Wind Machine in the Napa Valley
VW Power Photo Album
This is the most unique application for the Great Plains' Rear Drive System!
Don't be surprised while driving in the Napa Valley and you spot a VW engine up 12 foot in the middle of a vineyard! This is an 1600cc VW Type 1 engine mounted on a continuously rotating carriage. In addition to the engine, an 18 gallon gas tank and the starting battery are also mounted on the carriage.
The engine is started from the ground (key start) and operated by a push/pull throttle cable. An oil pressure gauge and tach are also housed in a control box at the end of a 1 1/2" pipe that runs from the bottom center of the rotating carriage down between the legs of the tower. The pipe is the conduit for the throttle, electrical and gauge lines from the engine. The control box, pipe, gauge and control lines all rotate 360 degrees with the carriage. The power to rotate the carriage is provided by a small adjustable propeller located just aft and to the portside of the main propeller and driven by its air flow and chain drives a reduction gear that follows around a stationery truck flywheel.
It uses a 60" Sterba Prop!
The machine moves air approximately 160 to 180 feet at 3000 RPM, which is what was desired for his application.
Our vineyard owner expects to purchase another engine this summer!
