Monday, May 6, 2024

Keeping It Turning and the Water Flowing

 


11 comments:

  1. my great grandfather was a windmill repair man and installer

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  2. Some powered dynamos. You could for the first time have lights at night. And a radio too.

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    Replies
    1. Have run across a couple of small antique Delco windmills at tractor
      shows. They used a Delco 6 volt car
      Generator to charge radio batteries.
      Bubbarust

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  3. Don't spin all that fast, but they make great torque for powering things. Wish they still made them cause they work very well.
    I built a wind turbine for the house, its only 5 blades, spins a PMA, they are 6ft long, work better in low wind, keeps a steady power output even though its only a few hundred watts, but thats constant so it adds up over the day, except for high winds of course, its very good for keeping our batteries charged.

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  4. Where is the yellow jacket nest? Every windmill I ever saw had at least one...

    They still make these in San Angelo, TX. Aeromotor, I think...

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure many wasps and maybe hornets would nest there, but yellow jackets for the most part live underground or in rock walls and such. Have had several unpleasant experiences with them while mowing
      or gardening!
      Bubbarust

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  5. They are slowly disappearing being replaced with solar powered pumps. Nothing like the sound of a windmill working. Had many a cool drink of water from them. Before REA got to the place we had what we called a wind charger on the house to power lights.

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  6. Out here in the eastern plains of Colorado, windmills are a normal sight.

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    Replies
    1. ...And I mean water pumping windmills.

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  7. The three million acre XIT Ranch in the panhandle of Texas had a two man crew that did nothing but travel from windmill to windmill maintaining them. It was their only duty at the ranch. They were the first thing I thought of when I saw the painting above.

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  8. I've gotta say, I love these dang things. Used to crawl up and fix it myself, check the gear oil sump, and have pulled a pump or two to change leathers. A hard freeze and a strong wind, these suckers are strong enough to pull a frozen sucker rod in two.

    If you've got a deep one, it pays to balance the weight of the sucker rod with a bucket, cable, and pulley, so that the slightest breeze will get that wheel turning....

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