WEAVER 5 KW TURBINE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL
Weaver 5 kW Turbine
Installation and Maintenance
Manual
WEAVER WIND ENERGY 233 Cherry Street, Ithaca NY 14850
www.weaverwindenergy.com 607.379.9463
Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Contents
Safety ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
Climbing Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Electrical Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Handling and Unpacking ............................................................................................................................... 4
Tower Information ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Tower Requirements ................................................................................................................................ 7
Installing the Tower .................................................................................................................................. 8
Turbine Assembly and Installation................................................................................................................ 9
Assembling the Rotor................................................................................................................................ 9
Assembling the Tail ................................................................................................................................. 12
Putting it Together .................................................................................................................................. 13
Installing the Turbine .............................................................................................................................. 16
Wiring and Electrical Equipment Installation.............................................................................................. 18
Electrical Wiring Overview ...................................................................................................................... 18
Component Mounting and Installation Requirements ........................................................................... 18
Up-Tower Junction Box ....................................................................................................................... 18
Down-tower Panel .............................................................................................................................. 18
Anemometer and Yagi Antenna .......................................................................................................... 19
Requirements for Installer-Supplied Electrical Equipment................................................................. 20
Controller ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Windy-Boy Protection Box and Load Resistor .................................................................................... 21
Capacitor ............................................................................................................................................. 21
Inverter ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Electrical Connections ............................................................................................................................. 22
Up-tower Junction Box........................................................................................................................ 22
Down-tower Panel .............................................................................................................................. 22
Wind Turbine Disconnect.................................................................................................................... 25
Anemometer Base Unit....................................................................................................................... 25
Controller ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Terminal Block How-To ....................................................................................................................... 26
Protection Boxes and Diversion Loads ................................................................................................ 28
Inverter DC Disconnect and Capacitor ................................................................................................ 28
Inverter ............................................................................................................................................... 29
Load Center, Meter, and Circuit Breaker ............................................................................................ 29
Commissioning ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Before You Start ...................................................................................................................................... 31
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Start-Up Sequence .................................................................................................................................. 31
Inspection and Maintenance ...................................................................................................................... 33
Partial Shutdown Procedure for Turbine Only........................................................................................ 33
Full Turbine System Shutdown Procedure.............................................................................................. 33
Checking the Controller .......................................................................................................................... 34
Routine Inspection Guide ....................................................................................................................... 36
Manual Mode.......................................................................................................................................... 37
Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................................... 39
Basic Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................. 39
Furling Flash Code ................................................................................................................................... 39
Table of Figures
Table 1: Parts Checklist ................................................................................................................................. 4
Table 2: Hardware Packet Contents Checklist .............................................................................................. 5
Table 3: Recommended Equipment and Tools ............................................................................................. 6
Table 4: Rotor Components .......................................................................................................................... 9
Table 5: Tail Components ........................................................................................................................... 12
Table 6: Turbine Components..................................................................................................................... 14
Table 7: Up-tower Electrical Wiring ............................................................................................................ 22
Table 8: Down-tower Panel Wiring ............................................................................................................. 23
Table 9: Electrical Connections to Controller Terminal Block..................................................................... 25
Table 10: Protection Box and Diversion Load Wiring ................................................................................. 28
Table 11: Load Center Wiring ..................................................................................................................... 30
Table 12: Meter to Main Circuit Breaker Wiring ........................................................................................ 30
Table 13: Pre-start Checklist ....................................................................................................................... 31
Table 14: Inspection Checklist .................................................................................................................... 36
Table 15: Manual Mode Switches ............................................................................................................... 37
Table 16: Basic Troubleshooting Guidelines ............................................................................................... 39
Table 17: Controller Flash Code .................................................................................................................. 40
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Safety
Weaver Wind Energy turbines should be installed and maintained by trained personnel only. Misuse or
mishandling of the turbine or tower could result in serious injury or death. Before attempting to install or
service a turbine system, please familiarize yourself with the contents of this manual as there are
important safety and installation instructions contained within.
The following symbols have been included at certain places in the manual, to highlight the need for safety
precautions. Please read and heed the safety notes:
DANGER! Represents a risk of injury or death for personnel, customers, or others nearby.
WARNING! Represents a risk of damage to the product.
Climbing Safety
Climbing wind turbine towers can be dangerous but it does not have to be. Weaver Wind Energy
recommends the following safety measures:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
All persons performing tower work should be trained in tower climbing and rescue techniques.
Plan your work to minimize time spent on the tower.
Minimize the number of persons on or near the tower during tower work.
All persons within the work zone of the tower should wear OSHA approved hard hats or helmets.
(The work zone is defined as a circle around the tower with a radius equal to the height of the
wind system from the top of the foundation to the tip of a blade extended upward).
Always use appropriate and up-to-date fall protection and safety equipment when climbing.
Inspect all fall protection prior to each climb, looking specifically for wear or missing parts, and be
sure the equipment is being used properly.
Do not work on or near the tower in severe weather conditions.
Never work on the tower without another person capable of tower rescue onsite.
Do not carry tools in your hands while climbing.
The alternator must always be shorted while climbing and working on the tower.
Lock the turbine against yaw rotation during installation or maintenance.
Electrical Safety
Please keep the following in mind while doing all electrical work related to this installation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Be aware of which devices and circuits are powered at all times while doing electrical work.
Disconnect power to any electrical devices being serviced or installed.
Do not wear metal jewelry or clothing (steel-toed boots) around energized circuits.
Keep all metal objects away from energized circuits.
Be sure that all metallic enclosures or panels are grounded as early as possible.
Discharge capacitors before touching them by applying an appropriately sized and insulated
resistance across the capacitor leads.
7. Ensure that all connections are tight and that no insulation is caught in a terminal.
8. Lockout/Tagout procedures should be followed at all times.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Handling and Unpacking
Typically, the Weaver 5kW system will arrive on several shipping pallets and will require a forklift or
telescopic handler to offload from the truck bed. Having such offloading equipment ready at the delivery
site along with a trained and experienced operator is the responsibility of the recipient.
When the shipment is received, go through the parts checklist in Table 1 below, and the hardware
checklist in Table 2 on the following page, to ensure that all materials have been received. If any
components are discovered missing or damaged, you must contact Weaver Wind Energy within 7 days of
receipt to initiate a warranty repair or replacements. If damage is visually apparent upon receipt from the
shipper, you should accept the shipment, but must note on the shipper’s bill of lading that the parcel(s)
is/are “accepted with damage”, and then contact the shipper and Weaver Wind Energy as soon as possible
to report the problem. If you are able to provide them, photos of parcels damaged during shipping can
help with cost recovery and warranty claims.
You should also see Table 3 on page 6 for recommended equipment and tools. Based on the experience
of the staff at Weaver Wind Energy, we found the tools included in this table to be invaluable.
It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that all components are safely transported to the turbine
installation site. Please consider the capacity of your vehicle, your staff, and your equipment.
