Southwest Windpower AIR 40 User manual

Southwest Windpower, Inc.
1801 West Route 66
Flagstaff, Arizona 86001
Toll Free Phone: [phone]
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.windenergy.com
Owner’s Manual
Installation • Operation • Maintenance
 2012 Southwest Windpower, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

4 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
1) SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. This manual contains important instructions that must
be followed during assembly, installation and maintenance.
2) Read, understand and respect all warnings.
3) Do not install AIR wind turbines on a windy day.
4) If unusual noise or operation is experienced, turn off machine and contact authorized
service personnel.
5) During assembly and installation properly torque all fasteners.
6) Use only proper grounding techniques as established by the NEC.
7) Properly complete the Warranty Registration Card or register your product on-line.
8) AIR wind turbines must be installed in accordance with this manual and local and
national building codes. Failure to comply with this manual and local codes may affect
and possibly void your warranty.
9) Rotating blades are a serious mechanical hazard. Install AIR wind turbines so no
one can come into contact with blades.
10) Observe wire size and fuse recommendations listed in the Wiring Section of this manual.
TIP: Indicates instruction or advice
that may simplify or ease task or
operation.
IMPORTANT: Indicates instruction
or advice that is critical for correct
assembly or operation. Damage
to equipment may result if not
heeded.
In this manual you will see the
following icons:
One - Important Safety Instructions
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE ASSEMBLING, INSTALLING OR OPERATING YOUR AIR 40
LAND USE: Specific to Land Use.
WARNING: Indicates risk of severe
injury or death or possible severe
damage to equipment - proceed
with caution and follow instructions.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 5
Contents
1) IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS _________________ 4
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ________________________ 7
2) TURBINE ASSEMBLY ________________________________ 8
3) SITING _____________________________________________ 9
4) TOWERS ____________________________________________ 10
4-1 Tower Options ___________________________________ 10
4-1-1 27 ft (8.3 m) Tower Kit_______________________ 11
4-1-2 29 ft (8.8 m) Tower Kit_______________________ 11
4-1-3 45 ft (13.7 m) Tower Kit______________________ 12
4-1-4 Roof Mounting Kit __________________________ 12
5) WIRING OPTIONS ___________________________________ 13-14
5-1 Hybrid System Wiring _____________________________ 15
5-2 Multiple AIR wind turbine Wiring ____________________ 16
5-3 Wire Size _______________________________________ 17-18
5-4 Stop Switch _____________________________________ 18
5-5 Fuses, Circuit Breakers, Ammeter___________________ 19
5-6 Batteries _______________________________________ 19
5-7 Turbine Grounding________________________________ 19-20
5-8 Tower Grounding_________________________________ 20
5-8-1 Electrodes Driven in Soil _____________________ 20
6) INSTALLATION_______________________________________ 21
6-1 Wire Connections ________________________________ 21
6-2 Mounting on Tower _______________________________ 22
6-3 Final Connections ________________________________ 22
7) AIR WIND TURBINE OPERATION______________________ 23-25
7-1 Operational Summary _____________________________ 23
7-2 Operating Modes ________________________________ 23
7-3 Voltage Regulation _______________________________ 24
7-3-1 Adjusting Regulation Voltage__________________ 24
7-3-2 Using an Alternate Charge Controller ___________ 24-25
8) MAINTENANCE ______________________________________ 25
9) TROUBLE SHOOTING________________________________ 26
10) EXPLODED VIEWS & PARTS LIST ____________________ 27-28
11) WARRANTY ________________________________________ 29-31

