Installation and Service Manual
Contents
1. Base coupler with grounding USS ssesssesessesesrrrsrreresrrrsssrrresrrrsssrereserersserresereresrereserersseerene 19 Figure 5 2 Guy plate orientation detail sseesssesersnessrrerereressrrerereressrrersreressrrersreressrrersreressnrersreresereeres 20 Figure 5 3 Half clamp assembly for top guy plate cccccccsscccccsseccceeseccceescceeeesececseaeceseeesccesausecesseneses 20 Heure SAS a LS de e A RA 21 Figure 5 5 Base Plate aSSembly scscccssssscsssssrescosssectenssscnecsssesecussecuenesscncusscneoussesueuesseneusscneousressenssss 22 FIGURE G GMD Ole Fee CC alll R O O O O 23 Figure 5 7 Correct cable clip a tha C MIM CINE xccccsadscadvcnrssesisancouscoutseasveadesadswedseansiecsaencbedaseaveedsenaeenicacbeemenessennds 25 Figure 6 1 Use of front guy tension ropes during raising Of TOWELS ccccseeccccessececeeseceeeeeeceeeeueeeeeeneees 26 Figure 6 2 Sideview of tower before raising ccsccccsseccccesseccceesececceececseuseceseuecessuaecesseneceeeeueeeeseneces 28 Figure 6 3 Sideview of tower after raising but before guy transfer lt lt lt lt lt lt czey ssvv 28 Figure 6 4 Prusik knot used to pull tension on a taught line lt lt lt lt lt cc lt cccor000es0r0 29 1 Warnings Working carelessly or without proper training can cause death serious injury and severe property damage Take care to2. Pika Econo Tower Guyed Tower Kit Installation and Service Manual Pika Energy 2015 4 Installation Instructions for the Pika EconoTower Revision Table je 2014 04 08 Initial Release Updated hardware kit detail added detail for tower layout and installation 2 0 2015 03 11 tables figures and formatting Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Pika Energy EconoTower This manual will guide the installer through proper installation and setup of the tower as well as maintenance and troubleshooting It is important to carefully and thoroughly read the entire manual in a comfortable setting before venturing out in the field to install the tower Pika Energy recommends storing this manual in a safe place for ready access Symbols used in this document Throughout the manual the following symbols highlight important information DANGER Hazards that could cause death or serious injury WARNING Actions or situations that could permanently damage or destroy system components NOTE Helpful tips and points of interest CHECKMARK Installation checklist reguires a check at this step TAKE A PHOTO Installation manual requires a photo at this step EARTH GROUND Relates to proper grounding of the system critical for safety and lightning protection Tower Specifications Central pole 2 21 2 5 schedule 40 steel pipe 3 21 2 5 schedule 40 steel pipe Gin pole 1 16
3. See Figures 5 4 and 5 6 21 Step 5 6b Assemble Gin Pole 42 version only The 42 tower uses a 16 4x4 as the gin pole It is important to use a select grade post with no structural defects To assemble the gin pole follow these steps e Mark the post 2 from the end in the center of one face and drill half way through with a 7 8 spade bit e Rotate the post 180 degrees mark it 2 from the end in the center of the face and drill through to meet the first hole Do not drill all the way through from one side e Mark the opposite end of the post in the same manner but rotate the post so the holes on either end will be 90 degrees from each other i e not in the same face Drill halfway through from one side with a 5 8 spade bit Mark the opposite face and drill through to meet the first hole e Install the supplied eye bolt and eye nut through the SMALLER cross drilled hole Tighten securely with the plane of the eye parallel with the axis of the pole and the plane of the nut perpendicular to the axis of the pole similar to Figure 5 4 Step 5 7 Install Gin Pole e Position the gin pole directly over the lowest section of the tower with the eye of the bolt facing up and the eye nut facing down toward the tower pipe below as shown in Figure 5 6 Support the upper end of the gin pole with blocks about a foot above the tower pipe e Align the hole in the lower end of the gin pole either the hole in the gin pole piv
4. premium grade pressure treated 4x4 1 21 2 5 schedule 40 steel pipe Anchors 4 21 radius 1 optional for gin pole 4 32 radius 1 optional for gin pole Anchor load 5000l b minimum pullout strength 5000 b minimum pullout strength Guys 2 sets 3 16 galv aircraft cable 3 sets 3 16 galv aircraft cable Contents Er OOU CUON EMO R R RS YP SOV MPO MOP V PMMA MOO R O ee SO E ee ee tp 2 Symbols used in this document ccccceeseccceesececceeccceeesececauececcenecceeeesececeuseceseuneceeseneeessusecetseneceesegaeeetas 2 Tower Peed 1 P P O O O O O NO O 2 U P seus sncseunes A E E A E A cesteneen 6 Z ECONOTOWet OVEFVIEW szejadslae ran E E EE cd atd dn 7 3 Siting the TOWEN coca cancvecscessccucaconueteq esses unnn oa 12 Wind Turone s Need VIN oscars ended stoce A EEA E NE 12 Space Requirements and Site Characteristics ccccccccccsecccseccccseceesececeeecsceeceeeueceeeuseeeuaceeeueceseueseneuses 12 4 Installing the Anchors and Tower Base cscscsscscsssccscsceccccscsceccececscsccccecscssescecscsceseccecscesessecscssess 14 Step 4 1 Determining Anchor TY De sac tensuccsdcsescancosanecatcndanncotannsernccasatavaintbsaduhtensstaxesotararsnecontundetoseadanietas 14 Unconventional Anchoring Situations eesssssessssssesssrrrssrreessrrressreressrressrerosrrressrerossrresereresrtreserereserresene 14 SPA AC Or EO a O O E E O 15 enana AN Or 1S a OI ea E E tacu add 16 B st type expanding anchor instal
5. Select the tower base location with reference to guidelines in Section and Figure 4 2 Mark the tower base and guy anchor locations with wooden stakes or marking paint if on ledge Use the diagonal measurements in Table 4 1 to ensure that the layout is square DOUBLE CHECK the squareness and distances before proceeding If installing an optional redirection anchor for the raising cable mark the anchor location with a stake OPPOSITE the laydown direction of the tower This anchor should be in line with the tower base and the rear anchor at the specified distance from the marked tower base Note that this anchor position from the tower base is one foot longer than the gin pole length Install the stakes marking the anchor locations at the correct diagonal angles with the top of the stake pointing toward the tower base location Tower s Uphill Guy Anchr Ug a RN a N w eX Guy Radius X o l Mi ka i _ Side Guy be Side Guy N 4 Anchor Ne Anchor ha M Ny KEE Base k 4 4 Plate Ginpole Anchor Distance _ Ginpole EO o Anchor Downhill Guy Anchor N Figure 4 2 Plan view of anchor layout This is very important because the anchors cannot be removed once installed 15 Step 4 3 Anchor installation If possible arrange with the utility services company to install the anchors Typically this will take less than one hour if the site is clear and the anchor locations are clearly marked If possible a
