Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 04-05-2011, 10:29   #1
Registered User
 
Ocean Roads's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Conch Republic
Boat: Brewer 44
Posts: 283
Images: 9
Opinions on Sunforce Wind Generators from West Marine ?

Some people hate West, I love it!

This year West added Sunforce wind generators to their line up.

The price is similar to the Air Breeze and the catalog says 8 knts 28W, 12 knts 62W which does not sound bad for low speed start up power.

Anyone have/had one?
__________________
We, the unwilling, led by the unknowning, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. Semper Paratus!
Ocean Roads is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2011, 13:54   #2
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
Re: Opinions on Sunforce Wind Generators from West Marine ?

Just bumping this thread. The two reviews on west seem really good, but was looking for some better results.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-01-2012, 08:57   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 5
Re: Opinions on Sunforce Wind Generators from West Marine ?

I know this thread is bit old but I'm looking for a little help with my Sunforce 600W wind generator.
I bought it from West Marine 5 weeks ago. Installed it without any problems and had it working fine for 2 weeks. Then it stopped charging the batteries. :-(
I had it off for a couple of days during light winds and then turned it on (or technically, the brake on the charge controller off) a little later I was trying to get weather on the SSB and noticed a cyclical whinning noise coming over the SSB. So I turned on the wind gen brake, got the weather, turned the brake off again and thought it was a bit strange for the interference to be cycling up and down in pitch. So I checked the ammeter for the wind gen output and it was cycling between 0 and 1 amp every second in around 12 to 15 knots of wind. Very strange. I was usually getting around 4 to 5 amps at least in that wind range. Checked the charge controller, no charging light. Not good.
So as soon as we got to Nassau I emailed the guys at sunforce (early last week) and so far, after a quick inital response, the going has been very slow with them.
I've physically checked all the electrical connections EXCEPT the 3 connections in the tower from the gen output wires to the wire run into the charge controller. However I have checked the voltage output from those three wires and all are producing voltage, hence the conclusion that those connections are also sound.
So far the only answer that presents itself is a problem with the charge control box internally.
Has anyone any similar experience? Or any thoughts on a solution? Paying a fair whack for a wind gen to have it fail after 2 weeks is somewhat frustrating!!!!
Any help would be much appreciated!
Ant81 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-01-2012, 16:42   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MI
Boat: Catalina 36 Hull 91
Posts: 9
Re: Opinions on Sunforce Wind Generators from West Marine ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel heart View Post
Just bumping this thread. The two reviews on west seem really good, but was looking for some better results.
Do a quick search for Sunforce and you will see everyone is selling them. Probably cheaper then West.
A friend is now in Florida from Michigan and has been very happy with his 600 watt unit. Now that he has more wind.
__________________
Capt. Chuck
Capt.Chuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-01-2012, 10:37   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 5
Re: Opinions on Sunforce Wind Generators from West Marine ?

Hey all.
We've had a helpful reply from Sunforce. They think it's software problem in the MPPT controller and are sending us a new unit. Just have to wait a month for delivery to get it up and running again. Good Good.
Ant81 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
marine

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Noisy Wind Generators Mark Johnson Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 32 17-10-2010 22:07
Noisy Wind Generators happy adventure Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 84 27-12-2008 09:17
Opinions of ARI Wind Generators? witzgall Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 1 03-12-2008 06:41
West Marine Windscoop Ventilating Sail Hatch Wind Scoop longonsilver Classifieds Archive 0 27-01-2008 14:15
Wind generators lookwide Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 13 23-11-2007 02:38

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:51.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.