Air Breeze or Rutland 914???

[photodog]

Should I drop the extra £300 or so for the Air breeze, or just get one of the new 914's???

I have had a 2 of the small Rutlands.. and they have both been rubbish... bearings have lasted no more than 2 years....

So disinclined to get another Marlec... but alot of folks seem to be perfectly happy with the 913's.... and its not like we are full time...

Hmmm.. what do you guys reckon?


Btw this is on a 9.5 meter boat...

 

[Blueboatman]

Well, no one else has replied.
Boat next door has two Air breeze, lots of woompah amps, elegant, no rusting mild steel tailpiece.
I have R913, fine but less amps and possibly a bit quieter in a breeze, bloody heavy, mild steel tailpiece...
Is the 914 that much improved on the 913? Because the Airbreeze seems to have it all and is half the weight aloft.

 

[photodog]

They are saying its 30% or somesuch more output at 20 knots...

 

[TiggerToo]

..but alot of folks seem to be perfectly happy with the 913's...

we are one of those. I think we've had it up for 4 seasons now and it does its service very well, thanks.

 

[DipperToo]

I have had a 913 for 3 years now.

Marlec gave excellent support as I had an issue with rumbling bearings, but.....

make sure that whatever mounting solution you have will not be prone to resonance.

Unfortunately the geometry on my installation seems to be at a critical size as whenever the genny starts generating, the slight vibrations from the coils passing the magnets is enough to trigger resonance in the actual stainless structure. I have tried adding shaft anodes at strategic points to the main pole to no avail.

Air resonance within the pole was minimised by using builders foam inside the pole (leaving a small conduit to take the cable) and the whole system is mounted on rubber isolation pads (even the bolts are isolated with top hat rubber bushes) but the steel resonance itself is triggered at the point of charging. With the side stays removed the noise/resonance is still in the main pole.

It seems rather a hit and miss affair, but maybe anodised aluminium poles may be less prone to resonance, or even as was suggested by someone else, cutting the main 2.4m pole in half and inserting a joint may help.

What is needed is a structural engineer to advise on resonance and how best to solve issues like these. Anyone out there?

There was a USA outfit that produced a rubber isolation system (one tube within an outer tube separated by rubber) but that was only for 1.5" poles.

To the original question; I believe the Airbreeze has a rubber isolation mount which removes some of the potential vibration issues in some cases?

What would be nice is if anyone offered a genny with a promise of a rewfund if it induced resonance - but cannot see anyone offering that.

 

[V1701]

In my experience (living aboard, south coast marina), solar is better value for money, had a 913 and 40W panel on last boat. I spoke to someone at Marlec as I wasn't getting the claimed output and he put it down to "dirty wind" in the marina, not convinced. Now just have solar and no extra weight/windage from a wind genny...

Edit - and the post above has reminded me I used to switch the 913 off at night as noise resonated through the boat...

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Well, no one else has replied.
Boat next door has two Air breeze, lots of woompah amps, elegant, no rusting mild steel tailpiece.
I have R913, fine but less amps and possibly a bit quieter in a breeze, bloody heavy, mild steel tailpiece...
Is the 914 that much improved on the 913? Because the Airbreeze seems to have it all and is half the weight aloft.

Airbreeze slightly noisier than R913/914. Not sure I could 'live' with that.
914 exactly same mechanicals as 913 with slightly different electronics, same noise.

I had a 913 and now have a 914 on a different boat with very different demands/set-up. Although I've only had the 914 a short time, for value, I think the 913 is the better option.

Illiminating resonance is an interesting challenge with most wind generators.
With a pole coming directly onto the deck and wire stays (like shrouds) on my 913, I did have a murmering/groan go through the boat at medium to high revs.
Some people have solid stays which may transfer the resonance into the boat.

