Greenbird » hydraulics http://blog.greenbird.co.uk The Ecotricity Greenbird in world wind-powered speed record challenge Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:53:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Greenbird on dirt at Ivanpah http://blog.greenbird.co.uk/2008/11/14/greenbird-on-dirt-at-ivanpah/ http://blog.greenbird.co.uk/2008/11/14/greenbird-on-dirt-at-ivanpah/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:34:39 +0000 Richard http://blog.greenbird.co.uk/?p=231 Now fully set up at Ivanpah. Another day in the hot sun, ironing out any last glitches and fitting a few new systems. No wind forecast today, and until 2pm that was the case, absolutely nothing.

Then, from nowhere, the wind set in blowing 18-25 mph, almost instantly, and I was not ready!

These are not record wind speeds, but very good testing winds. I worked frantically to finish the hydraulics and bleed the system and finally got the wheel covers on at about 3pm.

Pushed it out on to the playa and sure enough, the wind meter was now reading 13 mph, where it stayed till sunset (our self starting threshold is 18 mph of true wind).

Typical. However this is the nature of the desert, sometimes a good forecast does not materialise, and other times a nothing forecast suddenly becomes good for an hour.

There is a better forecast for tomorrow, so hopefully, we will get some runs in.

Wind speed testing Facing the sun Like cobbles Big and flat but bumpy Blue sky thinking More blue sky thinking These help with the 'cobbles' Watching the wind Close to the Greenbird An expanse of dirt ]]> http://blog.greenbird.co.uk/2008/11/14/greenbird-on-dirt-at-ivanpah/feed/ 3