Wind turbine, where on the boat to erect it?

[Ricco1]

I've got my second hand turbine, worked out what tubing to use to lift it above the boat. The last thing I need to work out is where to erect it. The usual middle of the roof position, braced by 4 wires is out as my roof is pretty well full with solar panels and my kayak. I can see 2 options:

 

1/ Drill a hole through the overhang of the rear of the roof, above the cruiser deck. My gas storage locker is below this. Secure the tube to the gas locker with 'c' bolts.

 

2/ Drill a hole through the handrail at the back of the cruiser deck to erect the pole here.

 

In each case I'd have the pole (lightweight steel scaffolding tube) in 2 pieces, with a coupling, so I can easily lower the turbine as required. The 'break' in the pole would be just above the roof, and handrail, respectively. Any gaps around the holes I drilled to accept the pole would be filled with weld.

 

I prefer 1/ really but I'm mindful that these things can vibrate, the vibration would be just behind the back of my bed.

 

What would you do?

 

Thanks.

[kevinl]

You might well be surprised how well you'll have to bolt it down, give that the lowest tip of the blades will need to be 7 feet or so above the ground so you don't chop anyone's head off so they put a lot of stress on the mountings, however, given that they're all but useless I'd do something temporary that way you won't have to fix any holes when you junk it I think the only people who persevere with them don't like admitting they made a mistake buying it in the first place.

K

[RLWP]

Can you mount it on a pole on the bank?

 

Richard

 

Or flog it on Ebay?

Edited June 29, 2014 by RLWP

[boots]

We find ours noisy, so if you intend to leave it up at night would suggest mounting as far away from the bedroom as poss. (Then again, that will make it noisy during the day ). Ours is above the bed, so don't hear it during the day and we take it down at night.

[grahame r]

Greenie to Kevinl

[FadeToScarlet]

We put ours above the bedroom roof.

 

This was a very silly idea. Don't do that.

 

Even isolating it as much as possible, with no metal to metal contact anywhere, it still whined when windy.

[Ricco1]

I know there's a lot of negativity about turbines but hopefully I'll get at least something out of it. I'm one of the people that like's their aesthetics as well.

 

It seems that mounting it through the cruiser deck rail might be the best option, because of the noise. I'm thinking of a pole around 8 1/2 feet long, so even the tallest person won't get decapitated Would you think a scaffolding coupling would be strong enough? otherwise it will have to be in 1 piece, slid through the hole in the cruiser deck rail each time I move.

[RLWP]

To get it to a sensible height above trees and hedges, I would have though twenty foot was nearer the mark

 

Richard

[Ricco1]

To get it to a sensible height above trees and hedges, I would have though twenty foot was nearer the mark

 

Richard

 

Indeed! I moor in some pretty exposed places though.

[jelunga]

Greenie to Kevinl

Agree. We had one mounted at the rear on a scaffold pole pivoting on a cabin roof mounted brack with fhe bottom secured to another bracker. They were beefy brackets. Paid about £200 to get the Rutland turban refurbed. It was asmuch use as a chocolate tea pot. It contributed next to f all to my electricl needs wxcept in a storm force wind when it might grudgingly give 4 or 5 ammps. A total waste of apece and money.

Work well on a farm on a hill not surrounded by much. Work well too of a mast on sailing boat in middle of ocean. Crap on the canals

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya Ricco1,

My set up has got No Guide wires, The main shaft is in two parts with a joint half way up the pole just above the Radar mounting plate for easy De-mounting, Its completely Flexible Rubber insulated, All the Fixings have Rubber Grommets fitted, it produces loads of Power and is only really noticeable in very high winds inside the boat, but hardly at all outside.

 

Spend time getting the mounting position. Useable & right, & well insulated against Sound

& Vibration. An articulated base fitting is handy, so you can just Lower and Raise storing it along the roof in the cruising position, Raising it at night without having to do the completely Disassemble & Reassemble malarkey.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cilsg7n13v1d9jy/2014-06-29%2019.26.26.jpg

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qvwz21bkmn1ysu6/2014-06-29%2019.25.57.jpg

Edited June 29, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ricco1]

Hi ya Ricco1,

My set up has got No Guide wires, The main shaft is in two parts with a joint half way up the pole just above the Radar mounting plate for easy De-mounting, Its completely Flexible Rubber insulated, All the Fixings have Rubber Grommets fitted, it produces loads of Power and is only really noticeable in very high winds inside the boat, but hardly at all outside.

 

Spend time getting the mounting position. Useable & right, & well insulated against Sound

& Vibration. An articulated base fitting is handy, so you can just Lower and Raise storing it along the roof in the cruising position, Raising it at night without having to do the completely Disassemble & Reassemble malarkey.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cilsg7n13v1d9jy/2014-06-29%2019.26.26.jpg

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qvwz21bkmn1ysu6/2014-06-29%2019.25.57.jpg

 

Thanks for that! I'd like the pole to be in 2 parts if possible, for easy disassembly. What I'm unsure of is whether standard scaffolding 'coupling' pieces will be strong enough to cope with the stresses it will come under in high winds.

[Beaker]

<snip>

however, given that they're all but useless I'd do something temporary that way you won't have to fix any holes when you junk it I think the only people who persevere with them don't like admitting they made a mistake buying it in the first place.

K

 

Yes, I think the clue there is in the first sentence, "I've got my second hand turbine."

