Which Wind Genny? The panel are invited to steer me in the right direction

To add to what has already been said ...
I have a British Hunter 245 which is only slightly smaller than a Centaur. It used to have an Aero4gen wind generator. I removed it because it was:
a. noisy (though not as bad as some);
b. unwieldy, and
c. downright bloody DANGEROUS! a 25' (or 26') boat is not big enough to mount it where there is no risk of it impacting someone.
It did keep the batteries charged though.
Incidentally I used to have 2 batteries, one for engine start and one for domestics. I found that, once I had removed the Aero4gen, one domestic (about 80 Ah) wasn't enough (even before I fitted a Waeco 'fridge). Adding another domestic battery solved this. The engine start battery doesn't need to be physically big providing it can give lots of cranking amps.
 
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After 9 years of running a Rutland 913 and being very pleased with it, I decided to replace it with a 100w semi flexible solar panel; it charges the batteries quicker, there no weight and it is noise free. Solar technology has improved a lot in the last few years. I therefore suggest that you consider solar panels and one more battery. Also, I too have a fridge which is a small domestic from Argos for less than £80, it is silent and consumes less power than my old electric cool box.
 
Not a Rutland 914. Windings burnt out once, controller burnt out 3 times. At sea, it spends a lot of its time spinning round and round horizontally rather than turning the blades. It needs some form of damper, when I explained this to Marlec at a boat show they had no idea what I was talking about. Also their figures for wind speed and amps are decidely optimistic.
 
I've had an aero4gen that's been through several winters with no ill effects; it generates plenty of power and I don't have a problem with noise (although a little 'clunk' at slow speeds suggests a bearing replacement is probably in order).

Previously I had a Rutland (500) that ended up being an expensive white elephant, and caused more trouble than it was worth.

I only have a Maplin solar briefcase on the boat, but I'm impressed with my home PV system... the combination of solar and wind should be a winner.
 
michael_w said:
Not a Rutland 914. Windings burnt out once, controller burnt out 3 times. At sea, it spends a lot of its time spinning round and round horizontally rather than turning the blades. It needs some form of damper, when I explained this to Marlec at a boat show they had no idea what I was talking about. Also their figures for wind speed and amps are decidely optimistic.
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Yes, they tend to just spin around in circles when sailing and blades remain stationary. Strange that Marlec didn't know what you were talking about as it is a very common complaint. I think that the weight of the blades, magnet etc. jut slightly ahead of pivot point is just enough to overcome the weigh of the lighter, but longer, tail fin. So the whole assembly simply spins around on the pole when slightly heeled in moderate wind and the blades spend as much time off the wind as on. I usually use a line from the tail to hold it stationary at roughly the correct angle and the blades then pick up speed.

When you see Rutland 913s spinning merrily in 6-7knots of wind they are only putting out about 0.1A and voltage is probably not high enough to put any of that into the battery.

OP should certainly consider solar first and if more cash/space available then buy more solar. Only fit wind-gen if lots of money left over and short of space for more solar.
 
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michael_w said:
At sea, it spends a lot of its time spinning round and round horizontally rather than turning the blades. It needs some form of damper, when I explained this to Marlec at a boat show they had no idea what I was talking about.
Yes, you do wonder whether they test them anywhere but on a pole next to the factory. My Aerogen 4 used to flop about like that, particularly when heeled. I threw away the original wind vane and knocked up a bigger, slightly heavier one from GRP. Problem solved.
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Well its seems like I am now swayed to solar panel(s) as there are some nifty ss fittings that will facilitate my possible installation.

Then again I may just get a semi flexible and put it on the coach roof and suffer the shading by the various boaty bits anmd find another use for my now redundant wind genny pole.

Once again many thanks to all for the many views and comments, it has helped.

Unc
 
I can't remember if my pannel is 40W or bigger. I mounted it on the hatch garage where I don't need to step on it when tidying up/taming the main.

After two seasons I'm happy with the way it looks after my 200 AHr domestic bank and am thinking about fitting a fridge. I had to make a bigger battery box to take 2x100 AHr leisure batteries.

The engine shares the charging duty between the engine battery and domestic but the solar is only connected to the domestic.

Link to pic: http://s340.photobucket.com/user/aq...May-June cruise/IMG_0827_zps6ab5259f.jpg.html

The pannel is longer than ideal but it doesn't get in the way mounted sideways where it looked vulnerable mounted fore/aft.
 
robmcg said:
If its just the magnets the OP has lost from his aerogen 2, I have a second hand set you could have if that helps?
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That sounds wonderful any pictures possible to enable an assessment. I am in Essex so a long way to go on spec but happy to travel if needs must.

Please PM me if you see fit.

Ta
Unc
 
Hi Bob thanks, tomorrow is a day to get to the boat to do some measuring to see what panel would fit. In particular the distance between grab handles port/stbd and the distance from front edge of the opened hatch to an unaffected position on the coach roof.

As I have in mast furling I very rarely have to walk on the coach roof so a semi flexible one would be ok. Did I mention that its Centaur like yours.

As can be seen from other messages here maybe, just maybe, the Aerogen will rise from its (magnetic) ashes!!! So all is being evaluated at present.

Unc
 
UncleAlbert said:
That sounds wonderful any pictures possible to enable an assessment. I am in Essex so a long way to go on spec but happy to travel if needs must.

Please PM me if you see fit.

Ta
Unc
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No probs with pictures but I am away at the boat until Friday night so could send you some on Saturday? If they look like they will do the job, I can post them to you if that helps?
Rob
 
If the magnets fit, you can get the Aerogen up and running and you get a small solar you will be one of the lucky ones with an ideal set up.

Good luck with the magnets.

These threads leave so many unanswered questions - why one earth does someone have spare magnets?

Jonathan
 
robmcg said:
No probs with pictures but I am away at the boat until Friday night so could send you some on Saturday? If they look like they will do the job, I can post them to you if that helps?
Rob
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Many thanks. Enjoy your time on the boat (despite this rubbish weather which is coming through).
There is no huge time pressure on me to get this sorted.
I await with huge excitement the prospect of your pictures and the potential rejuvenation of the fan.

Unc
 
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