6 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
Notes
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AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 7
AIR 40 Technical Specifications
Model AIR 40
Weight 13 lb / 6 kg
Rotor Diameter 46 in / 1.17 m
Start Up Wind Speed 7 mph / 3.1 m/s
Kilowatt Hours/month 38 kWh/month @ 12 mph / 5.4 m/s avg. wind speed
Maximum Wind Speed 110 mph
Rated Power 160 watts @ 28 mph / 12.5 m/s wind speed
Certifications CSA (certificate 1954979), CE
Operating Temperature Range AIR 40 are certified under IEC requirements
applying to the temperature range 14º F (-10º C) to
104º F (40º C)
12 volt, 24 volt and 48 volt AIR 40 wind turbines are eligible to bear the CSA mark with “C” and
“US” indicators. The “C” and “US” indicators signify that the product has been evaluated to the
applicable CSA and ANSI/UL standards for use in Canada and the US.
Voltage Regulation Set Point (factory setting)
12 Volt Systems 14.1 Volts
24 Volt Systems 28.2 Volts
48 Volt Systems 56.4 Volts
Regulator Adjustment Range
12 Volt Systems 13.6 to 17.0 Volts (approximately)
24 Volt Systems 27.2 to 34.0 Volts (approximately)
48 Volt Systems 54.4 to 68.0 Volts (approximately)
Recommended Fuse Size
12 Volt Systems 20 amp (slow blow)
24 Volt Systems 10 amp (slow blow)
48 Volt Systems 5 amp (slow blow)
Tower Loads
Shaft Thrust* 52 lb @ 100 mph wind speed (230 N @ 45 m/s)
*Value does not include safety factor. SWWP recommends safety factor of 1.5.
26.6 in (67.5 cm) 46 in
(1.15 cm)
2.0 in
(5 cm)
22.5 in (56 cm)
minimum safe pole
length above
obstructions
24.5 in radius
(61 cm)

8 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
Your AIR wind turbine is delivered partially assembled. Assembly requires
mounting the blades on the blade hub, securing the hub to the turbine
body and installing the nosecone on the blade hub. The necessary hex key
(Allen) wrenches are furnished with your AIR wind turbine.
Torque Specifications:
Blade to hub screw, 1/4 - 20 x 1.375, socket head screw 72 in-lb (8.0 N·m)
Hub to rotor nut, 5/8-18, 40 lb-ft (55 N·m)
Yaw clamp bolts, M5-0.8 x 35 mm 48 in-lb (5.5 N·m)
Start the assembly by mounting the blades (Item1) to the blade hub as
shown in Fig. 1. Place a nylock nut (Item 4) in the hexagonal detent on the
back of the blade hub while positioning the blade on the hub.
The blades must be “tilted” into position on the hub and can only be
installed in one orientation.
Place a washer (Item 2) on a 1/4 - 20 socket head screw (Item 3).
Tighten the screw to 72 in-lb (8.0 N·m). Repeat for the remaining two
blades. Nylock nuts may only be used one time; replace after each use.
If your AIR wind turbine is to be installed on a “tilt-up” tower, mount the
blade/hub assembly to the turbine now. Coat the alternator rotor shaft
threads and blade hub bore with Tef-Gel and slide the hub onto the shaft.
Start the 5/8-18 hub nut on shaft threads and “spin” the hub completely
onto the turbine alternator shaft. Fully tighten the hub to 40 lb-ft (55 N·m)
by inserting a 5/16 inch hex key wrench in the turbine alternator shaft and
turning the shaft while turning the blades.
If your AIR wind turbine is to be installed
after the tower is erected, it is safer and
easier to first install the turbine body on the
tower and then install the hub/blade assem-
bly. This will avoid attempting to mount the
turbine while the blades are spinning – a
dangerous condition.
Snap the nosecone into position over the outside edges of the blade hub.
Make sure all three edges of the nosecone snap over the edge of the
blade hub. After installation tug on the nosecone to make sure it is secure-
ly attached.
3
1
2
4
1- blades
2- washer
3- 1/4 - 20 socket head screw
4- nylock nut
Two - AIR Turbine Assembly
IMPORTANT: Tef-Gel is a corrosion inhibitor.
WARNING: Don’t
attempt to mount the
turbine while blades
are spinning.
Fig. 1 AIR wind turbine Blade Attachment Detail.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 9
Small changes in wind speed can have a dramatic effect on power produc-
tion. The siting of your wind turbine should be carefully considered. Each
installation is different and is often a compromise among tower height, dis-
tance from the battery bank, local zoning requirements and obstacles such
as buildings and trees.
In general the higher the tower, the greater the wind speed and ultimately
power production. However, towers are expensive and can easily exceed
the cost of the turbine.
The minimum recommended tower height is 25 ft (7.6 m) on open ground
or 20 ft (6 m) above nearby obstructions. (Fig. 2) Try to locate the wind
turbine in the “cleanest” turbulent free air as possible. Turbulence will
reduce the efficiency of the wind turbine and may accelerate wear on rotat-
ing components.
Safety must be the primary concern when selecting the mounting location.
Install AIR wind turbine so there is no possibility of accidental contact with
rotating blades even if it requires installing the wind turbine in a less than
ideal location. Safety has precedence over efficiency.
Three - AIR Wind Turbine Siting
WARNING: Install your AIR wind turbine so
there is no possibility of accidental contact with
rotating blades even if it requires installing the
wind turbine in a less than ideal location.
20 feet
Prevailing wind
Fig. 2 Optimal AIR 40 location.
(6 m)

