Erwin Swart
Well-Known Member
Looking for a wind generator and want to know which brand has your preference
which wind generator?
- Thread starter Erwin Swart
- Start date
duncan99210
Well-Known Member
I have an Aquair 100:it’s mainly a towed generator but I’ve got the conversion kit to make it into a wind turbine. I rarely go to the hassle of hoisting it but if the winds above about 15 knots it produces useful electricity.
Mistroma
Well-Known Member
Might be an idea to give a little more detail about requirements (type of use weekend use/live full time), systems in place (mains available/solar fitted etc.), battery type and size. I assume the boat is based near Amsterdam.
My own thoughts are that you should spend the money on more solar if you have any space left. A small wind-gen (e.g. Rutland 913) won't produce very much for the cost involved. The main factor is swept area and that's pretty easy to find for each model. The Rutland 914 is better, perhaps mainly due to the MPPT controller and minor aerodynamic tweaks.
I always averaged 7-10Ah/day during the summer months on West coast of Scotland, France, Spain etc. over several years. I did get 1-2 days per season with 100-140Ah/day and very many with virtually no useful output.
I'd need to check some figures but think a 30-40W panel lying flat on deck in Holland would probably average about the same as a Rutland 913 in May, June and July. You'd probably need 40-45W to keep up in April and May. Solar is excellent in summer but wind obviously overtakes it in winter.
I hope that this is of some use but realise you might have good reason to want a wind-gen (e..g every flat surface already covered in solar). People often say thing like "my wind-gen is great", "meets all my needs" etc. and don't describe their requirements or how they'd measured output (I monitored mine daily for several years).
My own thoughts are that you should spend the money on more solar if you have any space left. A small wind-gen (e.g. Rutland 913) won't produce very much for the cost involved. The main factor is swept area and that's pretty easy to find for each model. The Rutland 914 is better, perhaps mainly due to the MPPT controller and minor aerodynamic tweaks.
I always averaged 7-10Ah/day during the summer months on West coast of Scotland, France, Spain etc. over several years. I did get 1-2 days per season with 100-140Ah/day and very many with virtually no useful output.
I'd need to check some figures but think a 30-40W panel lying flat on deck in Holland would probably average about the same as a Rutland 913 in May, June and July. You'd probably need 40-45W to keep up in April and May. Solar is excellent in summer but wind obviously overtakes it in winter.
I hope that this is of some use but realise you might have good reason to want a wind-gen (e..g every flat surface already covered in solar). People often say thing like "my wind-gen is great", "meets all my needs" etc. and don't describe their requirements or how they'd measured output (I monitored mine daily for several years).
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
We have a Superwind. Mactra Marine Equipment - Superwind Wind Generator 350
It’s very quiet. Too many wind generators are very noisy in my experience.
It’s very quiet. Too many wind generators are very noisy in my experience.
Erwin Swart
Well-Known Member
@Mistroma: usage for weekend up to 7 days off-shore trips. Would like to keep fridge running, using al nav instruments plus auto pilot (no wind vane which is still on wishlist); all light bulbs has been exchanged by LED. 270Amp multi-purpose batteries. Do also have solar panel though this isnt charging overnight
Looking to the latest wind generators like silent wind, air breeze, superwind, others? Most important is limited noise, reliability and life span
Looking to the latest wind generators like silent wind, air breeze, superwind, others? Most important is limited noise, reliability and life span
Bristolfashion
Well-Known Member
I have an older Rutland which is quiet and keeps working - it came with the boat so I'm not sure of the exact age, but I'm impressed with the longevity.
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Seconded, get as many solar panels as you can fit. Doesn't have to be expensive 'marine' stuff either.
I was disctinctly unimpressed with the Rutland 913 performance on my previous boat.
The AirX I had on the boat before that had a useful output, however the noise it made was quite off-putting. Like having a small helicopter hovering over the boat.
For longer spells offshore, I would look at fitting some sort of hydrogenerator.
Something like this (Watt and Sea, hydrogenerator Cruising 300) is on my wishlist, but at the moment it's out of my financial reach.
Or look to buy a used Aquair towed generator.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
Once upon a time, a wind generator was all you could get. That didn't make it effective, just available. Now I'd argue that, in most cases, the best wind generator is a solar panel
ashtead
Well-Known Member
I don’t know if you have any neighbours but a noisy turbine blade spinning around might not be welcome to some . Maybe though are located miles from others but my impression having looked at acquiring one is they are quite intrusive for little gain. I did see someone adding a drop down hydro generator and they looked much more the way to go if solar panels don’t suffice
doug748
Well-Known Member
Aerogens were very good, quiet and reliable, I had one that ran for nearly 20 years. Only available secondhand now, though and spares are getting difficult to find.
Wind generators in general can be very good on a swinging mooring but not so useful in a marina. Avoid cheap, Chinese vertical axis models which are hopeless.
I agree with the others, AirX (and others of the same type) make an awful noise.
.
Wind generators in general can be very good on a swinging mooring but not so useful in a marina. Avoid cheap, Chinese vertical axis models which are hopeless.
I agree with the others, AirX (and others of the same type) make an awful noise.
.
CJ13
Well-Known Member
I’ve PM’d you. I have an Air Breeze for sale with aerodynamic quiet blades.
TernVI
Well-Known Member
That adds up to quite a lot of current.
I suggest putting together a 'power budget'.
I think it takes a big windmill to reliably power a fridge.
Solar and being prepared to run your engine once a day seems to work better for most people these days.
Mistroma
Well-Known Member
I doubt a wind-gen will be that much help to be honest. It will help reduce power drain on overnight sails if F4 upwards Batteries seem undersized for the gear you'd run when sailing overnight. Output won't be great downwind and the Rutland tends to spin uselessly when heeled (a line to the tail fin will help greatly). A towed generator will give you more power than you are likely to need when sailing in a moderate breeze. Nav. lights use a lot of power but it sounds as if you have uograded them already. Power saving measures have the biggest impact of anything else you can try.
simonfraser
Well-Known Member
You’d do better with a solar panel as none of the turbines provide anything useful under 20 knots
NormanS
Well-Known Member
Having had a Rutland 913 disintegrate in a gale, and its replacement 914i fail due to inadequate brush gear, I am ever so slightly biased against wind turbines. If you are determined to fit one, install it on an accessible pole, so that in a gale it can be stopped and tied off. Mine were up on the mizzen mast, so in gale conditions almost impossible to deal with. I now have 140 watts of fixed frame PV panels, which perform silently and perfectly.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
In common with several others I know, I binned my Aerogen. It was useful in the UK to top up batteries when boat left on mooring all week but when out and about sailing and on long trips, produced little power. Solar far cheaper and more output, even on overcast days.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
You'll need one of these, you need more battery capacity and a decent amount of solar to last a week, you'll even struggle to last a weekend without running the engine or plugging into shore power :
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Our Superwind gets turned off by switch below. No need to tie it off.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
The instructions for Rutland turbines expressly say not to switch off at the controller when there is much wind, although even when asked, they declined to give a figure for either amps or windspeed.
(For obvious reasons, I no longer have the actual instruction manual, so am unable to quote).
GHA
Well-Known Member
Same here, pretty sure in the last decade plus it's cost more Ah in shading a panel than the few days a year it actually produced anything useful.
