BWC 850 at the Wulf Test Field in the Tehachapi Pass circa 1998. Photo by Paul Gipe.

Wulf Test Field

The 24 acre (10 ha) site near Oak Creek Pass in the Tehachapi Mountains was bequeathed to Paul Gipe by Ed Wulf in the spring of 1997 for furthering the development of small wind turbines.

There are two test stands at the site, one for micro-wind turbines, the second for mini-wind turbines.

Update

February 2011

In December 2007 we removed the AirX s/n ABeta004 after it failed sometime in the fall. We replaced it with a Air Breeze s/n BR0001068 for testing at the request of SWP.

The Whisper H40 on the second test stand was removed and scrapped in June 2006.

In the spring of 2008, we installed an unusual experimental turbine, the Selsam SuperTwin. The turbine uses two eight-foot rotors on a single shaft.

In May, 2009 we inspected the site and the Selsam Super Twin had a blown diode.

We removed Selsam's Super Twin on October 31, 2009.

The Air Breeze installed in December 2007 contiunes to operate reliably and charge the site's batteries.

We have completed a full-year of continuous power curve measurements on the Air Breeze. This completes our testing of the Air Breeze.

The site is adjacent to one of the world's largest concentrations of wind turbines and is very windy. The property also has a large erosion gully formed by a seep or spring. At the time the property was transferred the access road was bare and suffered from sheet and rill erosion during spring rains.

Since 1997, my wife, Nancy Nies, and I have installed several small wind turbines. We have also experimented with various erosion control practices and revegetation seed mixes to control erosion from the access road.

Paul Gipe and Nancy Nies raising an Air 303 using a NRG tilt-up tower and a Griphoist at the Wulf Test Field in the Tehachapi Pass.

We have tested several micro- and mini-wind turbines at the Wulf Field: BWC 850, Air 303H, Air 403, AirX (various versions), LVM 6F, Marlec 910F, Ampair 100, and Whisper H40. Results of noise and power curve tests can be found by following the links below. The results are also summarized in Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm, and Business published in 2004. Tests on the Air series of wind turbines (Air 303, 403, and Air X) by other researches have confirmed the findings first reported here.--Paul Gipe

California poppies (Escholzia Californica).

• Wulf Test Field Site Description
• Wulf Test Field Panorama Views--The Wulf Test Field is situated at latitude 35° 4'20.64"N and longitude 118°23'40.12"W and is at an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m) on the north facing flanks of the Tehachapi Mountains in the Busee Hills. . .
• Wulf Test Field Equipment Description--The equipment was chosen to meet in a simple a manner as possible international standards for testing of small wind turbines which were then being developed. . .
• Photos of Wulf Test Field Electronics--The photos below illustrate the installation of the electronics used to measure the performance of small wind turbines at the Wulf Test Field from 1998 to 2009. . .
• Wildflowers, Plants, and Revegetation Practices at the Wulf Test Field
• Testing the Power Curves of Small Wind Turbines
• Noise from Small Wind Turbines
• Dead Barn Owl Found at Wulf Test Field
• Small Wind Turbines and Birds
• Getagrip: Raising a Bergey 850 with a Griphoist--Home Power #68 • December 1998 / January 1999 . . .
• Lowering the BWC 850 with a Griphoist by Paul Gipe

  Test Results

  • Small Wind Turbines Monitored at Wulf Test Field
  • Photos of Small Wind Turbines Tested at Wulf Field
  • Charts of Field Tests on Air Breeze BR0001068--We have operated an Air Breeze BR0001068 since December 2007. The turbine has performed well without any problems and is significantly quieter than previous versions in the Air series of micro wind turbines. The following summarizes power curve measurements on the Air Breeze. . .
  • Early Field Tests on Air Breeze BR0001068--The Air Breeze is the latest in the Air series of micro wind turbines. The turbine is rated at 200 W, which much better reflects the turbine's capacity than earlier versions of the Air (303, 403, X versions). . .
  • Selsam Super Twin Removal--The turbine failed. Why or how is uncertain. At least one diode in the diode bridge was blown. There was signs that one of the the air heaters had been hot as well. . .
  • Doug Selsam's Super Twin at Wulf Field
  • Air X ABeta004 Wulf Test Field Final Report
  • Whisper H40 Final Report
  • BWC 850 Measured Power Curve
  • Air 303H and Air 403 Measured Power Curves
  • Marlec 910F Measured Power Curve
  • LVM 6F Measured Power Curve
  • Ampair 100 Measured Power Curve
  • AirX Fails Power Curve Tests
  • AirX Noise Emission Measurements
  • Summary of Power Curves Measured at the Wulf Test Field