Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

I'm new to the forum but not to wind power. We got our first wind generator back in the 1970s when we were planning an off grid homestead in Wisconsin and found a 1935 vintage WindPower 2500 watt generator at an estate sale, and bought it and its original 55 foot tower. We installed it and used it as our main power source, backed up by a Delco 850 generator, until an internal short stopped the WindPower. We replaced it with a Jacobs model 25 2500 generator which we still use at a different farm. We had the WindPower rewound and its blades self-destructed when tower top bolt broke and allowed the entire turbine to tilt so the blades hit the tower. We later found another WindPower with good blades and bad windings so that we have all the pieces neede to put it back into use. But--I'm getting old and my knees and back don't allow me to climb towers anymore. I've also been a trained and certified small wind site assessor able to help potential wind energy users decide if their site is suitable for a wind turbine. My current interests include getting my spare wind generators into the hands of someone who would put them to use, and learning more about some of the many other companies that made wind generators in the 1920s throught the 1950s.

Hey Jim, glad to have your wind gen experience on the new forum. I have similar interests in the wind gen company histories. Would love to see pics of your early Wind Power Light Co machine or parts. I have an early one, believe its a 2500W.

I'll post some pictures once I figure out how to do it.

Welcome to the forum! Very glad to see another wind generator enthusiast here!

I don't guess you would call me an enthusiast but did bring home a Zenith 6 volt bought from Mike. Got the generator to working, going today to pick up new brushes. On to painting, building tower and getting it in the air. Plan to hook a light to it so then at night people can drive by and wonder what that strange light is in my yard.