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08-11-2010, 10:42
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Live Iowa - Sail mostly Bahamas
Boat: Beneteau 32.5
Posts: 2,307
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Wind Generator Recommendation
I'm looking for recommendatons for a wind generator for a 30 foot sloop. I'm as concerened about quite operation and reliability as I am about efficinet power production. I'd also rather not spend a fortune as it's for part-time cruising.
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08-11-2010, 11:08
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
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I've had a KISS for six years and am happy with it.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
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08-11-2010, 12:55
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Clear Lake Marine Services - Seabrook, Texas
Boat: Gulfstar, Mark II Ketch, 43'
Posts: 2,359
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Had a KISS on the old boat, and have one on this boat
Just like Rick above, no problems..
And they are about the most quite unit out there..
__________________
Formerly Santana
The winds blow true,The skies stay blue,
Everyday is a good day for SAILING!!!!
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08-11-2010, 12:57
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Live Iowa - Sail mostly Bahamas
Boat: Beneteau 32.5
Posts: 2,307
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Thanks guys. I hadn't even heard of the Kiss.
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08-11-2010, 13:27
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Boat: Oceanis 411
Posts: 239
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My KISS is quite good - a bit of a heavy wind unit I think.
Takes 10+ kts apparent to do much. I think I see about 5 amps out at 12kts apparent, and 11 to 15 amps at 20 to 25kts apparent.
__________________
FraidNot
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08-11-2010, 13:55
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: St. Augustine, FL - an unwilling C.L.O.D.
Boat: Maine Cat 41
Posts: 519
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the top 5 (in no particular order):
SuperWind
KISS
AeroGen 6
D-400
Air-X (but only with the quiet replacement blades sold in Portugal)
Fair Winds,
Mike
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08-11-2010, 13:59
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#7
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Gulfstar Long Range Trawler; 53'; BearBoat
Posts: 1,571
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The top two in order:
SuperWind
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.
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KISS
The SuperWind is German engineering at its best and it is absolutely the quietest machine that I have been around. It is expensive.
Charlie
__________________
Charlie Johnson
ABYC Master Technician
JTB Marine Corporation
"The Devil is in the details and so is salvation."
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08-11-2010, 19:17
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Culebra, PR
Boat: Alberg 35
Posts: 31
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Installed my D400 only a month ago, but so far I have been impressed with the quiet operation. Starts up in less wind than the Kiss on the boat next to us. Definitely avoid the AirX, I hear those things a mile away. I think the D400 is a little more expensive than the Kiss, but far less than the Superwind. Good luck!
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08-11-2010, 20:27
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia
Posts: 757
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Forget wind generators and buy solar, there are more sunny days than there are windy days.
Particularly when you are anchored in a quiet bay or marina.
If you want a backup buy a petrol generator.
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08-11-2010, 21:24
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cruising the West coast of Sumatra and the offshore islands, surfing!!
Boat: Feltz Skorpion mark 11A, Aluminium 39' sloop, constructed Hamburg. https://photobucket.com/eloise_01
Posts: 706
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I agree beau, get at least 200 watts of sola panels, especially in the tropics, where there is not any wind!
Keith.
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08-11-2010, 22:37
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Cruising
Boat: Privilege 39 Catamaran, Exit Only
Posts: 2,723
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I have two Aerogen 6 generators, and I am happy with them. They have been trouble free, and they provide nearly all the power for the yacht when I am in the trade winds.
I also had four solar panels that provided about fifty amp hours a day total when there was good sun.
We had four adults on board all using lots of electricity plus electric autopilot, refrigeration, fans, radios etc. The Aerogen 6 were excellent in the trade winds.
Here is an article I wrote on our Aerogens:
AEROGEN 6 WIND GENERATORS*** Before I set sail
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09-11-2010, 01:43
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Jeanneau 57
Posts: 2,344
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I've had a D400 for two years now and am very happy with it. Very quiet and reliable. The only downside (for a 30-foot boat) is that it is a heavy piece of hardware.
http://www.sv-zanshin.com/D400.html
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16-11-2010, 02:50
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mobile, AL
Boat: Island Packet IP38
Posts: 50
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We have all 3 Solar, Wind and Honda EU 2000I. Favorite is the Honda, followed by solar then wind. Most of the wind turbines espescially Air-X overstated. You need 15+ knots to get anything meaningful. By the time they start making good power the wind is around 25 knots. Wind average output 1 to 2 amps. My 120 watt panel averages 2 to 7.5 Amps output most days. My Honda can do 70 amps. Morning routine crank generator, make coffee, watch a few minutes of TV if available, if not get on the SSB, charge batteries. This routine I get 5 or 6 days out of a gallon of gas. I know I am going to get slammed for carbon footprint. But not many people can claqim to use around 1 gallon of gas per week.
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16-11-2010, 03:06
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Paradise (better known to most people as: Philippines)
Boat: 65' Custom Steel Ketch
Posts: 322
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My 350watt array averages about 100 amp hours daily, sometimes as much as 150, sometimes as little as 60, obviously depending on cloud cover.
If I had about a kilowatt of solar, I'd be sitting pretty. All the comforts of land on my floating condo I think I've got just enough room on the roof of the pilothouse to do it, too. Just need to raise the boom track about two inches and I'll get my main lines up and out of the way.
But as is, I've got an AIR-X wind generator, and I burned out the motherboard because I screwed up the initial installation. Just replaced it and wired the puppy up exactly as instructed this time. No wind yet, so have no idea how it'll do.
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16-11-2010, 03:55
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#15
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 31,066
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Aerogen fan here..... all have given me the power needed 24/7
__________________
You can't oppress a people for over 75 years and have them say.. "I Love You.. ".
"It is better to die standing proud, than to live a lifetime on ones knees.."
Self Defence is no excuse for Genocide...
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