Earning it

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RBoots

Well-known Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

I took these pictures on our work site today. This gentleman is inspecting the blades for cracks. They do about one per day, I believe there is 120 turbines we have here that they have to check. I think they said they have to check each of them 2-3 times a year. There is a door in the nose of the rotor he opened up, tossed his ropes down that they tie off to the pick up, and started his way down the blade. Around and around a foot at a time. Interesting to watch though.

 

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Greg1959

Well-known Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

RBoots- WOW! He looks like an ant on that blade. Thanks for posting! That gives me a reference to just how big those things really are.

 

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Royse

Well-known Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

Some guys have all the fun!

 

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NEKS

Well-known Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

For a little bit thought I was looking at a frog

 

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Suffolk1

Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

Sure hope he remembered to take it out of gear first.

 

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IA Roy

Well-known Member

• Jul 18, 2016

• #1

I saw that procedure on a TV show. I don't remember if it was in England or Denmark.
When it gets windy (isn't it always up that high) it can be overwhelming and they need to postpone the rest of the job.

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

That looks like one of the North Star turbines? The Alma to Breckenridge batch have rounded nose cones if my memory serves.

 

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Doug Wilkins

Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

where was this photo taken?

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Large wind farm in N Indiana, about 100 miles N of TH. Kentland , In. Sometimes the top blade is in a cloud, really cool to see. Hundreds of turbines. They extend NE for many miles too.

 

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Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

One more job to add to the "What I don't want to be when I grow up" list!

 

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GreenAcre

Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Now there would be an opportunity to use drones...

 

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farmerwithmutt

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

I worked in a factory building the fiberglass housing. I would never walk in or under them. They hired cheap inexperienced help to build them. They were put together on a mold sent over to have all the voids sanded and refilled then outside sometimes sat for a couple years then brought back in again re sanded then shipped out then send a crew down to again refill and sand . Then fingers crossed up it went. It was basically a government job incentive right idea but .

 

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dhermesc

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Agreed. I would think a drone with high magnification could do a better job.

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

There's something about the turbines that I like. I think I get hypnotized or something similar looking at them.

 

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ditchwitch

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Im with ya on that. Being that i dont live around where you would put them. When I am on the road hauling a car somewhere where they are its really interesting to look at. And at night all the blinking lights on top for as far as you can see. I would like the chance to walk up to one and see it and hear it. I do have a question about them. Sometimes i see some not turning and some are whats up with that. Are they on timers to run?? Do they work solely by wind or do they need power to get started??

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

I don't know much, but the ones not running I figure there either isn't enough wind or their broke. I have read they all have their own weather station to sense when to run and which way to point. They must draw some power to re-aim themselves and some to flip the blades out to run.

Some say they are noisy but I haven't noticed it. Maybe some wind noise like any fan would have but it's way up there. I don't live next to one, that might be different.

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Yes one use for drones I could agree with.

 

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ditchwitch

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Thanks for that info. I think the next time i see a field of them from the highway i think ill just pull over and stop to see if i can hear them. I didnt even think about the blades turning in or outward to make it run i thought they were a fixed blade.

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

When they shut down the blades go flat to the wind. I suppose to save on wear of turning but not doing anything.

 

OP

OP

R

RBoots

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Yep, one of the one farthest to the north of the North Star batch of turbines. 3 miles NE of Ithaca MI

 

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RBoots

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

They're not too bad, when they're really going you can hear a very slight whine that has an up and down pitch to it, but you have to really listen

 

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RBoots

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Greg, I believe we were told they are right at 550 ft at the tip of the blade at its highest point, they are quite enormous!

 

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Location

6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879

• Jul 19, 2016

• #1

Of course my experience is mostly at St Louis watching the hay sale.