Table 1: Parts Checklist
Part
Turbine
Hardware packet
Blades
Front hub plate
Back hub plate
Nose cone
Nose cone bolts
Nose cone washers
Tail arm
Tail vane
Tail brace
Wireless anemometer
Yagi antenna
Antenna cable
Antenna pigtail cable
Up-tower Junction Box
Down-tower Panel
Controller
Windy Boy Protection
Boxes
Diversion loads
Capacitor
Capacitor Enclosure
Inverter
Description
Nacelle and alternator of Weaver 5kW turbine
Package of hardware (see Table 2)
Fiberglass blades 8ft
Metal plate with tabs
Metal plate with collar
Plastic nose cone
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M6x1x16
Stainless steel flat washer M6
Steel lattice arm
Sheet metal vane
Stainless steel brace
Etesian Breeze Plus Temperature anemometer
Antenna with N-Female connector
50ft coaxial cable with N-Male connectors
4ft with N-Female and SMA Male connectors
Metallic junction box
Panel with two disconnects
24”x24”x8” metallic enclosure
Part #
Qty.
n/a
1
n/a
1
P0513001A
3
S0513040A
1
S0513042B
1
R0513011
1
P0103206
3
P1803006
3
W0513004
1
W0513019
1
W0513020
2
E4930001
1
E4920001
1
E502NMA1
1
E502SMA1
1
E2736001
1
A0513013
1
A0513014
1
SMA Windy Boy Protection Box 500
E4920002
2
SMA Windy Boy Protection Box Diversion Load
90mm diameter 4700µF, 550V capacitor
10”x8”x6” metallic enclosure
Princeton Power Systems DRI-10
E4920003
E482M051
E2730081
E4920007
2
1
1
1
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 2: Hardware Packet Contents Checklist
Part
Hub bolts
Hub locknuts
Hub washers
Rotor balancing nuts
Key
Alternator shaft
locknut
Alternator shaft
washer
Collar clamp bolts
Collar clamp washers
Nose cone bolts
Nose cone washers
Vane/arm bolts
Vane/arm/brace bolts
Vane/brace bolts
Tail vane locknuts
Tail vane metal
washers
Tail vane nylon
washers
Tail arm attachment
cap screws
Tail arm attachment
locknuts
Tail arm attachment
washers
Yaw lock
Tower mount bolts
Tower mount nuts
Tower mount washers
Anemometer post
Anemometer post
clamps
Anemometer boom
Anemometer boom
clamps
Capacitor clamps
Description
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M12x1.75x110
Stainless steel locknut M12x1.75
Stainless steel flat washer M12
Zinc-plated steel hex nut M12x1.75
Mild steel 3/8” x 70mm
Part #
P0103373
P1603312
P1803212
P1605351
R0513009
Qty.
12
12
24
12
1
Stainless steel locknut 1 ½”-12
P6605324
1
Stainless steel flat washer 1 ½”
P6803024
1
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M8x1.25x45
Stainless steel flat washer M8
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M6x1x16
Stainless steel flat washer M6
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M8x1.25x120
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M8x1.25x140
Stainless steel hex-head bolt M8x1.25x25
Stainless steel locknut M8x1.25
P0103262
P1803008
P0103206
P1803006
P0103275
P0103277
P0103258
P1603308
2
2
3
3
4
2
2
8
Stainless steel flat washer M8
P1803008
16
Nylon flat washer M8
P1850008
8
Stainless steel socket-head cap screw
M10x1.5x40
P0203311
6
Stainless steel locknut M10x1.5
P1603310
6
Stainless steel flat washer M10
P1803010
6
Appropriately sized bolt or pin
Galvanized A325 steel hex-head bolt ¾”-10x3”
Galvanized A325 steel hex nut ¾”-10
Galvanized A325 steel lock washer ¾”
Aluminum post ½” diameter x 12” with cotter pin
S0513014
P5007558
P6607012
P6807012
P8620001
1
6
6
12
1
Small metallic hose clamp
P8505001
3
1” metallic tubing bent at 90°
R0513012
1
Large metallic hose clamp
P8505002
3
90mm diameter metallic clamp
E0830901
2
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 3: Recommended Equipment and Tools
Tool
1 ¼” box head wrench
1 ¼” socket – ½” drive
19mm box head wrench
19mm deep well socket – ½” drive
17mm socket – 3/8” drive
13mm box head wrench
13mm socket – 3/8” drive
10mm socket – 3/8” drive
½”- and 3/8”-drive ratchet handles
3” and 6” extensions – 3/8” drive
(3) 25-foot tape measures
8mm Allen key and/or Allen socket
5mm Allen key and/or Allen socket
2-3/8” socket – ¾” drive
¾”-drive ratchet handle
¾”-drive breaker bar
(2) Lifting straps, 2000lbs, 10ft
Sockets for tower bolts
Wire strippers
Wire cutters
Buchanan crimpers
Flathead and Philips-head screwdrivers
Purpose
Turbine mounting
Turbine mounting
Rotor assembly
Rotor assembly
Tail mounting
Tail assembly
Tail assembly
Nose cone mounting
Assembly and mounting of turbine parts
Assembly and mounting of turbine parts
Balancing blades
Attaching tail to turbine
Removing nacelle cover, if necessary
Tightening alternator shaft nut
Tightening alternator shaft nut
Tightening alternator shaft nut
Installation
Tower construction
Wiring
Wiring
Up-tower wiring
Opening and closing electrical enclosures
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Tower Information
The tower may be supplied either by WWE or by the installer, and must adhere to the requirements in
this section. Shipment of the tower and all tower components will typically be handled by the tower
manufacturer. Please contact the tower manufacturer with any questions regarding towers, their
components, or their installation.
Tower Requirements
The tower design should be stamped by a licensed professional engineer, or as required by the local code
enforcement official. The foundation design provided by the tower manufacturer is based on assumptions
about local conditions that must be reviewed by the local code enforcement official or a design
professional familiar with the local soil conditions.
The tower must be grounded according to local and national electrical codes.
Mounting: Mounting hole pattern must match the hole pattern of the turbine base plate and include
tapped holes for mounting of the junction box, as shown in Figure 1. Bolts used to mount tower top plate
to tower must not extend more than ½” above the tower top plate, and nuts should face down.
WARNING! Bolts that extend more than ½” above the surface of the tower top plate could cause
interference with the tail that could lead to critical damage to the tail mechanism! Install all bolts on the
tower top plate with nuts facing down to avoid damage to turbine.
Figure 1: Turbine base plate dimensions
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Tower Height: 60ft minimum, 80ft or higher recommended. The lowest edge of the blade tips must be at
least 30 feet above any obstruction within 500 feet.
Design Wind Speed: 120mph
Turbine Weight: 4154 N [934 lbf]
Shear Load: 5953 N [1338 lbf]
Bending Moment: 2813 N-m [2075 ft-lbf]
Torsion Moment: 8310 N-m [6129 ft-lbf]
Blade Clearance: There must be no less than 10.5 inches of clearance between the tips of the blades and
the outermost point of the tower level with the blade tips in their downward position.
Tower Top Level Tolerance: Level within 1/16” across the length of the tower top plate.
Tower Stiffness: Tilt at tower top should be no more than 2%. Deflection of towers at 95mph wind speed
should be no more than 1% of the tower’s height.
Installing the Tower
Installation of a wind turbine tower should be regarded as a light to medium construction task requiring
the skills of contractors who have experience with excavation, concrete work, and tower erection.
Individuals or groups without such experience should not undertake a tower installation project, and must
use appropriately trained installers.
Please refer to the instructions sent by the tower manufacturer.
DANGER! Do not use the turbine as the pick point when lifting the tower! Install the tower sections
separately from the turbine.