10 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
The AIR wind turbine is designed to mount on tubing or pipe with a
nominal 1.875 – 1.900 inch outside diameter. This dimension enables
constructing a tower from a range of readily available materials including
1 1/2 inch Schedule 40 steel pipe and 2 inch SS-20 galvanized fence
tubing (0.090 inch wall thickness). Under no circumstances should plastic
pipe be used to construct a tower.
Four - AIR Wind Turbine Towers
WARNING: Plastic pipe should NEVER be used to construct a tower.
Fig. 3. Tower Options
29 ft (8.8 m) Tower
27 ft (8.3 m) Tower
4-1 Tower Options
Southwest Windpower offers a number of tower choices for your AIR wind
turbine. The following section provides a summary of the available towers.
User manuals for the towers and tower kits are available online and you
are encouraged to review them in order to make the most informed tower
selection. See Fig. 3.
IMPORTANT: User manuals for towers and tower kits
are available online at www.windenergy.com. Southwest
Windpower recommends reviewing them to make an
appropriate tower selection for your AIR wind turbine.
45 ft (13.7 m) Tower

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 11
Fig. 5. 29 ft (8.8 m) Tower Kit
4x
4x
4x
x8
29'EZ TOWER KIT
x16
Fig. 4. 27 ft (8.3 m) Tower Kit
x8
27' AIR TOWER
x4
x2
4-1-1 27 ft (8.3 m) Tower Kit
(Southwest Windpower part number 1-TWA-10-01)
The 27 ft (8.3 m) Tower Kit includes a tower clamp/guy wire assembly
and all necessary hardware and fasteners to erect a 27 ft tilt-up tower
using Schedule 40 steel pipe or tubing with an outside diameter of
1.875 inch. See Fig. 4.
Note: Anchors and pipe or tubing are not furnished with the kit so
you have the flexibility to use the most appropriate components
for the installation.
4-1-2 29 ft (8.8 m) EZ – Tower
(Southwest Windpower part number 1-TWA-11-01)
The 29 ft (8.8 m) EZ Tower is a complete kit that includes all materials required
to assemble a 29 ft guy wire tilt-up tower. Anchors, guy wire assemblies, galva-
nized steel tubing and all fasteners are included with the kit. See Fig. 5.

4-1-4 Roof Mounting Kit
(Southwest Windpower part number 1-TWA-19-01)
The Roof Mount Kit allows the pole for your AIR wind turbine to be
mounted to the wall or roof truss of a structure and extend above its roof-
line. The kit includes isolators, base plates and all hardware, clamps and
straps. Your AIR can be mounted flush to the side of the structure or via a
penetrating hole through the roof or eaves. If mounted via penetrating hole,
we recommend purchasing the roof mount kit with seal. See Fig. 7.
12 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
3x
8x
45' AIR TOWER
16x
x2
Fig. 6. 45 ft (13.7 m) Tower Kit
4-1-3 45 ft (13.7 m) Tower Kit
(Southwest Windpower part number 1-TWA-10-02)
The 45 ft (13.7 m) Tower Kit includes tower clamp/guy wire assemblies and all
necessary hardware and fasteners to erect a 45 ft tilt-up tower using Schedule
40 steel pipe or tubing with an outside diameter of 1.875 inch. See Fig. 6.
IMPORTANT: User manuals for towers and tower kits are available online
at www.windenergy.com. Southwest Windpower recommends reviewing them
to make an appropriate tower selection for your AIR wind turbine.
Fig. 7. Roof Mounting Kit
Note: Anchors and pipe or tubing are not furnished with the kit so you have
the flexibility to use the most appropriate components for the installation.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 13
Ground
Chassis
Rod
Ground
Tower Ground
Battery
Black Lead
Turbine Negative
Red Lead
Disconnect
Turbine Positive
Fuse or
Breaker
Box
Switch
User Power
Stop
Center Junction
Turbine Ground
Green Lead
Earth Ground
Battery Bank
Tower
Amp
Meter
AIR BREEZE
Wind Turbine
Generator
Five - AIR Wind Turbine Wiring Options
The recommended way to connect the turbine to your battery bank
is to wire the turbine directly to its own set of battery posts. This will
allow the turbine to operate independently. The AIR wind turbine’s
internal regulator will monitor the battery and maintain the charge as
necessary. Figs. 9 and 10 represent typical single turbine installa-
tions. Fig. 10 includes an up-tower junction box for UL (Underwriters
Laboratory) compliance. Contact Southwest Windpower for more
information about this configuration.
TIP: Wire turbine directly to
battery bank to its own set of
battery posts.
Fig. 9. Single Turbine Installation

