OldBawley
Active member
I agree that solar is superior to wind for generating power on a yacht.
We have 170 watt solar power, a mast mounted Aerogen 4 and now the “Big whopper”
( The wing makes a faint whopping noise only audible standing just behind the gen. )
As a full time non marina or quayside liveaboard I realised that even in the Med the winter sun is unable to charge a normal battery bank and cover daily consumption.
The sun is to low, daylight to short, lots of days without good sun.
Battery’s need to be charged for many many hours in absorbsion after the first bulk charging.
Some websites quote up to 10 hours of absorbsion charging.
Not possible using only sun, so inevitably the battery’s start dying.
I had the means and knowledge to build a low windage generator costing only about 80 €.
Bought the Ametek motor, a diode and some chain sprockets and chain.
I have lathe on board and have to be inventive, money wise.
The wind gen loads at low wind speeds when commercial “Off the shelf” windgens load nothing.
Making a commercial windgen like mine would be a financial disaster. Way to expensive because of the gearing and not salable because of the big propeller.
What is more, there needs to be someone on board to stop the big whopper when the wind picks up.
Not foolproof.
My “contraption “ can be mounted / stowed in a few minutes.
I am happy with it, since I use the big windgen my battery’s are 100%. Before I had to buy a new set every two years.
I can email a link to a photobucket album containing some pics and vids of the windgen.
Just ask.
We have 170 watt solar power, a mast mounted Aerogen 4 and now the “Big whopper”
( The wing makes a faint whopping noise only audible standing just behind the gen. )
As a full time non marina or quayside liveaboard I realised that even in the Med the winter sun is unable to charge a normal battery bank and cover daily consumption.
The sun is to low, daylight to short, lots of days without good sun.
Battery’s need to be charged for many many hours in absorbsion after the first bulk charging.
Some websites quote up to 10 hours of absorbsion charging.
Not possible using only sun, so inevitably the battery’s start dying.
I had the means and knowledge to build a low windage generator costing only about 80 €.
Bought the Ametek motor, a diode and some chain sprockets and chain.
I have lathe on board and have to be inventive, money wise.
The wind gen loads at low wind speeds when commercial “Off the shelf” windgens load nothing.
Making a commercial windgen like mine would be a financial disaster. Way to expensive because of the gearing and not salable because of the big propeller.
What is more, there needs to be someone on board to stop the big whopper when the wind picks up.
Not foolproof.
My “contraption “ can be mounted / stowed in a few minutes.
I am happy with it, since I use the big windgen my battery’s are 100%. Before I had to buy a new set every two years.
I can email a link to a photobucket album containing some pics and vids of the windgen.
Just ask.
