Anemometer Options [RE-wrenches]

[David Blittersdorf]

Charlie and all,

Low cost quality anemometers are available. The NRG Maximum #40 anemometer
sells for $85. (sensor only) is very accurate, durable and reliable. It has become the de-
facto standard anenometer for the wind industry. We sold over 8000 last year.

It has a teflon bearing system (no ball bearings to fail), is protected from ESD and has a
2 year warranty. The signal is an sinewave frequency generated by a rotating
permanent magnet in a pickup coil.

Our industry tried reed switch anemometers in the early 1980's and they always failed.
It was especially difficult for my company as we were selling 90' tilt-up met. towers for
wind measurements. Every time a sensor failed, the tower needed to be tipped down.
Customers were not pleased!  We decided to take over the distribution and assembly of
the the #40 and design our own wind direction vane to assure the quality and reliably of
the sensors being installing on our towers. That has proven to be a very positive move
for our company and our industry.

BTW: The weather (met.) industry and the wind energy industry are very different in
their needs and have evolved in different ways. The wind industry needs sensors that
are low cost, accurate and very reliable. We care about higher winds (above 8 mph)
and need to survive 120+ mph gusts. We also are a bunch of cheap guys and want low
cost stuff that works. The met. folks are usually government funded to do weather
forcasting and have different needs.

Regards,

David Blittersdorf



On 16 Feb 2002 at 15:06, Charlie Robb, Element Engineering wrote:

> Travis,
>
> There is a superb "weather station" available from Oregon Scientific (you'll
> find them on the web), with a big hi-glo backlit touch screen display and an
> array of sensors all powered by little PV cells and radio linked. Wind speed &
> direction, barometer, rain gauge, in /out temperature, hygrometer and radio
> controlled clock. All for just £350 in the UK, probably $350 in the US. I sold
> one last year and had a good play with it before shipping it.
>
> It is dead easy to install with no sensor cabling required. It is not
> industrial or calibrated but it is nicely made and looks like it should last a
> few years. If you need more than real time and min/max data, you can get a
> datapack to plug into it which downloads to PC - or you can log direct to a PC.
> I think the radio range is 100m so you should be OK but if it is a problem you
> could always put the base unit at the bottom of the tower?
>
> I agree that reed switch anemometers won't last for ever, but when I worked as a
> meteorologist we had no end of trouble with our expensive calibrated anemos -
> the optical sensors need more power and because they are cable linked they are
> prone to being whacked by lightning or static, and the bearings need replacing
> periodically too. Think of them as mini wind turbines - there's no such thing as
> maintenance free.
>
> Hope that's a help
>
> Cheers
> Charlie
>
> Charlie Robb
> Element Engineering
>
> 77 Society Road
> South Queensferry
> Edinburgh
> EH30 9XP      UK
>
> Tel: 0131 331 5835
> Fax: 0131 331 5848
> Mobile: 07887 991866
>
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David Blittersdorf
NRG Systems, Inc.
110 Commerce Street
Hinesburg, VT 05461 USA
Tel: 802-482-2255
Fax: 802-482-2272
email: davidb at nrgsystems.com
Web:http://www.nrgsystems.com

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