VAWT Wind Turbine as an addition to solar

[GJH]

A few years ago I tried a Maplins VAWT which I bought second hand but with limited success and, in the end, found it more trouble than it was worth to keep mounting and demounting it.

Has anyone tried one of these or have any knowledge of how well they work?

 

[MisterB]

There was one type mentioned on the forums a week or so ago

 

[nicholsong]

I always warn that before buying any wind turbine they should be demonstrated mounted on a 'sound box' such as a MH or boat hull, because it is not the turbine blades that make the noise but the vibrations transferred to the box, so hearing them mounted on a solid structure is no test.

Geoff

 

[GJH]

There was one type mentioned on the forums a week or so ago

Found it thanks. A lot dearer than this one

 

[arto stu]

I have one on my boat... not that specific one... mine is only marginally useful... only gives a couple of amps at best unless its blowing a gale... best thing about it is... if you are asleep at night at anchor and the wind picks up the noise wakes you up so you can check your anchor is holding... would not bother with one on my van...if the winds that strong to cause the van to tip I would not need a wind gen to tell me!!

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[Lenny HB]

It says rated at 12m/sec which is quite low for that sort of product however that is still Force 6. At that price I can't see it being that good.
Realistically any wind turbine need constant gale force winds to produce any useable power.

 

[1881TB]

I have one on my boat... not that specific one... mine is only marginally useful... only gives a couple of amps at best unless its blowing a gale... best thing about it is... if you are asleep at night at anchor and the wind picks up the noise wakes you up so you can check your anchor is holding... would not bother with one on my van...if the winds that strong to cause the van to tip I would not need a wind gen to tell me!!

But two amps is enough to trickle charge a battery isn't it? Especially if it's going all night (when there's no solar). Is it the noise which is the main problem? I see lots on boats but hardly any on vans, although there is a German Phoenix parked near me at the moment with one going which prompted me to look at some threads on here.

 

[pappajohn]

Vibrations......

My flagpole used to drive me nuts. The flags themselves were reasonably quiet when they were flapping but the pole would resonate through the rear ladder it was attached to.

Can't see a wind generator being any different.

 

[arto stu]

But two amps is enough to trickle charge a battery isn't it? Especially if it's going all night (when there's no solar). Is it the noise which is the main problem? I see lots on boats but hardly any on vans, although there is a German Phoenix parked near me at the moment with one going which prompted me to look at some threads on here.

Yep it is... but to get 2 amps you need a fair bit of puff... dont forget boats are not in sheltered parks... they are out in bays with much more wind than u typically get inland... in a boat they are handy to give enough power to keep say your auto helm and plotter topped up in a night passage when u are under sail... but dont let what i say put u off...they will generate a bit of power.... I am a fan of a genny.... not necessary a popular view in here... but they will give you loads of power to top up yr system any time u need it.. whatever u do there are good and bad points ... my boat has wind, solar, and genny as well as the donkey engine to generate... they all have the place...

you payes yr money and takes your choice

 

[Lenny HB]

But two amps is enough to trickle charge a battery isn't it? Especially if it's going all night (when there's no solar).

Not really, van's system normally take ½ amp in standby, wind normally drops at night and I know we use around 35 a/h a day.

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[GJH]

Vibration depends on the design. The VAWT I tried was clamped to the roof bars, not on a pole, so there was no vibration and little noise.
The more expensive Forgen 500, which former member Dingray used was the same - but delivered better results than mine.

I think the main problem with mine was due to the fact that the wind tended to drop at night.
Again, the superior design of Ray's Forgen made it less sensitive to that (less heavy so works at lower wind speed I think)
The one I mentioned in the OP looks as if it might be lighter weight than mine so also less prone to needing higher winds.

 

[Guigsy]

Wind turbines need blade area and need to be in a good position. Hence the massive beasts on hill tops. A foldaway turbine in a non optimal spot is going to give enough to trickle charge you battery in storage, but not enough to live off of. Over any 24 hours, I bet a solar panel would give more juice 95% of the time.

 

[funflair]

The VAWT that you link to @GJH is nearly a metre in diameter do you really want to lug that around or is it going in he garden?

Martin

 

[jongood]

Yep it is... but to get 2 amps you need a fair bit of puff... dont forget boats are not in sheltered parks... they are out in bays with much more wind than u typically get inland... in a boat they are handy to give enough power to keep say your auto helm and plotter topped up in a night passage when u are under sail... but dont let what i say put u off...they will generate a bit of power.... I am a fan of a genny.... not necessary a popular view in here... but they will give you loads of power to top up yr system any time u need it.. whatever u do there are good and bad points ... my boat has wind, solar, and genny as well as the donkey engine to generate... they all have the place...

you payes yr money and takes your choice

Where are the 2 amps coming from? OK I'm also sceptical of claims but unless I'm misreading its rated at 400watts at 12 m/s, by my admittedly wobbly calcs that is 33 amps at 26 mph, so you would surely get more than 2 amps out of it?

 

[jongood]

The VAWT that you link to @GJH is nearly a metre in diameter do you really want to lug that around or is it going in he garden?

Martin

Its not very heavy Martin, could you not stick it on a sectional pole and set up a socket for it?

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[funflair]

Its not very heavy Martin, could you not stick it on a sectional pole and set up a socket for it?

13kg

Martin

 

[jongood]

13kg

Martin

Aaah, my mistake sorry. I had misread it as 1.3kgs

 

[1881TB]

Where are the 2 amps coming from? OK I'm also sceptical of claims but unless I'm misreading its rated at 400watts at 12 m/s, by my admittedly wobbly calcs that is 33 amps at 26 mph, so you would surely get more than 2 amps out of it?

The two amps were from Arto Stu's experience on his boat using a different turbine.

 

[1881TB]

Any recommendations for silent, cheap generators!?

 

[jongood]

In Morocco I saw a small box trailer which had a turbine mounted on it as well as 2 solar panels mounted on hinges that seemed a good setup for there.

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[funflair]

In Morocco I saw a small box trailer which had a turbine mounted on it as well as 2 solar panels mounted on hinges that seemed a good setup for there.

The advantage being that the wind turbine is using the trailer as a "boom box" rather than the van you are living in.

And you have a place to put a quad bike

Martin

 

[Richard n Ann]

Where are the 2 amps coming from? OK I'm also sceptical of claims but unless I'm misreading its rated at 400watts at 12 m/s, by my admittedly wobbly calcs that is 33 amps at 26 mph, so you would surely get more than 2 amps out of it?

Perhaps it's 200v

 

[GJH]

The VAWT that you link to @GJH is nearly a metre in diameter do you really want to lug that around or is it going in he garden?

Martin

One reason I was asking for real life experience Martin
I think it is collapsible though

 

[arto stu]

Where are the 2 amps coming from? OK I'm also sceptical of claims but unless I'm misreading its rated at 400watts at 12 m/s, by my admittedly wobbly calcs that is 33 amps at 26 mph, so you would surely get more than 2 amps out of it?

The two amps were from Arto Stu's experience on his boat using a different turbine.

yep thats correct I have a rutland 914 with a split charger, that allows input from both the solar and the wind... the nice thing about the wind is the charger can sort of short circuit the wind turbine .. slowing or stopping the blades once the bats are charged.. the solar cant be turned off so the charger has a heat sink which is fine but limits the size of solar you can use...the system works well and thats how u can see what is giving the most power... that said the trusty Honda 20i is n the locker of the boat or the garage on the camper 2Kw of lovely 240Vac whenever u need it (yes I have an inverter on both boat and van ) ...row 20 meters from the boat u cant hear it... stick around the back of the van and be a bit considerate and its fine on the van.