Wind speed data monitoring

[tecnodave]

All,

I'm looking into wind data collection, mast mount anemometer with data logging on computer,  has anyone had expereince with these sensor heads:


Inspeed  Version II Hall effect sensor anemometer

https://www.store.inspeed.com/Inspeed-Version-II-Hall-Sensor-Anemometer-Sensor-Only-WS2H.htm

Inspeed  8 pulse Anemometer

https://www.store.inspeed.com/Inspeed-8-Pulse-Anemometer-Wind-Speed-Sensor-Only-WS28P.htm


David

[ClassicCrazy]

Get in touch with Roy at Windsine - he has a lot of experience with all things wind related and he might be able to answer your question.
http://www.windsine.org/

Larry

[tecnodave]

Larry,

Thanks for that lead. I was just on flea bay and bought NRG Anemometer and Wind Vane, used from a wind site in Idaho, under $80. for both.

David

[ClassicCrazy]

What is the ebay  link ? curious what it looks like

Larry

[tecnodave]

Larry,

I bought these two, looking at a data logger, also NRG

I could have bid but at these prices and my slooow internet, I just bought at asking price....new anemometer $140.00.  Wind vane. $220.

Researching. I find two names repeatedly popping up.     NGR Systems and ARPS


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NRG-SYSTEMS-Calibrated-Anemometer-40C/283070742710?hash=item41e854c0b6:g:SlsAAOSwhgFbV7Jl


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NRG-200P-Wind-Vane-Direction-Sensor/163512857066?epid=12009137104&hash=item26122031ea:g:pOkAAOSwBMpb3eLD


David


Edit, un calibrated anemometer is $140.00 this one is calibrated....$450.00.   Logger is from same small town in Idaho, going to bid, contact seller...

[ClassicCrazy]

You mean APRSworld ?
The company is up in my part of the country - a bit north of me.

http://www.aprsworld.com/wind2/

Larry

[tecnodave]

Exactly, their model 40R anemometer is one of the best designs I've seen. The new model 40HC has a Hall effect sensor so I'm looking into getting one to expire end with. Most anemometer have reed switches which male one closing per revolution, producing a varying frequency signal, works very good but the low frequency ac signals are more susceptible to noise than the square wave of the Hall effect ones.

In the two way radio industry we were using APRSworld 40 anemometer on mountain top towers and had some RFI issues ....well 100+ transmitters ,450 MHz, 100 watts each near to the 40C. We ended up putting a signal amp right at the anemometer

David


Edit:   I really gotta really spell check my iPad. It's auto spell is horrendous!  I'm not expiring...auto spoof is, as soon as I can find that hidden button.

[tecnodave]

Larry,

I low balled all the NRG Symponies on eBay,  got the best looking one of the bunch...

NRG Symphonie3Plus.....$70.00.   (15 channel data logger)......error I paid $60.00 for this
NRG Anemometer...........$34.95
NRG Wind Vane..............$44.95


I think I just scored...these units are all used from some wind survey at Mountain Home, Idaho

I was looking at thousands for a data logger

Flea bay is a pain but persistence pays off.

David


Edited for accurate data

[ClassicCrazy]

Glad you found what you were looking for at a decent price.
How high are you going to put it up to do your survey ?

Larry

[tecnodave]

Larry,

My mast is only 18 feet up from ground, I have some real wind here, lots of potential. 50-60 mph gusts, 20-30 mph sustained,  from last nite' storm hey we just had the first snow in 15 years....well it was snow till it hit the ground, 4" per hour rain on the mountain at my back and out front I have the Pacific Ocean. A really dynamic weather situation. I was up through the brunt of it to make sure I would not have flying panel array's.  Don't know if I will build another wind generator but the time is ripe to do that.

David

[ClassicCrazy]

Sounds like a beautiful spot to live - as long as you can deal with the wind !

Larry

[tecnodave]

Larry,

It's absolutely georgous here. Great fishing, moderate climate, hardly ever snow, just too many people here. We have some of the highest rents anywhere in the country, how about $4000 month for a nice 3 bedroom house on beach.  $1400 for efficiency apartment..(no separate bedroom)....and our building department is rediculious , a couple in Santa Cruz paid more than $70,000 for permits to remodel an existing garage into a granny unit for an inlaw!  I make a killing here as an uncontractor, basically I do everything a licensed contractor does but I skirt the law and work around permits and just git er done. California law allows owner/builder so that is what I am doing. I'm paid in cash and my work looks as it never happened. I have a real serious case of Ollie North Syndrome! I just can't feel bad about helping folks achieve a living space without paying every government employee a handout.  I cut live 120/240 , 240 volt delta high leg three phase and 480 volt wye three phase. power and dummy up the smart meter do an entire electrical upgrade to modern Equiptment for a reasonable price, make it look like it never happened. The government is so greedy for a handout that even government employees come to me for work. I am certainly not the only one here doing this, I know many others. I will never talk about my customers if they are still alive but I've done the county's district attorney's home them again when he was appointed judge.....(he died)....It has gotten so bad here that if you own land here that has never been built on it will cost you at least $70,000 in permits, community development fees etc. before you can even turn a shovel. I'm sorry...to me that is criminal!  Live and let live!  There is no reason for such an overbearing government. Enough on that rant.....it is absolutely one of the finest places that I have found to live. I'm close to San Francisco /Oakland /San Jose  so there are lots of entertainment venues here, great skiing 250 miles east in the Sierra Nevada's, awesome surfing, fishing, sailing, etc  love it here, now how to get the government to go away.

