bushwacka
Active Member
Does anyone have any experience they can share with installing a Rutland 1200 for charging lithium batteries? Is it a straightforward instal or are there complexities invloved and is it worth the expense?
Rutland 1200 wind generator for lithium charging
- Thread starter bushwacka
- Start date
Minerva
Well-Known Member
Following with interest.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
An engineer friend used average wind speeds and sun hours for the UK S coast to compare what power he could get from a Rutland wind gen and the same money spent on solar power. Solar power came out ahead by a significant margin. Of course, if you have to pay someone to build a transom arch to hold the panels, it might change the equation a bit.
Other advantages of solar is that there are no moving parts out in all weathers, and it's silent.
Other advantages of solar is that there are no moving parts out in all weathers, and it's silent.
sealutions
New Member
We have a Rutland 1200 on our own boat. It's a great wind generator. We also have a 400w solar array.
As Stemar has suggested, pound for pound, solar is better value. However, not all wind generators are equal, and the Rutland 1200 is up there in terms of efficiency and it's ability to produce power at relatively low wind speeds, less than 5Kn. Not to mention, a wind generator takes up a lot less space than £2,000 worth of solar panels.
Stemar has not mentioned whether this research was based on a static installation sailing boat, where apparent wind speeds when sailing, especially upwind are regularly 15-20Kn+. If you look at Rutland's power curve, at 15Kn of wind, it's producing around 120W (10A on a 12v installation), at 20kn your at around 250W, and at 21.5kn your getting 290W (24A @12v).... to get 20A from solar, you will need a decent array that isn't suffering from shade - often hard on sailing yacht especially.
Our own solar array is on a stern arch/gantry. If we are sailing towards the sun, the array is often shaded either entirely or partially by the rig. If we are sailing upwind in even a modest breeze, then the Rutland really produces some good output, easily 20A plus (12v system), more than the panels would produce in anything but the most optimum conditions.
Not to mention, once the sun goes down, if there is a breeze, the Rutland is still happily topping the batteries up.
I'm not necessarily arguing Stemar's point, but it's not that clear cut in practice on a yacht. Our modest solar array and Rutland 1200 combo allows our boat to be off grid indefinitely (just), running a large fridge, freezer, water maker, inverter for laptops etc, water maker, lights etc. And this is on AGM's, not lithium. We don't have generator and never have to run the engine to top up the batteries. Having said that, I don't think we could rely on either the wind or solar alone to fulfil this requirement. Admittedly If we were to upgrade to LifePo4 then it would be far easier to hardness and store enough energy to survive on solar alone, but I would still keep the Rutland.
Now, to answer bushwacka's question, there are no complexities specific to lithium when it comes to the installation beyond the usual fusing etc (the case for any installation). However, you do need to inform Marlec that it's for a lithium bank when you order it, as they will need to supply the charge controller pre-configured with a lithium charging profile.
As Stemar has suggested, pound for pound, solar is better value. However, not all wind generators are equal, and the Rutland 1200 is up there in terms of efficiency and it's ability to produce power at relatively low wind speeds, less than 5Kn. Not to mention, a wind generator takes up a lot less space than £2,000 worth of solar panels.
Stemar has not mentioned whether this research was based on a static installation sailing boat, where apparent wind speeds when sailing, especially upwind are regularly 15-20Kn+. If you look at Rutland's power curve, at 15Kn of wind, it's producing around 120W (10A on a 12v installation), at 20kn your at around 250W, and at 21.5kn your getting 290W (24A @12v).... to get 20A from solar, you will need a decent array that isn't suffering from shade - often hard on sailing yacht especially.
Our own solar array is on a stern arch/gantry. If we are sailing towards the sun, the array is often shaded either entirely or partially by the rig. If we are sailing upwind in even a modest breeze, then the Rutland really produces some good output, easily 20A plus (12v system), more than the panels would produce in anything but the most optimum conditions.
Not to mention, once the sun goes down, if there is a breeze, the Rutland is still happily topping the batteries up.
I'm not necessarily arguing Stemar's point, but it's not that clear cut in practice on a yacht. Our modest solar array and Rutland 1200 combo allows our boat to be off grid indefinitely (just), running a large fridge, freezer, water maker, inverter for laptops etc, water maker, lights etc. And this is on AGM's, not lithium. We don't have generator and never have to run the engine to top up the batteries. Having said that, I don't think we could rely on either the wind or solar alone to fulfil this requirement. Admittedly If we were to upgrade to LifePo4 then it would be far easier to hardness and store enough energy to survive on solar alone, but I would still keep the Rutland.
Now, to answer bushwacka's question, there are no complexities specific to lithium when it comes to the installation beyond the usual fusing etc (the case for any installation). However, you do need to inform Marlec that it's for a lithium bank when you order it, as they will need to supply the charge controller pre-configured with a lithium charging profile.
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steve yates
Well-Known Member
Seems to be its not an either/or situation as long as the budget allows. Solar would prob be a natural first choice but adding wind seems to be a supremely logical idea. Especially for boats afloat in the shoulder or winter seasons. You get charge then almost regardless of the weather, those days and days of thick cloud, pissing rain and howling wind are no longer a power issue 
lustyd
Well-Known Member
As long as the wind gen doesn’t shade the solar. So many installations ruin the solar with a wind gen just for convenient mounting.
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
That's a bit market limiting. I am probably going to replace my aged AirX 400 but I wouldn't buy a wind generator that can't be user configured for LiFePO4. The blurb on Rutland's web page states the controller is only for FLA, AGM and Gel.
Rutland 1200 Marine Windcharger | Marlec
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Wind gen to start battery, B2B to lithium. No different to most of our alternators, and it’s lower current so no issue.
geem
Well-Known Member
In my experience, that doesnt work so well. The low output of a wind turbine just ensures that the B2B charger switches in and out constantly.
I have found that the theoretical and actual power production of a wind turbine are a long way apart. Wind turbines have a habit of oscillating from side to side. Half the time they over shoot the actual wind direction so they see far less output than you would expect. The wind speed varies so much that daily outputs are always far less than you would expect as well.
We used a 1.1m diameter wind turbine for 20 years. In that period, solar has improved dramatically and is far cheaper.
Here in the Caribbean we see boat from all nationalities. The number of those with wind turbines has dropped hugely in favour of larger solar installations
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sealutions
New Member
True but boats are full of compromises. Our array falls within this category but have the four panels wired in 2 pairs on separate MPPTs so that if the panel(s) directly adjacent to the turbine are shaded the other two are still working optimally. To be honest, I have absolutely no complaints with their performance.
I have an email from Marlec stating "The controller would have to be re-programmed for use with lithium.". However, this was a few years ago.
Best to contact them and get the current information from the horses mouth.
I would 100% wire the wind gen to the lithium bank if the controller was suitable/programmed to do so.
Again, not all wind gens are equal. Most are horrible, noisy and low output. The Rutland 1200 is a sturdy unit. Whilst I haven't got particularly scientific in my measurements, the output is pretty much in line with what they claim.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Me too. I was replying to how to do it if it wasn’t suitable
Minerva
Well-Known Member
Well, yeah - in a Caribbean solar would be a no brainer.
For those of us in more temperate climates who sail year round, having a wind turbine to compliment an existing solar array is a different proposition altogether.
