Wind Generator

[NB Willawaw]

With the likelihood that boat diesel prices will double in a year or so, I was becoming interested in fitting a wind generator to harness wind energy to help charge my batteries (to save starting the genset so often). I have seen a few on boats in our travels, but the boats are normally on moorings with no one home, so I couldn't ask them how effective they were.

 

I have done quite a lot of research and have selected one which will give a 10Amp charge with a moderate wind speed. My reservations are three-fold:

 

1. The support mechanism has to be quite meaty and its not particularly attractive on a narrowboat. I would like to have some form of portable rig, but that doesn't seem so practical.

 

2. Canals tend to be quite sheltered. A lot of them are in valleys, cuttings and with tree cover. To catch the wind, the rotor has to be mounted high which in some way is connected to my point 1. Since the idea entered my head I have been gauging the wind speeds where we are moored at the moment, but its not so strong at boat level.

 

3. To get a decent charge current, you need quite a large one and I'm a bit concerned about public liability, with those lethal blades spinning so close to the towpath.

 

Has anybody got one on a narrowboat and what do you think of its performance ?

Edited November 13, 2005 by NB Willawaw

[DHutch]

We've also looked into wind generators in the past, and im going to watch this thread closely.

 

One of the things to bear in mind is the noise.

- after speaking to someone with one you want to mount it at the other end of the boat than you sleep!

- unfortunatly i could really just any solid info on how well it worked, he didnt have a ampmeter on it, and didnt seam to know much about any of the boats electrical system.

 

 

Daniel

[David Schweizer]

We've also looked into wind generators in the past, and im going to watch this thread closely.

 

One of the things to bear in mind is the noise.

- after speaking to someone with one you want to mount it at the other end of the boat than you sleep!

- unfortunatly i could really just any solid info on how well it worked, he didnt have a ampmeter on it, and didnt seam to know much about any of the boats electrical system.

Daniel

Not very friendly if it is next to the end of another boat where the occupants sleep. Wind generators (especially large ones) are noisy.

[Carrie]

http://www.abnb.co.uk/fdr1130/1130abnb.htm

 

I came across this advert for a boat for sale, with a wind generator folded away. If you do get one, I'd love to hear what you think of them as I plan to have solar & wind power.

[nbtafelberg]

I've got Solar Power right now but to be honest you need a LOT of panels and to be in really open area for it to be any good.

 

I'm getting a wind generator this week hopefullly to add to the solars, if you liveaboard without the shoreline you need it.

[Bones]

I had a wind generator on my last boat and they are fabulous. Put it up on the roof of the boat with an eight metre scaffold. It will whizz for england and make you very happy.

[DHutch]

I had a wind generator on my last boat and they are fabulous.

Do you know what brand/model it was?

- And if you bought it, why did you choose that one?

[Bones]

Do you know what brand/model it was?

- And if you bought it, why did you choose that one?

 

Its a rutland 915 - I THINK but I will check it later. I didn't buy it, but the person who did is staying with me, so I will ask him! I am absolutely positive its the best one available - I have seen many wind generators on my travels and they certainly don't seem effective as the one on the last boat (thats if going around is a good indicator!). The 8ft height of it probably helped too. I didn't run the engine at all to charge the batteries for weeks on end. (I don't have a TV and the fridge was gas, but the stereo and lights weren't)

[nbtafelberg]

Thats good to know! I'm getting a Rutland 915 today!!! or tomorrow depending on work .

 

How exciting....

[Keeping Up]

I had a wind generator on my last boat and they are fabulous.

But why do you want to generate more wind?

[DHutch]

Thats good to know! I'm getting a Rutland 915 today!!! or tomorrow depending on work .

 

How exciting....

Yeah, when you get it set up, give us posted.

- I'd be interested soo how it works for you.

 

Also, what controler/regulator junk are you planning to use with it?

 

 

Daniel

 

[edit]

Or do the ruttland units come with there own charger?

[matt]

I've got a BP controller - and an unnamed shunt box for the solar and wind.

 

The wind gen only makes a noise when it's shunting (the battery is full) - I sleep below it and it's no very noisy really, just a hum.

 

They can be a pain to wire correctly - I'm still not convinced mine is right (it was already installed on the boat - but I've done some tweaking).

 

It's worth getting a solar too and run both cables at the same time - the solar is really good - and don't let anyone tell you they aren't. My 40w keeps the batteries well topped up.

