Wind Generators - Do All Serious Cruisers Have Them?

[Livia]

We cruised Canada, US, Mexico and now are in the South Pacific. Solar only. We will add more panels before a wind gen.

[witzgall]

Last winter, we were able to avoid running the engine to charge our batteries, from south of Vero Beach, to the Bahamas for 2.5 months, and back to Beufort offshore. We did take advantage of opportunistic charging by the alternator when forced to motor. We could not have done this without either of these three key ingredients:

1. 120w tiltable solar with MPPT controller.
2. Old Air-403 wind generator with Silentwind blades
3. 400ah LIFEpo4 battery bank. (key due to high acceptance rates, Low Perkerts, and the ability to keep them at 50% or less without damaging the batteries when wiund/solar was not great for a few days-up to a week.)

I just installed two more panels, fixed, over the Bimini. THey are 85w each, and wired to the controller for a new, Silentwind Generator. The 120w panel is still wired independently to the MPPT controller. There was plenty of wind in the Bahamas, but we are going (hopefully) to New England this summer, so we want more solar to make up for what will most likely be a lack of wind. Plus, we both just got new laptops ;>

Chris

[Capt.Alex]

So which wind generator is the quietest? Has anyone seen any tests done to determine which is best for output vs. noise level? Hello boating magazines.......

I answered my own question...
http://www.naviclub.com/Test_compara...nes_marine.pdf

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Capt.Alex

So which wind generator is the quietest? Has anyone seen any tests done to determine which is best for output vs. noise level? Hello boating magazines.......

I answered my own question...
http://www.naviclub.com/Test_compara...nes_marine.pdf

There are a few more comparison tests out there ... you'll find them. With regard to noise levels, the tests always seem to use subjective criteria. Based on that I've taken a risk and bought a relatlvely new generator: the SilentWind by Spreco. I'll report back in the fall after we've had a season with it.

But, why don't testers measure the sound levels using a quality sound pressure meter at various wind speeds? Seems to me this would give a better guide to actual noise levels.

[zeehag]

after someone anchored within 15 ft of my transom, and has an airX...
i WILL be saving up for one of those things just so folks wont anchor up my donkey.
sorry, folks--here in sunville, we do have wind. a lil extra boost of juice in darkness never hurt anyone, except someone racing..is all good here .... next big purchase WILL be that extra creation of electricity in dark hours.

and, YES, it WILL be an air X.......

[rover88]

I don't know about the quietest but I do know the AirX sounds like a Lear jet taking off. I also know I cannot hear the KISS - even in 15k winds - when in the cabin. In the cockpit it is noticeable but not offensive. I've also never noticed my anchor neighbors wearing earplugs.

In all likelihood Practical Sailor magazine has done a test at some point, so it might be worth looking into that publication.

[barnakiel]

Many are silent or nearly so. Hard to say how silent they are on the boat as vibrations can play their own set of noise tricks.

Now from the dock/anchorage side most are silent. AirX and AirBreeze are not.

This much said, I like the design of Air- very much: light, reliable and internally regulated. If someone doesn't care about the noise then that's that - just be aware from time to time you will have an angry neighbour approaching you, or else you will find a piece of string miraculously tangled in yours.

I know there are newer clones of Air- where the blades are of slightly different design, these are said to be quieter.

b.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by zeehag

and, YES, it WILL be an air X.......

Get the Air Breeze. It's only half the power, but 1/10th the noise.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Bash

Get the Air Breeze. It's only half the power, but 1/10th the noise.

aaaahhhh, tis the power i desire, and the noise merely almost guarantees me a clear anchorage......and it doesnt bother me..cruised a boat in gom with one of the loud ones..didnt bother me a bit...and we had nice, empty anchorages....

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Bash

Get the Air Breeze. It's only half the power, but 1/10th the noise.

I am not sure you are correct. (about the noise difference).

It sounds nearly as noisy as the -X, except the noise seems more level, without the typical -X acceleration whirrrrr.

b.

[s/vPainkiller]

All the real cruisers have an Air Breeze. Anyone who disagrees is not a "real cruiser" (tm).



Scott

[tamicatana]

I have an Aerogen and it's quiet. I wish it were loud so I wouldn't hear the clanging halyards on the other boats.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by zeehag

aaaahhhh, tis the power i desire, and the noise merely almost guarantees me a clear anchorage......and it doesnt bother me..cruised a boat in gom with one of the loud ones..didnt bother me a bit...and we had nice, empty anchorages....

This is the problem with sound levels. Not all sound is noise, no matter how loud it is. It depends on the person, the type of sound, and the intensity. That said, I can confirm that the Air-X screams like a banshee in winds over 20knts. We had one. Thankfully it died. Now I can justify the boat bucks to buy a new one; one of the new Air-like models which claim to be very quiet ... we'll see.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by zeehag

aaaahhhh, tis the power i desire, and the noise merely almost guarantees me a clear anchorage......and it doesnt bother me..cruised a boat in gom with one of the loud ones..didnt bother me a bit...and we had nice, empty anchorages....

Good luck with that. I was hoping the Air Breeze would dissuade other boats from anchoring tooclose, but it seems to attract them. The newbs come in and see we have solar panels and a wind generator, and the think, "Look that guy must be a real cruiser, so he must have chosen the best spot. Let's anchor right on top if him."

[H Romberg]

I had a KISS generator on a pole from my davits before it blew off in a gale (my fault, using the wrong hardware on a mount, not a fault of the unit).

I'm not putting it back on, and here's why:

It makes a buttload of amps, but only when the wind is brisk or strong. The problem is it does its best work when you just want it to shut the heck up so you can think. It produces 25 amps at 25 knots, but even shut in the v berth 45 feet away it's an ungodly racket at anything above about 18. We're talking a small airplane at takeoff loud.

I tend to get out in windy stuff a lot but I can't take the noise factor, and it doesn't make much when the wind isn't strong. That leaves a sweet spot from about 9-17 kts where it makes usable power and not too much noise. If your locale is like that, snag one. Or buy mine. I'm going solar.