Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual WEAVER WIND ENERGY 233 Cherry Street Ithaca NY Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Specifications Info Here 1 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Contents Safety Advisory ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Climbing Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Electrical Safety......................................................................................................................................... 3 Power Curve.................................................................................................................................................. 4 The Turbine System ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Turbine Components ................................................................................................................................ 5 Rotor and Alternator............................................................................................................................. 5 Nacelle, Frame and Tail......................................................................................................................... 6 Digital Controller................................................................................................................................... 6 Power Converter ................................................................................................................................... 7 Home System and the Grid ....................................................................................................................... 7 Features .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Automated Folding Tail......................................................................................................................... 8 Fail-Safe Electrical Brake ....................................................................................................................... 8 Redundant Sensors ............................................................................................................................... 9 Active Storm Monitoring....................................................................................................................... 9 Quiet Design.......................................................................................................................................... 9 Installation ..................................................................................................................................................10 Installation Instructions ..........................................................................................................................10 What to Expect........................................................................................................................................ 10 Inspection and Maintenance ......................................................................................................................11 Maintenance and Inspection Schedule................................................................................................... 11 Routine Inspection Guide .......................................................................................................................12 Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................................................... 13 Basic Troubleshooting.............................................................................................................................13 Furling Click Code.................................................................................................................................... 13 Warranty .....................................................................................................................................................15 WWE Wind Turbine System Warranty Registration Card....................................................................... 16 Table of Figures Figure 1: Major turbine components............................................................................................................ 5 Figure 2: Electrical equipment for turbine control and power conditioning................................................ 6 Figure 3: Turbine after tail folds ................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 4: Turbine fully furled......................................................................................................................... 8 2 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Safety Advisory 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. Please do not attempt to service the turbine yourself! If you observe something that is of concern to you, please refer to the Troubleshooting section on page 11, and contact Weaver Wind Energy or our local representative if action is needed. 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 During times when installation or service personnel must climb the tower, individuals who are not professionally trained in the work being performed should stay away from the tower if at all possible. Talk with the personnel who are inspecting, installing, or servicing the turbine to determine where onlookers may stay to safely watch the process. If you are near the tower, you are advised to wear a hard hat for extra protection. Please discuss requirements for safety equipment such as hard hats with your service personnel before going to watch. Electrical Safety Several electrical devices will be installed for power conditioning and control of your turbine. The high voltage electronic equipment in these devices is shielded by enclosures for your safety. You should never open the cover to any of these devices. DANGER! Opening the covers of the electrical devices installed with your wind turbine could lead to electrocution! Do not open