With the 914 on a gantry I've not noticed any murmering.
I tried putting soft padding beneath the pole base which helped on the 913 and instead of wire stays all the way, I ended with a cord to 'soften' the tension a little. It seemed to help. Other people have also tried putting something inside the pole to stop it acting like an instrument sound board.

Solar or Wind?
I do have a couple of solar panels too and I get at best 7amps from these.
At night of course, there's no contest.

If getting a wind generator I would look at getting one where the regulator/controller can switch/dampen the speed to 'slow', for those moments when no noise is wanted.

 

[BrianH]

My Air-X, the 400W precursor to the Air Breeze and physically identical - bearings too I would think - is now 11 years in use and still soldiering on.

Last week there was an ominous ticking sound as it slowly rotated but it turned out to be a cracked nose-cone - the only flimsy part of the whole unit; easily removed and replaced.

There is the function to electrically short the output (by panel switch) to stop generation, when the blades will just slowly and silently windmill whatever the wind speed.

The cast metal body painted white is like new and the carbon-fibre blades unmarked except for one small nick where fused feather debris pointed to an avian casualty in the recent past.

I bought an optional mounting kit with rubber bushes for the support struts and a solid rubber block for the pole to seat onto. I get no vibration at all below.

Out of any of the many wind generators the Air Breeze is, in my eyes, the one that could be a candidate for a modern art museum design award - sheer elegance.

 

[Blueboatman]

Scotty, that's interesting, ta.

As to resonance. On the 913 I have two solid stay bars at right angles, the mount pole is quite high and I have a sort of spanish windlass lashing where it passes adjacent to the pushpit, which by tightening ( tuning I like to call it) seems to dampen out the poles resonance, just leaving bearing rumble at certain low speeds.
Curiously the higher the wind speed, the smoother and quieter the unit seems to run, although at 20 kn there are other nautical noises to contend with of course.
The double Air-x set up next door has been asked to turn 'em off at anchor ( once) by the boat astern, which may be worth noting. Kind of defeats the purpose?
Next time around I think I will be mighty tempted by the two Air-x route, if only to get useful downwind output at night..( and this 913 at 3 yrs old replaces a much older 913 that after a transA circuit seemed no noisier but some slight surface UV degradation to the blades, reason for swapping out)..

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I stongly considered one of these.... http://www.d400.co.uk/

to get a lot of charge with a bearable noise.
They are only marginally noisier than a 913. Having moored right next to a Nic 38 with one (UP HIGH ON ITS MISSEN) during a F7-8 I gave it a lot of attention.
With lots more charge at most speeds they are however expensive and heavy.
You also have to 'dump' the charge when batteries are full.

 

[maxi77]

Walk round a marina when it is a little windy, listen to them especially in the gusts, then decide what level of noise you will put up with. Personally only the 913 would be allowed on any boat of mine, but today would send the money on solar.

 

[BrianH]

Walk round a marina when it is a little windy, listen to them especially in the gusts, then decide what level of noise you will put up with. Personally only the 913 would be allowed on any boat of mine, but today would send the money on solar.

Noise was the prime objection to the Air-X range but, as some threads have earlier discussed, there are alternative blades on the market that cure that. The problem was that for aerodynamic efficiency the original blades were finely tapered, losing rigidity at the tips and permitting flutter, which caused the irritating whistling noise. I believe the newer Air Breeze units no longer have that thinner, flexible tip design, so presumably they are quieter.

My own Air-X is not very noisy in normal winds and of course, I would never engage it in a marina - which would have shore power anyway. At anchorage I am rarely near enough to anyone and have never had any complaints - or even any black looks that I have noticed.

Wind generators are not in competition to solar panels but rather complementary when one opts for a model with some significant output - the only reason to have one, in my opinion. When I have enough wind to sail I generally have enough to generate plenty of Amps to keep the beers cold in the refrigerator, which my solar panel could never do.

