First post here, so I apologize if this is the wrong area.I'm doing research and planning out a custom RV (cargo van/step van/box truck conversion...undecided), and looking to be as green and self sufficient as possible. Moving to a full time RV/Boondocking lifestyle.I've done a lot of research into solar, and believe I have a solid plan. From what I understand, it's always better to plan for more than what you think you'll use when it comes to power/water. So I wanted to look into supplementing a semi-standard "rooftop solar setup." Portable solar panels are an easy option, and a diesel generator is almost a must (from what I understand).I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with a portable wind turbine as a supplement to solar. I totally understand that, similar to solar, it's dependant on the available wind in the area....I also had a kinda crazy idea, that I wanted to share, and see if it's valid.Doing some research on turbines. Their running speed is generally between 12 and 30 mph, with a rated speed of 100 - 120 mpg (usually shutting off around 50 - 60 mpg).I wanted to see if you could add an inline speed reducer gearbox, between the blades of the turbine, and the generator itself. So that its running speed can be increased to between 50 - 70 mph. Thus enabling you to mount a horizontal shaft turbine through the roof, to generate power while driving at freeway speeds.There are quite a few horizontal shaft rotors that are fairly low profile, and be great for this kind of application. I'm just not certain it would work as I'm intending.(I understand a lot of concepts well, but don't have the practical knowledge. Some DIY House Repair as well as metal/wood fabrication experience.)

Welcome to the forum. It does sound like an interesting idea. But...I'm not an expert on the subject but, I think if this was a practical application RV's/electric vehicles would have the system installed.Possibly the small amount of electricity generated would be displaced by the extra fuel used from the drag of the system while driving?And it seems like a fairly complicated system with the addition of a gear reduction system.

ToastHater wrote:I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with a portable wind turbine as a supplement to solar. I totally understand that, similar to solar, it's dependant on the available wind in the area.Look to the sailing crowd ! My analysis is, that it is not worth the effort/money.It is difficult to get the sustained air flow for it to be practical.

While moving most high powered items are not used so guess you’re trying to charge your batteries. Spend the $$ on adding a second alternator to the engine or easiest way, diesel for your generator.

I would second having a second alternator to charge the battery bank while driving. I would guess in most situations, you are not charging them from fully dead, but rather just topping off since you have solar and the generator to help when you are set up. Way less involved and complex.

Go with conventional, tried and true equipment. You will spend a pile of money on an idea that is just an idea.

Portable Wind Turbine as a power supplement? | Good Sam Community

rlw999
Explorer
Sep 24, 2020

I wanted to see if you could add an inline speed reducer gearbox, between the blades of the turbine, and the generator itself. So that its running speed can be increased to between 50 - 70 mph. Thus enabling you to mount a horizontal shaft turbine through the roof, to generate power while driving at freeway speeds.

There's really no reason to do that, it's just a very lossy way to capture power, you're better off tapping your alternator (possibly adding a second/bigger alternator). By the time the energy reaches your wind powered generator, the power has gone from the engine to the transmission to the wheels to the wind and finally to your turbine and generator. You're losing energy at each step so you're better off just tapping it off the engine directly.

Then if you still want a wind turbine, you can optimize it for ambient wind speed, which is going to be a lot less than 70mph unless you camp in hurricanes a lot.
ToastHater
Explorer
Sep 24, 2020
Dtank wrote:

maybe change your ID to "Rube Goldberg, Jr." ??

Hey, I'll take it. lol

I love thinking outside the box. Especially in these situations. There are so many great (and terrible) ideas in the "#vanlife" community. This idea may have been a bust, but I learned something from it.

Again, I do appreciate all the advice given.
mikestock
Explorer
Sep 28, 2020
If you can work out a way to capture only the regenerative energy available when you are purposely slowing down or going down hill, you may have something. You certainly won't gain anything by using the engines power (fuel) to generate electrical power over and above that required to run the vehicle's essential functions.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Sep 19, 2021
One of the differences between wind and solar is this.
I have heard someone say "Solar won't work because the sun does not always shine"

The sun has been shining for I have no idea how many thousands of years, and it's expected to shine for millions more. no breaks, no interruptions, constantly shining, (The speaker just turned his face away from the light of truth and thus tells lies)

WIND. on the other hand. does not always blow.

So though I can count on an average of 10 or more hours of sun daily.
Wind... Not so. (The rest of the time the sun shines on the backside of the planet, back side from where I'm standing that is)
deltabravo
Nomad
Sep 19, 2021
ToastHater wrote:
A second alternator makes a ton more sense as an easy solution.

Ditto.

My truck has a factory second alternator. I upgraded the charge line between the truck and camper with 4AWG cable. Here's how I did it

Then this year I added a Victron DC to DC Charger. Here's a video on that project
wolfe10
Explorer
Sep 19, 2021
cyrus799 wrote:
This ECO-WORTHY solar power kit is amazing because it combines the power generation capabilities of a wind turbine with the sun-catching skills of a solar panel. With such a wide range of operations, this kit can offer the user with a virtually constant source of electricity. It's ideal for traveling to places that aren't as windy but receive a lot of sun, or vice versa.

A little short on FACTS. Would like to see a wind speed vs output.

The 400 watts they advertise is produced at 13 MPS= 29 MPH. WOW.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Sep 19, 2021
e.g. your trying to make a perpetual motion machine. Can't defy the laws of physics, the energy you get from the windmill on top of the trailer etc. will be less than the extra energy required to drive down the road.

If what you want is to charge the battery(s) while you are driving the alternator will do that, and if needed a second alternator and alternators are very efficient and will likely have less energy loss that a wind turbine on the roof would.

BTW I can easily charge a band of four GC-2 batteries from my single alternator when driving. A days drive 6-8 hours will bring them from about 50% SOC to 80%+ pretty easily.
mobeewan
Explorer
Sep 19, 2021
I was thinking about building something like a ram air turbine using a high output alternator turned by a fan blade with everything mounted inside of a ducted shroud. I could either mount it on my truck rack or mount it on a bracket installed on the trailer tongue. Mounting it on the trailer tongue may create the least amount of drag since the front wall of the trailer creates a massive amount of drag anyway. It would be used to charge a battery bank while towing.

This would however depend on how big the fan has to be and how many rpms it could produce at highway speeds.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Sep 19, 2021
oops, noticed the OP posted this back a yr ago, nothing like bringing a thread back from the dead..

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