them unless you are trained as an electrician or a wind turbine installer and have taken the proper precautions! The only electrical device in the wind turbine system that a homeowner may be permitted to open is the Main Breaker Panel in your home. A breaker switch to turn the wind turbine system “on” or “off” will be installed in the Main Breaker Panel. This switch should always be “on.” If that breaker has tripped to “off,” you should immediately contact Weaver Wind Energy or our local representative. WARNING! Turning “off” the Wind Turbine System during operation can lead to permanent damage and will void the warranty if done without explicit instructions by a Weaver Wind employee! You must never turn the breaker switch for the wind turbine system “off” without explicit instructions to do so from an employee of Weaver Wind Energy or our local representative. Turning “off” the turbine system without knowledge of the electrical system can lead to permanent damage to the wind turbine. 3 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Power Curve The power curve shown below is from the data we have taken so far. At the end of the Certification testing, we will replace this with the official AWEA Power Curve. Power Curve 4.0 3.5 Average Power (kW) 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 0 5 10 15 Wind Speed Bin (m/s) Unfurled 4 Furled 20 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual The Turbine System The turbine system consists of many interrelated components that work together to bring wind energy to the home. The Weaver 5kW is intended to operate on the demand side of the meter, offsetting the consumer’s electrical usage, and during periods of high production or low demand, returning power to the grid. The figure below shows the major components of the turbine and the control system. Figure 1: Major turbine components Turbine Components The image above shows the turbine, and the chart at the top right of the image identifies the major components of the turbine. The sections below describe the functioning of these components within the turbine system. Rotor and Alternator The rotor (1) is made up of three blades in a rotating hub. The blades are made of a composite fiberglass and act to capture the energy from moving air masses and translate it into rotational energy. They act in a similar fashion to wings on airplanes, generating a force called “lift” which causes them to rotate. The alternator (2) transforms the rotating mechanical energy of the blades into electrical energy. When the rotor spins, it causes a shaft to rotate within the alternator, which moves a set of permanent magnets past coils of wire. The interaction of the permanent magnets with the coils produces current 5 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual and voltage, which are the two ingredients that make electrical power. The current and voltage are transported through wires to the power conditioning equipment on the ground. The alternator is designed to produce power at lower rotational speeds than the average generator (between 30320rpm), which enables the turbine to safely operate without excessive wear. Nacelle, Frame and Tail The frame (3) is the mounting point for the alternator and supports the nacelle (4), which houses the tail furling mechanism, fail-safe brake, and other electrical connections. The electronics in the nacelle are connected to the electronics on the ground through a slip ring, which maintains the connections as the turbine turns to face the rotor into the wind. The frame rotates on a set of “yaw bearings,” which allow the turbine to face the rotor into the wind. Under normal operating conditions, the tail (5) is designed to keep the turbine blades pointed into the wind, but when the wind becomes too strong, the tail is designed to fold, turning the blades out of the direction of the oncoming wind and allowing the rotor to slow down. The process of turning the rotor out of the direction of the wind is called “furling.” Furling prevents damage to the turbine system by keeping the rotor from spinning too fast, while still allowing power to be produced. Digital Controller The Weaver 5kW control system is the first of its kind in the small wind industry. The Weaver Controller (shown in Figure 2 below) is the brains of the turbine system. The Controller monitors the condition of Figure 2: Electrical equipment for turbine control and power conditioning 6 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual the turbine and grid and decides when to furl or shut down the system to prevent damage during high wind events. These decisions are made based on data from several sensors, including the Anemometer (shown in Figure 2), which is a wind speed sensor that is installed on the tower and transmits data wirelessly back to the controller through the Antenna (Figure 2). The Weaver Controller is also capable of sending data over the internet through a local computer to provide real time operating information to the home owner, and remote diagnostic capabilities for technicians. Power Converter The power from the turbine is in the form of 3-phase “wild” AC power. This means that the power being produced by the turbine does not yet have the voltage and current waveform required in order for it to be used directly in your house or exported to the power grid. Before being used, it must go through two steps to be converted into the appropriate type of power. The first step is to change it to DC power. This simplifies the power by taking away the characteristic of frequency, and enables the power to be given whatever frequency is desired in the next step. The turbine system uses an AC-to-DC converter called a “rectifier,” which is contained in the Protection Boxes (see Figure 2) that come with the turbine. In this step, the Protection Boxes also take care of excess power that might be produced in extreme weather events. This goes