David

[ClassicCrazy]

Interesting .  Sounds very absurd .  Guess you know how to handle those 240v hot leads when  you are changing in a new box.

Larry

[tecnodave]

Larry,


Yeah, I do , I was out to an industrial building that is transferring uses yesterday and I found machines that were clearly labeled 480/277 volt, they were 240 volt delta hi leg, and 4 conductor SO cords terminating into a NEMA L-15 30 receptacle .very clearly labeled 250 volt 3 phase and legal under codes and OSHA for that use....they were wired 480/277....and had 510 volts let to leg...wow where was that installer's head..gonna kill someone...with owners permission I red tagged whole electrical system (not reported to authorities) ,privately locked down until I approve every outlet in the building....very heavy metal working shop including a 40 ton shear that can do 1/4 inch steel plate 12 feet wide.....I left them with a skeleton system so they could get by. At least the hack did all the 120 volt outlets right. Surprised that I didn't find any attached to the stinger leg (not 120 volts....more like 208 volts. Phase 3 of 240 volt 3 phase delta hi-leg). Yep I do up to 600 volt. Above that you need a high voltage license , just don't need the Bucks that bad.  I focus for several hours sometimes before diving into some of this stuff....on the clock!  $100/hour minimum 1/2 day in 480/277 volt 100 horsepower pump I'm coming home with at least $500, probably more. Farmers don't ask how much, it's more can you get here now. Strawberry farmers can lose $100,000 a day without that pump. I will respond to an emergency at 2:00 am as I will come home with a $1000 before noon. They could lose 300,000-500,000 waiting for a permit. Gotta focus, it's dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. I was an engineer at General Electric and they train the hell out of their field guys. Maybe 80% of the electricians here have never done 3 phase. Santa Cruz is a bedroom community with a lot of cash here but we are the Strawberry capital of the world. I have 90 family farms about 100 acres on my books so it is very lucrative. I do not do residential except for a few friends that have multiple rentals. I do not quote.....not legal for a residence....but I can not quote what I have not diagnosed. If you insist on a quote then it's one billion!  No I'm clipping the high end and making a good living at it. If you are thinking about it go shopping..if you gotta have it you are my kind of customer. I never cheat the code on safety, period. Building inspectors know my quality and give me a wide berth. I even have building inspectors as customers due to my attention to detail. They know full well that I do not get permits.

David

[tecnodave]

Larry,

I do only one phase of residential wiring, that is upgrade the main panel. There are many electricians who will not do this without a permit because with a permit your utility company will come out and remove the power source at the mast head. You would be dealing with live power coming straight off the network pole and not protected by breakers. The available current is not to exceed 30,000 amps by NESC (National Electrical Safety Code) , this is not the same code set as building wiring, the NEC (National Ecectrical Code). NESC deals with power networks and power plants. If you short line to line you are looking at 7.2 MEGAWATTS....7,200,000 watts...with no fusing. Yeah it gets real exciting!

I cut the live wires and tape them off and tie them off to plumbing vents, chimney or anything strong enough to support them with non conductive nylon rope. Now I have a dead box and can work safely. Normally a main box changeout we change the mast, weatherhead, flange adapter to box, ground rod and wiring to it. No shortcuts here. When whole box is installed then I reconnect the utility feed wires and use the same but splicers and tools that the utility uses. Crimps are identical, real hard to tell just who did that. Often I have to frame the box due to siding damage so I exactly match the framing around the windows to every detail. Looks like it was done by the finish carpenters. Color matched paint and it never happened. Most times starting at 8:00 am I am done by 1:00 pm. Git er done!
Billing is in cash....about $1300 I will have about $300 in materials in there so I will net about $200/hour. You will have a system good for 30 years and not have to fool with it, period. My warranty does not expire until I do then you are on your own! I use only best quality components Square-D or Cutler-Hammer, no cheepies like Murry. I will not even attempt repairs on Zinsco, Stab-Lok etc. they were junk when installed and they are worse now. There are no Chinese products in this arena!

Bottom line, I cherry pick the lucrative jobs, I have the skills, tools, and training to do live power work. I have done 8kv stuff when I worked for GE but no more, way too dangerous without a full support crew. 

I've got one more skill that I have never seen anyone else do. I can remove a smart meter and reinstall it without it knowing I did that, it does not inform the utility that I did that. I won't post details here but it can be done.  You might guess that I do have inside access to my utility company but of course I will deny that.

I am intensely curious as to how things work.

David