Progress Report - Breamlea Windgenerator

19 August 1995

Wind and Power: Measured windspeed has been only 5.17 m/sec. 
average between 18 June and 8 August. Power output during that 
time was 12,980 kWh, worth $1038.40 at the current asking 
price. CitiPower has previously been invoiced for a total of 
$1049.02 since our restart date of 7th April 1995

Upcoming Milestone: The export energy meter is now on its 
second trip "around the clock" since 1987. Its first trip of 10,000 
units represented 400,000 kWh. In about three months time it 
will reach a reading of 2500 units, or another 100,000 kWh. At 
that moment the wind generator will have contributed half a 
million kilowatt-hours of pollution-free electricity to the Victorian 
electricity grid, saving us all from an extra 700,000 kilograms of 
carbon dioxide. This event will be a good opportunity for some 
additional publicity.

Data Logger: The "DataTaker" DT50 data logger has been 
collecting data very reliably for two months now. The power 
output data has been EXTREMELY inaccurate (see graph), but 
PowerCor metering staff have just wired outputs from their 
pulsed meter and this has been feeding into the logger since 
yesterday. They gave us a calibration figure of 0.625 wh/pulse for 
TWO  pulsed outputs, but as we are only reading one, the factor 
will be 1.25 wh/pulse. This probably has to be multiplied by 40 
just like the readings on the meter, to get the correct result. This 
will become obvious when we next check the data logger and the 
visual meter readings. 

Remote data transfers: The Telix script files, DOS batch files and 
pkzip file compression routines are reliably interrogating the 
logger and sending data to Michael Gunter in Melbourne every 4 
days. Although the modem is only 2400 bps, we are getting an 
effective data transfer rate of 7200 bps because of the file 
compression. Four days data is transferred to Melbourne in about 
25 seconds, thus keeping our phone bills down considerably. 
Michael and Adrian have a variety of data available. Michael can 
now send data files (zipped) via modem to interested parties, and 
even fax summary information in chart format. The computer & 
modem are on loan, but Adrian has replacements coming.




Distribution Company Involvement: 
 	CitiPower. Their magazine "Connections" Issue 3 gave the 
wind generator 2 full pages of publicity including photos. 
Unfortunately the article was quite misleading, giving the 
impression that CitiPower was doing all the work, and even 
stating that CitiPower was responsible for putting up the wind 
generator in the very recent past. Invoicing and payment are 
proceeding on a regular basis.

	PowerCor. In recent weeks the metering staff in Geelong, 
Geoff Church and Kevin Lucas have been taking our "under 
volts" problem seriously, and arranged for the monitoring of red 
phase voltages by two separate chart recorders. Following a 
trouble-free month in July, serious problems of unscheduled 
windgenerator shutdowns have started again. Between 1 Aug and 
9 Aug there were 4 outages with a total lost production time of 43 
hrs 48 mins, during which time the average windspeed was 7.1 
m/sec. WE'RE LOSING MONEY AGAIN! PowerCor have 
confirmed that their voltages were low at the time of our outages, 
but only down to about 20.7 kV. 
Additional work on our microprocessor by Michael on Friday 18 
Aug. reveals that our calibration was not good AND there is a 
problem with the red phase sensor being used to supply DC 
power to the microprocessor. This design fault will be easily fixed 
by small circuit modifications. In the meantime, the voltage set 
points have been adjusted to allow operation down to about 180-
190 volts. PowerCor were also in attendance Friday morning and 
have installed NEW fusible links on the remaining two phases on 
their pole.	

Publicity: A promotional "flyer" has been faxed to libraries, 
secondary schools, surf lifesaving clubs and yacht clubs in the 
area, advertising our presence and inviting the public to our open 
days. A press release was faxed to major TV stations, regional 
radio stations and print media on 30 June. AAP was included. 
Michael  was interviewed on ABC Regional Drivetime NSW on 
25 July and again by ABC Victorian Regional Drivetime on 31 
July. 
