05/14/2012 12:37:13 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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Do any of you have wind generators and what do you think of them.
I havent gotten involved in wind gennys for about 6 years or so. I see the prices have come down and the technology has gone up.
The biggest problem with wind generators on a boat is the vibration. The cheaper ones will keep you and your neighbors up all night. Not just the sound of the genny but the sound on your deck and handrails vibrating.
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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05/15/2012 10:53:10 AM
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SinOrSwim
Member
Posts: 73
Joined: 06/30/2009
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I have never used or installed one but had a boat neighbor that had one. I HATED that thing. The hissing and humming (ZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzz) in a high pitch was horrendous. Not sure if it is the size of the blades or they style but that thing was like a dentist drill. Ugh.
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05/15/2012 02:14:50 PM
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Amelia
Admiral
Posts: 522
Joined: 02/03/2007
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I've read claims that the cylindrical or conical wind generators are silent. Don't know if that's true, but it's an intriguing notion, and they look quite simple, engineering-wise. Always oriented properly to the wind, etc.
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Amelia
Edenton, NC
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05/15/2012 03:05:56 PM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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There's no such thing as "silent". In order to get energy out of the air you have to interfere with it's flow, and this interference is going to make noise. The more energy you extract the more interference (and noise) you're going to have. Some may be quieter than others but my guess the quiet ones don't make much power either. Ever see a "silent" airplane? The same principles apply.
Also, ANY wind generator either needs BIG wind or a BIG turbine to generate any real amount of power. Around the Gulf of Mexico they're pretty much a waste of time as there's simply not enough wind velocity to make a "compact" generator practical. One say 20' in diameter would work but it wouldn't fit on most boats. Check the wind speeds most of the "marine" wind turbines are rated at, and then determine what the average wind speed for your area is. Chances are you'll be disappointed unless your houseboat is parked on a ridge somewhere.
Sailboat are wind machines from the get-go and deliberately go where there is wind. Houseboats generally don't.
I've been much happier with solar... No noise, no vibration, no wind required.
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
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05/15/2012 03:52:50 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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The unit I am looking at will crank out about 50 amps a day at 12.5 volts or roughly 2 amps per hour at 12.5 volts with a 10mph wind. It has a 46" diameter rotor. I will check the average wind speed in areas that I will be travelling to. I plan to also add 2 solar panels. All I can say is that everyone I know with this set-up has electricity to sell - other than AC and heat.
I will be giving the boat I intend to buy a long hard look at how long I can go without having to recharge the batteries without any of this stuff.
My goal is to not have to burn 20 some odd gallons a day of gasoline to run a generator.
Wind, solar and high efficiency lights and appliances have come a long way in a short time.
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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05/15/2012 04:01:48 PM
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EastTNBoater
Admiral
Posts: 226
Joined: 11/27/2002
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You are looking at a 36' boat with a 4' wind generator stuck on the top of it somewhere. The aesthetics alone would be enough for me to not do it.
Edited: 05/15/2012 at 04:02:53 PM by EastTNBoater
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05/15/2012 05:00:15 PM
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Amelia
Admiral
Posts: 522
Joined: 02/03/2007
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No way the builder of THIS houseboat would allow wind generators, pinwheels, whirligigs, or other flashy-go-rounds on his boat. I suggested an old-fashioned Amish farm windmill on a rusty tower to go with the cross-rail fence, and so forth, but he wasn't tempted. He hasn't vetoed the solar thing yet, though. 
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Amelia Edenton, NC
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05/15/2012 08:31:05 PM
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SinOrSwim
Member
Posts: 73
Joined: 06/30/2009
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In my opinion, you are much better off by tyring to utilize some solar power along with a generator to recharge your batteries. You can get an inverter/charger that will charge your batteries at 70+ amps per hour, monitor the charge and temperature and then float them down as they become charged. I had a system on a previous boat of mine that charged 6 golf cart batteries in about 3 hours with the generator. It would start at 70 amps per hour then go down to a lower amperage as they became more charged or the temp of the battery went up. You can use solar to supplement this when things are not in use to decrease the amount of time you use the generator.
But, YOU are going to have to listen to a wind turbine too. If it's only doing 2 amps/hour it is not worth it.
Again, just my opinion but solar and supplement with generator is the way to go.
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05/16/2012 12:15:44 PM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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Tony, "50 amps a day" is a misprint. It's either "50 amp-hours a day" (which isn't much) or simply "50 amps" (which for 24 hours would be about 1200 amp-hours, HIGHLY unlikely). "2 amps per hour" probably means you get only 2 amps... which for an hour would be 2 amp-hours. And for that you have to have a 10 mph wind, which can kick up a pretty good chop out in the open. If you're anchored in a sheltered cove like most of us prefer, you'll probably have a lot less than 10 mph wind most of the time, and your wind-genny won't be making anything but noise, IF that.
I don't know what they want for the thing but my guess is that for the money, you'll be a LOT happier with solar.
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
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05/16/2012 01:06:15 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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You are correct on the first assumption which is 50 amp hours per day at 10mph.
At 12 MPH it puts out about 4 amp hours and at 15 MPH puts out about 11 amp hours. Still not that much but I prolly wont see much of that kind of wind inland.
I was thinking of using it along with 2 400 watt solar panels. I will probably end up with just the 2 solar panels for about 250 Amp hours per day of battery charging, and that dont count running down the batteries. With gas cooking and hot water, I should be able to stay on the hook for a very long time without the generator.
I figure that the 2 solar panels will cost about $1K total and another $800 for a wind generator.
Anyway, thats what I am thinking for now.
The alternative would be to crank up the generator. If I did, how long would it typically take to charge up the batteries if I just ran genny from time to time?
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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05/17/2012 08:29:41 AM
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SinOrSwim
Member
Posts: 73
Joined: 06/30/2009
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It all depends on what is charging the batteries. Is there an automatic charger on board? Or, does the generator have a 12 volt side to it and if so, what amps is it kicking out. For instance, I had a Honda generator at one point that had a 12 volt connection they advertised to charge batteries. Well, it was like 0.5 amps per hour or some small thing. Don't remember exactly. But, if you hook an external charger to the AC portion of the generator you can charge them very quickly. For instance on a previous boat, my charger would charge at 70 amps/hour when the generator was running.
Many boats will have an inverter/charger on board. If not, there are some good ones out there. These will charge your batteries and make sure they don't get too hot or overcharged. They will also allow you to run your AC things from your batteries.
Good luck, the electrical side of boats is one of the most confusing, in my opinion.
Originally posted by: TonyB
You are correct on the first assumption which is 50 amp hours per day at 10mph.
At 12 MPH it puts out about 4 amp hours and at 15 MPH puts out about 11 amp hours. Still not that much but I prolly wont see much of that kind of wind inland.
I was thinking of using it along with 2 400 watt solar panels. I will probably end up with just the 2 solar panels for about 250 Amp hours per day of battery charging, and that dont count running down the batteries. With gas cooking and hot water, I should be able to stay on the hook for a very long time without the generator.
I figure that the 2 solar panels will cost about $1K total and another $800 for a wind generator.
Anyway, thats what I am thinking for now.
The alternative would be to crank up the generator. If I did, how long would it typically take to charge up the batteries if I just ran genny from time to time?
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05/17/2012 12:19:15 PM
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EastTNBoater
Admiral
Posts: 226
Joined: 11/27/2002
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I just want to say that generators are not the devil. If you have one, you will need to use it periodically to keep it in running condition - they were made to run, not to sit unused.
I have 12 golf cart batteries pushing a 3000w inverter. When we are away from the dock, we run off of the inverter about 20 hours out of the day. We run the generator a couple of hours in the morning during breakfast and a couple of hours in the evening during supper. That gives us the 220v that we need to push the stove, etc. and it charges the batteries.
I have thought about adding some solar panels to help charge the battery bank, but it does not make sense because I would still be running the generator several hours a day anyway.
If you are going to be moving from place to place every day, then you should wire it so that your alternators are also charging your house bank. A big enough battery bank with your alternators, a small solar panel, and occasional generator use should suffice.
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05/19/2012 12:03:43 PM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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Tony inasmuch as you're installing solar anyway, I'd use the windmill money to build a larger solar array. Less hassle.
For the first couple years on my boat I used the engine alternator to charge the house bank. It worked just fine as long as I was moving around a few hours a day. The solar array is there for when I'm anchored and NOT using the engine, but it does so well I could probably disconnect the alternator.
I think the battery capacity is probably more important; I could go 48 hrs without charging at all. With a reasonable amount of sun it's pretty much indefinite.
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
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05/19/2012 01:46:53 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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Originally posted by: stmbtwle..............The solar array is there for when I'm anchored and NOT using the engine, but it does so well I could probably disconnect the alternator.........I think the battery capacity is probably more important; I could go 48 hrs without charging at all. With a reasonable amount of sun it's pretty much indefinite.
Willie
The Wind Generator would be the last option and I am drifting further and further away from that idea. Solar has gotten so much better in the last few years.
I can prolly get 2 200 watt panels on my roof with the dinghy.
What solar panels do you have ?
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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05/19/2012 02:48:58 PM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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I have 2 Kyocera 120's 2 Kyocera 130's and a couple of old Siemens 50's, all "12v" panels and connected in parallel (600w total). I have a Blue Sky 50 amp controller. Ideally, all the panels should be the same (like batteries) but the system was put together in stages and this is what I have. It still works just fine. Recently I put the small panels on a different circuit and connected them through a 1-2-both switch. Usually I leave it on "both". The controller does a better job of regulating the batteries than a regular charger.
You have to check the output voltage of the panels (BEFORE you buy them)! Many of the larger panels (like the ones on my house) are intended for grid-tie systems and can put out up to about 50 volts... You can still use them to charge 12v batteries BUT you need a controller designed for that higher voltage.
There's lots of good info on solar arrays on line, do your homework BEFORE you buy!
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
Edited: 05/19/2012 at 08:29:23 PM by stmbtwle
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