14 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
User Power
Red Lead
Disconnect
Battery
Green Lead
Switch
Earth Ground
Stop
Turbine Ground
Amp
Meter
Black Lead
Turbine Negative
Earth Ground
Battery Bank
Box
Lightning Arrestor
Turbine Positive
Junction Box
Center Junction
Up-Tower
Tower
Chassis
Ground
AIR BREEZE
Wind Turbine
Generator
Fuse or
Breaker
Fig. 10. Single Turbine Installation with Up-Tower Junction Box
Fig. 10 represents a system with an Up Tower Junction Box.
The junction box may be installed close to the top of the tower
to ease installing a Lightning Arrestor or it may be mounted
close to the tower base and incorporate the stop switch.
Typically installing the box will require drilling holes in the
tower to install the box – be careful not to compromise the
tower strength.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 15
Stop
Breaker
Wind Turbine Generator
Switch
Black Lead
Turbine Negative
Red Lead
Turbine Positive
Battery
Disconnect
Fuse or
User Power
Box
Center Junction
Turbine Ground
Green Lead
Earth Ground
Battery Bank
Tower Ground
Ground
Chassis
Rod
Ground
Disconnect
Battery
Meter
Amp
Controller
Diversion Load
Load
(Optional)
Resistive
Meter
Amp
Controller
PV Solar Array
PV Charge
AIR
Tower
Fuse or
Breaker
Fig. 11. Hybrid System with Solar Panels
5-1 Hybrid System Wiring
Fig. 11 represents a typical “hybrid”
system with solar panels. Some charg-
ing sources (solar panels, fuel-powered
generators, additional wind generators,
etc.) connected to the same system
may cause interference with the AIR
wind turbine internal electronics and
result in pre-regulation. The interfer-
ence will not harm the turbine; it will just
cause it to spin slowly as if “braked” or
it may stop the turbine. If this occurs,
test for possible interference by discon-
necting the other charging sources to
determine the possible cause. If pos-
sible wire the turbine and PV panels to
their own set of battery posts.
TIP: In this figure the AIR wind
turbine internal regulator is used.
A diversion type external regula-
tor could also have been used.
TIP: Voltage “pre-regulation”
may be prevented by increasing
the regulation set point. See
section 7-3-2.

