[TowerTalk] Crank up tower

[jimlux]

David Gilbert wrote:
> I agree ... rig an alarm that goes off when the wind speed gets too 
> high, but control the tower yourself.
> 
> It's not that difficult to design your own alarm, but here's a 
> commercially available system that would be easy to set up:
> 
> http://www.inspeed.com/anemometers/WindSwitch.asp
> http://www.inspeed.com/anemometers/Vortex_Wind_Sensor.asp
> 
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
> 
> 
> 


something like the tilt switch on a pinball machine: a pendulum hanging 
inside a conductive ring that the wind pushes, would probably work. 
Adjust either by looking up the deflection angle vs windspeed (there's a 
formula out there for a sphere on the end of a rod) or test it in a car.

Things with spinning rotors or fans tend to either be expensive if 
designed for 20 year lifespan or fail in a few years.


If you want to get fancy, put straingages on the tower legs and directly 
measure the load on the tower.