AcuDoc
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Location: The Seven Seas and Thailand
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Wind power
I listened to the owner of this company on the radio yesterday. This unit will generate approx 25%, 2000 kwh and most homes use 8000 kwh per year, of
a homes electricity with a 12 mph wind.
The new unit to be released soon will supply 4000 kwh with a 8 mph wind. With electricity so high everywhere, especially in Mexico I that this might
be some of you would be interested in.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9916087-54.html
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Russ
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Here's another company that has some newer technology wind generators that I was looking into. There are a lot of manufactures out there that have the
blade type wind generators but the ones I've been around are pretty noisy at times. These seem to be what I was looking for but still a bit pricey for
my needs. http://www.windside.com/old/models/models.htm
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Diver
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I like the vertical axis wind turbines also. They are much more rugged, handle high winds and gusts much better, make less noise and take up less
visual space.
Check out Pacwind;
http://www.pacwind.net/products.html
Where I live, I can get 600 - 800 kwh per month with a $5,500 turbine hooked into a net meter ! I couldn't do that here with solar panels at that
price; of course our average wind is 17-19 mph ! 
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AcuDoc
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The vertical generators are smaller in size and very quiet.
What I like about this rand is its relatively high output in minimum winds, 4000kwh annual with only 8mph winds for $5000.
Anyway you look at it it seems to be a deal.
Compared to Divers system for around the same money with over double the wind mph
"Where I live, I can get 600 - 800 kwh per month with a $5,500 turbine hooked into a net meter ! I couldn't do that here with solar panels at that
price; of course our average wind is 17-19 mph!"
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Diver
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A big diffference is the high wind or gust operation.
With horizontal axis blades you have to feather the blades as the wind gets higher to avoid damage and to maintain the most effficient foil. With some
blades, you have to stop them to change the pitch. Others actually have a cut-off speed at which they disconnect the blades from the generator and you
get no power until the wind comes down.
With the vertical units, they are not damamged by excess wind or gusts and they just go faster and faster until the wind starts to see them as a
relative immovable object and starts just going around it. The blades then continue to spin at max. speed.
Another nice thing about the Pacwind Osprey and similar units is that birds see them as solid objects, not something that they might try to fly
through; ouch.
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Cypress
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Vertical units! 
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Bob and Susan
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remember they ALL make noise in an area without noise
solar makes NO noise
these things still need charge controlers, inverters, and batteries to actually "make them work" soooo
the price is not really that big a differance unless you are in an area without sun
when you finally put these guys up i'll be glad you're not my neighbors
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AcuDoc
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you're kinda a cup half empty thing aren't ya? 
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Diver
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| Quote: | Originally posted by AcuDoc
you're kinda a cup half empty thing aren't ya? |
If you are in the US, check with your power company for rebates and costs for net metering.
Our inverter, breaker, net metering panel was all supplied as a single unit by our power company for free.
Our total bill with tower and install was just over $8,400; after rebates we paid only $5,100 and we still get tax breaks and depreciation.
We have no batteries so we need no charge controller but then I have a full solar system in our camper and a jobsite generator for emergencies.
I figure my payback time at just over 5 years (and falling with increasing power costs) - then it's all free !
Bushwacked in Baja I would probably use a combination of wind and solar and yes, it would have more components depending on your power needs.
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Bob and Susan
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half empty???
you really NEED to stay next to someone that has a wind turbin and listen...
you'll feel the same as me
it's kinda like staying next to the guy with the generator to run his tv and air ALL night
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
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Yes, definitely half empty. 
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Diver
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We are not talking about a generator at the next campsite or a windmill turbine 10' from your bed.
Would half the noise of a small window A/C unit be a problem vs saving a around a grand a year ?
And with a 40'+ tower it's even quieter.
I wouldn't blame my neighbor for that, especially since he is over 1/3 mile away !
Even overnight guests never mention hearing any noise but then, we aren't charging them for rooms.
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Bob and Susan
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1/3 of a mile is ONLY 1760 feet
that's 587 yards
that's about 5 football fields
i probably wouldn't hear your wind tower
is your lot that BIG in asuncion?
or will you have someone 60 feet away???
i ONLY feel this way because i did stay at a place where neighbors had wind turbins and i thought they were LOUD
edit...got to go FILL the glass
[Edited on 8-10-2008 by Bob and Susan]
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AcuDoc
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were they vertical models? i understand they are very quiet. also if you look at the pic of the brand i posted there does seem to be a lot of surface
to make noise. if they are quality bearing there should be very little noise.
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AcuDoc
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here is the actual site and you can check it out
"Quiet, Safe, Bird-Friendly - Unlike conventional propeller turbines with blades that rotate many times the speed of the wind, Windspire spins at
about the same speed as the wind. This makes it virtually silent, clearly visible, and very safe for both people and birds. "
http://mariahpower.com/index.php?option=com_content&task...
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Diver
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Acudoc,
There are design differences in the new vertical axis units and at this time, they each seem to be better suited to individual applications.
The one that you posted has a noise level of 20 Db at 40' at fun speed.
It looks like it may be better suited to lower wind levels.
The Pacwind Sea Hawk (oops - not the Osprey but I knew it was a sea bird) and Delta 1 are rated at 4.5 Db at 5'.
Way up on it's pole, I can live with that, no problem !
Although they run on 4+mph, they excel at high wind speeds.
Our Delta 1 is awsome, when the wind is gusting over 40 mph, I can watch our meter go backwards even when using full power in the 3,400 sf house !
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Bob and Susan
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hey...go fly a kite
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2008/aug/01/elec...
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Diver
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And I thought you meant in a lightning storm !
I already have some of those kites !!
Go wind energy research !!
Today I plan to connect our RV solar panels to the "grid" with a few new parts I just bought. Now that we have the net-metering panel, we can connect
any generated power to the grid.
Maybe I can get my kids on stationary bikes and .....
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