6. s ssesessesesssoesssoscssoecssoesessecsssesesseossseossssoesosossssoesescecssossesosossosssssesssseo 26 Step 6 1 Attach back guy TENSION rOpeS essssssessreesrrresressrrsssrrssrrrsrteustrrsrtesrtenstresrtesrtesstersrtrsetreseresreens 26 OPOL RENE nE CDO asa E A eee oe ee 27 step 6 2 Slowly raise the To W zadu aaa aaa dama ee 27 Step 6 4 Transfer gin pole guys to anchor 04 444 0000 ne000n ooo eo 00 K oa KK PK KR O Pa Kao PKR n 28 Step PAD TIN TOWE sann 28 Step 6 6 Lower the GOW CN sissien n O O O O 29 7 Install and Raise the Turbine sss ctocneciccssanatcsscannsscsesuancesesacecanceusnccenmnescavstwacesetemenccsstuansdssasesseseseatweses 30 8 Periodic Safety CheckS sesessesessesessesesseossseoesssoesssoecssoesssseossossssoeossoesssossssoeossssossseossssossssosessosees 31 List of Tables Table 2 1 Locally Sourced COMP CHE AUS ecarri n E EO 7 Table 2 2 Tower M terials Checklist ersnecsesirreirene iini EEE EEEE EEES 8 Table 2 3 63 EconoTower Hardware Kit Contents ccccssssssecccccccseeesseeeccccessaeeeseeeccesesseeasseseceesesseaageees 9 Table 2 4 Installation Materials and Tools Checklist nnesnsssseennesssssseeenessssssssrrrsssssssrerressssssereressssse 10 Table 3 1 Anchor locations and site space requirements ccccsssecccceseccecesececeesececeeeceeseeseeeseusecesaeaeses 12 TOCAT ANH IOC AMONG e A E E T E E I EA E E 15 Table 5 1 Angle factor multip
7. heavy precipitation or slippery ground conditions WARNING Pika Energy strongly recommends against the use of motor vehicles to raise or lower towers A high quality worm drive winch with ample load rating should be used NOTE Throughout this manual the FRONT and REAR tower anchors are defined as follows The FRONT anchor is in the laydown direction of the tower The REAR anchor is on the gin pole side the side of the tower from which you will raise and lower the tower NOTE Throughout this manual certain specific instructions are underlined when it is critical that they be done exactly as described 2 EconoTower Overview Pika Energy s EconoTower kits were developed to provide an affordable easy to install tilt up tower option for the Pika T701 wind turbine The EconoTower kit ships with a standard parcel carrier and uses common galvanized steel pipe and other components which are sourced locally by the installer Each kit contains e Baseplates and tower pivots e Guy plates and cable assemblies e A gin pole end assembly e Hardware and instructions e Drill bit and hose clamp for top collar half clamp assembly The EconoTower kit does NOT include the following additional components which must be sourced locally by the installer Table 2 1 Locally Sourced Components Component Comment Anchors type per local ground m See notes on anchors conditions 21 galvanized Schedule 40 2 NPT pipe alvanized Sch
8. instructions in the turbine manual regarding electrical wire size type and chafing protection When it is time to fasten the turbine to the towertop apply plenty of grease to the towertop threads and torgue the turbine firmly onto the tower using a pair of chain or pipe wrenches at least 24 long applying at least 200 Ibs of force at the end of the chain wrench Be sure to install and torque the tower top jam screw as well Perform pre flight checks per the turbine manual Be sure turbine is in disabled mode before raising the tower To raise the tower follow the steps and observe the precautions of SECTION 6 Rig the gin pole side guy ropes e Rig the front guy tension ropes e Rig and tension the lifting cable and winch system e Transfer the gin pole guys to the gin pole quick link starting with the lowest first e Secure the quick link and double check everything e Tend the side guys as necessary to maintain appropriate tension e As the tower approaches 30 degrees to vertical apply and maintain front guy tension e When the front guys go taut transfer the gin pole guys to the forward anchor one at a time e Check that tower is plumb and all guys are appropriately tensioned 30 8 Periodic Safety Checks The following checks should be done after one month and then annually Check tension in all guy cables Check torque on all cable clips Check that anchors are not heaving out of the ground mark the ground level with bl
9. lifting cable securely to the eye of the eyebolt at the top of the gin pole We recommend using at least 4 diameter high quality wire rope DANGER Be sure to double check every aspect of the gin pole rigging e g make sure the quick link is closed and the swages or cable clips on the raising cable are in good condition before raising the gin pole e The gin pole can be raised with the lifting cable or a separate tag line may be used In either case walk the gin pole up while taking up the slack in the line When the guy cables that are attached to the gin pole at the guick link lose their slack anchor the line securely e g to the rear guy anchor opposite the laydown direction NEVER take the weight of the tower with the lifting line until the side and front guys are secured to their anchors e t may be necessary to rotate the guy plates so they are in line with the pull of the gin pole guys Step 5 10 Secure Guy Cables Before setting the guy cables check that the tower is in alignment with the rear guy anchor and 90 degrees from each side guy anchor Starting with the bottom set of guy cables secure the guy cables by following these steps e Free one side guy run it out to the side anchor and secure it with three cable clips Space the cable clips 4 8 apart If using forged eye anchors use the supplied thimbles twist the thimbles sideways to fit them over the eye and then bend them back in place before installing the c
