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Old 21-02-2019, 22:53   #16
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

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Originally Posted by gilligansail View Post
I have owned a Silentwind 400 for 8 months now. The product is ok. I don’t think it’s too noisy and the power out put us ok. Like other wind generators I guess

The customer service however is horrible. It can take up to 1 week to get an email reply from Edgar the tech support guy. It too over 6 weeks for me to receive a replacement blade. And I have an odd problem.
While the batteries are charged up by the engine the controller for the Silentwind appropriately switches to brake or unload mode. But afterwards it won’t switch back to normal mode and start running again. You can see in the attachment that it’s in unload while the voltage is12.6. It set with absorption up to 13.4, so should be running. In order to get it to run again I have put a large draw in the circuit, my water heater, for 2-3 seconds. Then it switches to normal mode and runs again
I’ve had this trouble since my initial installation 8 months ago and I have not received any help to solve the problem. I was told that they would do bench testing and never heard feedback from that. Otherwise I’ve just been told it should work normally. After multiple attempts I’ve just given up on getting help from them
Stefan

The particular issue you have might be better discussed in a separate thread. As a quick note, it might not be a faulty system but just the way it works. There is a threshold programmed in to most charge controllers to decide when to go back into bulk mode, which I think i what you call "normal". The wind gen only "sees" the bus voltage, if it's high enough it thinks the batts are full, all is good and it might wait until the voltage drops below that setpoint.



If it's always going back to "normal" mode the way you might expect it to, it could instead boil and hence damage your batts in short order.
It's similar to other charge controllers, where the manufacturer needs to define at what point we need to go back into bulk charging as opposed to keeping the system at float voltage.
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Old 21-02-2019, 23:19   #17
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Air X wind generators are excellent and they have a new carbon fibre "blue blade" upgrade which is being marketed as much more quiet. Highly recommend.
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Old 22-02-2019, 07:21   #18
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Spreco has been making the famous “blue blades” as retrofits for all Air-type wind gens for decades now. About 10 years ago they started to design and sell their own wind gen, which is the Silentwind.

It sounds like these “silent” Air-x gens are just standard Air-x, but being sold with the Spreco blue blades.
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Old 07-02-2021, 00:32   #19
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

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After having tried other "silent" wind generators SV Zero speaks highly about his current "Superwind 350" which he claims is completely silent and vibration free in this episode .
I have personally been on Christian's boat S/V Zero. That wind generator makes NO noise. I stood and stared at it in disbelief. I read posts from D400 users saying theirs "are not noisy", "are quiet enough". That superwind made NO noise. I won't buy a wind generator until I can afford the Superwind.
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Old 07-02-2021, 00:52   #20
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Spreco has a new set of blades out now. They are blue, white. and a bit of black, and work with a new hub. They are supposed to offer a modest improvement. I just received them to replace my original AIR-X blades. Since my old hub was the original design I ordered the kit with the hub and nosecone.

Greg
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Old 08-02-2021, 19:24   #21
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

I finally opened up the new blades, and they are white, metallic blue, and metallic silver - quite handsome. I'm going to put a fresh coat of paint on the wind gen before putting it back up with the new blades. https://www.emarineinc.com/High-Tech...-40-Air-breeze

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Old 21-04-2021, 18:47   #22
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

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I finally opened up the new blades, and they are white, metallic blue, and metallic silver - quite handsome. I'm going to put a fresh coat of paint on the wind gen before putting it back up with the new blades. https://www.emarineinc.com/High-Tech...-40-Air-breeze

Greg
Hi Greg. Would you mind giving us a report on your new blades please?

I'm considering getting a windgenerator, to backup our solar power. Silentwind 350, Air Breeze, and Air Silent X are at the top of my list at the moment, and those new blades are also a factor.

Thank you.
Paul.
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Old 21-04-2021, 21:14   #23
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

I'll be happy to report when I can but don't hold your breath. The electrical system (among other things) is in pieces at the moment. At least all of the dismantling and removal is complete; next cleaning and painting, then assembling a lot of new components and wiring.

Greg
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Old 21-04-2021, 21:33   #24
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Thanks, and good luck with the re-assembly.

Cheers.
Paul.
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Old 22-04-2021, 04:25   #25
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

i am not a fan of Silentwind since an Italian friend of mine had one installed. It made such a racket that he could not sleep at night in the cabin below so turned it OFF. This loses one of the advantages of a windgen which takes over when the solar panels stop at night. Secondly the body of the Silentwind was showing an extraordinary amount of corrosion after only 3 years. From what i have read they either did not use the correct primer (chromate?) before the top-coat or it was a reconditioned body. Others may have had a good experience but this is the only one i sailed with first-hand. I installed the Rurtland 1200 on my boat but i will give Silentwind good marks for one thing: their rubber-bushed brackets and foot are excellent.
Andrew
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Old 22-04-2021, 04:54   #26
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

I've had a Silentwind for well over a decade now ... must be at least 15 years old now. I've had no corrosion problems, and it's pretty darn quiet. It sits above our cockpit, just aft. We carry on normal conversation in the cockpit with it whirring away.

Perhaps the newer versions have changed, but I've been very pleased with ours.
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Old 22-04-2021, 04:55   #27
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Air X silent Wind Generator

I’ve got a set of the blue Spreco blades along with a new hub and nosecone on my quite old air breeze.
Very much quieter than the old blades.
I’ve had a few positive comments about the lack of noise.
I put them on three seasons ago.
The blade tips show a few marks. I suspect these are from the support pole when a 80+ mph microburst came through.

I was having some noise and low output this past season. I just replaced the bearings, electronics, and housing.
The bearings were definitely past due and causing some rumbling. The electronics had issues for sure.
The housing needed a repaint and the yaw bearing was corroded in place. Removing it was not easy. A machine shop could have done it but I replaced the housing instead.
I would not have done all that if I was not happy with the unit.
I do have a shutdown switch that I sometimes use at night.
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Old 22-04-2021, 05:00   #28
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Mike, can you tell me where you purchased your unit? Was it in Canada?

Thanks.
Paul.
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Old 22-04-2021, 05:26   #29
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

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Mike, can you tell me where you purchased your unit? Was it in Canada?

So, my spouse (the record keeper) tells me we bought ours in 2013, so not as old as I previously said. We bought it from a place called Sogeman-Microlog. I think they are a Canadian supplier, but I can't be sure. I note they no longer sell Silentwinds.
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Old 22-04-2021, 05:48   #30
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Re: Air X silent Wind Generator

Thanks Mike.

I haven't decided on which brand to get yet, but I'm doing my research.

Cheers.
Paul.
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