Here are the primary things you may need for a maintenance check on a wind-electric system. For more information, see “Tools of the Wind-Electric Trade” in HP124.
- An assistant on the ground while you’re climbing
- Climbing harness, lanyards, and fall-arrest device
- Two radios (be sure they’re on the same channel!)
- Service line and pulleys
- Closeable tool bags
- Water bottle
- Lanyards and rope pieces for securing turbine and rotor
- Spotters and assistants for tilting a tower
- Electric, hydraulic, or Tirfor-type winch
- Various load-rated pulleys, cable, and shackles
- Digital camera
- Spud adjustable wrench with belt-mounted holster
- Insulated screwdrivers and pliers
- Sockets and wrenches (check manuals for appropriate sizes)
- Torque wrench (250 foot-pounds)
- Multimeter with probe leads and current clamp
- Megohmmeter
- Penetrating oil
- Grease gun and grease
- Spare hardware for turbine, tower, and guy cables
- Rags for blade cleaning
- Epoxy for blade repair
- Spare leading-edge tape, if appropriate
- Spare fuses
- Battery safety gear (goggles, rubber gloves, and baking soda)
- Anticorrosion paste for battery terminals and cable ends
- Distilled water
- Hydrometer
- Wire brushes
- Spare ground wire and clamps