10. read and understand the manual completely before beginning installation Pika s warranty agreement reguires that the turbine and tower be installed in accordance with the manuals and properly documented using the T701 Installation Checklist gt gt D A A A A A A a gt gt A D DANGER Do not attempt to install a tower unless you know what you are doing and understand the proper use of all equipment DANGER All components of the rigging and lifting system lifting line shackles pulleys quick links turnbuckles etc should have a 3500 Ib working load limit WLL DANGER The EconoTower conducts electricity Do not install it where it may come in contact with electrical lines of any type DANGER The EconoTower is not designed to be climbed Do not climb the tower or gin pole under any circumstances Do not lean a ladder or any other object against the EconoTower DANGER All people should be well outside the fall zone when the tower is raised or lowered DANGER All personnel should wear OSHA approved Personal Protective Equipment PPE including hardhats and safety toe footwear when working around the tower DANGER Pika Energy does not recommend working alone when installing or servicing turbines or towers DANGER Never work around towers during severe weather including but not limited to electrical storms Lightning can strike miles from the center of a storm Do not raise or lower towers in winds above 25mph
11. the turbine Just as solar panels must be installed in a sunny location wind turbines must be installed where there is unimpeded access to a good wind resource One of the most common causes of poor performance is installation on a tower that is too short For acceptable performance the tower must be at least 10 meters 33 feet taller than surrounding obstacles within a 100m 330 foot radius This is a minimum reguirement and more height exposure is better Remember that trees grow rapidly in height and are likely to significantly decrease the wind exposure of nearby turbines over a few years If in doubt choose a taller tower Whenever possible position towers upwind from obstacles with respect to the local prevailing wind direction s Pika Energy s REbus technology enables over 2 5X longer wire runs with lower energy loss enabling tower placement far from the electrical service Space Reguirements and Site Characteristics The EconoTower reguires a diamond shaped area of open ground clear of major obstacles The shape of the clear area needed is shown in Figure 3 1 Tower space reguirements Make sure you have sufficient room for the tower and turbine to tilt down The installation site should be planar and preferably on flat to gently sloping ground When installing on sloped sites orient the layout so the tower lays down in the uphill direction The side guys should be level across the slope and in line with the tower pivot pin on t
12. aay sawhorse should support the tower below the i guy clamp location so the blades can spin 1 Hose clamp used for fixturing while freely drilling holes Half clamp assembly Figure 5 3 Half clamp assembly for top guy plate Roe seer ala 20 DANGER The top guy clamp assembly must be installed exactly as instructed The hose clamp is a temporary attachment that is not sufficient to carry any load Incorrect assembly can lead to tower collapse To install the top guy clamp assembly first measure down from the extreme upper end of the top pipe section exactly 53 inches and mark the spot with a permanent marker Assemble the two sections of the top guy clamp around the pipe lining up the match marks on the two sections for optimal orientation Secure the two sections with the hose clamp as shown in Figure 5 3 The TOP of the clamp should align with the 53 mark Double check the measurement if it is incorrect the raising loops will not equalize correctly when attached to the gin pole Using the 27 64 twist drill bit supplied in the kit and a bit of grease for lubricant drill through the pipe using the guy clamp holes as a guide DO NOT attempt to drill all the way through from one side Instead drill from both sides four separate holes Dress any sharp edges that result from the drilling with a small round file e g chainsaw file Secure the clamp to the tower using the supplied bolts and locking nuts torq
13. able If using a large eye nut with a bend radius larger than the thimble skip the thimbles and thread the cable directly around the nut DANGER Never Saddle a Dead Horse The saddle of the cable clip goes on the live tensioned side of the cable and the U bolt goes on the dead free end as shown in Figure 5 7 24 Load line Figure 5 7 Correct cable clip attachment e Pull the cable tight but not so tight that you pull the tower off its cribbing Using a 7 16 nut driver torque two of the three clips to 7 5 ft lbs leaving the other clip finger tight until the tower is plumbed e Repeat on the opposite side guy e Repeat on the front guy in the laydown direction To gauge the length of the front guy first run it out taught to one of the side guys and mark the length using a permanent marker e Repeat for each set of guy cables e Double check that at least two clips are tight on each guy wire e Mark each anchor rod at the soil level by wrapping it with electrical tape This will allow you to observe any vertical movement of the anchor in the soil when you first raise the tower DANGER If the height of the side guy anchors are not directly in line with the pivot pin of the tower base coupling it may be necessary to install one or more heavy duty turnbuckles at least 5 8 11 steel or something with a 3 500lb WLL on the side guys to prevent them going dangerously slack or tight as the tower is ra
14. ack electrical tape after installation Approach the tower in moderate wind and listen for creaking grinding or clicking noises Inspect tower base check condition of sleepers pivot pins grounding connections and turbine wiring Check that any turnbuckles are secure have not come untwisted and have cotter pins in place 31 Notes RGY G 35 Bradley Drive 1 Westbrook ME 04092 info pika energy com pika energy com
15. be securely screwed together for the tower to have structural integrity WARNING Take care that the threads of the pipe are not damaged by rough handling during transport The pipe sections typically come with threaded couplers on one end but it is wise to thread couplers on the other end as well for transport NOTE Pika Energy recommends keeping a fine sharp triangular file in the installation toolkit to clear pipe threads if they become damaged However do not use if the damage is severe Step 5 1 Screw base coupler to lower pipe Apply a generous coating of grease to the threads of one 21 pipe section Thread the aluminum Base Coupler identified by the presence of the grounding lug see Figure 5 1 to the pipe section Tighten with opposing chain wrenches applying at least 100 ft lb of torque Figure 5 1 Base coupler with grounding lugs Step 5 2 Install lower pipe section to tower base Assemble the base coupler to the LOWER hole of the assembled tower base with the grounding lug facing UP and the pipe in the uphill laydown direction Secure the base coupler using the clevis pin washers and cotter clip supplied Be sure to install a washer on either side of the base coupler to reduce friction and binding and also between the base flange and the cotter clip After inserting the cotter clip bend one leg of it back around the clevis pin so it cannot be pulled out You do not need to place a washer between the hea
