Noisy Wind Generators

[coming_soon]

I am new here in this discussion board and would like to introduce me thereby.

Coming back to the topic:

I have 2 Air X on my boat. I like them, as they are charging like hell. But since last season, I was asked nearly everywhere to “please” move to the end of the anchorage because of their noise.

So I bought an Air Breeze in addition as I was told they are supposed to be less noisy. That is not true. Even if the Air Breeze has only 50% of the max power or the Air X they are definitely not less noisy. It’s about the same.

Here my question:

Has anybody any experiences about those new European manufactured blades designed for all Air (403, Breeze, X) models?

They are told to be nearly noiseless, even compared with a new kind of Rolls Royce feeling for the Air Marine family. They are told to be manufactured using carbon fibre instead of the SW carbon granulate to give extremely more strength and stiffness.

They seem to be unknown in the USA discussion boards, but seem to exist, as they are discussed since April 2008 in 3 German discussion boards.

Any information?

[cabo_sailor]

I lost my first Air X to a hurricane. I bought another since they told me they were "much" quieter. They lied, most fouly. In the case of bad weather the first thing I do, right up there with reefing, is to turn the dang thing off. That is, if I can. If you really, really want to stretch your nerves, trying reefing and listening to what sounds like every banshee from hell.

[shadow]

Is there truly a difference in placement of the wind generators?? I like the idea of Fastcat of mounting them at the mast head. Out of site and out of harms way of getting tangled. But that being said, does the vibrations become amplified while traveling down the mast and throughout the boat??

Can anyone confirm if there is such a perfect place for them or is it just pretty much placed in the same spot? Davits/aft or masthead??

Thanks for your replies..

[clausont]

TLG windpower makes and sells replacement blased and rotors for all Air generators.
(I have no stock or claim in TLG Windpower - just adding information here)
We have purchased a TLG generator and find that it works pretty well. It is not a marine generator (62lbs).

The main drawback on these blades may be the steel rotor. They might be ok powder coated or something.

TLG Windpower Products, replacement blades for AIR 403, AIR X, AIR Marine, Land AIR, TLG-403-MM rotor blade
"The TLG-403 being an MM series rotor means absolute silent operation."
I can't speak for these blades since I have no first hand knowledge of their noise or performance.

[coming_soon]

Hello cabo_sailor, shadow, clausont

I am not after a different wind generator. The Air X (not this 50% and nevertheless noisy Air Breeze) is more powerful and less heavy than the competitors. Both of my Air X survived the 2004 category 4 hurricane Ivan on the hard in Grenada with mounted, only switched off blades without any damage. Since then I trust their construction.

The only thing I really hate is their nerving whistle and noise.

cabo_sailor is completely right. Southwest Windpower lied over the last 10 years, most foully. They always announced their engines to be "much more quiet" than the previous ones. The blades all the time stayed the same.

And: Southwest Windpower lied again with their Chinese Whisper: Buy the actual Air model now, we are very close to offer really silent blades very soon, you will get them as an update. Nothing came out over 10 years.

Southwest Windpower lies again announcing their Air Breeze. That machine is producing the same amount of noise between 10 and 30 knots. In April I was on a boat with 2 Airs, 1 Air X and 1 Air Breeze, stern mounted in a distance of about 4 yards. Their noise output under identical situations was identical.

I do not expect any silent blades from Southwest Windpower any more. Therefore my question in my last post based on 3 German discussion boards:

Trans Ocean discussion board
Bluewater Forum - Ausrüstung + Zubehör, über+unter Deck - neuer Air Marine / neue Flügel – fast geräuschlos? - Seite 1
(SySparrow, 107 postings since 2005: „Their noise level is very low. One can say, now the Air X is one of the most silent wind generators on the market. I am enthusiastic.“)

YACHT discussion board
AirX FlüsterGen - YACHT-FORUM
(NELSON, 3903 postings since 2002: “Air X whisper generator” and "The only thing you still hear from an Air X is the noise of its bearing.”)

BOOTE discussion board
neuer Air Marine bzw. neue Flügel – fast geräuschlos? - boote-forum.de - Das Forum rund um Boote

Before I will order those blades, I would appreciate to have some more feedback, as those blades were tested since about 6 months, but the producer’s website was opened only 2 weeks ago.

Thanks for any replies on that ...

shadow, your idea is good, to place any wind generator at or near the mast head. The big disadvantage: Service and maintaining is very complicated, and you are right: The vibrations really become amplified while travelling down the mast and throughout the boat. You permanently will even hear the bearings roll, day and night …

High above the davits might be a good place. Have a look at the 4 Air X test websites:

Air X Marine long term test

[watersedg1]

Hello, We purchased a new catamaran last year, after 30 years of monohulls (which we stll keep in the Great Lakes). Looking to add a Wind Generator and were told that Four Winds made the quietiest and best, from our long time cruising friends. Is there anywhere to purchase a used unit. We have solar panels on our full bimini, but now need the wind generator and watermaker for our trip to the Exumas this winter.

[tyrntlzrdking]

Fourwinds II Wind Generator - Fourwinds Enterprises

[Talbot]

The quietest wind generators are those with the largest blades, as the speed of rotation is reduced, and thus the wind noise. Two systems that achiesve this are also the largest output generators (and thus not only the largest blades, but also the heaviest system)

The KISS and the D400 (same stable as the duogen) You will certainly need much stronger fixings for these, but the output is impressive.

[jaga]

I have a Hamilton Ferris that's very quiet and starts putting out power in surprisingly low winds - as long as the air brake is not attached. It can also be converted into a towed generator. All in all I'm very happy with it.

Scot

[tyrntlzrdking]

I beleive the D400 has a 43 inch blade spin diameter.
The KISS is about 58 inch.

The D400 does weigh about 10 lbs more.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by shadow

Is there truly a difference in placement of the wind generators?? I like the idea of Fastcat of mounting them at the mast head. Out of site and out of harms way of getting tangled. But that being said, does the vibrations become amplified while traveling down the mast and throughout the boat??

Can anyone confirm if there is such a perfect place for them or is it just pretty much placed in the same spot? Davits/aft or masthead??

Thanks for your replies..

Don't really know anything but, noise/vibration ignored I would think the forces on the unit would be too much over the long term. I imagine the arc of motion and the acceleration and deceleration along with the rotational forces to be too high.

[watersedg1]

Sounds as if NEW is always the best. Especially after seeing all the storm damaged boats from all of the hurricanes after the past few years. Could be getting a repaired "lemon". Thanks for your assistance.

[watersedg1]

Hi Scott, checking into the different wind generators now. Thanks for the feedback on the Hamilton Ferris. For many years we cruised most of the Caribbean and Bahamas, have been behind many very noisy wind generatorsl Nice to get a handle on this before we are the "boat being asked to move". Appreciate your input.

[watersedg1]

OK, now that we have some investigation into purchasing our new Wind Generator, we also need some advice on watermakers. Any good info on this? Anyone?

[jaga]

On the Hamilton Ferris, I was initially disappointed that it seemed to take an awful lot of wind to get it started. Then I took off the wind brake and it would start turning at only 4-5 kts, and putting out a little bit of power not much higher than that. Talked with the guys and HF and they said it was safe without the brake up to about 25kts (if I recall correctly), but I've had it up a little over 30 with no problem. Much higher than that I'd take it down and either attach the brake (very easily installed) or leave it down. I also have my suspended in the rigging between my main and mizzen masts.

At 30 kts it gives a steady humming, but down below it's more of a re-assuring tone so I know it's running, rather than anything annoying. The volume is low enough that I quickly forget it's there.

Scot