through a Diversion Load (Figure 2), which is like an electric heater and can absorb energy that is too much for the next piece of equipment that processes the power. The second step is to change the DC power to 120V, 60Hz AC power that can be used in your home or by the grid. This is the job of a DC-to-AC converter called an Inverter (Figure 2). The Inverter provided with the Weaver 5kW turbine can convert up to 10kW of power from DC to AC. In the event of a grid failure (power outage), the Inverter cannot export power to the grid anymore. In most setups, this means that the Inverter will turn off and the power produced by the turbine will be sent to the Diversion Loads for a few seconds, until the Weaver Controller can shut down the turbine. When the grid is working again, the Controller will wait for 6 minutes and then allow the turbine to start producing power again (this 6-minute delay period is required by regulations in case of a repeated grid failure). Home System and the Grid This is where the power generated by the turbine is used. It first flows through the house (through your home’s main Circuit Breaker, as shown in Figure 2), providing energy to any appliances consuming it at the time. If there is any excess power left over after the home use is accounted for, it is fed backwards into the grid, turning the meter backwards. 7 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Features Automated Folding Tail Many residential wind turbines are designed to furl (turn the rotor out of the direction of the wind) in high wind speeds, but the Weaver 5kW takes advantage of a revolutionary new technology to make furling more reliable and more effective than ever before. Our automated folding tail responds to instructions from the Controller when the wind speed is too high, and rotates the tail relative to the frame and nacelle, as shown in Figure 3. The force of the wind pushing against the vane of the tail then causes the whole turbine to rotate (this is called “yawing”) until the tail is parallel to the direction of the wind, and the rotor is facing away from the direction of the wind, as shown in Figure 4. The motion of the tail is simple and brief, which greatly reduces wear on the mechanism compared to other furling turbines. In both the folded and Figure 3: Turbine after tail folds unfolded positions, the tail is held in place by a rugged locking mechanism that firmly supports it against the force of the wind. This reduces stress on the internal parts and ensures the Figure 4: Turbine fully furled long life of the turbine. Fail-Safe Electrical Brake The Weaver 5kW has a built-in fail-safe system, which will shut down the turbine quickly and safely in the event that power to the turbine is lost. This means that if grid power to the controller is lost due to cut wires or other inadvertent power interruption, the turbine will automatically shut down to prevent further damage. In the unfortunate event that this feature must be put into use, the turbine must be inspected by a professional installer and deemed safe to operate before being placed back into operation. This brake is also actuated to stop the turbine in a grid power failure and in very extreme weather. In those circumstances, it stops the turbine based on a command from the Controller, and the braking is usually temporary. If the Controller operates the electrical brake and then allows the turbine to spin again, then the turbine does not have to be inspected. If the Controller operates the electrical brake but 8 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual does not release it, it means that the event was severe enough to require an inspection. You should contact Weaver Wind Energy or our local representative in this case. Redundant Sensors The Controller makes decisions about when to fold the tail or activate the electrical brake based on its knowledge about the state of the turbine and the wind. This knowledge comes from a set of sensors that feed information to the Controller. The turbine will furl or shut down, if necessary, in response to any of these sensors. Therefore, the system will continue to work even if one or more of the sensors is not working. This is called “redundancy.” For instance, if the Anemometer (wind speed sensor) is frozen and cannot sense the wind speed, the Controller can look at the information provided by its internal rotor speed sensor. Based on the speed of the rotor, the Controller can determine the wind speed, and decide whether to furl. Even if the wind speed sensor and the rotor speed sensor do not give any information to the Controller, the voltage sensor will give the voltage being produced by the alternator, which can be used to determine the wind speed. The Controller has four separate sensors that provide redundancy. Active Storm Monitoring Based on the knowledge that the Controller has about the wind speed, it can “anticipate” when strong winds, such as from a storm front, are beginning to move through the area, and adjust its furling behavior accordingly. Using patterns in the wind speed information that is coming from the Anemometer, the Controller can predict the likelihood that a strong gust will occur during the next several minutes. If the likelihood of a strong gust is high, then the Controller will adopt a more cautious approach temporarily. This means that the tail will stay folded for a longer period of time, and wait for the wind to become smoother and safer for optimal power production. Quiet Design The simple design of the Weaver 5kW’s control mechanism makes it much quieter than most furling turbines of similar size. This is because the furling mechanism has been designed with minimal complexity, and very few moving parts. The blades and alternator are also designed to be long lasting and produce minimal noise over the operating range of the turbine. In order to ensure the highest quality, the blades, alternator, and all other major components are designed and produced in the United States. In the unlikely event that you notice any substantial change in the sounds coming from the turbine, you should notify Weaver Wind Energy to have the cause of the change investigated. 9 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Installation Installation Instructions DANGER! Installation of the wind turbine may be performed only by a trained, professional renewable energy installer! Installation by improperly trained persons could result in serious injury or death of persons in the vicinity of the turbine, or permanent damage to the turbine or other equipment. Please refer to the Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Installation and Maintenance Manual for installation instructions. What to Expect The system will arrive in pieces, including a turbine with the tail and rotor detached, the parts and hardware for the tail and rotor, and multiple pieces of electronic equipment for controlling the turbine and processing the power. The tower will typically be shipped directly from the tower manufacturer. The installation of the system includes several major steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Laying foundations (typically 1-3 days) Tower installation (typically 1-3 days) Turbine installation (typically ½ day to 1 day) Electronics installation (typically 1-3 days) Electrical inspection (30 minutes-2 hours) Wire runs (typically 1-3 days) Commissioning (1 hour) Some of these tasks may be completed simultaneously by a work crew that is large enough to handle multiple tasks at one time, thus making the overall installation time 1-3 weeks of work (some spacing is required between initial work days for foundation-laying and the rest of the installation steps). Your local installer will schedule these steps with you and hire contractors to pour foundations, drive a crane, and other relevant tasks. You will need to arrange with your installer how to get the required installation equipment to the location where the wind turbine will be installed. Usually, the wind turbine owner is able to be present for the installation activities, if desired, but it is very important to discuss with the installer prior to installation activities, what will be happening and how to stay safe. DANGER! During all installation activities, follow the safety instructions of your installer. In particular, wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and do not stand or sit in locations that are deemed unsafe by the installer. The turbine commissioning takes place once all portions of the turbine system have been installed, connected, and inspected. The installer follows a specific commissioning procedure outlined in the Weaver Wind Energy 5kW Installation and Maintenance Manual. The installer will monitor the turbine as it starts to ensure that it is working properly. Once the turbine is commissioned, it is ready to remain operational and begin producing your power! 10 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Inspection and Maintenance Maintenance and Inspection Schedule Inspections should be performed within 45 days of installation, and every 3 years or after severe weather events. You should arrange with your local installer to come and perform the inspection when it is necessary. If severe weather events do occur, it is the responsibility of the turbine owner to inform Weaver Wind Energy or the local installer. The installer performing the inspection should follow the checklist in Table 1 on the following page 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! 11 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s 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 1: Routine 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 12 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Troubleshooting Basic Troubleshooting The guide in Table 2 below provides basic troubleshooting information. If this information does not solve your problem, please refer to our website, or contact Weaver Wind Energy or our local representative. WARNING! If you have recently had an inspection or maintenance visit, it is important that you consult with the professional that performed the inspection or maintenance before following any of the Resolution instructions in Table 2. Maintenance personnel, at times, may leave the turbine shut down intentionally for safety reasons, and it is important to communicate with them to prevent damage to the turbine system. Table 2: Basic Troubleshooting Guidelines Observed Issue Rotor not spinning Not furling or not unfurling Rotor spinning but inverter producing no power Possible Explanation Not enough wind (<10mph) Resolution The turbine will start to spin when the wind to picks up. Short-circuit brake applied 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. Tail Motor/Failsafe Disconnect on down- Turn on the Tail Motor/Failsafe tower panel is off Disconnect at the base of the tower. Controller in standby (turbine will not be Contact your local installer. spinning) Voltage <29Vac The inverter will start to produce power when the rotor speed increases. Wind Turbine Disconnect off Contact your local installer. Inverter DC Disconnect off Contact your local installer. Load center breaker for inverter output Contact your local installer. off Main panel breaker for wind system off Contact your local installer. Controller was just turned on or reset, or The inverter will begin to produce power grid power just came back on when the turbine has fully started up. Furling Click 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 controller will emit a clicking sound a certain number of times and then pause for 3 seconds. A certain number of clicks between pauses indicates a specific reason for the turbine to be furled. The number of clicks and the reasons for furling are shown in Table 3 on the next page. 13 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Table 