[Lesd]

I've got a BP controller - and an unnamed shunt box for the solar and wind.

 

The wind gen only makes a noise when it's shunting (the battery is full) - I sleep below it and it's no very noisy really, just a hum.

 

They can be a pain to wire correctly - I'm still not convinced mine is right (it was already installed on the boat - but I've done some tweaking).

 

It's worth getting a solar too and run both cables at the same time - the solar is really good - and don't let anyone tell you they aren't. My 40w keeps the batteries well topped up.

 

 

Matt, I keep hearing contradictory things about solar panel efficiency in our climate but you sound completely convinced which is encouraging for me (I want my boat to make maximum use of both wind and solar generation). A few specific questions if i may;

1.What daily power budget are you supporting ?

2. Through how big a battery set ?

3. How many panals do you have in place?

and 4. how much roof space do they occupy?

5. Are you saying you never have to use a genny or power line to top up, only soar and wind ?

 

Appreciate your help here

Les

[nbtafelberg]

Haha

 

I have 4 solar panels and in the summer they are better than the winter.

 

The regulator is a rather flash one that comes with the Rutland (well as an extra) that takes both the solars and the wind generator.

 

We have 6 110ah batteries so its quite a lot to keep charged, thats because we are liveaboards with no shore line.

[matt]

1.What daily power budget are you supporting ?

2. Through how big a battery set ?

3. How many panals do you have in place?

and 4. how much roof space do they occupy?

5. Are you saying you never have to use a genny or power line to top up, only soar and wind ?

 

Admittedly we are light power users (all 12v) - lighting, waterpump, laptop, phone, radio/CD, bilge, (no TV or fridge)

 

3 x 110s (Number / size of batteries is a bit meaningless as 1x110 well looked after is better than 3x110 that never been serviced in 5yrs.)

 

1 x 40w panel, linked to same controller as the wind gen

 

Not much roof space for the panel and 2 sq ft, the wind gen when down takes up a bit.

 

I spend 50% of my time on the boat, and don't need to run the engine except to move it. I guess because for 2 or 3 days a week I don't use any power it helps the top up a lot - but whenever I use the wind gen it brings the batteries up quite fast then shunts - so there is bags of power (for my set up). I think the people who complain about solar are using vast amounts to power washing machines, microwaves, fridges. If you've a modest set up you can easily live off sun/wind. Also it feels good.

 

There is a boat on the K&A with a set of forklift batteries and flexible solar panels you can walk on covering most of the roof - he's running an electric engine off them and it's a widebeam. There are some flexible panels that work even in low light now.

[John Orentas]

Hi Matt.

 

A bit intrigued at a couple of your notes, do I take it that you have a gas fridge or do you not have a fridge at all. I tried to do without one on my first boat but realised my error on my first trip.

 

"3 x 110s (Number / size of batteries is a bit meaningless as 1x110 well looked after is better than 3x110 that never been serviced in 5yrs.)"

 

I have always regarded batteries as throw-away items, how do you 'look after' or service a battery other than the obvious topping up.

[DHutch]

Paul, do you know the model number of the regulator your geting?

 

There seam to be two normal ones, the SR60 and the SR200 for £40/60 (also avalable in a flash box with some pre conected instremention), and then one that incoporates split charging between two banks which is £140.

 

Also, when you say 915, do you mean 913?

 

 

Daniel

[nbtafelberg]

Yeah

 

913

 

And the Regulator is the £140 one.

[DHutch]

Yeah, 913

And the Regulator is the £140 one.

Well, i'd be very interested to hear from you about how it works out.

 

- Do you plan to wire it up with one output the starter, one to the domestic bank, or split the domesct bank in two and leave to the starter to the alternator?

 

 

Daniel

[matt]

Hi Matt.

 

A bit intrigued at a couple of your notes, do I take it that you have a gas fridge or do you not have a fridge at all. I tried to do without one on my first boat but realised my error on my first trip.

 

"3 x 110s (Number / size of batteries is a bit meaningless as 1x110 well looked after is better than 3x110 that never been serviced in 5yrs.)"

 

I have always regarded batteries as throw-away items, how do you 'look after' or service a battery other than the obvious topping up.

