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Maintenance is required on all but the smallest wind turbine. Typical annual maintenance includes:
- Checking and tightening bolts and electrical connections
- Checking oil levels
- Checking all components for corrosion
- Checking guy wires for proper tension and tightening, if necessary
- Checking gear backlash and blade pitch settings
- Checking for and replacing worn edge tape on the leading edges of the blades, if appropriate
Smaller machines need very little intervention during operation and very minimal maintenance until replacement. More complex designs and larger machines require regular maintenance and typically require major component replacement after 10-15 years.
Minor maintenance is usually done on a quarterly basis or twice a year and comprehensive maintenance required annually. After 10 years, the blades or bearings may need to be replaced, but with proper installation and maintenance, the machine should last up to 20 years or longer. |
Operating a system with batteries requires:
- Keeping the batteries at proper operating temperature; freezing will damage the cells
- Ensuring charge and discharge rates are not be exceeded
- Using special switches, fuses and circuit breakers to help ensure safe operation
- Regularly maintaining unsealed lead-acid batteries, topping up of water and verifying state of charge
- Storing unsealed batteries in ventilated enclosures because of hydrogen off-gassing
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If you do not have the expertise to maintain the machine, your installer may provide a service and maintenance program. 