3: Furling "Click" Code # Clicks Between Pauses 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cause of Furl External Furl/Unfurl switch set to “Furl” Furling exercise (should unfurl within a minute) Wind speed too fast Rotor speed too high Alternator voltage too high Alternator current too high Controller temperature too high or too low Power outage or electrical problem 14 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Warranty Weaver 5 kW Wind Turbine, Weaver Wind Energy Wind turbines and their blades and associated electronics supplied by Weaver Wind Energy (WWE) are warranted against defects in design, material, and workmanship under the normal use for which they are intended. Weaver 5kW turbines, blades, and electronics carry a 5-year warranty after the date of commissioning. During the warranty period, WWE will repair or replace, at its discretion, defective components or assemblies. WWE will also pay one-way shipping charges. For customers not in the USA, shipping and insurance charges will be pre-paid to the port of entry into the customer’s country. This limited warranty is transferable. Warranty coverage is extended only to customers who have submitted a properly completed WWE Warranty Registration Form and acceptable proof of correct system installation as requested in the WWE Warranty Registration Form. Customer must demonstrate that the turbine has been installed at least 30 feet above all surrounding obstacles within a 500-foot radius of the turbine and tower. Customer must also provide documentation of the inspections recommended in the Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual, and proof that any maintenance tasks identified during such inspections have been performed. The limited warranty does not cover: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Towers and equipment, materials or supplies not manufactured or supplied by WWE; WWE equipment that has been modified without prior factory approval; Repairs performed by personnel not authorized by WWE; Damage resulting from use of equipment not supplied by WWE; Damage or loss of function sustained during periods when wind speed exceeds 135 mph; Acts of God; Damages caused through negligence; Equipment that has not been installed and maintained according to, and treated in a manner consistent with, all pertinent WWE documentation, including Installation & Maintenance Manuals and Owner’s Manuals. This limited warranty takes precedent over all other WWE guarantees or warranties expressed or implied, unless a written agreement relating to an extended warranty has been signed by both WWE and a customer. No employee, agent, dealer, or other person is authorized to offer warranties on behalf of WWE. WWE reserves the right to make design changes, improvements and additions to its products without obligation to install such in products previously manufactured. 15 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual Return this card to WWE along with site plan and photographs documenting installation Note: Digital photographs preferred if available Return to: Weaver Wind Energy 233 Cherry Street Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 379.9463 WWE Wind Turbine System Warranty Registration Card OWNER NAME ________________________________ WIND SYSTEM M ODEL ________________________ Mailing Address _____________________________ Serial No. (on back of alternator mount plate below deck) ______________________________________ City, State, Postal Code ________________________ Controller Serial No. (above furl/unfurl switch) ___________________________________________ Country ____________________________________ Phone (_______) _____________________________ Blade Serial Nos. (on blade root) Email ______________________________________ _____________ _____________ ______________ Turbine Latitude _________ Longitude _________ TOWER Type______________ Height ___________ Anchor Type ________________________________ DEALER NAME ________________________________ INVERTER Manufacturer & Model _______________ Address ____________________________________ Serial No. ___________________________________ City, State, Postal Code ________________________ Country ____________________________________ WIRING Run Length (Tower-to-Controller) ______ ft Phone (_______) _____________________________ Wire Size _____ gauge Wire Type: Cu Al OWNER’S OR DEALER’S SIGNATURE ___________________________________ DATE SYSTEM INSTALLED __________________________________________ WARRANTY REPAIR IS PERFORMED ONLY AFTER FACTORY AUTHORIZATION. PLEASE RETURN THIS CARD AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF INSTALLATION PROMPTLY IN ORDER TO ASSURE COVERAGE . See back of this card for Site Plan requirements and Required Photographs to be returned with this card. 16 Weaver Wind Energy 5 kW Owner’s Manual SITE PLAN MUST SHOW THE FOLLOWING: 1. 2. 3. 4. Property lines Location of turbine Locations and heights of all structures and trees within 500 feet of turbine North arrow or compass rose indicating orientation of site REQUIRED PHOTOGRAPHS : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Photo of level on tower top plate before turbine is installed, level within 1/16” Complete tower – turbine system view Anchor photos including anchor hardware Photos showing all grounding connections Turnbuckle photos showing safety cables Installed rebar cages for anchors, pads, piers and any other concrete items Assembled rotor before installation Controller and other electronics location and environment Controller and other electronics interior showing wiring connections Down-tower panel or equivalent tower-base switches showing wiring connections Anemometer installed on tower Anemometer antenna mounted 4 photos taken from tower top, each spaced 90° apart (or panorama view), showing that there are no surrounding obstacles for 500 feet that come within 30 feet of tower top 1