Edited June 30, 2014 by Beaker

[sueb]

Don't fix it to the boat. We junked our wind turbine which came with the boat. It was also a heavy pain to put up & down when we wanted to cruise.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

 

Thanks for that! I'd like the pole to be in 2 parts if possible, for easy disassembly. What I'm unsure of is whether standard scaffolding 'coupling' pieces will be strong enough to cope with the stresses it will come under in high winds.

The pole I used in the pictures is an Aluminum Scaffold Pole, in two sections, joined together with a standard Scaffolding straight pipe connection fitting with rubber padding.

(Aluminum poles I think have a bigger internal diameter than the Steel ones).

Wrap the metal male fitting in rubber, before inserting into mounting Pole.

(Again Any metal to Metal contact should be avoided, and don't mount it above where you Sit in the Eve, or Sleep at night.).

Edited June 30, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ricco1]

The pole I used in the pictures is an Aluminum Scaffold Pole, in two sections, joined together with a standard Scaffolding straight pipe connection fitting with rubber padding.

(Aluminum poles I think have a bigger internal diameter than the Steel ones).

Wrap the metal male fitting in rubber, before inserting into mounting Pole.

(Again Any metal to Metal contact should be avoided, and don't mount it above where you Sit in the Eve, or Sleep at night.).

 

That's great. I prefer aluminium because of the lighter weight but when I looked into it the internal diameter of it wouldn't fit the turbine (diameter was insufficient), which is the same as yours. Maybe I've got that wrong, I'll double check.

 

How much do you typically get out of yours, on an average breezy day?

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Tough one to answer,

It depends on SO many things, Not Least SOC of your Battery Bank, & Obviously how windy it is at your location !.

 

I think it 'can' produce around the 5 or 7amp mark in ideal conditions,

So it's reasonable to say being realistic maybe up to 35amps over a 24hr period from my set up in location ! will be a good guess as an AVE 24Hr Harvest. And don't forget at the lower wind speeds say anything up to the 2 or 3 amp mark, you shouldn't hear it at all !.

But Much more power will be produced in the Autumn & Winter months.

 

Right now my W/G is giving out 1.2a as an AVE.

But note my SOC is Full ish showing 100% & my voltage is up around the 13.78volts, so it's being Regulated !.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mrjvr7iayqcun4n/IMAG0324.jpg

 

Earlier this morning when my Dishwasher went on I was getting a steady 8A Ave Harvest, probably contributed EQUALLY by both my Small flat mounted 120w Solar panel instalation, & my Wind Generator at a guess.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ricco1]

Tough one to answer,

It depends on SO many things, Not Least SOC of your Battery Bank, & Obviously how windy it is at your location !.

 

I think it 'can' produce around the 5 or 7amp mark in ideal conditions,

So it's reasonable to say being realistic maybe up to 35amps over a 24hr period from my set up in location ! will be a good guess as an AVE 24Hr Harvest. And don't forget at the lower wind speeds say anything up to the 2 or 3 amp mark, you shouldn't hear it at all !.

But Much more power will be produced in the Autumn & Winter months.

 

Right now my W/G is giving out 1.2a as an AVE.

But note my SOC is Full ish showing 100% & my voltage is up around the 13.78volts, so it's being Regulated !.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mrjvr7iayqcun4n/IMAG0324.jpg

 

Earlier this morning when my Dishwasher went on I was getting a steady 8A Ave Harvest, probably contributed EQUALLY by both my Small flat mounted 120w Solar panel instalation, & my Wind Generator at a guess.

 

Thanks for that. I was hoping that I could achieve something like 15-20 amp hours over a 24 hour period, once the turbine is fitted. I have 375 watts of solar which is more than enough at this time of the year but on dull winter days won't produce enough for my meagre daily usage of around 30 amp hours. I'm hoping that the solar and wind combined will mean I don't need to run my engine throughout the year, other than occasionally. From what you've told me, that's quite possible!

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

I think 15-20 Amp Hrs over a 24 Hr period is achievable from a well mounted & Positiond WG, Yes. But maybe not EVERY 24 Hr period,

Some might be more, some might be less.

But as you know, it's about Managing what you can Harvest from BOTH Wind & Solar that truly makes a difference in my opinion.

You've got 3 times more Solar than me, so you should be fine.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

It will be interesting to post your results !.

[RLWP]

I think 15-20 Amp Hrs over a 24 Hr period is achievable from a well mounted & Positiond WG,

 

Can you explain what well mounted and positioned would be like, Paul?

 

Richard

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

 

Can you explain what well mounted and positioned would be like, Paul?

 

Richard

This is what i conconsider fits that description in my case, and for my use.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xeqkv52lba3hyf/2014-04-10%2011.10.57.jpg

But as you know, most installations are very different.

[RLWP]

So, half a mile of clear water with the wind blowing up the estuary?

 

Richard

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

So, half a mile of clear water with the wind blowing up the estuary?

 

Richard

Well if you've got that, that's going to be very good I would think. yes.

It's certainly going to be better than where I moor, about 1mile From the Entrance, Up a river, In a 200 meter stretch between two bends, With up to 10 meters of River Bank that loomes up the side of me at low water springs. And surrounded by Industrial Warehouse type buildings, Trees and Business !.

This was taken from the opposite bank at 2hr before low water as an example, so probably another 2ft drop to go down yet.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ovhgfokve8h305b/IMAG0333.jpg

 

 

But my Wind Gen tries it's best, and I'm very happy with it.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[RLWP]

And if you have twenty foot of turbulent air behind a tree?

 

Richard

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

And if you have twenty foot of turbulent air behind a tree?

 

Richard

Sorry RLWP., i can't see the question there !.

 

I would guess,, You've got Twenty foot of turbulent air behind a tree !.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2