Wind generators not common?

[mlts22]

I've wondered why wind setups are not that common for boondocking times.

It is understandable that if one is going from place to place, taking time to set up and tear down a wind tower isn't worth the time, but for a 1-2 week vacation, it might be worth having, especially if one can get a tower high enough to use the faster winds above the ground. Even a mount that is directly on a rig may some into handy.

Of course, there are other caveats (dump loads, variable winds), but even with that in mind, it can be useful for an energy source at night or during overcast weather. Noise may be an issue, but the wind turbines I've heard were not that bad. There is also the fact that the turbine + blades + tower take up space.

Is there any reason that wind turbines are not that common for boondocking? Since I'm looking at building a solar trailer, I might as well see about adding the ability to mount a tower for wind energy.

[joshuajim]

Gdetrailer wrote:


I don't know about you, but I am heading for SAFER shelter if I have constant wind speeds of 15MPH or better!

I can tell that you have not spent much time in the desert. I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but 15 to 30 MPH sustained winds are very common out here. Yes the RV does a little rockin', but it's nothing dangerous.

I too don't believe that it would be practical for an RV, but for a permanent house it's much better than solar in this area.

[Gjac]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Well, one thing's for certain...

With a wind powered generator, you can lay in bed, with a pillow stuffed over your head and know for a fact whether the wind is blowing or not. We vets may have dreams about Hueys and Cobras.

The wind pushes harder than my wallet pushes back to build a tower strong enough to keep from toppling.

The Cobras and Heuy's were loud because they were 2 blades. I can tell you the Blackhawks were quieter because they were 4 blades and Comanche helicopter was even quieter with it 6 blades. When I hear a Cobra or Heuy I think of Country Joe and the Fish.

[kccwoodworks]

Check out Wind Blue Power. The use modified Delco alternators w/permanent magnet rotors. The cost with controller is around $300. It will produce sufficient voltage to your batteries at only 130RPM. Build your own blades from PVC pipe.

[camperpaul]

Gdetrailer wrote:
I would HIGHLY doubt that YOU would be "comfortable" inside or outside a RV with a continuous 15MPH or even 20MPH wind blowing across the BROADSIDE of said rig. Not to mention potential gusts well in excess of 40+ MPH.

No problem a few years ago when my anemometer broke indicating 94 MPH.

Everyone tends to think they are going to get something for nothing with wind power. They read the hyped up marketing brochures from these small wind gen companies selling folks a real snow job.

Agreed.

It takes a LARGE rotor sweep area to really capture any substantial power from the wind. Pretty much all of these 500W and smaller wind gens use a three blade setup and typically smaller than 3ft of swept area. That means this blade WILL HAVE to be spinning at a very high speed at the tips, this makes a lot of noise but nets very low wattage.

A windmill with 3 ft blades will have a blade swept area of ~28 ft^2.
When the blade tips break the sound barrier it does get a little noisy.
To harvest enough energy from the wind to make it worth while, it requires at least 12 ft blades (452 ft^2).

Most will start SPINNING around 7MPH but the cut in will be well above 10 MPH and when it makes it to the cut in you will be getting only a couple of watts of power..

Pretty much all of these small wind gens spec the FULL output well over 30MPH and some even as high as 40 MPH.. Anything BELOW the full rated winds peed you get MUCH LESS.
-- snip --
You do realize that if you put an alternator on a stationary bike you can provide 50 WATTS of power for as long as you can sustain it.. and short bursts of power above that..

Done that. With the correct pedal crank length and the right sprockets, it delivers about 75 Watts continuously with bursts to 150 Watts.

[pawatt]

20 MPH winds, that's just a cool breeze. We had 60 - 80 MPH wind gusts last night. Now that did some minor damage & caused many power outages.