16. d of the clevis pin and the base flange Align the pipe section carefully with the front guy anchor the guy anchor in the laydown direction and use blocks wedges and shims as necessary to hold the pipe securely in place and avoid levering on the tower base Secure the ground cable in the pre attached grounding lug by routing the wire from the ground rods over the base flange and down to the ground lug on the base coupler Leave some Slack in the ground cable to accommodate the pivot of the tower base Step 5 3 Install bottom guy plate assembly on middle 63 or top 42 pipe section Unpack the guy plate assemblies and find the one marked BOTTOM Position the next pipe section roughly in place then slide the guy plate onto the bottom end of this section with the bent tabs pointing downward toward the tower base as shown in Figure 5 2 Find the rear guy cable it is marked with red tape and has an eye thimble swaged onto it Rotate the guy plate on the pipe so the rear guy cable the one with the swaged thimble is facing up 19 If your pipe sections came with steel couplers remove the coupler and apply a generous coating of grease to the threads and to the threads of both pipe sections Reinstall the coupler and thread both pipe sections into the coupler Tighten each pipe section with opposing chain wrenches applying at least 100 ft lb of torque ee tabs pointing Each pipe end should thread at least five turns in
17. d rear guy cable on the top guy plate assembly pull it clear of entanglement and secure it to the quick link e Be sure to tighten the quick link firmly with a wrench A properly rated sheave pulley attached to the optional fifth anchor at the end of the gin pole may be used to redirect the direction of pull of the raising cable DANGER Redirection links blocks and pulleys used in a lifting line system can be subjected to total loads greatly different from the lifting line tension The total load varies with the angle between the incoming and departing lines to the redirection equipment Ensure that ALL links in the tower raising system have a Working Load Limit WLL greater than the raising line tension see Table 6 1 multiplied by the angle factors listed in Table 5 1 below Table 5 1 Angle factor multipliers for redirection links Angle Factor Multipliers for Redirection Links o 2 on as oa 23 Step 5 9 Raise Gin Pole It is convenient to have the gin pole up and out of the way To do this follow these steps e The gin pole itself must be guyed to prevent it from toppling over sideways when it is under load Find the middle of the gin pole guy line 110 polypropylene rope and tie it securely to the shaft of the eyebolt on top of the gin pole using a clove hitch or other secure knot Do not attach it to the eye nut or eye of the eyebolt Run each side out and tie securely to the side anchors e Attach the
18. edule 40 2 2 1 Usually available where pipe is sold NPT pipe couplers 5 8 11 thread 9 adjustment One turnbuckle is reguired at the back anchor steel jaw and jaw turnbuckle 1 1 Use of turnbuckles at the side anchors is with cotter pins optional for sites that are not flat Structurally sound ground 16 must be select grade with no structural Mae 1 8 1 8 2 contact treated 4 x4 timber defects 1 16 TOT OT SSCS Available from McMaster Carr part 46685K471 www mcmaster com Side turnbuckles are not reguired but may be used The reguired turnbuckle at the back anchor eases the transition of guys to and from the gin pole especially in cold weather when guy wires can be particularly taught Turnbuckles can be helpful at side anchors as well when they are not in a level line with the tower base All turnbuckles should be at least 5 8 11 thread steel jaw and jaw type and have a working load limit WLL of at least 3500lbs Table 2 2 Tower Materials Checklist Anchors anchor rods and eye nut fittings if needed See Section 4 Step 1 21 long 2 NPT Schedule 40 galvanized pipes with alvanized steel couplers 4x4 select grade ground contact treated lumber See table 2 1 for quantity See table 2 1 for quantity X gt Figure 2 1 63 EconoTower Hardware Kit contents tower base angles not shown Top left hardware bottom left guy plate assembly 1 of 3 with the 63 EconoT
19. er adjust the guys by sighting the tower through the plumbed level One person may have to let off on the tension on one side to allow tension to be taken up on the opposite side Adjust the guys by loosening the wire rope clips pulling the cable through and re tightening two of the three wire rope clips as before The guys should be fairly tight about 50 100lb of tension so the tower top doesn t move a lot if you grab a guy and pull sideways on it Work your way up the tower until all the sections are straight and vertical from one direction 28 hy a l X FN gt Y s b 3 m z NN 1 Tr aii gt NN rs TAN B Ty ROE Figure 6 4 Prusik knot used to pull tension on a taught line Cord should be 3 32 diameter for use with 3 16 guy cables Repeat the tower plumbing process 90 degrees from the first direction i e shift the level and sawhorse to an adjacent anchor and begin again working your way up the tower After the tower has been plumbed from both directions check it from the first direction and make any minor adjustments in order to get the tower as straight and vertical as possible Check it once more from the other direction When complete be sure to tighten all three wire rope clips at each anchor to 7 5 ft lbs If the side guys became slack as the tower was raised they will become too tight on the way down after they have been tensioned and vice versa While it is possible to tend them each time the tower goes up
