Wind Generator Etiquette..

[marklongstaff]

I am in favour of using the wind as a means of charging batteries but having being moored alongside a boat that shall remain nameless over the weekend at a location that shall remain nameless in the Solent. The noise that it made when it stared up was like a helicopter taking off!!

Other boats around had their blades tethered...

So what does the panel thinkl?

 

[sailorman]

voted "yes" as my Aerogen is very quiet & above head height

 

[Sans Bateau]

My wind genny is totally silent. Its in the loft above the garage.

 

[Kawasaki]

I know the Solent has a double ended boyage system but a location called "nameless" and a boat with the same name I don,t think you,ve got a problem. Strange place The Solent.
Anyway with all the "chat" that apparently goes on on Channel 16 (Radio check please!) Don,t think anyone will hear your Air Prop!

Leave it engaged anyway, create some" Pontoon Rage" if nothing else! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jimmynoboat]

Completely depends on how noisy it is. I spent a week on a boat with one this summer which was so quiet you'd hardly know it was there.

 

[pelicanpete]

I don't have one on my boat but have been around enough to form an opinion...(I also read it in a PBO article, I think!)...those wind generators where the fin stands mainly above the blade's axis are quiet (e.g.Aerogen). Those that look like an airplane in inverted flight i.e the fin is below the blade's axis, are noisy.

 

[mikemacdonald]

the old Rutland 913 regulator used to let the generator free ru when batteries where fully charged, that sounded like a Jumbo take off,.the latest regs electro-dynamically brake the generator to slow it down..... less noise outside but a varying noise inside the boat. Acceptable, knowing you have fully charged batteries. The 3 vane rotors ie, Merlin etc are noisy, efficient yes, but user friendly ..no my vote..tie it down for a peaceful night al round

 

[MOTORBÅD]

Noise is not the only problem.
I once had a neighbour in the marina who was running the wind gen.
When the sun was shining through the mill it created a strobeeffect
which was very annoing.
He was a gentleman, so presented with the problem he turned it off.

Motorbåd

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]
I am in favour of using the wind as a means of charging batteries but having being moored alongside a boat that shall remain nameless over the weekend at a location that shall remain nameless in the Solent. The noise that it made when it stared up was like a helicopter taking off!!


[/ QUOTE ]

Seems NIMBY to me... you're either in favour, or not.

I'm in favour of nuclear power, windfarms, whatever,... as long as it does not affect me. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[JerryHawkins]

...yes...

but only if you have a quiet one. Our DuoGen seems to be one of the quietest (for its power output). It only seems to be the AirMarine or AirX types that produce the really offensive noise.

Jerry

 

[Pie]

On my mates boat it is called a carrot chopper, and very useful it is too. If it disturbs us and other around we tether it as only polite. However when on shore power it is useless and we find it only adds a slight humming interference when listening to the stereo, thus forcing us to turn the volume up /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Can’t really isolate wind generators as being the top culprit above loose halyards, rigging and other social noise. If it is not one thing it will be another.

 

[dulcibella]

I'd use my Duogen on a swinging mooring or anchorage but certainly not if rafted or in a marina berth. Even on an anchorage I usually shut it down in the evening - it interferes with the peace + bird sounds which is much of the pleasure of an anchorage. I'd sooner be off Hamstead point with an oil lantern and the nightingales than with a full domestic battery but missing the soprano section.

 

[Marmalade]

Ours is silent up to F5 - over that it disturbs us so we tend to tie it off. If in a marina we tie it off anyway as we're on shore power. Don't often raft so normally at anchor we'd be far enough away not to disturb anyone

 

[graham]

I couldnt hear any wind generators yesterday afternoon...In fact I couldnt hear anything over the noise of this monster

They are extending Portishead Marina and this is breaking up the old quay wall.I intended returning home on the pm tide but sailed on the morning tide instead.

Better view looking this way.Vega squeezed between two mobos.

 

[LadyInBed]

Mine just makes a satisfying whoosh when the wind gets up. I can sleep without problem directly below it. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Much more annoying is the clank of halyards.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Misread the poll, voted yes when I meant no!!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep, my Aerogen made so little noise that it was pretty much inaudible.... so I voted yes....

 

[stevebrassett]

I'm on a swinging mooring, so if the wind is light enough for the noise to carry, then the generator is either stopped, or very quiet. If the wind is high enough for the generator to be noisy, then the noise is whipped away by the wind. I may change things when I bring it into the marina for the winter.

 

[bumblefish]

I am sure, well fairly sure, that I read if you lash the blades on a wind generator you subject one or other side of the device to 'undue' stress and stuff the bearings. So you either take it down or let it run,, maybe the un-named vessel had previously tried to keep it quiet and consequently the bearings have gone?

 

[michael_w]

AirX windmills are a real pain, not only horrendously noisy, but an excellent scource of RF interference. The other one to be avoided is the Wind Baron. A huge contraption that sounds like Robert Duval's helicopter in Apocolypse Now!

In the Caribbean I used to choose our spot in the anchorage to be as far away as possible from the wretched Air X equipped boats. My Honda genset made less noise!