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Wind Turbines...?


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I'm having real issues with mine at the moment. It's been going for the last 2 weeks and as yet knot one tiny amp of output.

 

surprising, as i'm guessing there is a fair amount of hot air raising from out of there :lol:

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:lol: No idea of the problem but I'm sure enjoying the breeze.

Note the clamps holding on a bit of wood to stop Otto sticking his head into the blades, we have to try and look after all 3 of his remaining hairs :lol: :lol:

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Anyone dealt with "AA SOLAR"? They are in Silverdale and are advertising a Chinese genny that is on spec a copy of the "Air-X"?? (Trademe and on their website and LOOKS like a AirX!!)). No response to emails so a mate rang them. These gennys are only warranted for 1 year as the built in MPPT regulator overheats and dies after 12months, I assume that to actually be 13 months!!! :P The "great"wind website has a warranty of 3 years! Their sales person said they are OK for use at sea.... At $600 I thought they were a good proposition but now having learned that...plus $300 to bypass the internal regulator and have a external one, my dosh won't be going there unless anyone has any experience in them??

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Yep, seen a couple on boats in Asia. Both less than a year old, both broken. One owner saying he did not want it fixed, as it was too noisy and vibrated too much, the other having issues claiming warranty - don't know who the supplier was though.

Go have a look. Check casting quality, blade quality and finish, and look at the cables supplied. If it is the same unit, I thought it was somewhat less than desirable...

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Yep, seen a couple on boats in Asia. Both less than a year old, both broken. One owner saying he did not want it fixed, as it was too noisy and vibrated too much, the other having issues claiming warranty - don't know who the supplier was though.

Go have a look. Check casting quality, blade quality and finish, and look at the cables supplied. If it is the same unit, I thought it was somewhat less than desirable...

 

I figured as much! I cart steel to Silverdale from time to time so will wait and see and take your advice. Neptunes Gear is still very much in the picture Matt but the big bickies needed for the Silentwind (have been accused of doing that sometimes!! :lol: ) are not just my decision!

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warranted for 1 year as the built in MPPT regulator overheats and dies after 12months,

These guys just don't get it with Consumer Guarantee. I see it all the time on Trademe and many try three month Warranties just because they are offering the item cheap.

 

Wetdream, when it comes to wind genny's, either save up and buy the good one, or don't buy one at all. You will be so disappointed with those cheap ones and it will end up being a waste of $600.

By the way, my take on the Wind genny thing, is that they work hand in hand with Solar. Wind is rather useless just on it's own and most certainly very expensive per watts produced. But used in conjunction with Solar, the entire "Power system" works very well. Especially if you get wind at night.

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.... Especially if you get wind at night.

 

Yep that vindaloo snapper gets me every time!! :twisted:

 

Point taken. The "Slutland" 913 was billed as a strong British made example of engineering... Only lasted a trip up the coast. Oil seals stuffed..bearings stuffed...then the magnets warped (unlike the Enterprise!!) out of the hubs!!

Then the local agents (UN?)able Solar wanted to charge me $600 for a new set of hubs..and $60 to tell me that! YOU COULD SEE THE TURNS OF THE STATOR STICKING THROUGH THE PLASTIC!!! (still got the blades if some POOR 913 owner wants them!!).

I have 120w of solar (6x 20w mono crystal panels) which can actually run the fridge without a battery! I deploy them at anchor and VERY happy with their performance (from Jaycar). However, a wind genny would fill the gap as I tend not to anchor so close in shore as too risk a wind 180! So a evening katabatic should keep a 300w turbine running the fridge...most nights! At least thats the plan. I saw that $800 "bargain" on trademe...it looks more and more like Matt for me. Just got to save harder!! :lol:

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This summer had plenty of wind. With the combination on the wind gen and solar (even with tired panels due for replacement) we did not run the engine once for batt charging. Sailed from whangaruru to kawau with everything running ( PC, radar, fridge, ap, stereo etc etc) and arrived fully charged! All good ☺☺:-)

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Was anchored in front of a boat with one the other day in Oneroa having a beer with Chill Pill. Nearly had to use Ear muffs and couldnt have a conversation the thing was so loud. Faaark that i would run the motor for an hour any day over that noise...

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Not trying to act as a salesman :shock: for Matt...but... check these out!

Its quite funny that the camera's shutter makes it look like its spinning forwards and then BACKWARDS! Note the connector to the "trailer"..caravan...whatever...its hooked into a MAINS plug!! (something you are hiding from us Matt!!!?? :shh: )

 

The BIRDS are noisier!! :thumbup:
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Hey WD, nice videos!. It is hard to get accurate noise levels in a vid though. There is another one around where it sounds noisy - cause it's the only sound you hear!

 

These units are a bit different to the norm. They produce AC - and the conversion to DC is done at the control box, NOT in the unit body. Apparently it is one of the small gains in efficiency they have made. So yeah, you can hook it up to the AC like shown in the first vid.

 

You are sounding more and more convinced!! :lol:

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Interesting. I need to assess the brand of generator I am going to park near in future before dropping anchor.

 

Well!!!... if you want PRIVACY in an anchorage...then the "Screaming Banchee" unit from China!!?? (It makes having to play polkas, rap or Ethol Mermon at 110db to clear an anchorage totally obsolete!!! :lol: )

Does Noise Control have boats??? :silent:

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The noisy ones are the ones with lots of blades. Noise comes from each blade, so the more blade, the noisier. Plus the blade design has evolved majorly since the days of Rutland etc. When you first see a blade from an AirX or Silent Wind, you wonder how they thing develops power, there is so little of it. But as you see in the Vids, they spin so fast the blades disappear from site. They simply go invisible. You can hear a slight hissing sound and if the blade goes into Mechanical Brake mode (the blade twists) then it flutters briefly, slows and then spins upto speed again.

One noise we did have though, was when the batteries were down and the load on the Wind gen high, there was a "whirring Sound" that transmitted down the mounting pole and then through the boat right above our heads in the aft cabin when we tried to sleep. It was being made by the Electro-magnetic impulses in the windings in the internals of the Wind gen. I solved the problem by making a rubber isolation block to mount the gen to the Pole with. It was not a sound that you could hear externally, it was a mechanical transmission through the boat. Mind you, ferro transmits noise easily and maybe it would not have been an issue for any other boat material.

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