20. es until the front guys are taught 27 Figure 6 2 Sideview of tower before raising Figure 6 3 Sideview of tower after raising but before guy transfer Step 6 4 Transfer gin pole guys to anchor Adjust the 5 8 turnbuckle until it is two thirds of the way extended Attach the extended turnbuckle to the rear anchor If the jaw will not fit over the anchor eye it can be chained to the anchor with a properly rated steel shackle or a properly secured length of 3 8 chain Starting with the topmost guy open the guick link at the end of the gin pole and transfer the gin pole guys one at a time to the turnbuckle secure with cable clips as described in Section 5 10 above Never release more than one guy at a time and do not let the cable go slack while transferring it Step 6 5 Plumb the tower Using a 6 level clamped plumb to a sawhorse just beyond one of the main anchors you can plumb the tower by sighting through the plumbed level to the tower Make sure the level is plumb throughout the process It helps to have one person lying on the ground behind the level sighting through the level to the tower This person can direct the adjustment of the guys NOTE It is helpful to use a prusik knot to pull tension on the guy cables Mason twine or any sturdy parachute cord works best See Figure 6 4 below Working from the bottom set of guys to the top plumb the tower from one direction first To plumb the base section of the tow
21. g coupler Guy plate assemblies TOP MIDDLE BOTTOM with swaged 3 16 galvanized steel guy cables 100 length of 3 8 twisted polypropylene rope 50 length of twisted polypropylene rope Tub of high pressure grease Bristle brush to apply grease to pipe and coupling threads 5 length of flexible PVC conduit Table 2 4 Tower Installation Materials and Tools Checklist Personal Protective Hard hats safety glasses safety boots and comfortable work gloves For required documentation of installation for warranty see T701 Turbine Installation Checklist in T701 Installation and Service Manual At least 2 100 reel type tape measures For tower base and anchor layout For anchor layout For anchor layout 3 32 mason twine For prusik knots for adjusting guy cables For driving stakes For marking location of top edge of half clamp See section 4 3 if installing your own anchors Utility knife For driving anchor rods if necessary depending on tower type For marking 4x4 sections of tower base or 6mm drill bit For drilling pilot holes for tower base lag screws 2 level For leveling the base m 4 level or longer For plumbing the tower Sharp saw hand circular or chain For cutting wood for tower base Heavy Duty 18V or larger For cross drilling the top tower section for half clamp installation and cordless drill and for drilling pilot holes in tower base wood batteries
22. he baseplate Non planar lumpy sites are especially dangerous for guyed towers Raising a tilt up guyed tower on a convex site can result in rapidly increasing guy tension as the tower is raised resulting in collapse via buckling Raising a tilt up guyed tower on a concave site can result in slack guy lines leading to an unsupported tower and catastrophic collapse Figure 3 1 Tower space requirements Table 3 1 Anchor locations and site space requirements 12 DANGER The tower must not be erected near electric power lines Most overhead power lines are not insulated so they pose a life threatening shock hazard NOTE The side guy anchors and the base plate must be on a straight line to ensure adequate cable tension during raising or lowering operations If exact placement of an anchor point is not possible it should be moved outward from the base rather than inward Try to keep the side anchors and the base plate at approximately the same elevation 13 4 Installing the Anchors and Tower Base Step 4 1 Determining Anchor Type A tower is only as secure as its foundation Consult with a local geotechnical engineer in case of wet or sandy soil conditions In normal soil conditions Pika recommends the use of Hubbell Tough One 8 or 10 helix anchor assemblies supplied and installed by your local utility services contractor using a digger truck see Figure 4 1 In sites where truck acces
23. ised and lowered NOTE The guy cables have approximately 10 of extra length on a level site The extra length will be necessary for sites where the rear anchor ginpole side is lower than the front anchor or where a side anchor is low 25 6 First Raising of the Tower The first time the tower goes up it will not be straight or plumb and the guy tension will not be correct The tower must be test raised and plumbed without the turbine attached Observe all of the following precautions when raising and lowering towers DANGER Raising towers exposes workers to a number of hazards including injury and death from falling objects recoil from snapping cables pinch points and trip hazards Do not install the EconoTower without professional training In all cases do not rush but work carefully and deliberately and use common sense DANGER Be aware that some equipment including hardware intended for rock climbing is rated by the actual failure strength rather than working load Confirm the WLL of all load line elements before raising the tower Step 6 1 Attach back guy tension ropes The tension in the lifting cable is highest just as the tower leaves the ground but the most critical part of the lift is at the end because the weight of the gin pole will pull the tower into the vertical position and the lift line will go slack To prevent this tie each end of the supplied 100 rope around the uppermost two front gu
24. lati n jesus EO 16 Step 4 4 Assemble and Install Tower Base ccccccccssecccseccceeececenececeeceeeeceeeneseeeecseeueceseueceteeseeeneeees 17 Grounding and Ligh tiie FP FOLeCC UO csssaconassaunenacactapseactannsaancesonacecedananncsanasastesseasacanencd IT N 17 5 ASSEMDIING the TOWET ccicecicsscaussoissesessnscsewenvessoeuenscastebavavevnnsnannenvesuynvenestovtebaversveossanseubenesseanecaewieyes 19 Step 5 1 Screw base coupler to lower pipe s 5ssisstusiedsuodutszos edu e sduessddsdta esa 19 Step 5 2 Install lower pipe section to tower baS e ssesssssssssssssressrrssrrrssrrrsrressrensrtesrrrsseresrerserrssrresreens 19 Step 5 3 Install bottom guy plate assembly on middle 63 or top 42 pipe section 19 Step 5 4 Install mid guy plate assembly 63 tower only ceeccccceesececeesecseceueeceeeusecsseeueceseeueeeseaeness 20 Step 5 5 Install top guy clamp assembly 0 4 0444000000e00 000 ooo non o Poe PP non o Konev 20 Step 5 6a Assemble Gin Pole 63 tower ONny ccccccssssccccccesseccccceeeeccceeeeesecceeeeeeseeeeeeeueeeceeeeegeeeeeeeegs 21 Step 5 6b Assemble Gin Pole 42 version only ccsecccccccssseccccceensecccceeesecceeeeeeseceeseeeneeeessegeeeeeeegs 22 Step 5 7 Install POS serrera EEE EEE N EE ESENE 22 nS o RE MT Eaa O O O O EE 22 SEO R IO e aE E EE 24 Step 5 10 Secure GUY CaDleS prse EEA A E EEEE 24 6 First Raising of the Tower