16 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
Switch
Stop
Battery Bank
Earth
Ground
Generator
Green Lead
Tower Ground
Turbine Ground
Black Lead
Turbine Negative
Red Lead
Turbine Positive
AIR
Wind Turbine
Tower
Ground
Rod
Fuse
or
Breaker
Red Lead
Turbine Negative
Black Lead
Green Lead
Turbine Positive
Generator
Stop
Switch
Turbine Ground
AIR
Wind Turbine
Tower Tower Ground
Fuse
or
Breaker
Turbine Positive
Meter
Generator
Tower Ground
Stop
Green Lead
Switch
Red Lead
Turbine Ground
Amp
Black Lead
Turbine Negative
AIR
Wind Turbine
Tower
Battery
Disconnect
Fuse
or
Breaker
Fuse
or
Breaker
Fig. 12. Multiple AIR wind turbine Wiring
5-2 Multiple AIR wind turbine Wiring
Method One:
Each AIR wind turbine is
treated separately. Each tur-
bine will have its own wires,
stop switch and fuse and
will connect directly to the
battery using the internal
regulator to control
charging.
Method Two:
Wire each turbine to a “bus”
and then run one set of
wires from the bus to the
battery. Each turbine’s inter-
nal regulator or an external
diversion type regulator may
be utilized. A “bus” system
typically results in reduced
wire costs.
It is possible to wire multiple
AIR wind turbines together. A
typical multi-turbine system is
depicted in Fig. 12.
There are two methods used
to accomplish this task.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 17
5-3 Wire Size
All electrical systems lose energy due to resistance in conductors: the wires.
• Large wires have less resistance but can be considerably more costly.
• Resistance losses will also increase with increasing current, therefore, if
yours is a high wind site, it may be worthwhile to go with a larger size wire
to take advantage of the greater power production potential of your site.
• Conversely, in low wind sites it may not be cost effective to increase the
wire size since power production will be low.
The following wiring sizes provide maximum annual energy losses of 5% or
less for sites with a 12 mph average wind speed (assuming the standard
Rayleigh distribution of wind speeds) which is sufficient for most sites.
To determine the size wire, measure the distance from the batteries to your
AIR wind turbine. Be sure to include height of the tower. Refer to the ap-
propriate chart for your system voltage and number of turbines and select the
wire size.
We recommend these as the minimum wire sizes; for optimal performance
use the largest wires that are practical and affordable. Local, state, and na-
tional electrical codes have precedence over these recommendations and
must be followed to ensure the safety of your system.
Note: Wiring Resistance and Regulation
Depending on your exact system configuration including other charging
sources in your system, wiring resistance may affect the regulation set point
of the turbine. Higher wiring resistance (smaller wires) will tend to lower
the voltage at which the turbine enters regulation and stops charging. The
recommended wiring sizes should provide little effect on the regulation set
point, but all installations should be observed over time to ensure that the
batteries are charged to the proper voltage.
TIP: Smaller wires will lower the voltage at which the AIR
wind turbine enters regulation and stops charging.
Number of
Turbines:
0-30 ft
(0-9 m)
30 ft-60 ft
(9-18 m)
60 ft-90 ft
(18-27 m)
90 ft-150 ft
(27-46 m)
150 ft-190 ft
(46-58 m)
190 ft-250 ft
(58-76 m)
250 ft-310 ft
(76-95 m)
310 ft-390 ft
(95-119 m)
390 ft-500 ft
(119-152 m)
18/10 mm26/16 mm24/24 mm22/35 mm21/50 mm20/50 mm200/10 mm2000/90 mm2000/90 mm2
26/16 mm24/25 mm21/50 mm200/70 mm2000/90 mm20000/120 mm2*** *** ***
34/25 mm22/35 mm20/50 mm2000/90 mm20000/120 mm2*** *** *** ***
12 Volt Systems, AWG / Metric Wire Size mm2
*** If your system requires this length of wire, consider using parallel wires.
Number of
Turbines:
0-30 ft
(0-9 m)
30 ft-60 ft
(9-18 m)
60 ft-90 ft
(18-27 m)
90 ft-150 ft
(27-46 m)
150 ft-190 ft
(46-58 m)
190 ft-250 ft
(58-76 m)
250 ft-310 ft
(76-95 m)
310 ft-390 ft
(95-119 m)
390 ft-500 ft
(119-152 m)
114/2.5 mm212/4 mm210/6 mm28/10 mm26/16 mm24/50 mm24/10 mm24/90 mm22/90 mm2
212/4 mm28/10 mm26/16 mm24/25 mm24/25 mm22/35 mm22/35 mm21/50 mm20/50 mm2
310/6 mm28/10 mm26/16 mm24/25 mm22/35 mm22/35 mm21/50 mm20/50 mm200/10 mm2
24 Volt Systems, AWG / Metric Wire Size mm2