NOTE: It is helpful to install the junction box and the anemometer that come with your turbine on the
tower before beginning installation of the turbine. Please see “Up-Tower Junction Box” on page 18 and
“Anemometer and Yagi Antenna” on page 19 for instructions.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Turbine Assembly and Installation
Assembling the Rotor
Table 4: Rotor Components
Item #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1.
Part
Front hub plate
Back hub plate
Blade
Hub bolt
Hub washer
Hub locknut
Rotor balancing nut
Qty
1
1
3
12
24
12
12
Place the front hub plate (1) down first and lay out the
blades (3) and back hub plate (2) according to Figure 2
and Figure 3. Each blade and each set of bolt holes in
the hub plate are marked with a letter. Be sure to
match the letters on the blades and both hub plates.
Figure 2: Finished rotor assembly
WARNING! Letters on blades and hub plate bolt hole sets must be matched up in order to balance
the rotor. An unbalanced rotor can lead to premature wear and increased risk of damage in harsh weather
conditions.
Figure 3: Rotor construction
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
2.
Insert hub bolts (4) with the rotor balancing nuts (7) on the back hub plate and a washer (5) on each
side, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. Snug down at least one bolt per blade, so that the plates are
flat against the blades, but leave some play in the assembly. Make sure that each blade is tight against
the bolts as far from the center of the hub as possible.
WARNING! Do not use the provided locknuts for this and the following steps! Steel hex nuts have
been provided for use during all rotor balancing steps, to avoid wear on the locknuts. Cycling Nyloc nuts
multiple times may lead to loosening of the bolts and premature wear.
NOTE: Construction of the rotor will be easiest if each blade is propped up on a support (hay bales or
plastic totes work well). This keeps the hub above the ground for easy installation of the hub bolts.
3.
Find the cross-hair marked on each blade at distance R from the center and distance S from the edge
of the blade, as shown in Figure 4 on the following page. Measure the distances (D1, D2, and D3)
between the cross-hairs. Adjust the blade positions so that D1=D2=D3 to within 1.5mm (1/16”). This
will cause all of the angles (A1, A2, and A3) between the blades to equal 120°, reducing rotor
imbalance as much as possible. To adjust the position of a blade, have one person hold each of the
two blades that are not being adjusted, while a third person strikes the blade that needs to be
adjusted with his/her hand. It can be helpful to tighten down the bolts on the two blades that are not
being adjusted, and leave the bolts slightly looser on the blade that is being adjusted. If striking the
blade with your hand is not sufficient to adjust it, it may be necessary to loosen the bolts on the blade
being adjusted.
WARNING! Do not use tools to strike the blades, as this can cause damage that will compromise
the stability and lifetime of the rotor.
4.
Tighten one bolt at a time in each blade and rotate around through the 3 blades, so that the clamping
force is the same on all the blades.
5.
Measure distances D1, D2, and D3 again, to verify that the position of the blades was not altered by
tightening down the rotor bolts. If D1, D2, and D3 differ by more than 1/16”, make adjustments as
necessary to balance the rotor.
6.
Once the rotor is balanced, carefully remove one rotor balancing nut at a time and replace it with one
of the hub locknuts, applying Loctite-263 or -271 to the threads before tightening. It is very important
to replace the nut as soon as it is removed and before removing any other nuts, because removing
multiple nuts at one time will likely result in the rotor becoming unbalanced again.
7.
Continue replacing rotor balancing nuts with locknuts, one at a time and using Loctite on each, until
all the rotor balancing nuts are removed and all the hub locknuts are tightened down securely.
WARNING! Only remove one nut at a time and replace the rotor balancing nut with a locknut
before removing another rotor balancing nut! Removing multiple rotor balancing nuts at once could lead
to rotor imbalance, causing premature wear and potential damage to the rotor.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
WARNING! Nyloc nuts are meant for one-time use only, and cycling them multiple times may lead
to loosening of the bolts and premature wear. If you must remove a Nyloc nut after installing it once,
discard it immediately and replace it with an equivalent spare.
Figure 4: Rotor balancing method
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Assembling the Tail
Table 5: Tail Components
Item
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Part
Tail vane
Tail arm
Tail brace
120mm tail bolt
140mm tail bolt
25mm tail bolt
Metal tail washer
Nylon tail washer
Tail locknut
Qty
1
1
2
4
2
2
16
8
8
1.
Lay the tail pieces out to be
assembled as shown in Figure 5.
2.
Bolt the tail pieces together as
shown in Figure 5. Be sure that the
washers are placed in the order shown
in the diagram. Apply Loctite-263 or 271 to the threads before tightening the
locknuts.
Figure 5: Tail assembly
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Putting it Together
Figure 6: Turbine assembly
1.
Secure the turbine (1) at least 4 ½ feet from the ground. Though the assembly of the turbine can
be achieved while the turbine is hanging from the crane, it makes the assembly easier if the assembler
provides a platform at least 4 ½ feet tall to support the
turbine during assembly. Figure 7 shows an example of
a setup that can be used.
NOTE: Stability of the turbine stand is the responsibility
of the installer. Weaver Wind Energy cannot be held
liable for damage or injury due to the turbine falling
from the stand.
DANGER! If the turbine is supported on a
platform rather than being held up by a crane, then the
turbine must be bolted down to the platform and the
platform must be level. Stability of the platform is the
responsibility of the installer. Failure to adequately
secure the turbine could result in serious injury or
death!
Figure 7: Example of a turbine stand
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 6: Turbine Components
Item
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Part
Turbine
Tail
Tail bolts
Tail washers
Tail locknuts
Rotor
Key
Alternator shaft locknut
Alternator shaft washer
Collar clamp bolts
Collar clamp washers
Nose cone
Nose cone bolts
Nose cone washers
Qty
1
1
4
4
4
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
3
3
DANGER! Do not attempt to attach the tail
without at least 2 people.
2.
Bolt the tail arm (2) to the tail pivot, as
shown in Figure 8. One person should lift and position
the front end while another person lifts the
back end (Figure 9). Loctite-263 or -271
should be applied to the threads before
tightening down the locknuts.
DANGER! The back end of the tail
Figure 8: Attaching the tail, Step 2
must continue to be supported until the
turbine is rigged to the crane, to prevent
the assembly from falling backwards. This can be achieved by a person holding it or an appropriately sized
support cradle placed under it.
3.
Insert the key (7) into the key slot in the back hub plate of the rotor (6), as shown in Figure 10.
4.
Make sure that the alternator shaft is
rotated such that the keyway is facing the
ground. Apply anti-seize to the shaft and the
threads, and slide the rotor onto the shaft,
with the key positioned at the bottom to
match the alternator shaft. Lift the rotor to
the vertical position with one worker
holding each of the bottom two blades, and
push it back until it cannot move back any
farther on the shaft.
5.
Place alternator shaft washer (9) over
the end of the alternator shaft. Tighten the
alternator shaft locknut (8) onto the threads
Figure 9: Three workers attaching the tail (a minimum of two
workers are necessary, and the third is optional).
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
as shown in Figure 11. Tighten to between 50 and 100 ftlbs of torque.
WARNING! While the shaft nut is being tightened,
a person must hold each of the lower blades to provide a
counter-force and prevent the blades from hitting the
ground. Damage from blades hitting the ground may lead
to rotor imbalance and/or shortened blade life.
6.
Figure 10: Insert key into key slot, Step 3
7.
