Wind Generator - Anti-Vibration Mountings

[sjohn_gibson]

I need to get my head around how I am going to fit my Air Marine wind generator. To-day, the plan is to fit it on top of the mizzen mast - its free and this saves me mounting a separate pole on and already busy afterdeck.

I expect the effect of mounting 6 kg 22 feet high will have negligible effect on roll on a relatively stiff boat - LOA 11 m, Beam 3.3m and weighs 6.2 tonne.

My plan is to use a SSteel pole 0.6 m long and weld a rectangular base at one end to match the profile of the truck at the top of the mast. Then via anti-vibration mounts bolt the pole base to the truck.

Questions:
1. Has any one done this and what problems, if any did it present?

2. Any recommendations on the anti-vibration mounts I should use?

I have spent all evening browsing through the Trelleborg catalogue. There are some mounts that would do but it would be nice to hear how others have tackled this problem.


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[Ric]

Sorry to be a damp-squid, but you are mad buying an Air-Marine! They make a huge amout of noise and vibration. They market themselves by announcing that they are the most efficient wind generator - this is true if you live in the neverneverland where wind blows constantly at a steady 15 knots. For real wind that blows from 0-60knots in gusts, multibladed wind-generators are much more efficient, and produce less noise and vibration.

However, don't give up if you've sunk the cost. You presumably have a fairly big boat if you have a ketch and an Air-Marine. Google the Yahoo Group for the Amel Super Maramu - I rememeber reading on there once about a bloke who had mounted an antivibration mount for an Air Marine on his mizzen mast.

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[Talbot]

I have only ever seen them mounted about half way up the mast on a mount very similar to the radar scanner mount.

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[Robin]

Don't mount it any higher than you can reach to tie it up. You will want to do this for peace and quiet, if not for yourselves for others nearby, some marinas (ours included) even insist that Airmarines are tied off.

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[sjohn_gibson]

Your comments on noise are noted.
I looked at a couple of the other forums - it would appear the new Air-X is quieter and further improvement can be had from smoothing the blades.

Does anyone have experience of the the switch that kills output and silences it?



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[Robin]

There will still come a time you will want to tie it off I believe and mast mounted makes it difficult. We have an Aerogen 6 which is multibladed and has a very similar output to the Airmarine, much quieter too. Despite having a fitted regulator and split charging up to 3 banks ours is still often tied off, for example:-

In our berth, we have smart 220v shorepower charging

Under engine for other than short periods (it confuses the smart regulators on the alternators)

When working on the electrics, like changing a battery

When it is not needed, why wear out it's bearings etc and have (any) unnecessary noise

I think the idea of the switch is like an electrical 'brake', how effective that is or how it is done though I have no idea, hopefully someone else might!



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[webcraft]

We've got an Aerogen 4. Aerogen themselves recommend not tying the machine off because it can 'rock' on the bearings and create a flat spot which produces unnecessary noise and vibration. Ours is certainly a little noisier than ideal at certain speeds, but it's all rotary bearing noise - the blades are virtually silent at all speeds.

A new set of main bearings is only about £12, and it looks easy to change them.

- Nick


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[aph]

I have an Air marine X mounted on a gantry aft. Dont listen to the comments about being mad to fit one. The x is much quieter than the old models but it does make a big difference if the blades are rubbed down with fine wet and dry and polished. Output is far better than my previous Aerogen. Probably twice the performance. Contrary to the info on tying it off there is no need. You can fit a switch to stop the blades turning at any time as recommended by AirMarine so if you put it on the mizzen you can still stop it, however, make sure it is a 3 way switch that breaks and makes as you are shorting the circuit. It works fine. Also the X does not feather noisily like the older model as it has an electronic sensing device which slows the blades. Initially there was a lot of vibration in the aft cabin, but after fitting heavy rubber packing to the stanchion base and supports it was just fine. As far as noise goes in our marina there is more racket from loose halyards.

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[Robin]

Replacing the bearings is easy enough IF you can take the unit apart! We had a bearing go on ours and having had an Aerogen 4 on our last boat knew how difficult it is to take apart after a year or two in the marine environment, so took it to LVM to do. LVM are delightful people to deal with, we dropped our unit off at 10.30 and picked it up done after lunch, but they took the 'easy' route and replaced the blade assembly complete as well as the main casting because the shaft had frozen in the blade hub and they had the problems we expected. They gave us the old blade assembly complete to use as spare blades - if I can ever split the hub and get them out!

Ours is acceptably quiet in use, even to someone sleeping in the stern cabin although there is a wind 'rush' noise as a gust goes by if you are relaxing in the cockpit that is distracting rather than annoying. However we have big battery banks and also a big solar panel on our gantry so most of the time the Aerogen isn't required unless we are staying put some time without shorepower or engine, hence the reason it gets tied off.

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[Robin]

There is surely no need for a wind generator in a marina when silent 220v is available, and noisy halyards are just as antisocial, as also are diesel generators on mobos. As I said our marina and others insist on Airmarine types being stopped, they don't differentiate between mk1 & mk2 models either.

I would agree the Airmarine output is higher than the normal Aerogen 4, but the Aerogen 6 which we have has the same outputs, both quoted and as tested in comparison tests. Ours is mounted on a rigid 50mm tube which is part of our stern gantry/goalposts, there was no need at all for heavy rubber packing to reduce the noise and vibration to acceptable levels, nor did we have to sand and polish the blades ourselves to reduce air noise!

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[sjohn_gibson]

Thanks every one for the advice.

APH: could you please send me a PM with a few details on the rubber mount you used.

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[LadyInBed]

Putting the gen at the top of the mizzen will make fore a longer cable run and associated loss of voltage unless you also increase the cable diameter.
I put my Rutland 913 on an L bracket just above hand reach on the mizzen with a rubber pad (car inner tube) between the bracket and mast, this works very well.


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[snowleopard]

i mounted my air marine in rubber bushes which i cast in place. the support post is mounted in a locker about 9 ins deep at the back of the cockpit and passes through the grp goalpost. the support tube is aluminium scaffold pole as specified by air marine.

i glassed in place two short lengths of plastic drainpipe then inserted the aluminium pole which left a gap of 1/4 in all round. i then poured in liquid rubber of the type used to make moulds for candles, plaster models etc. it comes in two packs which you mix and pour. a little sound is transmitted to the hull but much less than by direct mounting.

i have a stop switch which reduces rotation to 30 rpm and have never needed to tie the blades. i do however find the blade noise unpleasant when charging.

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