Wind instruments get frozen and stop turning

Angile · **Posted:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:53 am

My National Geographic 265NC Wind power and direction devices get jam in the ice after a rain in winter.

Does any of you have solve this issue?

hills · **Posted:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:17 am

Yep, move to a warmer climate!

Gina has been developing a heater for her rain gaage, that might be able to be adapted to the other instruments.

Charlie · **Posted:** Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:41 pm

It's easy to thaw out if you can get to it - Unfortunately that is rarely the case. Mine is frozen well above the roof too.
The good news is that the wind direction is now working again, so it's only a matter of time until the anemometer starts up too.

swompdonkey · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:50 am

Hi guys, i put a squirt of Ferrosol on the bearings and its kept it going so far down to -10oC. Not tried the rain sensor though..

Thanks

John

Gina · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:29 pm

hills wrote:

Gina has been developing a heater for her rain gaage, that might be able to be adapted to the other instruments.

I'm currently building the thermostatic heater for the rain gauge. I'm also looking into the same for the wind sensors but space is limited.

Angile · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 7:41 pm

I finally got my ladder out and pourred some "rubbing alcohol" on the anemometer and wind direction devices. Then I turned slowly forward and backward the mobile parts, just enough to not break the plastic. It seem to be unfrozen and running again; but for how many time ? ......

wd40 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:23 pm

Do a search for bird bath heaters.

Randy

Charlie · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:47 am

Lots of iteresting suggestions, but keeping it warmer is not a practical solution, particularly in climates with seriously cold winters. I'm reading -12C this morning, and will rarely get much above this until the end of March. Capturing an overnight low well below -30C happens quite regularly.

And most of the time, the anemometer does not care. In truth, the issue with the anemometer is that its surface that has to move is physically very close to the surface that is stationary on the edge at the top of the unit. Freezing rain, and sometimes a heavy frost, will bridge the two surfaces together. The bridge can be quite small, easily removed with a fingernail, but because the angle puts a force in shear rather than in tension, it can be very difficult for the anemometer to break through.

So if you can easily reach the device, scrape the bit of ice off with your finger, and you are back in business. If you can't, then be patient; either the sun or low humidity will remove it in couple days (like the shrinking ice cubes in the back of your 'frige!)

The good news is that in most locations, the risk of freezing rain is relatively low, and confined to a few weeks each year. I'm sure the folks that designed this anemometer thought the risk was pretty small, or they would have tried to address it.

Gina · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 2:25 pm

Yes, I think you're probably right. It's the anemometer I have problems with and mainly with snow rather than ice. The problem with the anemometer is the ledge just below the rotor allowing snow to build up. I'm thinking of a mod. (Mechanical rather then electrical.)

Synewave · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:07 pm

I was thinking of a flange attached to the bottom to the rotor, almost at 180 deg. Like the thing a vet puts on a poorly pet (possibly made of the same thick polythene too).

That could stop the gap getting wet, and hopefully be steep enough to stop snow settling on it.

Gina · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:31 pm

Synewave wrote:

I was thinking of a flange attached to the bottom to the rotor, almost at 180 deg. Like the thing a vet puts on a poorly pet (possibly made of the same thick polythene too).

That could stop the gap getting wet, and hopefully be steep enough to stop snow settling on it.

Yes, exactly what I was thinking of. In fact I've drawn a diagram

Attachment:

Anemometer-Joint-a.png

Edit :- Oh the gap didn't show - I've redone it.

Orion · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 4:15 pm

Just grabbed my Spare Anemometer from upstairs
As my new one has frozen again (WD40 did not work)
As Gina has suggested it may be possible to stick 3 small flanges to the outer rim

wd40 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:21 pm

I have looked at these to warm my citrus trees when it gets cold. Might work for those in the land of the cold.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_9_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=birdbath+heater&sprefix=birdbath+heater

beteljuice · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:16 pm

"Pipe heat tape" or "Reptile Heat Cable" would probably be a more convenient solution.

... however; how far do you go to modify a bit of kit that was never meant to cope with "The Weather" :lol:

Gina · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:29 pm

I've made a plastic skirt for my anemometer rotor out of the bottom part of a small steam pudding container. Cut little slots for the rotor arms and attached it to the rotor with hot melt glue (which also provides a seal). I'll take a photo later.

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Wind instruments get frozen and stop turning

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