Place the collar clamp washers (11) on the collar
clamp bolts (10), and add Loctite-263 or -271 to the
threads. Insert the collar clamp bolts in the holes in the
back hub plate and tighten down, as shown in Figure 12.
Place the nose cone (12) around the tabs on the front hub plate, as shown in Figure 13. Line up
the clearance holes on the nose cone with the threaded
holes in the tabs. Place the nose cone washers (14) on the
nose cone bolts (13) and gently tighten the nose cone
bolts, using Loctite-263 or -271 on the threads.
WARNING! Excessive force applied while
tightening nose cone bolts will crack the nose cone.
Figure 11: Tighten alternator shaft locknut,
Step 5
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Figure 14: Rigging, Steps 1-2 to install turbine
Figure 12: Tighten collar clamp bolts, Step 6
Figure 13: Attach nose cone, Step 7
Installing the Turbine
1.
2.
Choker a lifting strap around the alternator, as shown in Figure 14.
Choker the other lifting strap around the upper part of the second and third diagonal of the tail,
as shown in Figure 14. When the straps are stretched out with the eyes together, the base of the
tail should be centered under the location where the straps meet. If the strap on the tail is too
long, it may be necessary to take up slack by removing the choker and adding wraps around the
top section of the tail arm before adding the choker.
DANGER! If wraps must be added on the tail arm strap, workers must ensure that they are added
before the choker is added, and not after the choker is in place. Wraps added after the choker will come
out and cause the tail to fall several inches and the turbine to become unbalanced!
3.
Tie a tag line around the tail arm to stabilize and control the turbine while it is being lifted.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
WARNING! Two workers must climb to the tower top to receive the turbine before the crane may
lift the turbine.
4.
Lift the turbine to the tower top. Insert the wires into the junction box or conduit prepared for
them. Insert two bolts and thread on the nuts in order to position the turbine base plate. A worker
on the ground should use the tag line to position the turbine such that it does not hit the crane,
tower, workers at the tower top, or any other objects while it is being lifted.
5.
Have the crane operator lower the turbine in position until the base plate is flat against the tower
top plate. Line up the bolt holes on the turbine with the bolt holes on the tower top flange and
get two to three bolts in and tightened down in order to ensure the turbine is in position. It is
easiest to position the turbine without the yaw lock in place, but until the yaw lock is in place, a
worker on the ground must maintain control of the turbine’s direction using the tag line.
DANGER! Workers must be aware and attentive to the motion of the crane and of the turbine
while it is being lowered. Many hazards exist at this stage due to the movement of a heavy suspended
object, crushing hazards when the turbine is lowered, and the potential for yaw motion after placement
of the turbine.
6.
Insert the yaw lock.
DANGER! After the turbine is in position, the yaw lock must be inserted to control the turbine.
Failure to insert the yaw lock could result in the injury or death of workers at the top of the tower!
7.
Insert all bolts with the nuts facing up (away from the tower).
8.
Tighten down all the bolts using Loctite-263 or -271 on the Nyloc nuts provided.
9.
Release the rigging from the turbine and allow the crane operator to lower the rigging.
10.Remove the tag line from the tail.
11.Remove the lift hook from the top of the turbine and twist the plug back into place.
12.See the next section for instructions on how to wire the turbine for operation.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Wiring and Electrical Equipment Installation
Electrical Wiring Overview
Figure 15: Electrical system overview
Component Mounting and Installation Requirements
Up-Tower Junction Box
Once the turbine is physically mounted, the wires coming down from the slip ring must be connected
inside a sealed enclosure to the wires running up the tower. A junction box will be provided with your
wind turbine, which can be installed directly underneath the mount plate at the top of the tower. It is our
recommendation that you install this junction box on the tower before lifting the tower, in order to
minimize time spent and tools required at the top of the tower.
If the junction box does not fit directly underneath the mount plate, it may be mounted to the top of the
tower in some other position that is consistent with local and national electric codes. If the junction box
is not installed directly underneath the tower mount plate, then it must be connected to the tower mount
plate using a 1” NPT conduit.
Down-tower Panel
Each installation is required to have a Short-Circuit Brake Switch, used to manually shut down the turbine,
and a Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect, used to disconnect all outside power sources, including power
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
coming from the controller, from the turbine. A standard panel including these two switches will be
shipped with the turbine. For some installations, it may make sense to arrange this panel in a non-standard
configuration, and Weaver Wind Energy can provide such panels or grant permission in some cases for
installers to configure their own panel. If your site requires a non-standard panel configuration, contact
Weaver Wind Energy to discuss your configuration preferences. When using a non-standard panel
configuration, the installer is still responsible to follow any and all instructions given by Weaver Wind
Energy regarding installation and maintenance of the down-tower panel.
The down-tower panel must be mounted either directly to the bottom portion of the tower, or on a
pedestal installed at the base of the tower.
Anemometer and Yagi Antenna
The anemometer must be mounted between 20 feet below hub height at a 45° angle to the direction of
the prevailing wind, with the small antenna on the anemometer base pointed in the direction of the Yagi
antenna.
The Yagi antenna must be mounted within 300 feet of the
anemometer, facing the anemometer, and with a direct line of
sight to the anemometer. The Yagi antenna should be mounted
using the clamps provided, which can be attached to a pole or
a piece of conduit, as described in the following instructions.
1.
Attach the base of the wireless anemometer to the
anemometer post with the cotter pin, as shown in Figure 16.
Gently tighten down set screw, being careful not to crack the
molded plastic base of the anemometer.
2.
Attach the aluminum post to the anemometer boom
using the three small stainless steel hose clamps provided.
Tighten the hose clamps securely.
Figure 16: Attach anemometer to post,
Step 1
WARNING! Anemometer is easily damaged while
climbing! Make sure the anemometer does not hit the tower!
3.
Choose the tower leg on which the anemometer will
be best exposed to the prevailing wind, and attach the boom
to that leg using the three large stainless steel hose clamps
provided. Tighten the hose clamps very securely, but avoid
damaging the boom or the hose clamps.
4.
Mount the antenna using the supplied mounting
bracket to attach it to a post or conduit, as shown in Figure 17.
The antenna’s elements must be horizontal when it is
mounted.
5.
Run the coaxial cable from the controller to the Yagi
antenna, being careful not to kink the cable, as this could
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Figure 17: Mount antenna, Step 4
Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
distort the signal. Coaxial cable terminations should be taped before running them through penetrations
to avoid damage.
6.
Connect the N-Female coaxial connector of the Yagi antenna to the N-Male fitting of the supplied
coaxial cable. Seal the connection with a waterproof insulator, such as mastic tape.
Requirements for Installer-Supplied Electrical Equipment
All electrical equipment in the wind turbine system, including equipment supplied by the installer, must
be installed in accordance with all local and national electrical codes, and must meet the following
specifications.
Wind Turbine Disconnect
3-pole, 600V, 30A (SquareD HU361 or equivalent)
Enclosure must be grounded
Inverter DC Disconnect
3-pole, 600V, 30A (SquareD HU361 or equivalent)
Enclosure must be grounded
Load Center
SquareD QO816L100DS or equivalent
Contains 2 circuit breakers:
1. 2-pole, 50A (SquareD QO250 or equivalent)
2. 1-pole, 15A (SquareD QO115 or equivalent)
Enclosure must be grounded
Meter
200A, 240Vac meter (Hialeah 200A, 240Vac kWh meter or equivalent)
100A, 4-terminal meter socket, 12AWG wire (Milbank U4175-RL-BLG or equivalent)
Enclosure must be grounded
Main Breaker
2-pole, 150A (SquareD QOM2150VH or equivalent)
WARNING! Pre-existing main breaker must be replaced if it does not meet the above
specifications!
Wind System Circuit Breaker
2-pole, 80A (SquareD QO280 or equivalent)
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Controller
The controller is contained in a 24”x24”x8” enclosure with a flat front cover and a penetration in the
center of the bottom face. It requires a wall or panel space of at least 24” width x 28” depth above a wireway or pull box.
There is a 5/8” penetration in the bottom of the controller (when mounted on wall) that is used for a serial
connection to export turbine data to your own personal monitoring webpage. There are three options for
how to fill in this penetration, each corresponding to a routing option for the serial communication:
1. Indoor-mounted controller with rubber grommet in the penetration and serial adapter routed to
external computer;
2. Outdoor-mounted controller with flexible conduit connected to penetration and serial connection
routed through conduit to a computer located indoors;
3. No internet connection – plug to close penetration.
Windy-Boy Protection Box and Load Resistor
Please install the Windy Boy Protection Box and the load resistor in accordance with the installation guide
for the Windy Boy Protection Box, which is included with this manual.
Capacitor
The supplied capacitor must be mounted inside a metallic enclosure appropriate to protect it from the
environment in which it is installed. The enclosure must be marked with the words “Danger” and “High
Voltage” and must be grounded. The capacitor must be physically secured to the enclosure using the
mounting brackets provided.
DANGER! Always discharge capacitor before handling! Contact with charged capacitor can lead to
electrocution, causing serious injury or death!
Inverter
Please install the inverter in accordance with the inverter manual included with this manual. Note that
the DRI-10 inverter is not wall-mounted, and instead will need to be bolted to a concrete surface.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Electrical Connections
This section details the wiring steps, starting with the wiring at the top of the tower and going through
the electrical system in order. Wiring must comply with all local and national electrical codes.
DANGER! Turn off the circuit breaker to the wind turbine system while you are wiring!
Up-tower Junction Box
Connections must be made in the junction box after installation of the turbine on the tower. Junction box
connections should be made using UL approved splice connectors, such as Buchanan splice cap crimp
connectors, and insulated with UL approved insulating means. The cables running up the tower must be
installed with strain relief adequate to support their weight. It is recommended to provide strain relief by
installing the cables within flexible conduit attached to the tower leg at intervals of 2-5ft.
Table 7 shows how
wiring
from
the
Table 7: Up-tower Electrical Wiring
electrical components
Connection
Wire from Terminal Slip Ring Minimum
of the turbine is routed
Device
Block #
Wire
Wire Size
through the nacelle
Alternator Phase 1
Yellow
1
1
8AWG
and out of the turbine
Alternator Phase 2
White
2
2
8AWG
via the slip ring. For
Alternator Phase 3
Black
3
3
8AWG
connections in the
Tail Motor Furl
Red
4
4
8AWG
junction box, refer to
Tail Motor Unfurl
Blue
5
5
8AWG
the column titled “Slip
Shared Neutral
White
6
6
8AWG
Ring
Wire.”
The
Contactor
Orange
7
7
8AWG
“Terminal Block #”
column refers to the
terminal block in the panel box internal to the nacelle, and “Wire from Device” is the color of wire going
into the panel box from the device.
Down-tower Panel
Figure 18 shows the connections that must be made to the down-tower panel. Figure 18 on the next page
shows the exterior of the down-tower panel, with the Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect circled in orange.
Figure 19 shows the connections that need to be made inside the Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect. The rest
of the connections that need to be made are in the wire-way at the top of the panel, and these
connections are laid out in a diagram of the terminal locations inside the wire-way in Figure 20. The wiring
connections to the panel are to be made with any wire no larger than 1AWG that meets the requirements
of local and national electrical codes.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 8: Down-tower Panel Wiring
Connection
Wire-way
Alternator Phase 1 from tower
Alternator Phase 2 from tower
Alternator Phase 3 from tower
Alternator Phase 1 from Wind Turbine
Disconnect
Alternator Phase 2 from Wind Turbine
Disconnect
Alternator Phase 3 from Wind Turbine
Disconnect
Tail Motor Furl from tower
Tail Motor Unfurl from tower
Shared Neutral from tower
Shared Neutral from controller
Contactor from tower
Ground
Tail Motor Furl from controller
Tail Motor Unfurl from controller
Contactor from controller
Tail Motor/Failsafe
Disconnect
A-3b
A-2b
A-1b
A-3a
Min. Wire
Size
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
A-2a
8AWG
A-1a
8AWG
B-3a
B-2a
N-a
N-b
B-1a
G
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
4AWG bare
Cu
8AWG
8AWG
8AWG
1
2
3
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Figure 18: Down-tower panel
Figure 19: Wiring inside Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect
Figure 20: Terminal block layout inside wire-way
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Wind Turbine Disconnect
The Wind Turbine Disconnect must be wired with one alternator phase across each disconnecting switch.
The three alternator phases should come in one side of the switch from the down-tower panel, and exit
the other side of the switch to the controller “Alternator In” terminals, as shown in Figure 21. The
connections to the down-tower panel must use at least 8AWG wire, and the connections to the controller
must use at least 10AWG wire.
Anemometer Base Unit
1.
Connect the N-male fitting of the coaxial cable (on the controller end) to the N-female fitting of
the 4-ft pigtail cable (the N-male connector is the one on the left in Figure 22, and the N-female is on the
right). If this connection is in an outdoor location, seal it with a waterproof insulator such as mastic tape,
as in Step 6 under “Anemometer and Yagi Antenna” on
page 19.
2.
Run the SMA-male fitting (connector on the left
side in Figure 23) on the pigtail cable carefully through the
Figure 22: N-male and N-female connectors
designated
cord grip on
the controller enclosure and connect it to the SMA-female
connector (right side in Figure 23) on the wireless base
unit, as shown in Figure 24. Tighten the cord grip by hand,
Figure 23: SMA-male and SMA-female
to
Figure 21: Wind Turbine Disconnect wiring
connectors
avoid pulling on the base unit.
Controller
Table 9: Electrical Connections to Controller Terminal Block
Figure 24: Connection to anemometer base unit
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
There are 16 wires that come into the controller through the conduit, 1 wire that comes in through a 5/8”
penetration (see the list of
Connection
Direction
Terminal
Minimum
configuration
options
of Flow
Block #
Wire Size
under “Controller” on page
Load Center 15A breaker
In
1
14AWG
20), and 1 wire for the
Load Center neutral
In
2
14AWG
anemometer base unit (see
Load Center ground
In
3
14AWG
“Anemometer Base Unit”
Alternator Phase 1
In
4
10AWG
above).
Alternator Phase 2
In
5
10AWG
Alternator Phase 3
Alternator Phase 1
Alternator Phase 2
Alternator Phase 3
Tail Motor Furl
Shared Neutral
Tail Motor Unfurl
Contactor
UPS hot
UPS neutral
UPS ground
In
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
14AWG
14AWG
14AWG
The wires coming in
through
the
conduit
terminate into the spring
terminal block at the
bottom center of the
enclosure. Table 9 shows
the wiring assignments and
minimum wire sizes for
each of these wires.