 

[TiggerToo]

If getting a wind generator I would look at getting one where the regulator/controller can switch/dampen the speed to 'slow', for those moments when no noise is wanted.

our Marlec HRDX does just that. My view is that I have nowhere good to put up a solar panel and that in the UK irradiation and good wind make the two systems about evenly matched.

 

[maxi77]

Noise was the prime objection to the Air-X range but, as some threads have earlier discussed, there are alternative blades on the market that cure that. The problem was that for aerodynamic efficiency the original blades were finely tapered, losing rigidity at the tips and permitting flutter, which caused the irritating whistling noise. I believe the newer Air Breeze units no longer have that thinner, flexible tip design, so presumably they are quieter.

My own Air-X is not very noisy in normal winds and of course, I would never engage it in a marina - which would have shore power anyway. At anchorage I am rarely near enough to anyone and have never had any complaints - or even any black looks that I have noticed.

Wind generators are not in competition to solar panels but rather complementary when one opts for a model with some significant output - the only reason to have one, in my opinion. When I have enough wind to sail I generally have enough to generate plenty of Amps to keep the beers cold in the refrigerator, which my solar panel could never do.

The only units prevented from turning were the 913s, so in the last marina every time the wind got up all you heard was the wooosh wooosh on every gust. This applied to all the high output types, apart from the 913. Now I am reasonably noise tolerant, others are not hence my suggestion to listen to units in a reasonable wind and make his own judgement. Noise is a very subjective thing, and wind generators expensive so I would suggest any purchaser would be advised to listen to them in proper action

 

[BrianH]

The only units prevented from turning were the 913s, so in the last marina every time the wind got up all you heard was the wooosh wooosh on every gust. This applied to all the high output types, apart from the 913. Now I am reasonably noise tolerant, others are not hence my suggestion to listen to units in a reasonable wind and make his own judgement. Noise is a very subjective thing, and wind generators expensive so I would suggest any purchaser would be advised to listen to them in proper action

I totally understand and would consider those, who do not inhibit their wind generators in a marina where others may be on board, to be inconsiderate.

As stated above, I always have mine switched 'off' so that it windmills silently. While just laying up I have, for the first time, taken a line from the tail to hold in a position away from prevailing winds to minimise rotating, even slowly, over the winter.

I agree, noise is subjective unless one has a dB meter in the pocket but I know that I am normally noise averse and would hate to have a really noisy wind generator. Then again, perhaps one becomes psychologically tolerant when one knows the batteries are getting their charge. A bit like the dog owners that exercise their pets near to my house - how they smile and encourage their pooches to run and bark, bark, bark, what a din that the owners seem oblivious to.

 

[photodog]

The problem I have with the Marlec is that both the small 500 series ones I have owned have had a bearing failure after only 2 seasons.... which means they get VERY noisy... and I know of at least one person who had a 913 do the same thing.....

So, I am not keen to reward Marlec with a third purchase, and I do know that the Air Breeze is silent unless its generating leccy! Unlike the MArlecs... which specifically state that you should not restrain them....

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Can the bearings in your Marlec be replaced ie can they be got at, you know a man with the tools to do the job, which will save you the expense

 

[sailorman]

Can the bearings in your Marlec be replaced ie can they be got at, you know a man with the tools to do the job, which will save you the expense

i have replaced bearings in my Aerogen, its very easy & that was some 15 yrs ago. still ok & its never turned off.
the Aerogen is very quiet all the time windy or not

 

[photodog]

Yeah, apparently its no big deal... but the damn thing is useless anyways... I want all that Ice cold beer thing like wot you had... without running the damn engine every 10 seconds!

Has it all gone thru yet??

 

[photodog]

i have replaced bearings in my Aerogen, its very easy & that was some 15 yrs ago. still ok & its never turned off.
the Aerogen is very quiet all the time windy or not

I have had others recommending the aerogen.... but its a bit agricultural looking isnt it??? Fine on some dodgy old boat... but on my high-tec modern wonder boat I fancy something a bit more space age!