[mena661]

Gdetrailer wrote:

I would HIGHLY doubt that YOU would be "comfortable" inside or outside a RV with a continuous 15MPH or even 20MPH wind blowing across the BROADSIDE of said rig. Not to mention potential gusts well in excess of 40+ MPH.

I LIVE in these conditions, I go to work in these conditions, I do yard work in these conditions, I take walks with the DW in these conditions, I grill burgers in these conditions, I've CAMPED in these conditions!!!! LOL! Hell, I've camped in 60 mph gusts. Now THAT gets the MH rocking but it doesn't move in 15-20 mph winds. This is NORMAL where I live. It's not an aberration, this is everyday, regular stuff. SoCal is known for its sun but not many people talk about the wind. Look up Santa Ana winds sometime. Doesn't stop anyone from camping out here. Normal stuff.

Here's the wind speed right now where I live. DW just came inside from working with the horses. Normal stuff.

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=93560

[Bill_Satellite]

It's not a matter of intentionally camping somewhere, but if that somewhere is where I want to go I will camp there unless something dangerous is expected. 15-20 MPH winds are not dangerous and they really are not an inconvenience either.
Wind, I've been in wind! but calling 15-20 MPH WIND is just silly. That's a nice breeze which simply limits your ability to cook outdoors.
As to wind generators, most RVers are not going to be parked where these kinds of winds are available on a regular basis (but could be a good "driving down the road" source) so other, more practical options such as solar (the thing the RVers like the most!) leave the limited options available from wind in the dust.
We are currently in NV. Not much wind going on here (I have yet to see one windmill) but solar is EVERYWHERE.

[Huntindog]

Gdetrailer wrote:
I can not imagine intentionally wanting to camp in high winds.

Here are a few reasons: Deer season, Elk Season, Turkey season, Dog Trials.

These are SCHEDULED events that take place no matter what mother nature is doing... If you are gonna do it, It's time to put on your big boy pants as you gotta be prepared for anything.

I on the other hand cannot imagine going camping just to sit in my chair if the weather is nice..
I can do that at home a lot more comfortably and cheaper.

[westend]

Average wind speed map for 30M

[Gdetrailer]

mena661 wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

I don't know about you, but I am heading for SAFER shelter if I have constant wind speeds of 15MPH or better!

Oh cmon! There's nothing dangerous about 15 mph wind speeds. If you lived in my area you'd be scared to death everyday if that was the case. Nearly EVERY evening the winds reach 15-20 mph in the warmer months here. My and everyone elses RV's do quite well. We drive in it, tow in it, I see hundreds of people going up and down the freeway in their rigs.

I would HIGHLY doubt that YOU would be "comfortable" inside or outside a RV with a continuous 15MPH or even 20MPH wind blowing across the BROADSIDE of said rig. Not to mention potential gusts well in excess of 40+ MPH.

Everyone tends to think they are going to get something for nothing with wind power. They read the hyped up marketing brochures from these small wind gen companies selling folks a real snow job.

It takes a LARGE rotor sweep area to really capture any substantial power from the wind. Pretty much all of these 500W and smaller wind gens use a three blade setup and typically smaller than 3ft of swept area. That means this blade WILL HAVE to be spinning at a very high speed at the tips, this makes a lot of noise but nets very low wattage.

Most will start SPINNING around 7MPH but the cut in will be well above 10 MPH and when it makes it to the cut in you will be getting only a couple of watts of power..

Pretty much all of these small wind gens spec the FULL output well over 30MPH and some even as high as 40 MPH.. Anything BELOW the full rated windspeed you get MUCH LESS.

I don't know about you but for me I would have a hard time keeping my camp chairs firmly planted on the ground at 30MPH..

You do realize that if you put an alternator on a stationary bike you can provide 50 WATTS of power for as long as you can sustain it.. and short bursts of power above that..

I would suggest that you go to FIELDLINES.COM and start reading instead of reading the marketing double speak form those wind gen vendors.