25. liers for redirection links ccccccssecccceseccecesececeesececeeeececeeeseeeseusecetseneees 23 Table 6 1 Maximum lifting cable tension cc cccssssccscsssscnsosssecconssscucussscneusssentoussectonssseneussucneosssessenssss 27 List of Figures Figure 2 1 63 EconoTower Hardware Kit contents 444 7 0000000000000 000000e00 rene n nn 8 Figure 2 2 Galvanized steel 2 NPT Schedule 40 pipe COUpIEL ccccceseccceessccecesececeeeceeeeeeceeseeeeeeeas 9 Figure 3 1 Tower space requirements ccccsecceseccsecesccesccessccseccsecceecseetseetseecaeetaeeseusseusseussesscesseeseenses 12 Figure 4 1 Digger truck installing screw type anchors cseccccesseccceesecccceescceesusececsuecesseueecetsuseeesseneses 14 Figure 4 2 Plan view Of anchor lAaAyOUL csssccccessecccceseccccesececeusececeeececeeuscceeseeceseunecessensceesensecetseneess 15 Figure 4 3 8 auger at 45 60 degrees from NOriZOntal ccccccesseccceeseccccesceceeusececeeeceeeeecceseusecetseneses 16 Figure 4 4 Attaching the rod expanding the anchor and backfilling taMping ccecce 16 Figure 4 4 Tower base ASSEMDIY cccccessccccesseccceesececceseccesesececeesececsusececeeeeceeseuececsegecessensceesenseeesseneses 17 Figure 4 5 Groundin FOG clamp secsec eana N E E 17 Figure 4 6 Midnight Solar MNSPD 300 DC Surge Protection Device wiring diagram 18 Figure 5 1
26. must be compacted to develop proper strength and to keep water from seeping in and compromising the anchor strength Figure 4 4 Attaching the rod expanding the anchor and backfilling tamping 16 Step 4 4 Assemble and Install Tower Base The tower base may be pre assembled in the shop for convenience a Measure and cut three 24 pieces from the 8 treated 4x4 b Starting at one end of a 4x4 drill holes at 4 7 8 8 7 8 15 1 8 and 19 1 8 centered in the width of the 4x4 c Repeat step b with the other two 4x4 s d Fasten base plate angles to the pre drilled 4x4 s with 3 8 lag screws according to Figure 4 4 e Ensure base plates are parallel and Figure 4 4 Tower base assembly square to each other and the 4x4 s f Dig a4 deep hole 2 square centered on the tower base location and oriented toward an anchor g Place the base in the hole Backfill as much as possible and tamp soil h Install two ground rods into the hole in the base flanges tilted slightly Figure 4 5 Grounding rod clamp i toward the laydown direction drive with sledge until they are roughly 8 above the baseplate i Install a supplied copper grounding cable to each grounding rod with supplied ground rod clamps Figure 4 5 and route cables under the base Grounding and Lightning Protection Turbines towers and inverters must be securely connected to earth ground per manufacturers in
27. on of the recommended anchors Other types of anchors may be improvised including poured in place concrete anchors and buried dead man anchors but the installer must ensure that the anchor has http www hubbellpowersystems com anchoring expanding 14 ample holdin ower as installed A minimum of 5000lb of pullout strength is necessary DANGER Because ground conditions vary widely it is the installer s responsibility to ensure that the anchors have sufficient holding power Consult a local utility services company or geotechnical engineer for advice about what works in your area Pika does not recommend installing turbines on buildings and the EconoTower is not designed to be installed on a building Building mounted wind turbines have a history of poor performance noise issues and significant downtime Poor performance is virtually guaranteed if the turbine does not project at least 10 meters above surrounding obstacles including buildings within a 100m radius Step 4 2 Anchor Layout Four anchors are placed at 90 degree intervals eguidistant from the tower base according to the dimensions listed in Table 4 1 below An optional fifth anchor may be installed at the end of the gin pole in order to redirect the direction of pull of the raising cable Table 4 1 Anchor locations Tower length Ginpole anchor distance 42 22 17 Diagonal distance between anchors woo 2 P OY 63 32 22
28. or down Pika recommends adding a stout forged galvanized jaw and jaw turnbuckle 5 8 threaded rod size or larger to one or both side anchors between the anchor rod and the cable attachment point This will allow the side guy tension to be slacked as necessary The body of the turnbuckle should be secured with a keeper cable to prevent accidental loosening or vandalism Step 6 6 Lower the tower Reverse the raising process to lower the tower e Secure the lifting cable to the gin pole and reassemble the winch and rigging if they were removed e Affix tensioning ropes to the upper two front guy cables e Position a sawhorse to support the tower e Take up the slack in the lifting cable and transfer the gin pole guys from the rear anchor to the gin pole quick link one at a time e Apply tension to the front guy ropes and slowly back off the winch to get the tower started down e Check the side guy tension several times on the way down slacking if necessary 29 7 Install and Raise the Turbine Install the T701 turbine per the Pika T701 Turbine Installation amp Service Manual provided with your turbine Be sure to complete the Turbine Installation Checklist provided with the turbine installation manual along with all required photo documentation of the turbine assembly and installation indicated on the checklist Submission of a properly completed checklist and the 8 reguired photos is mandatory for warranty coverage Follow
29. ot coupler or the 7 8 hole in the 4x4 with the upper hole of the assembled tower base on the side that is away from the laydown direction of the tower as shown in Figure 5 5 Secure the gin pole using the clevis pin washers and cotter clip supplied Be sure to install a washer on either side of the gin pole to reduce friction and binding and also between the base flange and the cotter clip Figure 5 5 Base Plate assembly Tower pipe is in lower pivot with gin pole lying on top in rear pivot Note placement of washers 22 Step 5 8 Rig Gin Pole To rig the gin pole follow these steps referring to Figure 5 6 e Install the quick link on the eye nut hanging below the upper end of the gin pole with the open end facing toward the top of the tower e Locate and release the marked rear guy cable on the LOWEST guy plate The rear guy cable is marked with red tape at the end of the cable and is the only cable with an eye thimble swaged onto it along its length Pull the cable clear of entanglement locate the eye thimble near the free end of the cable and secure it to the quick link e 63 tower only repeat with the marked rear guy cable on the second guy plate a Figure 5 6 Gin pole rigging detail e Find the guy plate assembly marked TOP and slide it over the top of the tower with the bent tabs ointing downward toward the tower base and the marked rear guy facing upward e Release the marke