18 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
48 Volt Systems, AWG / Metric Wire Size mm2
Number of Turbines: 0-90 ft (0-27 m) 90 -250 ft (27-76 m) 250 -310 ft (76-95 m) 310 -500 ft (95-152 m)
1 14/2.5 mm212/4 mm210/6 mm28/10 mm2
2 12/4 mm28/10 mm26/16 mm24/25 mm2
3 10/6 mm28/10 mm26/16 mm24/25 mm2
12mm
2
1
3
4
5-4 Stop Switch (Switch Kit part number 2-ARAC-101)
Fig. 14. Stop Switch Assembly
Southwest Windpower recommends the use of a stop switch to provide
a convenient and safe method for shutting down your AIR turbine. A stop
switch is supplied with the AIR Breeze and is available from Southwest
Windpower for the other AIR turbines.
When wired as shown in Fig 13, the turbine will operate in its normal battery
charging mode with the switch in the UP position. With the switch in the DOWN
position the turbine blades will be stopped or may spin slowly in a strong wind,
but the turbine will not charge the batteries.
Do NOT leave the switch in the “middle” position. The middle switch position
provides assured “break then make” switch operation thus preventing
shorting the battery terminals but it places the turbine in an open circuit
condition. Refer to the Operating Modes section of this manual.
1. Drill a 12 mm (0.47 inch) hole in the panel where the switch is to be
mounted.
2. Screw the jam nut fully onto the switch. See item 3 in the illustration.
3. From the back of the panel, place the switch in the panel and secure it us-
ing either the rubber sleeved nut or the knurled nut.
4. The mounting nuts may be used to adjust the height of the switch flush in
the panel.
5. Wire the switch as described in the previous section. Use no larger than 8
AWG wire. If a larger gauge wire is required use a few inches of 8 AWG
wire to transition to the switch. Use ring terminals at the switch connections.
6. Support the wires to prevent shorts and provide strain relief for the wire
connections.
Stop Switch Assembly
NOTE: Do not leave the
switch in the middle posi-
tion; this will place the
turbine in an Open Circuit
condition – not stopped
and not able to charge the
batteries.
BATTERY
BLACK
FUSE
WIRE
SWITCH
TURBINE
STOP
RED
WIRE
Fig. 13. Stop Switch Wiring
RUN
STOP
OPEN
CIRCUT
(SEE NOTE)

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 19
5-5 Fuses, Circuit Breakers and Ammeter
AIR wind turbine’s are capable of producing high amperages. As with all
electrical installations, you must protect each of your turbines with a fuse or
circuit breaker. Wire your AIR wind turbine with an appropriate size “slow-
blow” fuse or circuit breaker between it and the batteries. Refer to installation
figures at the start of Section 5. If a stop switch is used, the fuse or circuit
breaker should be placed between the switch and the batteries.
Recommended Sizes for Circuit Breakers or Slow-Blow Fuses
• 12-volt model: 20 amps DC, part number 3-ELOT-1147-03
• 24-volt model: 10 amps DC, part number 3-ELOT-1147-02
• 48-volt model: 5 amps DC, part number 3-ELOT-1147-01
Circuit Breakers are available from Southwest Windpower. Part numbers are
listed above.
5-6 Batteries
There are many battery choices available – flooded lead acid, absorbed
glass mat (AGM), gel cell and NiCad. The type of battery utilized will de-
pend largely on the battery bank location and cost. For battery installations
where fumes can be safely ventilated and the potential for acid leakage
accommodated, the flooded lead acid battery is typically the most economi-
cal choice.
Minimum recommended battery bank size:
• 12-volt systems – 400 Amp-hours
• 24-volt systems – 200 Amp-hours
• 48-volt systems – 200 Amp-hours
There are several informative web sites with battery information including:
• www.batterycouncil.org
• www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
Fig. 16 Ammeter
(Amp Meter)
PN 2-ARAC-102
Fig. 15 Circuit Breaker
IMPORTANT: Never use “automotive” batteries or any battery
other than a “deep-cycle” battery.
5-7 Turbine Grounding
Proper grounding of the AIR wind turbine provides protection to individuals and
equipment by eliminating the possibility of dangerous voltage potentials.
There are two aspects to grounding any electrical system – grounding one of
the conductors of the electrical system and grounding all metal structures in
the system that may have a voltage potential caused by an electrical failure.
In a typical AIR wind turbine installation grounding one of the conductors is
accomplished by connecting the AIR wind turbine negative (black) conductor
to an “earth” ground close to the battery bank. Installation and connection to
grounding rods is described in the following section on Tower Grounding.
Grounding the metal structures in the system – typically this includes the
tower and turbine – is accomplished by connecting the structures together
using conductors of the same size as the positive and negative conductors
and then routing a conductor to an earth ground.
While not necessary, an ammeter (sometimes called an Amp Meter) is an
excellent addition to any system. The Amp Meter allows you to monitor the
current output of your turbine. Place it in between your turbine and the bat-
tery on the positive lead. It will give you instantaneous readings of output in
amps.

