I have an old Windbugger wind generator whose thrust bearing assembly is
totally missing. The company that produces the Windbugger could sell a new
one but its price would make more convenient the buying of a new generator.
Does anyone have got drawings or some advice to build a kind of substitute
in my shop?
Thanks in advance
Daniel Fua

Used to have one - but never had it apart as their built the damned
things with s/s fasteners in cast alum with not anti-corrosion goop.

Anyhow - the thrust mechanism might be tied up with the auto brake toy
they had on the back end - the finned part. Do you have that?

Windbuggers have a not infrequent habit of having the blade hub
complete with blades fly off the shaft - 3 of my cruising friends had
exactly that happen - luckily 2 landed in the ocean - the 3rd was
pointed at the cockpit when it launched - chewed hell out of the
bimini and dodger - luckily no one got chopped up. Careful with these.



On Sun, 09 May 2004 17:31:09 GMT, "Daniel"
wrote:

I have an old Windbugger wind generator whose thrust bearing assembly is
totally missing. The company that produces the Windbugger could sell a new
one but its price would make more convenient the buying of a new generator.
Does anyone have got drawings or some advice to build a kind of substitute
in my shop?
Thanks in advance
Daniel Fua

I'm not sure what you mean by thrust bearing. I have a 10 year old
Windbugger that is just back from a factory overhaul. They replaced a
bunch of brushes and bearing and sent me the old ones for spares. I didn't
see anything that looked like a thrust bearing..

If you can give me a better discription of what you are looking for, I will
look my parts over and see if I can id what you need.

BTW. I purchased this Windbugger new on eBay for about $800 and the seller
had just spent $235 for the factory rebuild.. It's in great shape. I'm
starting my second season of living aboard 'disconnected'.. The Windbugger
and 2 solar panels handle everything, including a frig and TV, etc.

I haven't experienced any objectionable noise or vibrations..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Steve"
I'm not sure what you mean by thrust bearing. I have a 10 year old
Windbugger that is just back from a factory overhaul. They replaced a
bunch of brushes and bearing and sent me the old ones for spares. I didn't
see anything that looked like a thrust bearing..

Thank you for the help. The thrust bearing assembly is what allows the body
of the generator to stand on top of a pole and turn freely to follow the
direction of the wind.
It is presumably made by one or two ball bearings fixed to the pole (inner
ring) and to the generator body (outer ring). Within the assembly there
must be also a way of transmitting the electrical power from a free turning
part (the generator) and a fixed part (the pole): probably by means of two
slip rings.
Assemblies like these can be adapted from surplus material but I would
appreciate advice.
The name "thrust bearing" is what the guys at Windbugger call it and
commonly stands for a particular ball bearing which supports an axial load
(as opposed to a radial load). In this case both loads could be important.

Ok, now I understand.

If your missing this assembly, then you are missing some major components
that will require some machine shop work..

The bearing isn't a big deal but the slip rings and the nylon insulators
become more complicated. This might not be too bad if you had an OEM to
copy.. I have had mine apart briefly and only remember that the contact
rings are oriented in the horizontal plane, one ring inside of the other.
The stationary contacts are spring loaded buttons in a lower nylon
insulator.

I can't remember how all of this works with the bearing.

There is a few drawings in the literature, I will see if I can find that.
There really isn't a field service/repair mainual. Too bad.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions