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13-09-2006, 18:58
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#16
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Cape Cod
Boat: GulfStar 43 Mk II... EAGLE
Posts: 41
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Now I wonder, what could be the big difference between the land and sea version? The obvious would likely be the use of non corrosive materials but where? I would think that all of these Air-X's, be it land, or marine, are a sealed from weather enclosure, and don't they all have a cast aluminum body? It would be interesting to know just what the differences are?
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14-09-2006, 03:43
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Cruising on the hook
Boat: 34’ Marine Trader
Posts: 752
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The difference is the very expensive paint job. The marine version is powder coated. I could have one painted at a local shop for about $25.
__________________
Jim
We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."
--Aristotle
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14-09-2006, 13:09
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hudson, Florida
Boat: Angela M. Bayfield 32c
Posts: 63
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Yes, from what I have seen and read the only difference is the powder coating, you can buy a lot of enamel / all-grip for $165.00 .
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17-09-2006, 07:15
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ex-pat canuck living FLA
Posts: 15
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They are so loud I've pulled anchor to get as far from an air marine as possible. Had an Aerogen on my boat, it was quiet but I still regarded it as a toy and would not get another on my next boat.
Get a solar panel... better output more reliable and simple. Windmills need a fairly expensive separate regulator with a heat sink to bleed off any excess power.
In Florida it's a no-brainer to go solar, provided you have the battery bank to store your power. Duckhead
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17-09-2006, 09:49
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Cape Cod
Boat: GulfStar 43 Mk II... EAGLE
Posts: 41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duckhead
They are so loud I've pulled anchor to get as far from an air marine as possible. Had an Aerogen on my boat, it was quiet but I still regarded it as a toy and would not get another on my next boat.
Get a solar panel... better output more reliable and simple. Windmills need a fairly expensive separate regulator with a heat sink to bleed off any excess power.
In Florida it's a no-brainer to go solar, provided you have the battery bank to store your power. Duckhead
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My Air-X isn't very loud at all. The older air marine units are very loud.
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17-09-2006, 10:01
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#21
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Now on the Dark Side: Stink Potter.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Palm Coast, Florida
Boat: Sea Hunt 234 Ultra
Posts: 3,962
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Quote:
Get a solar panel... better output more reliable and simple. Windmills need a fairly expensive separate regulator with a heat sink to bleed off any excess power.
In Florida it's a no-brainer to go solar, provided you have the battery bank to store your power. Duckhead
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Have used solar panels for the last 5 years in Flroida and the Bahamas with fairly good results.
Except this year: Every time I anchor it gets cloudy and rainy. Solar output very small/non-existent with gray skies.
Had plenty of wind instead, that is why I am considering an inexpensive wind generator.
This new Air-X seems to have plenty of output and if the price is right, I just may jump on it.
I already have the regulator for the solar panels, it will also work with any windgenerator.
The problem is mounting the wind machine: Have to get really creative to put one up over the bimini top, in front of the solar panels, behind the boom, to the side of the antenna farm, etc, etc.
__________________
Life is sexually transmitted
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18-09-2006, 06:33
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#22
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ex-pat canuck living FLA
Posts: 15
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Glad to hear Air X is more quiet these days Eagle.
Also occured to me that they just might have more modern electrical controllers these days negating expensive bleed-off resistors needed on the earlier windmills that wouldn't stop generating unless they were stopped. This (better?) controller would also negate "trickle charging" thus adding no charge until batteries are below a certain Voltage.
CSY you might want to check your wiring. We spent an afternoon rewiring solar panels (blackened wiring - terrible connection at crimp connections) after this there was plenty of output with grey skies. We found many mistakes in wiring harness so out it went and in went properly sized quality marinized wire and connectors and a home run for each panel. At least check connections if you haven't already. Duckhead
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18-09-2006, 07:11
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#23
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Now on the Dark Side: Stink Potter.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Palm Coast, Florida
Boat: Sea Hunt 234 Ultra
Posts: 3,962
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Thanks for heads up on the connections and wireing.
Nothing wrong there, the panels are pumping plenty juice when the sun is up.
Yesterday I saw 8.2 AMPS with the sun 20 degrees to the side.
In the Bahamas with the sun directly overhead, I have seen 10.3 AMPS earlier this year.