30. ower NOTE red tape marks the rear guy cable of each guy plate assembly The rear guy cable has an eye thimble swaged onto it for attachment to the gin pole Guy plates are labeled BOTTOM MIDDLE and TOP top right gin pole guy ropes front guy rope flex conduit grease and brush Figure 2 2 Galvanized steel 2 42 NPT Schedule 40 pipe coupler Sourced locally along with pipe sections Table 2 3 63 EconoTower Hardware Kit Contents Description Quantity Tower base 120 painted steel angle Aluminum tower base pivot coupler with grounding lug attached Aluminum gin pole lifting coupler with 5 8 11 x 4 eye bolt and eye nut attached Aluminum gin pole pivot coupler Bag of 2 zinc plated steel 4 1 2 x 3 4 clevis pins with 6 zinc plated washers and 2 zinc plated cotter clips Bag of 12 galvanized steel 2 x 3 8 flange head lag screws Bag of 9 zinc plated malleable steel 3 16 wire rope clips Bag of 3 galvanized steel 3 16 wire rope thimbles Bag of 2 spare 3 16 wire rope clips and 1 spare thimble labeled EXTRA Bag of 2 grounding rod clamps for 5 8 rod Bag of 2 zinc plated steel M10 x 100mm cap screws with 2 zinc plated locknuts and a 27 64 x 5 3 8 twist drill Octagonal half clamp sections painted steel 1 2 worm drive hose clamp 2 9 16 to 3 40 AWG 4 copper grounding cable quick link zinc plated steel attached to gin pole liftin
31. ratcheting 716 wrench ode SSCS Saw horse or cribwork To suppor tower top and for camping 4 Tevel to when plumbing tower C Seam For damping ievel plumb to sawhorse 2 chain wrenches 18 or i 22 3 pipe wrenches work but may require extensions For tightening hose clamp around half clamp assembly and for ground For tightening bolts and nut on half clamp assembly These can also be 2 adjustable wrenches 10 used for leverage to remove or tighten the eye nut onto the eye bolt on 12 length the gin pole lifting coupler as the thread fit is very tight 7 16 non magnetic nut For tightening cable clips Standard nut drivers and magnetic tips are driver tip or socket not deep enough 10 Table 2 4 continued Tower Installation Materials and Tools Checklist a Tool Material Comment Purpose 7 8 spade bit For 4x4 gin pole for 42 EconoTower only ae 5 8 spade bit For 4x4 gin pole for 42 EconoTower only ae Small sharp triangular file For repairing pipe threads aa Fine round file For dressing sharp edges NOTE For additional required turbine installation tools and materials refer to the tools and materials checklists in Section 3 4 of the T701 Turbine Installation amp Service Manual that came in your Pika T701 Turbine box 11 3 Siting the Tower Wind Turbines Need Wind The most important factor in the performance of any wind turbine is the quality of the wind resource at the location of
32. rrange for one piece forged eye type anchor rods rather than the type with a threaded end that takes a heavy galvanized eye nut DANGER Be sure to call DIG SAFE at 811 and get clearance before installing anchors or buried wire Bust type expanding anchor installation If installing 6 or 8 Hubble bust type expanding anchors follow these steps a At the four main guy anchors and the optional lifting line redirection anchor auger 6 or 8 diameter holes at a 45 60 degree angle from the horizontal away from the tower base so that the anchor eye will be closer to the tower base than the anchor base The holes should be deep enough that the anchor rod projects 4 6 above the surface when placed in the hole without the bell attached Figure 4 3 8 auger at 45 60 degrees from horizontal b Attach the rod to the anchor bell and insert in hole Make sure it goes all the way to the bottom of the hole Expand the bell anchor using either the Chance Hubbell C302 0003 10 Expanding amp Tamping Tool or 10 long x 3 diameter heavy wall steel pipe Turn the Eye at the end of the rod so that it is oriented vertically so that the guy wires will attach in a straight vertical line Make sure that the bell is fully expanded because its bite into virgin soil provides the primary strength of the anchor c Refill the hole about 12 at a time then carefully compacting the soil using a tamping tool The fill
33. s is not possible Pika recommends the use of Hubbell 6 or 8 Bust expanding anchors which are installed in a pre drilled or dug diagonal hole The hole may be dug Figure 4 1 Digger truck installing screw type anchors using a gas powered two man auger with an auger extension but it is necessary to have at least 4 people on hand to operate the auger at an angle Alternatively the holes can be dug by hand with a Boston type post hole digger ordinary double handle diggers cannot dig a deep enough hole The Bust type expanding anchor depends on well compacted soil for its holding power and must be struck repeatedly with a heavy pipe to expand it outward into undisturbed soil Although the anchors do expand they must be carefully backfilled and tamped per the anchor manufacturer s recommendations to ensure sufficient holding power In all cases ensure that the anchor rod is closely aligned with the line of pull Anchors should be installed on a diagonal pointing toward the tower base at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees from horizontal Anchors should be installed such that the attachment point is above grade but no more than 6 9 inches from the level of the soil Longer extensions of the anchor rod above the ground can result in bending of the rods when the tower is raised or lowered Unconventional Anchoring Situations Consult a local geotechnical engineer if extremely rocky soil or bedrock prevents installati