20 AIR 40 Owner’s Manual
The following section (5-8) describes grounding the tower in detail. To
ground the AIR wind turbine body, connect the AIR wind turbine ground
(green) conductor to the tower ground rod. Alternately the ground (green)
conductor may be connected to the negative (black) conductor in which
case it will be grounded through the battery bank ground rod. Refer to
figures 9 through 12.
Note that all system grounds should be connected using conductors of the
same size as the positive and negative wires.
If you choose to not set up an earth ground system (not required for
systems under 50 volts), the AIR wind turbine green and black conductors
MUST be connected to each other or severe damage to AIR wind turbine
may result and void your warranty.
5-8 Tower Grounding (Fig. 16)
Every wind turbine and turbine tower should be grounded at the tower base
even though the system may be grounded at the battery bank or service
panel by means of the yaw ground lead. Grounding the tower at its base
may prevent shocks to persons touching the tower due to lightning or
electrical faults.
The following sections are provided as a guide to properly grounding the
tower and should not be considered completely comprehensive. You are
encouraged to reference the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local
building and zoning regulations for complete requirements. Relevant sec-
tions of the National Electrical Code are referenced.
Tower grounding may be accomplished in several ways; the most common
method is a copper clad steel electrode(s) driven into the soil and con-
nected to the tower using a wire conductor.
5-8-1 Electrodes Driven in Soil
Electrodes should be a minimum of 8 ft (2.5 m) in length and free of non-
conductive coatings such as paint. Hollow electrodes of pipe or conduit
should not be smaller than trade size 3/4 (metric designator 21) and must
be galvanized or otherwise protected from corrosion. Solid rod electrodes
must be at least 5/8 inch (16 mm) diameter. Stainless steel rods less than
5/8 inch diameter, nonferrous rods or their equivalent less than 1/2 inch
diameter shall be “listed” by an organization having jurisdiction in the area.
For example: UL in the USA and CSA in Canada.
Electrodes shall be installed such that 8 ft (2.5 m) is in contact with the soil.
They should be driven into undisturbed soil within 1 ft of the tower founda-
tion. Electrodes should be driven to a depth of 8 ft (2.5 m) except where
rock is encountered; then the electrode may be driven at an angle not to
exceed 45 degrees from vertical. Some local authorities permit burial of
the electrode in a trench that is a minimum of 30 inch (76 cm) deep.
The upper end of the electrode and its connection to the grounding con-
ductor should be below grade or if above ground, must be protected from
damage.
Bonding the grounding conductor to the electrode and to the tower may
be accomplished by exothermic weld or by a “listed” mechanical connec-
tor. Solder connections are not permitted. Most local authorities require a
minimum grounding conductor size of 6 AWG for copper and 4 AWG for
aluminum (if aluminum is permitted).
The grounding conductor may be buried directly or contained in conduit;
in either case it is important that it have no sharp bends to keep its induc-
tance low.
The accompanying figure depicts a typical tower grounding technique and
the following sections of the NEC are listed for reference.

AIR 40 Owner’s Manual 21
Six - AIR wind turbine Installation
The following are general guidelines for the installation of AIR wind tur-
bine. Because each wind turbine installation is unique, specific step-by-step
installation instructions cannot be provided. However, before attempting final
installation the following basic steps should be completed:
• Completely review AIR 40 Owner’s Manual.
• Assemble AIR wind turbine. Blades and hub may be left off depending
on tower type – see Section 2.0 Turbine Assembly.
• Select tower and tower site and install tower. See Sections 3.0 and 4.0.
• Determine wire size. See Section 5.3
• Design system including batteries, switches, circuit breakers, and
ammeter. Draw wiring diagram.
• Obtain required components – batteries, switches, circuit breakers, wire,
tools, etc.
Once these steps are completed, final assembly is fairly simple and consists
primarily of making good electrical connections according to the wiring dia-
gram and mounting your AIR wind turbine on the tower.
6-1 Wire Connections to AIR wind turbine
Connect wire leads from AIR wind turbine to wires to be run down the tower
using “split bolt” or solder connectors. Follow good practice and use color
coded wires – red for battery positive, black for battery negative, and green
for earth ground. Wires must be sized based on turbine to battery bank
distance. Refer to Section 5. Insulate connections with heat shrink tubing or
good quality electrical tape. Leave sufficient service loop in the wires to ac-
commodate removal of the turbine from the tower.
WARNING: Do not connect wires to batteries
until all electrical connections are completed.
2005 NEC Section Topic
Article 250.52, item 5 Tower Grounding
Article 250.53, item A Tower Grounding
Article 250.53, item G Grounding Electrode Installation
Article 250.64 Grounding Conductor Routing and Placement
Article 250.66, item A Grounding Conductor Size
Article 270.70 Bonding of Grounding Conductor
Fig. 16 Tower Grounding