Wind Generators - which is best

[coldar1]

After recently crossing the Atlantic from the Canary islands to Martinique in our Lagoon 44o, we discovered that unless we ran the generator for an hour in the morning and an hour at night, (2 X 12V fridges, a deep freeze, and the auto-pilot working 24/7), our large solar panel array couldn't quite keep up. Now looking at adding a wind generator. I'm half deaf so the noise isn't a problem for me but my family all have terrific hearing so a low-noise generator would be preferred. Any suggestions or experiences of particular brands that are reliable and efficient and have a good charge rate?

[Mike OReilly]

I have a Spreco SilentWind. It is pretty quiet, and power output seems pretty much on spec. It's not silent, but I can carry on a normal conversation in the cockpit with it just aft of us. Compared to my previous wind gen, an Air-X, it is very quiet. There are others out there as well. Definitely shop around.

[kingwoodie]

I have four 120 watt solar panels with one KISS generator hooked to a smart charger/inverter to four 8d agm batteries and two series 27 starter batteries. We have all the normal electrical stuff on board as well as electronics and we seem to have ample amounts of electricity. The KISS generator is a bit noisy but does produce very well in low winds but really puts out in high winds. The one thing I like about the KISS generator is that if it breaks I can find parts to fix it at almost any car parts store in the world. The one thing I don't like about the KISS is that in high winds, it produces more power than can be absorbed by the batteries.
Kingwoodie
s/v The Lady Margaret Ann

[jaybird1111]

I have an Aerogen, it's probably 15 years old, and it is simple, silent, and puts out 15V in 18kt wind

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by kingwoodie

I have four 120 watt solar panels with one KISS generator hooked to a smart charger/inverter to four 8d agm batteries and two series 27 starter batteries. We have all the normal electrical stuff on board as well as electronics and we seem to have ample amounts of electricity. The KISS generator is a bit noisy but does produce very well in low winds but really puts out in high winds. The one thing I like about the KISS generator is that if it breaks I can find parts to fix it at almost any car parts store in the world. The one thing I don't like about the KISS is that in high winds, it produces more power than can be absorbed by the batteries.
Kingwoodie
s/v The Lady Margaret Ann

I thought KISS is one of the quiet ones, other are even worse. I was about to shoot the dame thing on the boat next to us.... LOL.