 

We've no fridge - it's on my list when we get a cratch - but to be honest I enjoy not having it - I'm a fairly fanatical cook and it makes me think to buy only what we need - we've slate in the kitchen cupboards which will keep milk (even in summer) for 4 days+. I bake our bread fresh, keep meat that improves at room temperature (lamb and beef) or cook it same day and store cooked.

 

The only problem is dips and pates etc. that don't keep long, also the lack of really cold beer - but then it means we don't buy so much crap - I've thought about putting beer in a keep net at the stern.

 

At our house we've a fridge and we shop with minimal planning -- consequently we bin 30% of what we buy.

 

On the battery front topping up is really important - when I took over the boat all the chambers in the batteries were low - it took 1 litre of water per battery to top them up.

[Carrie]

Hi Paul

So will you be installing the wind turbine yourself or getting someone to do it? Is it a welding job and are you advised where is the best/safest place to put it?

Does anyone know about having it working as you go along? I suppose you'd have to collapse it for bridges? I know you can swivel it to stop the turn before collapsing it down, but is this dangerous if it's whizzing round?!

Sorry - 3 million questions.

[DHutch]

3 million questions.

Its quite easy to fit a one of these windturbines yourself, you juat have to attach the pole upright somhow.

- Having said that, quite often a brack is welded onto the boat, or else you can get a bracket welded up and then bolt it to the roof yourself.

 

You can put it whereever like, there not rules/regs as far a i know.

- Ussuall place is some where on the roof, on the center line, on a pole.

- But you can also put on a curser stern, or you bow, or a fence post nearby!

- You take then down when you cruseing, eather be taking the pole out of socket, or folding it on a pivot/hinge, or somthing like that.

 

They do spin quite fast, and on a blustery day, i wouldnt get in the way of it, but usually there the too bad, and as you say, you can grab the tail and turn it to be side-on to the wind, and the hold the rotor still.

 

 

Daniel

[NB Willawaw]

Listening to Clevett overcame my initial reservations. Also, I've had a flash of inspiration to avoid me having to have a permanent and substantial piece of steelwork welded to my coachroof.

I plan to get a local metalworker up here to build me a cylindrical tubular steel cage as per the drawing link below.

 

Wind Generator Pedestal Design

 

Inside the cage there is a simple ratchet winch which is accessible through the bars.

 

The rachet mechanism has a wire cable and hook which attaches to the centre line eye.

The pole shown in the top will be of the correct length and O/D to have the wind generator mounted on the top of it.

 

When the ratchet is tightened the cage will clamp down on to a rubber compression ring (probably an old rubber car mat cut to shape), which will absorb some vibration/shock and avoid damaging the coachroof through metal-metal contact. The pole is locked int place using a locking pin, to avoid the pole and windgen vibrating out.

The wind generator has a cable not unlike a shore supply cable which will terminate into a plug, fitting into a socket receptacle mounted next to my AC socket (different size/pins to avoid expensive mistakes).

 

The plan is to store this inside the boat until we are moored up for a while and the winds blowing enough and then get the gizmo out and set it up (10 mins work).

 

What do you think ?

 

 

(Its not to a final scale yet, mind).

Edited November 18, 2005 by NB Willawaw

[DHutch]

What do you think ?

To be honest, im strugling to visualise this contraption.

- Although that maybe becuase im about 20million hours down on sleep.

 

We have a 'mast step' at the from of our boat which was designed to hold a flagpole (dont ask) but never gets used, so if/when we get a windturbine i would first try mounting it on that, it would then be hinged at the base, and held uo with four wires cliped onto the hand rails, and the pin could be made removable if you wanted to take it off. The base even has a socket next to it that could be used to plug the turnbine in (with the aproprate alterations to the wireing within the boat)

 

Image of said mast base

 

Otherwise, i was doing it from scratch, id do basicaly exactly the same thing, only i wouldnt bolt the base to the roof, i just have it held there by the downforce generated my the wire stays, with a rubber mat to keep the paint nice. (is this the sort of idea you have wiilawaw?)

 

 

Daniel

[NB Willawaw]

It sounds similar Daniel, only we don't have anything existing that we can use.

 

I don't want anything permanent or that involves making mast steps, flanges for stays etc (we have a continuous handrail).

 

We DO have a very strong centre line eye as it was one of the things that I was insistent on with the yard and I expected to use it a lot. A lot of stiffening went in at that point, so I am confident it will take the strain.

The larger wind gens can generate a lot of lateral force.

Edited November 18, 2005 by NB Willawaw