DuoGen wind & water generator feedback

I bought and fitted one to a boat we had some 11 years ago, water mode was brilliant a constant stream of wiggly amps charging the batteries so long as the boat kept moving. At anchor in wind mode was fairly good but needed a good breeze to really get it going. As I recall the charging figures were pretty much what they described on their webpage.

I would have one again if I had room for it might have to just settle for the sailgen as my a frame would be in the way for the duo version
 
We fitted one three years ago. Unfortunately our sailing patterns changed shortly after, so it hasn't had the use we anticipated.

However:
1. generation from wind is much as I expected. Which is to say, modest: I've had wind gens before. Still, it's useful if it's dull and windy, otherwise solar produces all we need. In this respect, it's principle attraction is that you can use it when conditions suit, but the rest of the time you can telescope it down so it won't be shading the solar panels like almost every other wind gen you see.
2. We haven't used it a lot in water mode but, as Scillypete writes, it's excellent. From speaking to others the main issue is clouting things or being eaten by would-be Moby Dicks, not that we've experienced either.
3. No way would we have paid full whack for one (unless, perhaps, we were contemplating an ocean crossing). Ours came from a boat 30 metres away in the marina, price €200. Hard to refuse.
4. The one time I contacted the manufacturer (in Nottingham, where the wife's from, so that was a bonus), they were responsive and helpful.
 
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TQA said:
What I don't see are working windmode Duogens.
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Just clarifying, TQA: when you say you don't see working Duogens in wind mode, are you're suggesting the ones you see can't work, or just aren't deployed to do so? I've no axe to grind either way but, as I described in post #3, ours spends little time deployed for wind solely because solar is usually so much more productive. The main function of conventional wind gens in the Med summer seems to be to stop adjacent panels getting sunburn ;)
 
macd said:
Just clarifying, TQA: when you say you don't see working Duogens in wind mode, are you're suggesting the ones you see can't work, or just aren't deployed to do so? I've no axe to grind either way but, as I described in post #3, ours spends little time deployed for wind solely because solar is usually so much more productive. The main function of conventional wind gens in the Med summer seems to be to stop adjacent panels getting sunburn ;)
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Sometimes the fan is not fitted, if it is the fan does not follow the wind so does not turn. I have assisted with bearing replacement as I had a set of taps and dies and was able to sort out some threads to hold the thing together.

The owner of the DuoGen said that the bearings were a known weakness. It might be worthwhile to look into the latest developments in corrosion resistant ceramic ball races.

Oddly enough there is one on a boat in my current anchorage and it does not seem to turn.
 
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