Terminal Block How-To
The figures below and on the next page show how to insert a cable into the terminal block. If the wires
being used are stranded conductors, it is recommended to terminate them into appropriately sized
ferrules before inserting them into the terminal block.
Figure 25: Insert screwdriver into rectangular hole, Step 2
Figure 26: Push screwdriver down to bend spring, Step 3
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Figure 27: Push screwdriver handle away from round hole to
fully compress spring, Step 4
Figure 28: Insert wire into round hole, Step 5
1.
Strip the cable to 18mm (0.71”),
and attach a ferrule if appropriate.
2.
Insert a flathead screwdriver
into the rectangular hole in the top of the
terminal, as shown in Figure 25.
3.
Push the screwdriver down to
bend the spring inside the terminal, as
shown in Figure 26.
4.
Figure 29: Remove screwdriver and test connection, Step 6
Push the handle of the
screwdriver away from the round hole, so
that you are pushing the spring out of the
way horizontally, as shown in Figure 27.
You should see a rectangular opening appear inside the
round hole. Insert the end of the cable into this opening,
continuing to hold the spring in place while you insert the
cable.
5.
Keep the spring compressed while you push the cable in until it hits the bottom of the hole, as
shown in Figure 28.
6.
Remove the screwdriver from the terminal block and tug firmly on the cable to test the
connection, as shown in Figure 29.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Protection Boxes and Diversion Loads
Table 10: Protection Box and Diversion Load Wiring
Terminal
ALT
ALT
ALT
DC+
DCLR
LR
GND
Controller
Inverter DC
Disconnect
Diversion
Load
7
8
9
+
-
Other
Protection Box
ALT
ALT
ALT
DC+
DC-
Ground
+
Ground
Minimum
Wire Size
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
10AWG
12AWG
12AWG
10AWG
The system includes two Windy Boy Protection Box 500’s, and two Windy Boy Protection Box LR6
Diversion Loads. The Windy Boy Protection Boxes take as input the variable-voltage, variable-frequency
alternator output, coming from the controller, and rectify it to variable-voltage DC to input to the inverter.
If at any point the system produces voltage in excess of 500Vdc after rectification, the excess power will
be diverted to the LR6 Diversion Load.
As shown in Figure 15 on page 18, the Protection Boxes are wired in parallel between the controller and
the Inverter DC Disconnect, and each Protection Box is wired to one Diversion Load. Thus, each wire that
connects to the controller or Inverter DC
Disconnect should be connected with the
corresponding wire on the other Protection Box,
before being connected in the controller or
Inverter DC Disconnect.
Inverter DC Disconnect and Capacitor
The DC disconnect should be wired as shown in
Figure 30, such that it separates the DC output
from the Windy Boy Protection Boxes from the
DC input to the inverter when turned off. In order
to prevent damage to the inverter, a 4700µF,
550V electrolytic capacitor must be installed
across the DC input leads to the inverter. This
capacitor must be enclosed and physically
secured using the supplied capacitor clamps. The
enclosure should be marked with the words
“Danger” and “High Voltage.”
Figure 30: Inverter DC Disconnect and Capacitor wiring
DANGER! Always discharge capacitor before handling! Contact with charged capacitor can lead to
electrocution, causing serious injury or death!
Wiring to the Protection Boxes should be at least 10AWG and wiring to the capacitor and inverter should
be at least 8AWG.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Inverter
Please wire the inverter in accordance with the inverter manual included with this manual.
Load Center, Meter, and Circuit Breaker
The wiring downstream of the inverter should be completed as shown in Figure 31 below. Note that one
of the connections in the Load Center actually feeds back into the controller, so that the controller can
automatically respond and shut down the system safely in the event of a grid failure.
On the next page, you will find the same connection information shown below in Table 11 and Table 12.
Figure 31: Wiring of Load Center, Meter, and Main Circuit Breaker
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 11: Load Center Wiring
Load Center
Inverter
Pole 1 on 2-pole, 50A breaker
Pole 2 on 2-pole, 50A breaker
1-pole, 15A breaker on Pole 1
bus
Pole 1 bus
Pole 2 bus
Controller
Meter
Main
Breaker
L1
L2
1
Line 1 Input
Line 2 Input
2
Neutral bus
Neutral bus
N
3
Ground bus
Ground bus
G
Minimum
Wire Size
6AWG
6AWG
14AWG
4AWG
4AWG
14AWG
4AWG
6AWG
14AWG
4AWG
6AWG
Table 12: Meter to Main Circuit Breaker Wiring
Meter Out
Line 1 Output
Line 2 Output
Ground
Main Breaker
Pole 1 on Wind System Circuit Breaker (2-pole, 80A breaker)
Pole 2 on Wind System Circuit Breaker (2-pole, 80A breaker)
Ground bus
30
Min. Wire Size
4AWG
4AWG
4AWG
Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Commissioning
DANGER! Do not turn on power to the control electronics or attempt to start the wind turbine
system before reading this section! Follow the instructions in this manual for safe startup and shutdown
of the wind turbine system.
Before You Start
Before you start up the turbine, it is important to make sure that the various switches, buttons, and
disconnects that provide built-in safety functions are all in the correct starting positions.
Table 13: Pre-start Checklist
Once all the switches are configured according to Table 13, you can follow
the steps below to start the system.
Start-Up Sequence
1.
Turn the Wind turbine disconnect on to connect the alternator
power leads to the controller.
2.
Turn the Inverter DC disconnect on to connect the Windy Boy
Button or Switch
Down-tower panel short-circuit brake
Down-tower panel Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect
Main panel breaker for wind system
Load center breaker for inverter output
Load center breaker for grid input to controller
Wind turbine disconnect
Inverter DC disconnect
Controller internal Manual/PLC switch (Figure 32)
Controller internal Brake On/Off switch (Figure 32)
Controller external Furl/Unfurl switch (Figure 33)
Status
On (Up)
Off (Down)
Off
Off
Off
Off
Off
Off (Center)
“Brake On”
“Furl”
Figure 32: Controller internal
switches
Figure 33: Controller external
furl/unfurl switch
Protection Box to the
DC input of the inverter.
3.
Turn the internal controller PLC/Manual switch (Figure 32) to PLC, so that the PLC will control the
turbine when it is started.
4.
5.
6.
Turn the main panel breaker for the wind system on.
7.
Turn the inverter’s internal “WIND” circuit breaker on (see the inverter manual for help locating
this breaker). The inverter’s touch screen should display the message “Waiting for wind.”
8.
Turn the load center breaker for grid input to the controller on. The “grid sense” LED inside the
controller should light up.
9.
Hold down the “On” button on the controller UPS until two short beeps are heard. The green “AC
Input Normal” indicator on the UPS should light up. If the beeps are not heard, turn off the UPS
Turn the load center breaker for the inverter output on.
Turn the inverter’s internal “GRID” circuit breaker on (see the inverter manual for help locating
this breaker). The inverter’s touch screen should light up and display initialization steps.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
by holding down the button until one beep is heard, and try again. The two beeps must be heard
when the UPS is turned on, or the UPS may shut off in the event of a grid power outage.
10.Turn on the computer being used to monitor this system, and start the monitoring software (see
our website for more details). If remote monitoring is not being used for this turbine, it is still
possible to monitor the voltage, wind speed, and other parameters during startup using a laptop
temporarily connected to the RS-232 port labeled “PLC” shown in Figure 32. You can find more
information about how to monitor the turbine by visiting our website or calling our office.
