Wind power- awesome

[Ricco1]

I'm sat here with the computer plugged in, radio on, light on and e cig charging. There's the hum of a motorbike in the background, revving up and down as it negotiates a winding course. All the time the fully charged light on the controller is flickering on and off. I may be a simple soul, but it's very pleasing.

[craftycarper]

I'm sat here with the computer plugged in, radio on, light on and e cig charging. There's the hum of a motorbike in the background, revving up and down as it negotiates a winding course. All the time the fully charged light on the controller is flickering on and off. I may be a simple soul, but it's very pleasing.

 

are you saying you have a wind turbine and your enjoying reaping the rewards, ? .

[vulpyfox]

live for the moment huh?

[Paul C]

Have you connected the ammeter now?

[Tiggs]

Wind power is awesome.

 

 

When the wind blows.

[Rickent]

As is solar when the sun shines. I have often wondered why there is not more mention of wind power as opposed to solar given that this country gets more wind over a 12 month period than Sun and also when it's windy your batteries can be charging overnight whilst you snooze.

[Sea Dog]

You only realise quite how often it's not windy in England when you have something wind dependent, such as a yacht or a windsurfer. Then, it can become a bit of a disappointment, whereas with a wind powered generator I imagine it would be a right royal pita!

 

 

 

Edit auto correct.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Sea Dog

[matty40s]

I'm sat here with the computer plugged in, radio on, light on and e cig charging. There's the hum of a motorbike in the background, revving up and down as it negotiates a winding course. All the time the fully charged light on the controller is flickering on and off. I may be a simple soul, but it's very pleasing.

you have a wind turbine on the back of your motorbike??, why not an alternator or dynamo....

[Ricco1]

Have you connected the ammeter now?

 

I've prepared the hole in the wall for it, and the spade connectors arrived in the post yesterday. If it's still windy tomorrow I'll cut the wire and connect it up. Want it to by windy so I can check the connection is the right way.

As is solar when the sun shines. I have often wondered why there is not more mention of wind power as opposed to solar given that this country gets more wind over a 12 month period than Sun and also when it's windy your batteries can be charging overnight whilst you snooze.

 

The problem is that many canals are too sheltered for turbines to be much use. If it's windy and there are trees or buildings or valleys around that disrupt the wind it tends to blow around from different directions. This is useless for a turbine, it needs a fairly consistent wind so it's not continuously stalling. I spend a fair bit of time on the Peak Forest. Here, due to the geography of the canal, a turbine is a complete waste of time. On the Neighbouring Macc though which runs roughly north/ south there are several spots where you get great consistent wind.

[MtB]

As is solar when the sun shines. I have often wondered why there is not more mention of wind power as opposed to solar given that this country gets more wind over a 12 month period than Sun and also when it's windy your batteries can be charging overnight whilst you snooze.

 

 

Oh yeah? If you can snooze with all the racket inside the boat they reputedly make.

 

I'm rather tempted to get one to play with though...

(And see how much noise they really make inside the boat, that is.)

[Ricco1]

Ammeter fitted, and working! Not a great deal of power though, separate thread required I think...

[Paul C]

Ammeter fitted, and working! Not a great deal of power though, separate thread required I think...

 

I can change the title of this one, if you want?

[craftycarper]

Oh yeah? If you can snooze with all the racket inside the boat they reputedly make.

 

I'm rather tempted to get one to play with though...(And see how much noise they really make inside the boat, that is.)

I have been gathering the components to make one, I have a car alternator and an old electric fan, my neighbour runs all his garden lights off of a simular set up, and all the bits have came off the back of my scrap wagon so if it's crap it's only cost me a bit of time, we have nine of those full size wind turbines near us and they shut them down if the wind blows more than a gentle breeze, apparently they can't cope at high speed

[bastion]

 

 

Oh yeah? If you can snooze with all the racket inside the boat they reputedly make.

 

I'm rather tempted to get one to play with though...

(And see how much noise they really make inside the boat, that is.)