34. structions The EconoTower is grounded at its base by two 8 long copper clad steel grounding rods driven vertically into the soil and bonded securely to the tower NOTE Grounding turbines in arid regions presents special challenges In many cases the standard grounding rod will not provide a sufficient low resistance path to earth ground where soil is dry Consult experienced electrical professionals in your area for best practices 17 Pika Energy recommends the use of lightning arrestors at the tower base and inverter to prevent damage from lightning However no protection system can entirely eliminate the risk of damage from a direct lightning strike Pika Energy recommends the use of the Midnight Solar MNSPD 300 DC Surge Protection Device or equivalent for protection on all REbus devices The surge protection device should always be installed as close as possible to the hardware it is intended to protect NOTE Wire coloring depicted is reflective of MNSPD device NOT Rebus wiring convention RE should get three wraps of BLUE tape and RE should get three wraps of RED tape at all device connections and wire junctions The Midnight Solar MNSPD 300 DC Surge Protection Device is available as an optional accessory for the T701 Wind Turbine If you ordered one with your turbine it ships in the box with the turbine 18 5 Assembling the Tower The EconoTower is assembled from threaded steel pipe The pipe sections must
35. tires chocked Double check the system to be sure it is secure Table 6 1 Maximum lifting cable tension Lifting cable tension includes Tower type tower and turbine weight Lifting cable pull distance 42 with 5 anchors 45 63 with 4 anchors 45 63 with 5 anchors 45 DANGER No personnel should stand within the drop zone of the tower while the tower is being raised or lowered and bystanders should be held far back from the turbine area DANGER Pika Energy strongly recommends against the use of vehicles to raise or lower towers A high quality worm drive winch with ample load rating should be used DANGER Be sure that every link within the raising system has an ample Working Load Limit WLL relative to the lifting line tension Keep in mind that use of a directional pulley doubles the load on the anchor Good communication between the team members is critical develop a clear system of hand signals When raising the tower for the first time go very slowly and stop every 20 degrees or less about five times to check the tension of the side guy cables If the there is no noticeable droop the guys are too tight and must be slacked slightly Also keep an eye on the tension in the gin pole guy ropes and confirm that the lifting anchor is not migrating laterally under load Once the tower is within 30 degrees of vertical one member of the crew should apply firm continuous tension to the front guy rop
36. to the aa 2 Schedule 40 Galvanized Pipe coupler 2 NPT Pipe Coupler Figure 5 2 Guy plate orientation detail WARNING The guy plate must be ABOVE the coupler with the tabs pointing downward in order for the tower to function correctly NOTE Do not cut the bindings securing the bundles of wire rope until you are ready to string out the guys and then only one at a time to avoid a tangled mess Step 5 4 Install mid guy plate assembly 63 tower only For the 63 tower repeat Step 3 to install the third pipe section sliding the guy plate assembly marked MIDDLE onto the third pipe section Remove the steel coupler from the middle pipe section and apply a generous coating of grease to the threads of both pipe sections Reinstall the coupler and thread both sections into the coupler Tighten with opposing chain wrenches applying at least 100 ft lb of torque Each nipple should thread at least five turns into the coupling The rear guy should face up Step 5 5 Install top guy clamp assembly In both tower kits the top guy plate bears on a clamp assembly that is bolted through the ronan cle tower For convenience in installing the top a a guy clamp assembly support the top of the downwards tower at a comfortable working height e g with a sawhorse or cribwork and support 1 ik Half clamp the midspan on blocking to keep it straight ba h dante For convenience in turbine installation the o ee
37. ueing the fasteners to 35ft lb Remove the hose clamp if desired Step 5 6a Assemble Gin Pole 63 tower only The gin pole is used to provide leverage in order to raise the tower The 63 tower uses a 21 steel pipe section as a gin pole To assemble the gin pole follow these steps e Remove any steel couplers than may have come with your gin pole pipe section e Apply a generous coating of grease to the threads of one end of the pipe section Thread the aluminum Gin Pole Pivot Coupler which lacks a grounding lug to the pipe section Tighten with opposing chain wrenches applying at least 100 ft lb of torque e Apply a generous coating of grease to the threads of the other end of the pipe and thread the Gin Pole Lifting Coupler to the pipe section Tighten with opposing chain wrenches applying at least 100 ft lb of torque and stopping when the cross drilled holes in the two couplers are 90 degrees apart as shown in Figure 5 4 Figure 5 4 Gin pole detail e It may be necessary to remove the eye bolt and eye nut in order to properly tighten Gin Pole Lifting Coupler If so you will need two long bars for leverage in order to loosen the bolt and nut as the thread fit is very tight on this lifting rated hardware Once the coupler is threaded onto the pipe reinstall the eye bolt and eye nut with the plane of the eye bolt parallel with the axis of the pole and the plane of the eye nut perpendicular to the axis of the pole
38. ys the guys opposite the gin pole and lead them away to a safe distance One team member will apply tension on these ropes after the tower is within about 30 degrees from vertical as shown in Figure 6 1 below a Figure 6 1 Use of front guy tension ropes during raising of tower to prevent the tower from crashing into and beyond the vertical position Note heavy duty worm drive winch and redirection of raising cable through use of an optional 5 anchor at end of gin pole 26 Step 6 2 Rig the lifting cable It is critical that the lifting cable pull in line with the laydown direction If necessary use a directional pulley attached to the rear anchor or the optional fifth anchor at the end of the gin pole keeping in mind that the load on the directional anchor can be up to double the cable tension depending on the angle between the incoming and departing lines See Tables 5 1 and 6 1 If using a directional pulley you will be applying a lateral load on the anchor In order to keep the lifting anchor in line with the tower laydown direction it is strongly recommended that you oppose the lateral load on the lifting anchor by tying it off to a tree or large object opposite the direction you are pulling on it from This will prevent the anchor rod from migrating laterally through the soil and coming out of line of the laydown direction Secure the winch to an immovable object e g large healthy tree full size vehicle with brakes set and
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