Recently I was camped at a beach, our campsite was 100 yards back from the beach.. Down at the beach we had one day with 18MPH constant wind with 26 MPH gusts. The wind was picking the sand up and whipping it at us, felt like I was using a sand blaster.. ON ME!

Back 100 yards at the campsite behind a sand dune the wind was just under 10 MPH and was picking up our chairs and anything else that was not strapped firmly down to a heavy object.. That day was not fun and I can not imagine intentionally wanting to camp in high winds..

Pack as much solar on as you can, much quieter and a bit more reliable than wind.

[Huntindog]

mena661 wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

I don't know about you, but I am heading for SAFER shelter if I have constant wind speeds of 15MPH or better!

Oh cmon! There's nothing dangerous about 15 mph wind speeds. If you lived in my area you'd be scared to death everyday if that was the case. Nearly EVERY evening the winds reach 15-20 mph in the warmer months here. My and everyone elses RV's do quite well. We drive in it, tow in it, I see hundreds of people going up and down the freeway in their rigs.

X2
I have a TT so I can be out and about in bad weather. Wind, rain, snow... Bring it on. At 45 MPH, I do store the winegard traveler satellite dish though... Then I'm roughing it!!:B

If the weather was always nice, I wouldn't even need a tent. Just a cot and sleep under the stars.:B

I pulled into a dog trial once in NM, on one of Ted Turners ranches, to find that all the trailers already there were parked rather oddly.
Upon getting out of the truck, we found it difficult to stand. Talking was impossible. Had to shout in each others ears. It seems the winds had hit 110 MPH. Everyone there had moved their rigs to face into the wind.
No dish HD that night.:(

[D_E_Bishop]

We were at the Panhandle... museum in Canyon TX, that's about 13 miles so of Amarillo almost on the University campus. They had several exhibit of windmills, mostly for water pumping, including one made by Fairbanks-Morse. In one corner of the upper floor I believe was a couple of wind turbine generators. There was one that was specifically for 12 volt DC. It is still being built today and with TX as big and empty as it is there are quite a few places that aren't wire for 120 AC. It was a small rig with a fairly slender mast.

That said, it still may not be workable for RVing. Wish I had my camera with me but alas it was in the MoHo.

[RoyB]

MITS22 - Google says PACWIND with a dealer at desertpowerline.com
I kinda like this idea as well. The guy I was talking at a campground had a shaft that ran down inside his trailer and used something he called magnetic bearings. These have almost zero drag and when it start spinning it continues on what seemed like forever... Sure didn't make alot of noise like three hugh propellers would. I don't remember what KW size he had but he was using to store power in batteries of course like solar does......

Take a look see at this link.

PACWIND

MITTs - after looking at these specs this is alot bigger than the one I was looking at mounted on top of this guys trailer. It was around 18-inchs in dia maybe two feet tall... The design of the blades looked just like this one. I'll dig around and see what Ican find. I had the model number a couple years back so bet I talked about on here a few years back... Gonna look for VAWT types on google...

Roy Ken

[westend]

IMO, unless you are parking at a permanent site and solar won't accomplish what you need for power, wind power isn't the best solution. Most of the mfgs. of small wind generators are more concerned about harvesting $$$ from uneducated customers rather than the efficiency of their generators. The ancillary problem with wind generation is that there is a finite amount of power to be harvested at any given wind speed and to increase harvest, the next logical step is to increase swept area of props (or rotor). Small wind power users soon discover that a smaller prop set (something that can be easily transported) is not going to harvest enough power to be efficient for the time or money involved.

The noise issue can be overcome by using props that are aerodynamic and engineered to spill wind off the tips. Most small wind mfg's. are using plastic pinwheels that will capture wind at slow speed but are dreadfully noisy.
FWIW, I use a three-blade aluminum airfoil prop set and the generator is connected to the prop shaft through ball bearing pillow blocks. You can't hear this setup when standing directly underneath it at a distance of 12'.