When your wind turbine, site location and tower are selected, installation planning comes in. Setting up a small wind turbine can be dangerous and taxing even for the most skilled mechanic or contractor. Of course, it's very satisfying to complete the installation personally instead of engaging a professional – besides costing less. There are three common erection methods for the wind turbine and tower. The first method is the tilt-up arrangement which lays the tower flat on the ground when you install or service it. The tower is pulled vertical using a hand or electric winch. This method is used mainly with small wind turbines (less than 1kW) and short towers. Small towers use guy wires whereas bigger towers are more tubular with hinged, tapered poles that can be lowered during servicing.
The second installation method uses a crane to stand the tower up in one piece. This system allows servicing to be done on the ground but you will have to pay for the crane. The alternative is to climb the tower for servicing.
The third installation method uses a "gin pole" and excellent climbing skills. A gin pole is a type of pipe or boom bolted at the installed tower's top to add the next section. The ground crew uses a pulley to mount the next tower section to the gin pole's top, while a worker strapped to the tower maneuvers the successive sections' connections. It is difficult to work on a tower - more difficult than climbing a long, slanted ladder. You will need work boots, a tool bag and safety gear for climbing. For amateurs, a tilt tower is recommended; hiring a crane instead of using the gin pole system is a second choice.
Be warned: if you need to climb the tower, make sure you have the necessary climbing gear - even if you don't think safety equipment is cool. The smallest home wind turbine tower is about 60 feet (18m) tall: falling from that height would be like dropping off a five-storey balcony. It's likely to kill you, so it's much wiser to get full-body climbing gear certified by your nation's health and safety boards. Never buy safety equipment that is not approved by the safety authorities. Even a simple slip from a rung on the tower could cost you your life as you hang upside down and slip from your safety belt.
A safety harness must connect you to the tower. A short length (around 6ft or 2m) of nylon rope should be connected to the harness; at each step, you unclip the snap hook and reattach it to the tower. However, there are certain drawbacks to this method. Firstly, your progress is slower with frequent clipping and unclipping. In turn, this discourages using the clip before getting to the top of the tower (or at least a dangerous height). The tower's small, round beams can be slippery and difficult to climb and you may be tired on the descent. It is just as important to ensure your safety on the way down as during the ascent.
Another