11.Turn the down-tower panel Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect on (up) to connect the controller to
the tail and the short-circuit brake in the nacelle.
12.Turn the down-tower panel short-circuit brake off (down). In high winds the turbine may start to
spin. As the rotor speed increases, the Windy Boy Protection Box “Operating” LED’s will light up
(in light to moderate winds, this may not happen until Step 13). If the rotor speed reaches about
60rpm, the inverter will establish a grid connection and begin to export power.
13.Switch the controller external furl/unfurl switch (Figure 33) to “Unfurl.” The tail should straighten
and the rotor should start to spin in a 10-12mph wind. As the rotor picks up speed, the inverter
should establish a grid connection and begin to export power, if it has not done so already in Step
12.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Inspection and Maintenance
Inspections should be performed within 45 days of installation, within 1 year of installation, and every 3
years or after severe weather events. Please follow the instructions on pages 32-34 and the checklist in
Table 14 on page 36 during all such inspections, to ensure that the turbine continues to operate reliably
for its intended lifetime.
DANGER! Inspections are to be performed only by trained personnel following approved
procedures and using proper equipment!
Any time the turbine needs to be serviced, the following partial shutdown procedure should be followed
to safely turn off the turbine.
Partial Shutdown/Emergency Shutdown Procedure for Turbine Only
1.
Switch the controller external furl/unfurl switch (Figure 33) to “Furl.” The turbine should furl and
the rotor should slow down. Wait for the rotor to slow down before performing Step 2.
2.
Turn the down-tower panel short-circuit brake on (up). The rotor should come to a stop within 23 seconds.
3.
Turn the down-tower panel Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect off (down) to disconnect the tail and
the short-circuit brake in the nacelle from the controller.
Full Turbine System Shutdown Procedure
1.
Switch the controller external furl/unfurl switch (Figure 33) to “Furl.” The turbine should furl and
the rotor should slow down. Wait for the rotor to slow down before performing Step 2.
2.
Turn the down-tower panel short-circuit brake on (up). The rotor should come to a stop within 23 seconds.
3.
Turn the down-tower panel Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect off (down) to disconnect the tail and
the short-circuit brake in the nacelle from the controller.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Turn off the computer used for turbine monitoring (if applicable).
8.
Turn off the controller UPS by holding down the button until one beep is heard.
Turn the load center breaker for grid input to the controller off.
Turn the inverter “WIND” circuit breaker off (see the inverter manual for help locating this
breaker).
Turn the inverter “GRID” circuit breaker off (see the inverter manual for help locating this
breaker).
9. Turn the load center breaker for inverter output off.
10.Turn the main panel breaker for the wind system off.
11.Turn the Inverter DC Disconnect off.
12.Turn the Wind Turbine Disconnect off.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Inspection Procedure
Checking the Controller
Any time the turbine is inspected, the controller should also be checked to verify that all sensors are
functioning appropriately. Verification of sensor function requires that the PLC controller be connected
to a computer through an RS-232 serial connection to the port labeled “PLC” (see Figure 32 on page 31).
There are two software interfaces to the PLC that allow the values of sensor signals to be verified, and
further information about this verification is available in our online reference material. This may be done
before the day of the inspection if the controller status is set up to be available over the internet.
Hardware
All hardware should be checked for loosening, but tools should not be used to check the hardware,
because they will break the Loctite and the seal on the Nyloc nuts, and require replacement of the
hardware. Checks can be done by hand, or using markings that make it easy to see rotation of the nuts
around the bolt threads.
WARNING! Do not check hardware tightness using tools, as this will break the Loctite and cycle
the Nyloc nuts, which necessitates replacement of the hardware.
Bearings
All bearings should be rotated to check for sounds from cogging or grinding. Bearings should not need
any maintenance, and should last for the lifetime of the turbine without producing noise when they
are rotated.
Close-Up Visual Inspection
All parts that are visible with the nacelle cover removed should be visually inspected. This includes parts
external to the nacelle, such as the tail, blades, and nose cone. Avoid opening the cover of the nacelle
electrical box unless maintenance is to be performed inside the electrical box. If the box must be opened,
the capacitor must be discharged before any other actions are performed.
Testing for Problems with Furling Mechanism
During routine, scheduled inspections, it is required that the workers performing the inspection furl the
tail and watch from the ground for any signs of damage to the furling mechanism. If there is reason to
believe that damage or significant wear to the furling mechanism has occurred, one of the workers
performing the inspection must also watch the mechanism operate while at the top of the tower.
This means that one worker will have to be available on the ground to turn the Tail Motor/Failsafe
Disconnect on and then to furl and unfurl the tail using the Furl/Unfurl switch on the exterior of the
controller.
DANGER! There are health and safety risks associated with running the tail motor while a person
is at the top of the tower, including hazards of being hit with the moving tail, pinching fingers, and
electrocution! To prevent injury, ensure that all workers at the top of the tower are informed of any
actions to be taken from the ground to energize the tail before those actions are taken. Keep fingers and
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
tools away from tail mechanism and any exposed wiring that could become energized! Whenever
possible, ensure that the nacelle electrical box is closed and sealed before operating the tail.
Workers at the top of the tower should be tied in on the left side of the turbine (as viewed from the front),
so that they are out of the way of the moving tail, and should be high enough to look at the tail mechanism
from above. Workers should not touch the tail mechanism during operation. Watch for play, interference,
and other issues that could cause a problem with the operation of the tail. The worker operating the tail
must be sure to communicate clearly with the workers at the top of the tower, so that they know when
to expect the tail to move.
Follow-up from Inspections
Hardware
Hardware that is slightly loose should be re-tightened. Hardware that is removed must be replaced with
equivalent hardware and tightened using Loctite-263 or -271. Make note of any changes or replacements
in the inspection report.
Blade Erosion
If the blades are eroded such that they make noise or cause the rotor to be unbalanced, holes should be
filled in and blade tape should be applied according to the industry standard.
Other Issues
If any other issue presents itself during the inspection, it should be reported to Weaver Wind Energy so
that we can provide further assistance with the repair.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Routine Inspection Guide
DANGER! Do not climb the tower unless the Short-Circuit Brake switch is on and the Tail
Motor/Failsafe Disconnect is off!
Table 14: Inspection Checklist
Equipment
Pre-climb
Inverter
Controller
Down-tower panel
Controller
Down-tower panel
Up-tower
Turbine yaw shaft
Turbine mounting
Alternator and rotor
Tail mechanism
Electrical
connections
Before climbing
down
Anemometer
Tower
Starting turbine
Look for
Equipment online, no error messages
Equipment turned on, indicator lights on
Furl turbine with User Furl switch – does turbine furl? Does flash code start?
Apply short-circuit brake – does rotor stop within 2-3 rotations?
Unfurl turbine with User Furl switch – does turbine unfurl? Flash code stop?
Open Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect to prevent tail motion
Rotate turbine about the yaw axis and listen for sounds in the yaw bearing
Insert yaw lock
Check the tightness of the turbine mounting bolts, visually and with hands only – no
tools, as this will destroy the Loctite and Nyloc
NOTE: If any Nyloc nuts are removed, they should be replaced immediately
Alternator bolts tight? (no tools)
Rotor hub bolts tight? (no tools)
Collar clamp bolts tight? (no tools)
Rotate the rotor and listen for sounds in alternator bearings (push hard and leave
short-circuit on)
Crack propagation in blade roots?
