Date: 02 Feb 2011
Ampair ® 300 (Mk1, “Pacific”) Wind Turbine Manual
CD 2300
Issue: 1.2
Page 28 of 34
- 28 -
© Ampair, April 2007
c) Remove the wind turbine
‟s hub and blades
. The hub centre cap screw has a conventional right handed
thread. A smart tap on an Allen key (hex wrench) may be necessary to disengage it from the freewheeling
alternator. Pull the hub away from the machine. Depending on circumstances it may be easier to take the
blades off individually and then the hub.
d) Remove the tail vane.
e) Feed some excess cable length up the pole.
f) Remove the fasteners from the pivot and lift the machine off the pole.
6.1.1.1
Hub section
The hub
(the nose cone) which contains the PowerFurl ™ furling mechanism
is not a user serviceable
component and a sealed replacement unit should be installed.
If it is necessary for a user to dismantle the hub in an emergency then great care should be taken to keep
the assembly clean and dust free. If dismantling the hub little or no lubrication is required
–
just a very light
smear of chain oil on the slider and crank pins. No special tools are required for hub disassembly other
than circlip pliers and parallel sided punches, but a decent workbench with a vice and some wood blocks
will be useful.
6.1.1.2
Pivot section
With the machine on the bench, undo the electrical box cover and disengage the three brushes and
remove the brushes to a safe place. Prise out the end of the spiral retaining ring from around the pivot
lower bearing. Withdraw the pivot assembly; a good tug may be needed. Inspect the slip rings, clean if
necessary. Badly corroded/pitted slip rings should be lightly skimmed on a lathe.
Inspect the lower bearing, if this is loose, obtain a replacement. Inspect the top bearing in the pivot
housing. Inspect the "O" rings and "V" seal, replace if worn. It is sometimes easier to remove the Ampair
generator head with the pivot in situ. Disconnect the battery first and remove the brushes. Uncoil the
retaining ring and lift the body over the pivot. The exposed slip-ring must be protected from the
environment if the generator is removed for further servicing.
When reassembling put silicone grease (not petroleum grease or jelly) around the shaft where it passes
through the lower bearing. Slide the bearing and "V" seal down the shaft about 20mm and wipe grease
around the shaft. Slide the bearing back up the shaft and remove the excess grease, wipe a fillet of
grease around the point where the "V" seal sits and slide the "V" seal into place. Before reinsertion wipe
the slip rings to remove any trace of contamination due to handling and put grease around the lower
bearing "O" ring. Gently slide into place and wind the spiral retaining ring into its grove. Clean and replace
the brushes (spare brushes are available but brushes have a very long life due to the low rotational
speeds). Re-check the pivot for excess side play, if this is suspect replace the lower bearing and "O" ring.
Failure to do so may wear the pivot. If the electrical box cover is removed, it must be totally resealed
before returning the Ampair to service.
6.1.1.3
Electrical section
A simple method of checking the machine's output is to disconnect it from the battery and short together
its three AC output leads whilst turning the shaft by hand. A marked increase in resistance to turning
should be felt as the shorting occurs (this is what the stop switch does).
Possible faults to consider if reduced output is suspected:
Corroded wiring:
By far the most common cause of reduced output is corroded wiring between Ampair
and battery. Before suspecting the machine, check any screw terminal or crimp connections and all cable
runs between Ampair and battery.
Poor wiring connections:
Inspect all the screw terminals in the Ampair circuit for signs of fatigue or
corrosion.
Brush-gear:
Sticking brushes or associated brush-gear contact problems. See Pivot Section.
Faulty stator:
Check AC input to rectifiers or check for coil continuity and isolation from the case. The
resistance should be less than two Ohms (approx. three Ohms 24V units)
