Wind Generators

[Black Panther 1,586]

Couldn't find the old thread.

 

Would it be worthwhile to "isolate" the mounting pole? I'm thinking something like a rubber engine mount. Would it cut down noise and vibration?

[Guest]

The one and only truely effective way of dealing with "isolating" a wind generator is to throw the damned noisy feeking vibrating thingy overboard.

The sooner the better.

[Black Panther 1,586]

Come on - tell us what you really think.

[erice 732]

hmmm....

 

why do people who had wind gens often hate them?

 

even though rarer on boats, 2nd hand they seem more common on trademe than 2nd hand solar?

 

when i bought my boat it had a wind gen and solar panel, both fitted in 2006

 

they probably cost about $500 each at the time

 

first surprise was noise the rutland 503 put out, if it was windy when people visited they thought the engine was running

 

part of the noise was chattering due to a wobbly blade

 

finally got around to testing it and discovered it had no output and it was the 50watt solar that was keeping the two 75a/hr house batteries happy

 

eventually got around to taking the whole thing down to check the brushes, regulator diodes and replace the bearings

 

disassembly required desoldering the regulator, which checked out ok

 

brushes ok too but the wobble turned out to be worn plastic! bearing seats

 

due to dry or salty? bearings seizing? both races turned and the plastic bearing seats wore creating wobble, the magnets in the rotor to touch the potting mix in the stator and produce more grit and wobble etc

 

so basically the whole thing should be thrown out or buy another housing for $250?

 

with nothing to lose decide to shim the worn housing with beer can and after an hour of fiddling got everything back tight and newly greased bearings turning smoothly, resoldered the regulator back and reassembled

 

and nothing...

 

realise now that the exposed windings in the stator should not have visible and all the dust inside was worn potting mix

 

looks like the wobble allowed the rotor magnets to eat into the top face of the windings and short them out

 

so $500 and a day's work wasted

 

meanwhile the solar panel has pushed out enough current to keep the batteries topped up, for low use, and has required no maintenance, produces no noise and little windage

 

solar were good in 2006 but now they are lighter, more efficient and half the price they were

 

if more charging current is needed, i'll be fitting more 'reliable, fit and forget' solar

[Guest]

BP, those effing windy driven scream machines have deprived millions of sea persons the natural right to a decent kip in noddy land whilst at anchor for decades.

The United Nations should convene a urgent meeting of the Sleep Security Council to resolve this very important matter.

You do know that your kids and wife are also being subject to the same noise abuse and that your beautifully designed and crafted Spencer Schooner is going to perish from the effects of that little roaring rotating dribble charge producing nightmare.

[waikiore 399]

There are quiet ones you know, but they are not cheap. Look at what the professional mariners use in the most unfriendly areas like Henk in TeAma . One of the regular posters on here fitted a Superwind some time back but haven't heard from them in a while. Also the concrete Windflower has one fitted right on top of their bed so cant be too noisy.

Funnily enough the two best rated wind gens overseas are both made in Germany, and are available here through long established companies not trademe fly by night.