Blade leading edge or trailing edge wear?
Cracking in nose cone?
Try to wobble the tail left and right to check for play
Remove cover and visually check for deformation in any part of the tail pivot
assembly
Optional – Have a ground crew member turn the Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect on
and furl the turbine – watch for any issues with the mechanism
Optional – Try to wobble the tail and check for play in the furled position
Optional – Have a ground crew member unfurl the turbine – watch for any issues
Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect should be turned off when finished
Tail vane and brace hardware tight? (check visually)
Visually check electrical box for signs of moisture (do not remove cover)
Check wire runs for insulation damage
Close cover securely
Remove yaw lock
Visual check for damage
Please refer to the tower manufacturer’s inspection guide
Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect on
Short-circuit brake off
Inverter should come online when turbine begins to spin
Watch data from PLC to check that all sensors are working
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Manual Mode
DANGER! By switching into Manual Mode, the operator of the turbine assumes control of the
turbine and overrides all the automatic safety functions of the turbine!
WARNING! Only qualified personnel who have been trained as Weaver Wind Energy installers and
understand the functioning of the turbine are permitted to operate the turbine in Manual Mode.
Operation of the turbine in Manual Mode by an unqualified individual will void Weaver Wind Energy’s
warranty!
WARNING! Permanent damage to the turbine may be caused by operating the turbine in Manual
Mode in high winds, even if the inverter is providing a load to the alternator.
Sometimes it may be necessary for inspection or maintenance purposes to place the turbine under manual
control, rather than relying on the PLC. Manual Mode removes power from the PLC inside the controller,
and disables all PLC functions including automatic furling and short-circuit braking. If there is a
circumstance under which it becomes necessary to use Manual Mode, we strongly encourage contacting
Weaver Wind Energy to discuss the situation before operating the turbine in Manual Mode.
The Manual Mode switches are as described in Table 15.
Table 15: Manual Mode Switches
Switch
PLC/Manual
Brake On/Brake Off
Furl/Unfurl
Type
On-Off-On
On-On
(On)-Off-(On)
Function
Switch between Manual Mode and normal operation
Control short-circuit brake in the nacelle
Apply power to furl or unfurl the turbine
The turbine can be switched into Manual Mode simply by toggling the controller’s internal PLC/Manual
switch to “Manual.” The switch must be switched in one motion from the “PLC” position to the “Manual”
position, with no hesitation in the center Off position. If the switch is stopped in the center Off position,
the short-circuit brake will actuate, stopping the rotor suddenly and potentially causing permanent
damage to the alternator.
DANGER! By switching the PLC/Manual switch inside the controller to “Manual,” the operator
places the turbine in Manual Mode and assumes full control of all the turbine’s safety functions.
WARNING! The “PLC/Manual” switch must be switched in one fluid motion from “PLC” to
“Manual.” Permanent damage to the turbine may result from hesitating in the center Off position! If you
are unsure of the method, wait until the rotor speed is less than 180rpm before flipping the switch.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Once in Manual Mode, the Brake On/Brake Off switch controls the functioning of the turbine’s internal
short-circuit brake. If the Brake On/Brake Off switch is switched to “Brake On,” then the turbine is braked
and cannot spin. If the Brake On/Brake Off switch is switched to “Brake Off,” then the turbine is free to
spin. If the Brake On/Brake Off switch is switched to “Brake Off” while the rotor is spinning, the rotor will
stop spinning within a few seconds.
WARNING! Activating the short-circuit brake while the rotor is spinning at high speeds could result
in permanent damage to the alternator! The turbine should always be furled and the operator should be
able to see individual blades in the spinning rotor before activating the short-circuit brake in Manual
Mode.
In Manual Mode, the Furl/Unfurl switch is normally set to the middle “Off” setting, but it can be held in
either the “Furl” or “Unfurl” position to move the tail. When the Furl/Unfurl switch is in either the “Furl”
or “Unfurl” position, power is being applied to the tail motor to furl or unfurl the turbine. When the switch
is allowed to return to the “Off” position, the tail will remain in its most recent position, and no power will
be sent to the tail motor to either furl or unfurl the turbine. This means that even if the tail has not reached
the end of its travel, it will stop when the switch is released. Though it may be potentially helpful in some
cases to move the tail in a partially furled position, the tail should never be left in any position except for
the furled or unfurled position for longer than necessary for maintenance or inspection purposes.
WARNING! Leaving the tail partially furled for any length of time may result in premature wear of
the tail mechanism and should be avoided whenever possible.
The turbine can be placed under automatic control again by switching the PLC/Manual switch to “PLC.”
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Troubleshooting
Basic Troubleshooting
The guide in Table 16 below provides basic troubleshooting information. If this information does not solve
your problem, please refer to our website, or contact Weaver Wind Energy at our main office phone
number.
Table 16: Basic Troubleshooting Guidelines
Observed Issue
Rotor not
spinning
Possible Explanation
Not enough wind (<10mph)
Short-circuit brake applied
Not furling or
not unfurling
Rotor spinning
but inverter
producing no
power
Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect on downtower panel is off
Controller in standby (turbine will not be
spinning)
Voltage <29Vac
Wind Turbine Disconnect off
Inverter DC Disconnect off
Load center breaker for inverter output
off
Main panel breaker for wind system off
Controller was just turned on or reset, or
grid power just came back on
Resolution
Check wind speed reading to determine
if there is sufficient wind. Turbine will
start to spin when sufficient wind is
available.
Turn off the short-circuit brake at the
base of the tower. If short-circuit brake is
being applied by the controller, it will
turn off when the controller has
determined it is safe.
Turn on the Tail Motor/Failsafe
Disconnect at the base of the tower.
If it is safe to start the turbine, follow the
commissioning procedure.
The inverter will start to produce power
when the rotor speed increases.
If it is safe to do so, turn the Wind Turbine
Disconnect on.
If it is safe to do so, turn the Inverter DC
Disconnect on.
If it is safe to do so, turn the load center
breaker for inverter output on.
If it is safe to do so, turn the main panel
breaker for the wind system on.
The inverter will begin to produce power
when the turbine has fully started up.
Furling Flash Code
When the controller is in “PLC” mode and is automatically controlling the safety systems of the turbine, it
reports the cause of a furl to help maintenance personnel trace the source of any issues related to furling.
Any time the turbine is furled, the LED at the bottom left of the controller will flash and the PLC will emit
a clicking sound. Each cause for a furl is associated with a specific number of flashes and clicks in a set.
The PLC will wait 3 seconds between sets. This code is called the “flash code,” and numbers of flashes are
assigned as shown in Table 17 on the next page.
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Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Turbine Installation and Maintenance Manual
Table 17: Controller Flash Code
Flashes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Cause of Furl
External Furl/Unfurl switch (Figure 33 on page 31) set to “Furl”
Tail exercise (controller furls turbine to make sure the tail is run at least once per 24 hours)
Wind speed above the threshold for unfurled operation
Rotor speed above the threshold for unfurled operation
Alternator voltage above the threshold for unfurled operation
Alternator current above the threshold for unfurled operation
Controller internal temperature outside the acceptable range
Failure of grid or inverter, recent PLC reset, or new controller code recently uploaded
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