loose. Tooth chatter would be more common with relatively loose fitting gears. That's why a resisitance push (or pull) would able to keep the teeth together better, except for one click over center, and one click under center. MAybe I'm just over-thinking this.

With my pump jack it's an internal gear and I can take a board and put a little pressure on the big gear and then it doesn't fall over at the start of the down stroke the gears stay meshed and then I have no noise. After I figured out what it was I quit worry about it. Then I can get the questions as to what is that clicking sound.

Mr Scott , i agree with your hypothesis