aircompressor on windmill

[leaddog]

I have a windmill next to my lake and have thought about using it to run some sort of aircompresser to areate the lake in the winter. it is an areomotor head and it works. I'm going to hook it up to a pump also just for show.
I bought it at a yardsale and got it up last fall. It's a 50 footer with a 8ft head and runs good. Its at least 75 years old and sure looks nice here in my yard
Has anyone hooked up one to pump air to ariate a lake and what do I need to do.
Thanks
Leaddog

 

[Egon]

In some areas where dugouts are used for a water supply windmill areators are a quite common.

Don't have any details on one but a search should turn up all the information you need.

Egon

 

[dummy]

aerators Look under the pond aeration tab

 

[leaddog]

I've searched and have found alot of info but what I'm looking for is how to make or use a compressor for my aeromotor windmill. It uses the rod that goes up and down to run the pump and I would like to be able to unhook the rod from the pump and hook it up to some type of air pump. I have thought of maybe using a air cyl or something of that type. Has anyone done such a thing?

 

[Egon]

Sounds like youre thinking of something like an old time plunger type tire pump. Wouldn't be hard to make.

Egon

 

[leaddog]

Ya that is sort of what I was thinking but I was wondering if anyone has done it so I could get a idea of how large a cyl I could use and if they had any prob. It seems like it would work but maybe it wouldn't supply enough volume or press to flow though a stone diffusur. also was wondering if it would freeze up. Don't want to spend alot of time if it has been done and don't work.
Thanks
Leaddog

 

[Egon]

The Windmill dugout arateors I was thinking about were used in Northern Alberta so they may not freeze.

Egon

 

[EastTexFrank]

Northern Tool has a windmill aeriator (where is spellchecker when you need it) listed in their catalogue. You might start there, find out who makes it for them and see what's involved. From my point of view (total ignorance of the subject) it doesn't seem as if would be too hard a project and since they are advertised, they obviously work.

 

[EastTexFrank]

By the way, I forgot to ask, "How did you move a 50' windmill with an 8" rotor?"

 

[PondKeeper]

Try looking at Koenders, I have their electric model but their windmill is the same from the compressor out. You would need to get the compressor and mount it on the windmill framing. It works on a diaphram system, won't freeze in winter. They aerate from the pond bottom through an air stone. You would run a 1/2" black hose out to the stone from the windmill. I sunk the hose on mine using a brick every 10 feet. Ran it a total of 175 feet out. They will keep about a 15 foot opening in the ice all winter, providing the breeze keeps up.

Mike
Koenders is at http://www.koenderswindmills.ca/