Aquair 100

[DaveyG]

Just got one of these, and thought I'd service it before use.

Does anyone know how to remove the blind back end bearing ?

Also, the towed capabilities are well covered in the forum, but there is not much about the wind generator capabilities, what are your experiences ?

Finally, anybody had any need for a regulator, or do you just attach it to the batteries via fuse and 10A ammeter and switch off when full / not aboard ?

 

[DaveyG]

ok, I'll answer my own blind bearing question. Obvs you can buy or hire a specialised puller.
Or you can stuff wet kitchen paper down the shaft hole, and use a dolly a bit smaller than the bearing shaft hole (socket set T bar with a couple of wraps of electrical tape), compress the paper then bash the the dolly into the shaft hole, adding more paper as needed. After a bit of usual kerfuffle, out pops the bearing. If you dont have kitchen paper u can use bread - videos on u tube for non believers...

Still looking for answers to Q2 and Q3 tho

 

[Goldie]

I used one of these for a few years on my previous boat and I found the output graph in the manual to be pretty accurate. The manual’s at home with the Aquair (I retained them but current boat came with wind gen and Aquair of its own) but from memory, the output in wind mode is quite low - a couple of Amps or so - until wind speeds of 15kts plus when it ramps up markedly. I did fit Ampair’s own reg but it wasn’t entirely satisfactory and in the end, wired a fused supply which I would switch off - usually by tying up or lowering the wind gen when not in use.

I suggest having a look online for the manual though. Any idea what the going rate for these things is? Mine’s just sitting at home now.

Edit: yes, manual is available online. The graph (p19) is more optimistic than the results I remember.

 

[TQA]

I used one for 7 years. More or less continuous use. Never touched the bearings as they still felt fine after 7 years. No regulator.

In water mode about an amp per knot above 4 knots.

In wind mode not much say an amp at 10 12 knots windspeed 3 amps at 15 knots. One major benefit is it's ability to cope with very high wind speeds without self destructing.

 

[Kukri]

I'm interested as I have an Aquair and AGM batteries and I am scared of using it to charge them without a regulator.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Can't help with the AGM batteries, but with regular lead acids, we found the Ampair 100 (wind only) was brilliant at anchor all winter long in the trades, but next to useless sailing downwind in the trades as the apparent wind was too low.

It was also of limited use on the New England / Canada seaboard during the summer.

I would have thought the Aquair would be great when sailing briskly and certainly worth hauling aloft in 15 / 20kts plus at anchor.

They are certainly stormproof!

 

[duncan99210]

Manual to download here https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1395286/Ampair-Aquair-100.html?page=2#manual

We don’t use ours in the wind mode much: too much hassle to convert unless the wind is predicted over 15 knots for a couple of days. Never used it in the wind mode whilst sailing, always used it in the water mode where the output mirrors TQAs findings.

Good bit of kit, pity it’s gone out of production now. I’ve found a set up in Falmouth who made a new breakaway connector for me and will make a new propeller if needed.