Nothing wrong with my stuff, I use good wire/connectors, etc. The lack of sunshine has been the problem. Yeah, I can see an AMP or two if the skies are cloudy, but with the fridge compressor eating 5.1, ya are still - 4.0 in the red, every hour..
The solution is too not bring steaks and ice cream: Those things need a cold freezer with more hours running time. Too keep it just below 32 F for ice cubes, and the fridge at 40 F for food and beer, it only needs 5 hours per day = 25 to 28 AMP/Hours. Then add lights, stereo, Anchor lights, etc and I need 60 to 80 AMP/HOURS per day. With cloudy skies every day I can harvest perhaps 15 or 20, way short of daily consumption: That is were a wind generator could come in handy.
__________________
Life is sexually transmitted
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18-09-2006, 10:14
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ex-pat canuck living FLA
Posts: 15
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I know you are looking for some (any) solution to your power problem. Just don't expect too much from this little windmill and find out what the setpoint is for when it starts charging...you may never get that low a voltage.
Goodluck, Duckhead
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18-09-2006, 10:54
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#25
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Now on the Dark Side: Stink Potter.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Palm Coast, Florida
Boat: Sea Hunt 234 Ultra
Posts: 3,962
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Quote:
I know you are looking for some (any) solution to your power problem.
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Well, the soluton would be to only anchor when the sun shines..
Not really a big problem as I can't be that much out of luck with the weather in the future..I hope.
Quote:
Just don't expect too much from this little windmill
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Yeah, I just read an article on the AIR-X, if failed the "output test"
http://www.wind-works.org/articles/sm_AirXtest.html
__________________
Life is sexually transmitted
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18-09-2006, 13:51
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#26
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One of Those
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Boat: Catalac 12M (sold)
Posts: 3,218
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Wind generator also has the obvious advantage of producing 24 hours a day, no matter whether its light out or not..
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18-09-2006, 16:48
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#27
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Now on the Dark Side: Stink Potter.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Palm Coast, Florida
Boat: Sea Hunt 234 Ultra
Posts: 3,962
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Quote:
Wind generator also has the obvious advantage of producing 24 hours a day, no matter whether its light out or not..
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Yeah, but which one to get?
The KISS generator? (Keep It Simple Sailor)
The Air-X? (Not up to factory specs as per testing above)
The Rutland? (Good quality, but poor performance)
Not sure where to turn as price is a big factor on my boat.
I could add another solar panel aft of the 2 main ones, but again, in cloudy weather I just may add axtra weigth.
The 3rd panel would be hinged and could fold down in close quarter maneuvering, mounted parallel to and behind the 2 main panels, but quite a bit extra weight back there....
__________________
Life is sexually transmitted
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25-09-2006, 20:12
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#28
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Cape Cod
Boat: GulfStar 43 Mk II... EAGLE
Posts: 41
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I live up here in New England and sun light isn't as strong this time of year and diminishing every day!
My 130 watt pv panel is still bringing up plenty of amps and my banks are full at days end.
The Air-X is rather useless and it only seems to put out sufficiently when the wind is constant and blowing above 20 mph. Since installing this unit mid August (I mounted it on a pole at the stbd stern) it has never come close to filling the banks (three 4-d bats, new) and am disappointed with it. I plan now to reinstall it atop my mizzen, up where it can receive more wind, also more quiet up there!
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26-09-2006, 06:30
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#29
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
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est,
The mizzen mount might be even noisier. It might make the mast vibrate and resonate throughout the boat. A buddy has a Fourwinds mounted on the top of his mizzen and this is what happens.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
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09-10-2006, 14:23
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2
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AirX, marine version
Hi Guys,
Am new to the group, signed up after spending most of the day reading through the discussions. Am not an expert, but 2 things about SouthWest Wind power machines...
The marine version moved the red indicator light (indicating charging) from the aft end of the vane to underneath the body of the charger so as to be invisible at night and not mistaken for a nav light.
The article about the AirX failing discussed output in watts, not amps. With the AirX being a direct DC generating machine, 120watts would equal 10amps, right?
Never can keep Ohm's Law straight, but am pretty sure that's the way it works.
I had one of the first Air Marine's and was extremely unhappy with it, the noise and low power production. The noise was definitely the machine's fault, the low power could well have been mine.
Anyway, am enjoying the discussions and have learned alot today. Look forward to more to come!
RestlessNicK
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