Broken anemometer repair

[Gina]

I was sure this topic was raised previously but I'm darned if I can find it! While I was doing tests I dropped the anemometer (and wind vane unit) on the floor and broke off one of the arms. I glued it back using epoxy adhesive (Araldite) and it's been OK for a couple of months but now it's fallen off again! Usually when I glue stuff up with Araldite it stays stuck. The glue seems well stuck to the rotor boss but not to the arm. I guess I could put a pin through the arm to stop it falling out. I guess it really needs a special glue for that type of plastic.

Now I have to decide whether to try mending the FO anemometer again or to do now what I mean to do eventually anyway, to make up my own anemometer.

[robynfali]

Other option Gina, one of the members here (search for the post) is selling off various bits of his F/O seperatley.

Have you tried something like PROPER super glue, or maybe even airfix glue?

[Gina]

Other option Gina, one of the members here (search for the post) is selling off various bits of his F/O seperatley.

True.

Have you tried something like PROPER super glue, or maybe even airfix glue?

Not as yet. Airfix glue is an idea. I think that's polystyrene cement. I'll check out a local hardware shop.

[robynfali]

I think it should be safe, I know you are limited to what you can use because of "melting", but with airfix glue, it's designed for plastics, and i know from my younger days with hours of spending time building them, then swearing because i glued something in the wrong place and stuffed the whole thing up!

[Super-T]

50 years ago, while making model aircraft, I always wondered why it felt good....now I know....too much sniffing
No warnings on the packets in those days.
How about a plastic sleeve....not sure what will happen to balance though.

[Orion]

Not sure if i used super-glue or MEK Poly when one of the cups snapped on my old WH1050
But it`s been spinning happily for more than a year

http://www.galaxymodels.co.uk/detail.as ... 1&rootid=1

[Gina]

I think I've fixed my broken FO anemometer using hot melt glue.

I removed the skirt I had added to stop wet getting in the gap and freezing, and took it all apart. Instead of the skirt I used the top of a 2 litre milk bottle, trimmed down a bit and with holes cut in it for the ball bearing tube and magnet.

The first diagram below shows the original gap between the moving part and the fixed part. The gap of less than a millimetre would get bridged by ice or snow and stop the rotor going round. This latest mod uses a bottle top as shown in the second diagram with a bit of each side of the gap filed off.

Anemometer-Joint-b.png

Anemometer-Joint-d.png

[Gina]

I've decided to keep my repaired anemometer to replace my working one later on so that I won't suffer the icing up problem next winter, and to make up a new anemometer to go with my home made wind vane. I've sorted out suitable bits and produced a design.

[apenwith]

Hi Gina
Oddly enough my anemometer stopped rotating in light winds the other day and all I could find inside was a little water but enough the cause the magnet to bind so the bottle top mod would help there too - next time I de-rig the mast I'll try it.
Regards
Alan

[robynfali]

Well today I have mostly been soldering!!

Trying to adjust heights etc for my station, because i had it all taped over to keep it tidy, sharp knife to cut the tape, and guess what, straight through the rain cable, so had to split it apart and solder it...back up on the roof tomorrow to reinstall it!

[Sol]

Just as an obsevation, most of the epoxy glues, indeed most glues don't like UV.
Works fine for a while then become brittle and falls apart. Araldite goes a dark colour then dies.
Not sure of any long term solution but good luck.

[Gina]

Oh well... we'll just have to see. I have Araldite and hot melt glue so I'll be testing both.