How to select your windsock right & quickly?
Get our 12+ year experience in windsock production in 5 minutes and know almost all about: sizes, types, configurations, areas for applications.
How to select your windsock right & quickly?
Windsock - this is the simplest tool for visual detection of wind direction has been known for a long time. People sometimes call it "sausage", "sock" and even Pinocchio…
Note: the windsocks only help you see the main direction of the wind and estimate its speed very approximately (at the level of calm, light breeze or blowing decently). Attempts to determine the wind speed in km/h, m/s or knots using a windsock indicate a poor understanding of this topic and ignorance of elementary aerology. Anemometers are used to measure wind speed!
At first glance, windsocks do not differ much from each other: they are similar
sizes and made of the same materials. But the price range is significant: from some small dollars up to thousand dollars per piece, and even more expensive! Why this difference in price?
In order to buy the right windsock for you we shall answer four questions (4Q):
Question #1. Category or type of windsock
All windsocks can be divided into three categories depending on the area of application:
Aviation
Industrial
Household or decorative
1. Aviation windsocks are installed at airfields, airstrips, heliports, helipads & helidecks
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2. Industrial windsocks are installed at oil and gas processing, chemical, industrial enterprises; warehouses with dangerous, toxic and combustible materials; drilling and construction sites; oil and gas pipelines & wells, landfills and near highways.
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3. Household (or decorative) windsocks are used at sporting events, for advertising purposes, and in suburban areas as decoration.
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Question #2. Installation type of windsock
Designed for installation in one place on the ground or hard surface (concrete, steel) |
Designed for carrying and quick installation in different places on any type of surface |
Question #3. Configuration (complectation) of windsock
Depending on the configuration, windsocks are divided into:
Windcone only
Cone which has the shape of a truncated cone and can be sewed from various fabrics.
Basic parameters of wind cone are
L - length of the cone
Din - entrance diameter (aperture)
Dout - exit diameter
Cone color
Windsock Kit
However, the cone itself is useless. It must be installed on a frame that will ensure its opening and maintaining its shape in the absence of wind. We call this frame - wind sock kit (WSK). | ||
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Windsock Sets
It remains to install the windsock Kit in the right place and at the required height. To do this, we install our Kit on the mast and thus get a complete Windsock Set.
3.1 Unlighted windsock set A complete solution that can be transported, stored and installed on any surface usually includes:
Basic parameters of unlighted windsock:
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3.2 Lighted windsock set
If the windsock has to operate in the dark (at night), it is to be equipped with lighting equipment: flashlights for cone illumination (internal or external) and obstruction light. A complete solution that can be transported, stored and installed on any surface usually includes:
Basic parameters of lighted windsock set:
If necessary, the windsock can also be equipped with a weather station that automatically transmits weather data via the GPRS channel and solar panels for autonomous power supply. |
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Question #4. Quality of windsock
Definition: Quality is when everything is done not only well and reliably, but also smart!
Today, windsocks are produced all around the world and unfortunately some of them are banal home-made items.
Let us present our short history…
Back in 2008, our company was selling paragliders and kites, when suddenly the crisis broke out...but we received a request for the supply of a large batch of windsocks from the UAE.
We searched the Internet and contacted some manufacturers of windsocks and suddenly realized that no one provides a ready-made solution at a reasonable price. We found a couple of companies that are ready to do what we need, and after receiving an advance from our customers, we requested the production of samples.
When we received samples we were horrified: on a crooked ring with a hook, which was simply inserted into the pipe-mast and hung freely in it without protection from falling out of the trunk , "flaunted" sewn from some old (apparently from army reserve) parachute fabric with the inscription: produced by LLC so-and-so and a proud motto: "who can let will do better!".
We can't sell this stuff! Advance payment received, customer is waiting, what to do? We decided to accept the challenge: We will do better!
It wasn't as easy as it seemed, but perseverance and hard work did the trick. We have been in this business since 2008 till now and are growing fast.
Let's go back to the topic, look at the results of the past 12+years and start by looking at identified problems.
Four "Children's diseases" of windsocks.
Wind cone fabric
It would be nice if everyone can buy and use one wind cone forever. Unfortunately it is not possible. Wind power, sunlight, radiation, rain, frost and dissolved gases in air decrease the durability on everything including the cone fabric. The greatest impact is caused by sunlight and gases dissolved in the air. The existing sun radiation resistant fabric is not suitable for sewing wind cones because of its heavy weight. Even if the cone does not fade or break it will very soon become dirty and require replacement. So remain only one way to solve the matter - changing the used wind cones as they are faded or broken. Please pay your attention to the price divided by service life as well as warranty time of the wind cone you are going to buy. If the installation location of the windsock is difficult to reach, it is better to use more expensive wind cones with a long service life, and if you replace the cone is not a problem - it is more economical to take inexpensive models. | |
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Frames without wind shoulder
Usage of the frame without wind shoulders almost always leads to twist of the cone around the mast. The reason for twisting is that in a calm or light wind, the frame, which has more inertia than the cone, does not have time to turn after the lighter hanging end of the cone. In addition, a weak breeze is unstable in direction and quickly and often changes its direction, which also leads to a twisting cone around the mast. | |
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Usage of the non collapsible frame with wind shoulders prevents twist of the cone around the mast. However, this design creates new problems:
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Packaging and labeling
How does a good product always differ from a mediocre one?
That's right – by packaging! A good product is always well packed, because the packaging protects the result of the manufacturer's work from damages!
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And finally we will answer the question: Is it possible to make the pointer yourself?
Of course you can! Like this one ...
But is it really necessary?
Mass production is always cheaper than one piece production!
Unfortunately, we rarely take into account various "little things", which will lead to high cost. For example, you can save $5 on buying a light bulb, while spending $20 on the road & half a day searching for it. It's good if the light bulb immediately fits and you don't have to look for something else. Saving is good, but the main thing to remember is that "a miser pays twice".
We wish good luck to you and prosperity to your business!