I was moored opposite a boat with a wind turbine last year at Cropredy and the noise kept me awake. I am deaf and need hearing aids, would not like to be near one with normal hearing

[ditchcrawler]

I was moored opposite a boat with a wind turbine last year at Cropredy and the noise kept me awake. I am deaf and need hearing aids, would not like to be near one with normal hearing

We had one near us in Braunston Marina and it hummed quite loudly

[FadeToScarlet]

 

 

Oh yeah? If you can snooze with all the racket inside the boat they reputedly make.

 

I'm rather tempted to get one to play with though...

 

(And see how much noise they really make inside the boat, that is.)

Don't put one over the bedroom. That was a mistake.

 

Even in the windy and.flat fens, we got very little from our turbine, and much much prefer solar.

[Sea Dog]

We had one near us in Braunston Marina and it hummed quite loudly

 

We had one near us that whistled. Lord only knows what it's like to be near one that knows the lyrics!

[tidal]

 

 

Oh yeah? If you can snooze with all the racket inside the boat they reputedly make.

 

I'm rather tempted to get one to play with though...

(And see how much noise they really make inside the boat, that is.)

 

 

Properly designed boat one's make very little noise

They are mostly useless on inshore waters (especially on the cut) and are sometimes useless on boats at sea

But mostly at sea or in salty harbours/marinas they are pretty damned good indeed simply because you do get more reliable wind in those places.

Which is of course why you see so many of the vertical type attached to navigation buoys and suchlike critical devices.

[Bewildered]

Don't put one over the bedroom. That was a mistake.

 

 

oh I don't know, it could produce a lot of power on curry night

[ditchcrawler]

Well it should be pumping out a few amps now. nearly 50 mph here

[Ricco1]

Wrong direction, gusty, because of trees, getting very little. 4 amps at lunchtime though!

[Paul C]

Wrong direction, gusty, because of trees, getting very little. 4 amps at lunchtime though!

 

Have you worked out if you'd get more energy if you scrapped it, weighed in the metal and spent the money on AA batteries from Asda?

[cuthound]

Have you worked out if you'd get more energy if you scrapped it, weighed in the metal and spent the money on AA batteries from Asda?

brilliant

 

When I was working, I saw a document that claimed that in England 94% of commerical wind generators were producing less than their annual rated output.

[Ricco1]

 

Have you worked out if you'd get more energy if you scrapped it, weighed in the metal and spent the money on AA batteries from Asda?

 

It's a fair point. I think that if you were thinking of going out and buying a brand new turbine, controller, wiring, mounting pole etc. then face all the hassles of fitting it, taking it down to move etc, and expecting a decent return: you wouldn't bother. You don't see many of them about eh?

 

I got mine second hand for very little, pole was just a few quid. Yes it's a little noisy but I quite like the sound of it. I also like the overall concept of it; getting a little extra electricity without burning fuel. I also like the look of it on my boat and looking at the amp meter during a gust of wind adds a bit more interest to things. 4 amps a few minute ago, happy days!

[Paul C]

 

It's a fair point. I think that if you were thinking of going out and buying a brand new turbine, controller, wiring, mounting pole etc. then face all the hassles of fitting it, taking it down to move etc, and expecting a decent return: you wouldn't bother. You don't see many of them about eh?

 

I got mine second hand for very little, pole was just a few quid. Yes it's a little noisy but I quite like the sound of it. I also like the overall concept of it; getting a little extra electricity without burning fuel. I also like the look of it on my boat and looking at the amp meter during a gust of wind adds a bit more interest to things. 4 amps a few minute ago, happy days!

 

You were wise to not invest too heavily in it; and pick up some secondhand kit to see for yourself how good it was. I initially had the idea of relying on solar in the summer and wind in the winter and it all working out. But the more research I did, the less it seemed to favour the wind option. Now that you've got some proper monitoring equipment (shame it can't count amp-hours....) you'll get a proper quantitative measure of how good (or not) it is. Sure, its good to have "something for nothing" but unless the wind blows - and remember these strong winds now are the exception, not the norm - its not going to generate much/anything. Just like solar's useless at night-time, and pretty marginal through the winter (research suggests 10% or so of rated output).